Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

CDC Identifies Cluster of Virginia Dentists With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

posted by mrpg on Tuesday March 13 2018, @02:21AM   Printer-friendly
from the dentists-of-dentists-are-scared dept.

takyon writes:

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified a cluster of dentists that all contracted idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and were treated at a particular Virginia care center:

A cluster of cases of a progressive lung disease occurred among dentists and other dental workers treated at one Virginia care center, according to Thursday's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [open, DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6709a2] [DX] from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of nine patients, referred to as a cluster, seven died during the reported 16-year period. The disease, called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, is a chronic, progressive lung disease with a poor prognosis. The cause is unknown.

[...] In this case, among 894 patients treated for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis at the Virginia hospital, nine patients -- or 1% -- were identified as dentists or dental technicians. This number "was about 23 times higher than expected," Nett said.

The clustering may be explained by occupational exposure to an unknown hazard.

Also at Newsweek.

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
CDC Identifies Cluster of Virginia Dentists With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 24 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday March 13 2018, @11:27AM (2 children)

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 13 2018, @11:27AM (#651768) Journal

    Regardless, I'm not sure why this is news or of concern to anyone not working at that particular dental care facility

    They didn't work "at that particular dental care facility", they got treated in a certain health facility.

    he medical records for all 894 patients treated for IPF at the Virginia tertiary care center during September 1996–June 2017 were reviewed for evidence that the patient had worked as a dentist, dental hygienist, or dental technician;

    The implication is: "Look what we've found when we looked over the records of patients treated for IPF at the Virginia tertiary care center. Suggestion: check if it's the same for a larger cohort, 'cause we have no idea why the dentists seem to die more of IPF than of other lung diseases"

    --
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  
    Total Score:   2  

  • (Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Tuesday March 13 2018, @11:35AM (1 child)

    by NotSanguine (285) <{NotSanguine} {at} {SoylentNews.Org}> on Tuesday March 13 2018, @11:35AM (#651770) Homepage Journal

    Thanks colo.

    I guess I misread TFS pretty severely. I should probably get some sleep.

    I've been talking out of my ass and I'm stinking up the place. Sigh.

    And I thought literacy was overrated.

    --
    No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr

    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday March 13 2018, @12:02PM

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 13 2018, @12:02PM (#651785) Journal

      Sleep tight, don't worry, nothing of value was lost (other than some sleep time).

      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford