Mississippi

Mississippi hit by 900% increase in newborns treated for syphilis

Published

2 years ago

February 11, 2023

Mississippi hit by 900% increase in newborns treated for syphilis

JACKSON, Miss. — The variety of infants in Mississippi being handled for congenital syphilis has jumped by greater than 900% over 5 years, uprooting the progress the nation’s poorest state had made in practically quashing what specialists say is an avoidable public well being disaster. The rise in circumstances has positioned newborns at additional danger of life-threatening hurt in a state that’s already residence to the nation’s worst toddler mortality fee.

In 2021, 102 newborns in Mississippi had been handled for the sexually transmitted illness, up from 10 in 2016, based on an evaluation of hospital billing knowledge shared by Dr. Thomas Dobbs, the medical director for the Mississippi State Division of Well being’s Crossroads Clinic in Jackson, which focuses on sexually transmitted infections.

Dobbs, the state’s former well being officer, stated he’s spoken with well being care suppliers who “are completely horrified” that infants are being born with the illness, and in uncommon situations dying from it.

“This looks as if one thing that ought to have occurred 100 years in the past, not final 12 months,” stated Dobbs, who can also be a dean on the College of Mississippi Medical Heart. “There’s actually type of a shock.”

The Mississippi State Division of Well being doesn’t formally observe congenital syphilis deaths however stated there was at the very least one child who died in 2021.

Congenital syphilis happens when the an infection is handed from a mom to her little one whereas she’s pregnant. If untreated, a pregnant girl with syphilis has an 80% likelihood of passing it to her child.

Infants contaminated with syphilis could not initially present signs, however for many who are usually not handled inside three months of start, problems may be extreme. Syphilis can injury a child’s organs. The illness can pummel a baby’s nervous system and imperil their imaginative and prescient and listening to. Within the gravest circumstances, newborns die.

The 2021 figures Dobbs shared are the newest indicator of a rising congenital syphilis drawback in Mississippi, and nationwide. Preliminary knowledge from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention reveals that circumstances throughout the U.S. have greater than doubled from 941 in 2017 to at the very least 2,677 in 2021.

In Mississippi, the Division of Well being has not launched its ultimate 2021 numbers — that are primarily based on clinicians reporting circumstances on to the state — however the preliminary numbers mirror the rise Dobbs discovered primarily based on insurance coverage billing codes, stated Dr. Paul Byers, the state’s epidemiologist.

The resurgence additionally reveals how the state’s racial disparities may be current from the primary day of life. In 2020, Black newborns accounted for 70% of the state’s congenital syphilis circumstances, regardless of making up about 42% of the state’s stay births that 12 months. Byers stated in a press release that he expects comparable disparities within the state’s ultimate 2021 knowledge.

Congenital syphilis circumstances may be prevented if the mom receives a sequence of penicillin photographs at the very least a month earlier than giving start. When a mom hasn’t been handled adequately, infants normally should stay within the hospital for 2 weeks after start, as penicillin is delivered intravenously.

For a rising variety of Mississippi mothers and their youngsters, therapy is just not occurring in time.

Some counties within the state lack an obstetrician, which implies pregnant residents should journey for care. Relying on their job, time away from work means misplaced revenue, whereas unreliable transportation would possibly trigger a affected person to overlook appointments. And plenty of pregnant Mississippians have to attend weeks earlier than their first prenatal go to; final 12 months, it took a few month on common for candidates to be authorized for a public medical insurance program by means of Medicaid that covers most pregnancies within the state.

Dr. Anita Henderson, a Hattiesburg-based pediatrician, stated prior to now three to 4 years she’s handled extra infants with congenital syphilis than she had in practically all of her 25-year profession. “I don’t assume many individuals know there’s the potential for infants to die from congenital syphilis,” she stated.

Henderson is anxious that the state’s public well being infrastructure has weakened. In 2016, the Division of Well being introduced it was closing 9 county well being departments. Final 12 months, the Mississippi Delta — which has among the nation’s highest poverty charges and has lengthy confronted lean entry to very important maternal and toddler well being care providers — noticed its final remaining neonatal intensive care unit shut, whereas one other supplier, Greenwood Leflore Hospital, shuttered its labor and supply ward.

“In a rural state like Mississippi, we’re going to have to take a look at the place are the pockets of illness and the way can we attain these moms,” Henderson stated, “however I additionally assume our state actually has received to take a look at investing in pregnant ladies, investing of their well being.”

