Articles: pandemics.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Apr 2023
ReviewThe uprise of gun violence in the United States: consequences of a dual pandemic.
The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) viral outbreak and the rise of the anti-Black racism movement have produced a dual pandemic over the past few years, which has been associated with a dramatic rise in gun violence across the United States. This comprehensive review was performed to examine the current levels of gun violence in the context of these dual pandemics, delineate factors which have synergistically produced this surge in interpersonal violence, and propose future directions. ⋯ Consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the anti-Black racism movement have produced a social environment in the United States in recent years where interpersonal violence, especially firearm injuries, have surged. Particularly, during a time of challenged patient care delivery, the medical system struggles to support the increase in trauma volume. A broad approach to improving social determinants of health should be pursued in order to decrease the risk of gun violence from the recent near-historical high levels.
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The threat of respiratory virus infection to human health and well-being has been clearly highlighted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. For people with cystic fibrosis (CF), the clinical significance of viral infections long predated the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. This article reviews the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of respiratory virus infection in the context of CF as well as the current understanding of interactions between viruses and other microorganisms in the CF lung. ⋯ First, the impact of highly effective CFTR modulator therapy on the epidemiology and pathophysiology of viral infections in CF requires investigation. Second, the impact of respiratory viruses on the development and dynamics of the CF lung microbiota is poorly understood and viral infection may have important interactions with bacteria and fungi in the airway. Finally, bacteriophages represent a key focus of future investigation both for their role in transmission of antimicrobial resistance and as a promising treatment modality for multiresistant pathogens.