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■ In This Issue
■ Public Health News
Healthy diet confers better school performance
A study of fifth-graders finds that students who ate healthful amounts of fruit, vegetables, protein and fiber were significantly less likely to fail a literacy test.
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News article »
Journal abstract »
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School nutrition policy can help prevent obesity
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania schools that cut out soda, revamped snack selections and took other measures to prevent childhood obesity were able to halve the odds of students becoming overweight by sixth grade, a study has found.
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News article »
Journal abstract »
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New concerns over chemical in plastic bottles
The chemical found in plastic water bottles, baby bottles and the lining of many food and drink cans could be linked to health problems, according to a chemical evaluation by the Department of Health and Human Services' National Toxicology Program.
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News article »
NTP Report »
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Zinc lozenges reduce severity of colds by half
Zinc acetate lozenges taken within 24 hours of developing symptoms of the common cold reduce the duration and severity of symptoms from 7 days to 4, according to a new study.
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News article »
Journal abstract »
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No evidence that antioxidant supplements prolong life
A review of 67 studies found no convincing evidence that antioxidant supplement users live longer, and supplements beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E even seem to increase mortality.
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News article »
Study report »
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Chest pain in middle age predicts early death
In a long-term follow-up study, chest pain felt by men and women in their 40s was a major risk factor for premature death due to heart disease later in life.
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News article »
Journal abstract »
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Heavy tobacco and alcohol use linked to earlier development of Alzheimer's
People who smoke a pack of cigarettes or more a day develop Alzheimer's disease years earlier than those who do not, and heavy drinking of alcohol can increase lifespan loss by eight years.
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News article »
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■ Reportable Disease Statistics for March 2008
Mississippi's reportable disease statistics are updated monthly with the latest figures and yearly totals of reportable diseases in the state. The current and past months' statistics, with details by public health district, can be viewed on-line. March's figures are preliminary, and subject to revision.
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March 2008 |
March 2007 |
| Sexually |
Primary & Secondary Syphilis |
10 |
9 |
| Transmitted |
Total Early Syphilis |
24 |
45 |
| Diseases |
Gonorrhea |
499 |
664 |
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Chlamydia |
1,243 |
2,050 |
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HIV Disease |
39 |
52 |
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| Myco- |
Pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB) |
7 |
11 |
| bacterial |
Extrapulmonary TB |
1 |
1 |
| Diseases |
Mycobacteria other than TB |
17 |
30 |
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| Vaccine |
Diphtheria |
0 |
0 |
| Preventable |
Pertussis |
0 |
3 |
| Diseases |
Tetanus |
0 |
0 |
| |
Poliomyelitis |
0 |
0 |
| |
Measles |
0 |
0 |
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Mumps |
0 |
0 |
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| Viral |
Hepatitis A (acute) |
0 |
3 |
| Hepatitis |
Hepatitis B (acute) |
5 |
2 |
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Hepatitis C infection |
481 |
n/a |
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| Enteric |
Salmonellosis |
25 |
20 |
| Diseases |
Shigellosis |
40 |
19 |
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Campylobacter Disease |
7 |
3 |
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E. coli O157:H7/HUS |
1 |
0 |
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| Other Conditions |
Invasive Meningococcal Disease |
2 |
1 |
| of Public Health |
Invasive H. influenzae b Disease |
1 |
0 |
| Significance |
RMSF |
1 |
0 |
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West Nile Virus |
1 |
3 |
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Lyme Disease |
0 |
0 |
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Animal Rabies (bats) |
0 |
0 |
Disease statistics on-line »
■ Public Health Snapshot
Motor vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of death among Mississippi youth under 18, while childhood obesity represents an increasing threat to health later in life. This week's Snapshot highlights three relevant results from the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a survey of adolescents in selected public middle schools and high schools in Mississippi, and compares them to recent (2003) and past (1997) results for the same behavior. This latest Survey shows that unsafe driving behaviors continue a steady downward trend since 1997, while overweight students continue in an upward trend over the same period, rising by 37 percent compared to 1997.
Mississippi Youth Risk Behaviors, 1997, 2003, 2007
Source: Mississippi Youth Risk Behavior Surveys
For up-to-date public health statistics, visit MSDH online:
Reportable Disease Statistics »
Mississippi Vital Statistics »
■ Environmental Health Update
Food Facility Inspection "C" Results
Inspection reports for the week ending February April 17, 2008
Mississippi food facilities are graded A, B or C, reflecting whether critical violations were found during
inspections and how quickly they were corrected. The facilities below received a grade of C for
a critical violation that could not be immediately corrected, or a critical violation repeated from their last inspection.
Understanding food facility inspection grades »
Detailed on-line inspection reports »
Boil-Water Notices
Notices listed by MSDH for the week ending April 17, 2008
| Water System | County | Reason |
| Charlie's Camp Water Assn |
Tunica |
Pressure loss |
| Hiwanee Water Assn |
Wayne |
Pressure loss |
| Jayee-Topeka |
Lawrence |
Pressure loss |
View current water system alerts on-line »
■ Upcoming Events
| May 21 - 23 | Healthy Mississippi Summit
Jackson, MS. The third annual Summit supplies the resources to engage people where they live, work and play to embrace healthy lifestyles for themselves and those they care about.
Information and registration »
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| May 28 | Free BodyWorks Training
Jackson, MS. BodyWorks is a new program designed to help parents and caregivers of girls age 9 to 13 to improve family eating and activity habits.
Information and registration »
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