Within the mid-2000s, there have been years the place just one, or no, congenital syphilis circumstances had been reported in Mississippi. However prior to now 12 months, Dr. Nina Ragunanthan, an OB-GYN who practices in Mound Bayou, which was based in 1887 by a gaggle of previously enslaved individuals within the Mississippi Delta, has had two sufferers check constructive. One of many ladies had obtained scarce prenatal care, lacking alternatives for optimum therapy. One other examined unfavourable all through her being pregnant however examined constructive on the supply.

“I feel it’s fully attainable to decrease these charges,” Ragunanthan stated. “It’s not one thing the place it’s esoteric. It’s type of easy, however it’s simply generally the logistical problem.”

However tackling the issue — by getting sufferers in early, so there’s not a delayed analysis, and ensuring their companions obtain medicine, so reinfection doesn’t happen — “takes cash,” she stated.

On the Delta Well being Heart, the place sufferers are seen no matter their insurance coverage standing or capacity to pay, Ragunanthan exams pregnant sufferers for syphilis throughout their preliminary prenatal go to, of their third trimester and once more after they present up in labor on the native hospital the place she additionally works.

Mississippi doesn’t require such screenings, however forgoing them comes with an acute danger. Signs of syphilis is probably not noticeable. With out testing, somebody could not suspect they’ve been contaminated.

Byers stated the state Division of Well being is exploring the potential for a testing mandate by means of its regulatory authority. As of 2016, Mississippi was one in all six states with out a legislation requiring prenatal syphilis screening, based on a 2018 examine.

Dr. Braveen Ragunanthan, Nina Ragunanthan’s husband and a pediatrician who practices at Delta Well being and the Bolivar Medical Heart, has seen at the very least two infants prior to now 12 months with extremely possible circumstances of congenital syphilis.

When this occurs, he follows the CDC’s pointers for therapy. The toddler’s X-rays are examined to see if the illness has deformed their bones. A lumbar puncture exams their cerebrospinal fluid. The new child is began on an IV therapy with penicillin. Ragunanthan displays how they reply. Then he waits, hopeful that follow-up exams will present progress.

“It’s really a really devastating situation,” he stated.

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Mississippi

Arizona State eyes first win against an SEC opponent vs. Mississippi State

Published

1 hour ago

September 5, 2024

Press Room

Arizona State eyes first win against an SEC opponent vs. Mississippi State

Mississippi State at Arizona State, Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Arizona State by 6 1/2.

Series record: First meeting.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Arizona State and Mississippi State both had dominant wins in the season-opening weekend and now have a tougher challenge when they face each other on Saturday night. The Sun Devils are trying to build off an impressive 48-7 win over Wyoming and prove they might be a factor in the Big 12 race. Arizona State has never beaten an SEC opponent. Mississippi State plays its second game under new coach Jeff Lebby. The Bulldogs beat Eastern Kentucky 56-7 in their season opener..

KEY MATCHUP

Mississippi State QB Blake Shapen vs. the Arizona State defense. The Sun Devils scored a touchdown on the second play of their opener when Zyrus Fiaseu picked off a pass and returned it to the end zone. It was one of two interceptions on the day for Arizona State. Shapen had a great debut against Eastern Kentucky but will face a much tougher defense on Saturday.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Mississippi State: Shapen had a terrific first game with the Bulldogs, throwing for 247 yards and three touchdowns while also running for 44 yards and a TD against Eastern Kentucky. The 6-foot-1 senior played the previous three college seasons at Baylor with mixed success. Shapen has thrown a TD pass in 12 consecutive games dating to this time at Baylor in 2022.

Arizona State: RB Cam Skattebo led a balanced rushing attack against Wyoming, gaining 49 yards and scoring a touchdown. Skattebo was a do-it-all player for Arizona State last year, spending time at quarterback, running back and receiver. The Sun Devils might not need him to be as versatile this season, but he’s still a threat from just about anywhere on the field.

FACTS & FIGURES

Mississippi State had six different players score touchdowns against Eastern Kentucky. … The Bulldogs’ 93.7 passing grade in the opener was the second-best mark in all of the FBS, trailing only Purdue, according to Pro Football Focus. … Mississippi State’s Kevin Coleman Jr. returned five punts for 117 yards last week. … Arizona State was credited with just two missed tackles on defense in the opener, tied for the third-lowest tally among FBS schools. … Skattebo is 270 rushing yards away from reaching 3,000 in his career. He is 342 all-purpose yards away from reaching 4,000 and 202 receiving yards away from reaching 1,000.

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Mississippi

How Mississippi State football is preparing for Arizona State weather, late kickoff

Published

8 hours ago

September 5, 2024

Press Room

How Mississippi State football is preparing for Arizona State weather, late kickoff

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football is preparing to play a team that, at least through one game, looks vastly improved from last season.

