Weekly Health Digest: Measles Resurgence, Debates on Ozempic, STIs in Decline, AI Diagnoses for Patients

Measles is debilitating and deadly, and cases are surging, WHO and CDC warn

By Jen Christensen, CNN

Measles cases surged by more than 20 percent globally in 2023. An estimated 10.3 million cases and 107,500 deaths were reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), primarily impacting young children. This increase can be linked to a global decline in measles vaccination. Only about 74 percent of children worldwide received both doses of the measles vaccines last year. Over 22 million children had no vaccine protection against the virus.

Measles reached elimination status in 82 countries over the last 50 years due to high vaccine effectiveness. Two doses of the vaccine are 97 percent effective in preventing infection . A lack of vaccine accessibility and an increase in misinformation, however, has caused several recent outbreaks around the world. The number of measles outbreaks rose by 60 percent in 2023, with 57 countries reporting large or disruptive outbreaks.

General symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, and a rash of red spots. More severe cases, however, can result in blindness, brain damage, pneumonia, and death. CDC and WHO experts emphasize the importance of raising global vaccination rates to prevent disability and death caused by measles.

— by Stephanie Oehler

Ozempic Could Prevent Diabetes. Should It Be Used for That?

By Dani Blum, New York Times

New evidence has suggested that drugs like Ozempic could not only treat diabetes but also prevent it. A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that the diabetes drug Mounjaro, as well as the weight-loss drug Zepbound, reduced the risk of overweight or obese adults with pre-diabetes from developing diabetes by 94 percent. Other studies have shown that the compounds in the drug Ozempic could also have similar effects. 

More than a third of American adults, equating to around 98 million people, have pre-diabetes or elevated blood sugar levels that could lead to diabetes. Still, there is notable debate about prescribing drugs like Ozempic among health professionals, despite possible benefits for many Americans.

Many doctors believe that these drugs should not be the first line of treatments for patients with pre-diabetes. Smaller but equally effective changes, like modifications in diet and exercise, are always a good place to start before medication. 

There is also the issue of prescription costs for patients. Insurance companies could refuse to pay for these medications, especially when there are cheaper treatments available like metformin.

Another concern is the prolonged effects of drugs like Ozempic, even after patients stop taking it. Stopping treatment can cause regaining of weight and redevelopment of high-blood sugar. 

Some patients may not be the best fit for these medications or may not be able to easily access them, even though Ozempic and similar drugs are highly effective.

— by Alexa Morales

At Long Last, the Surge in STIs May Be Leveling Off

By Apoorva Mandavalli, New York Times

Experts are cautiously optimistic about decreasing rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States. Surveillance data for 2023, released this week by the CDC, highlighted a decrease in gonorrhea for the second-consecutive year. Rates of syphilis and chlamydia were similar to those in 2022. 

Potential reasons for this trend include increased funding for state and local health departments after COVID-19, sexual behavior changes in response to the 2022 Mpox outbreak, and the recent widespread use of the antibiotic doxycycline for infection prevention. 

The results are hopeful, but not enough to celebrate. There were more than 2.4 million STI diagnoses in 2023, over a million more than 20 years ago. The data also showed significant gaps in care. Infection rates were much higher in the South, and nearly half of the total cases were in people aged 15 to 24. Native American, Alaskan Native, and Black Americans also experienced a higher infection burden. 

State and local health departments around the country are working to increase the amount of testing for S.T.I.s in healthcare facilities, as well as in local community spaces. Data shows that these unified efforts are beginning to make a notable difference. 

 — by Aanya Ravichander

AI Chatbots Defeated Doctors at Diagnosing Illness

By Gina Kolata, New York Times

New insight into AI chatbot platforms, such as ChatGPT, provides shocking information: AI can outperform doctors in diagnosing illnesses. 

A recent study using ChatGPT was conducted with the hope that AI can help doctors with their day-to-day patients. The AI platform, however, was able to make more accurate diagnoses than the doctors, much to the researchers’ surprise. AI was able to make diagnoses with 90 percent accuracy while doctors were only 76 percent accurate. Physicians go through years of education to learn how to diagnose patients, but emerging AI seems to perform this task better.

Internal medicine expert Dr. Adam Rodman describes AI as what should be “doctor extenders” to provide a second opinion. There is a concern, however, regarding possible collaboration with doctors and AI. The study noted that many doctors do not trust AI and are overconfident in their diagnostic abilities. Most doctors were using the AI to make directed questions to ask patients, similar to usage of Google, but took it no further. Instead, AI can actually function as an all-encompassing diagnostic tool. 

There are very few cases in which doctors currently use AI for help in diagnosing and treating patients, but if used correctly, it can help physicians attack tough problems and even offer solutions. The future of AI can be beneficial in medicine, says researchers, and, with time, doctors should use it as an aid for patients. 

— by Harika Adusumilli

Items summarized by: Stephanie Oehler, Alexa Morales, Aanya Ravichander, Harika Adusumilli