Coach Jeff Lebby admitted on Monday, and Bulldog players have noticed it too after Arizona State (1-0) thumped Wyoming 48-7 in its opener.

MSU (1-0) must also factor in the late kickoff that is scheduled Saturday (9:30 p.m. CT, ESPN) at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Mississippi is hot, but so is Arizona — a different kind of hot, too.

Modifications and remedies are being made, such as the team leaving Starkville on Thursday instead of how it normally would on a Friday for a Saturday game.

“For our guys, just knowing exactly what we are getting into,” Lebby said. “We continue to talk about that through yesterday and this morning and (are) having those conversations to understand what it’s going to look like late in the week. We got to do a great job from a preparation standpoint of how we are hydrating, how we are eating and how we are resting to give us the ability to go on the road on this flight and be able to be at our best Saturday night.”

Just this week, Phoenix broke a record with its 100th straight day of 100-degree temperatures. According to AccuWeather, the high on Saturday in Tempe will be 107 degrees with a low of 86. The temperature should dip to around 91 near kickoff with a humidity of 24%.

“Coach Lebby has already been harping on that,” tight end Justin Ball said. “We’ve already been hydrating and making sure we are getting rest every single day. We leave on Thursday, so we already talked about the plan to make sure we are hydrating the entire plane ride there, making sure when we get there we get acclimated as quickly as you can and just staying together. Making sure we’re focused, make sure we keep the goal first and then execute the game plan.”

MORE: Jeff Lebby says Mississippi State football didn’t put on a good enough show. Here’s how he’s wrong

Mississippi State played well the last time it played in Arizona

The Bulldogs played Arizona in Tucson two seasons ago. They squandered a pedestrian Wildcats team 39-17. Kickoff for that game was at 8 p.m. PST though the temperature was 84 degrees at game time.

Not many players remain on Mississippi State’s roster from that 2022 season. But the ones who are, like linebacker Nic Mitchell, can benefit from the experience and also share it with teammates.

“We know it’s going to be a long flight, so we know we got to be hydrated,” Mitchell said. “It gives people experience that have done it before and they can tell the young guys how it’s going to be in the flight, how you got to hydrate and stuff like that.”

Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.

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Mississippi

Playing for Mississippi State not an option for Arizona State back Kyson ‘Sipp’ Brown

Published

16 hours ago

September 4, 2024

Press Room

Playing for Mississippi State not an option for Arizona State back Kyson ‘Sipp’ Brown

Sophomore running back Kyson Brown is one of the faster players on the Arizona State football team. But Brown seems to have a little more pep in his step this week. Why? Well, the Sun Devils (1-0) are set to take on Mississippi State (1-0) at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Mountain America Stadium.

Sure an SEC opponent is enough to get any athlete fired up. But the 6-foot, 200-pounder hails from Tupelo, Mississippi, which is where he got his nickname, Sipp. Tupelo is 67 miles north of the Mississippi State campus in Starkville that Sipp has visited a handful of times.

“I have family, growing up they were all Mississipp State fans and some Ole Miss fans,” he said. “Some of my family are debating whether they want to cheer for me or not. It’s going to be good. A lot of hometown friends. Got a couple guys I went to high school with there. It’s going to be good seeing those guys and hopefully, we compete at a good level and get the W.”

Brown, a mechanical engineering major, is enrolled in ASU’s Barret honors program, He emerged as one of the team’s most improved players. He saw some time on special teams as a true freshman in 2023 and has set himself up for a bigger role, although the ASU backfield has a lot of depth.

In the last week’s 48-7 win over Wyoming, Brown pitched in with six rushing attempts for 25 yards and two receptions for 73 yards. His 68-yard touchdown reception was the longest play from scrimmage that ASU had on the night.

“It felt amazing just to get back in the end zone again,” Brown said. “You come out of high school, you know I’m used to being in the end zone every game, all the time. That play, I knew — once I made the first guy miss — I knew I wasn’t going to let anybody catch me.”

Brown lived in Mississippi until moving to Lancaster, Texas, outside of Dallas, after his sophomore year of high school. He sat out junior year after the transfer. As a senior he averaged 9.5 yards per carry, finishing with 707 yards and 11 touchdowns on 74 carries while adding 14 receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns.

Sitting out his junior year hurt his recruiting, but he still had notable offers from Purdue, Missouri and Houston. The balance of his options were lower-profile schools. Mississippi State didn’t offer.

He is happy with the end result. A place on the ASU football roster. In the offseason, he worked on his agility, flexibility and catching the ball, which was evident in his recent scoring play.

“We all have the big-play potential,” he said of his fellow running backs. “I feel my role is to make plays, wherever they put me be able to perform.”

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