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Genetics

MYRIAD GENETICS INC : Results of Operations and Financial Condition, Financial Statements and Exhibits (form 8-K) – Marketscreener.com

ITEM 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On May 3, 2023, Myriad Genetics, Inc. (the "company") announced its financialresults for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The earnings release isattached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K andincorporated herein by reference.

Exhibit 99.1 contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of thePrivate Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the company's fiscalyear 2023 financial guidance, the company's goal of profitability by the fourthquarter 2023 and sustainable 10%+ annual organic growth as the company enters2024, and statements relating to the planned launch of a new hereditary cancerassessment program by Myriad and SimonMed Imaging. These "forward-lookingstatements" are management's present expectations of future events as of thedate hereof and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks anduncertainties that could cause actual results, conditions, and events to differmaterially and adversely from those anticipated. These risks include, but arenot limited to: the risk that sales and profit margins of the company's existingtests may decline or that the company may not be able to operate its business ona profitable basis; risks related to the company's ability to achieve certainrevenue growth targets and generate sufficient revenue from its existing productportfolio or in launching and commercializing new tests to be profitable; risksrelated to changes in governmental or private insurers' coverage andreimbursement levels for the company's tests or the company's ability to obtainreimbursement for its new tests at comparable levels to its existing tests;risks related to increased competition and the development of new competingtests; continued uncertainties associated with COVID-19, including its possibleeffects on the company's operations and the demand for its products; the riskthat the company may be unable to develop or achieve commercial success foradditional tests in a timely manner, or at all; the risk that the company maynot successfully develop new markets or channels for its tests, including thecompany's ability to successfully generate substantial revenue outside theUnited States; the risk that licenses to the technology underlying the company'stests and any future tests are terminated or cannot be maintained onsatisfactory terms; risks related to delays or other problems with constructingand operating the company's laboratory testing facilities; risks related topublic concern over genetic testing in general or the company's tests inparticular; risks related to regulatory requirements or enforcement in theUnited States and foreign countries and changes in the structure of thehealthcare system or healthcare payment systems; risks related to the company'sability to obtain new corporate collaborations or licenses and acquire ordevelop new technologies or businesses on satisfactory terms, if at all; risksrelated to the company's ability to successfully integrate and derive benefitsfrom any technologies or businesses that it licenses, acquires or develops; therisk that the company is not able to secure additional financing to fund itsbusiness, if needed, in a timely manner or on favorable terms, if it all; risksrelated to the company's projections about the potential market opportunity forthe company's current and future products; the risk that the company or itslicensors may be unable to protect or that third parties will infringe theproprietary technologies underlying the company's tests; the risk ofpatent-infringement claims or challenges to the validity of the company'spatents; risks related to changes in intellectual property laws covering thecompany's tests, or patents or enforcement, in the United States and foreigncountries; risks related to security breaches, loss of data and otherdisruptions, including from cyberattacks; risks of new, changing and competitivetechnologies in the United States and internationally and that the company maynot be able to keep pace with the rapid technology changes in its industry, orproperly leverage new technologies to achieve or sustain competitive advantagesin its products; the risk that the company may be unable to comply withfinancial operating covenants under the company's credit or lending agreements;risks related to the company's inability to achieve and maintain effectivedisclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financialreporting; risks related to current and future investigations, claims orlawsuits, including derivative claims, product or professional liability claims,and risks related to the amount of the company's insurance coverage limits andscope of insurance coverage with respect thereto; and other factors discussedunder the heading "Risk Factors" contained in Item 1A of the company's AnnualReport on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission onMarch 1, 2023, as well as any updates to those risk factors filed from time totime in the company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form8-K. Myriad is not under any obligation, and it expressly disclaims anyobligation, to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as aresult of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law.

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The exhibit(s) may contain hypertext links to information on our website orother parties' websites. The information on our website and other parties'websites is not incorporated by reference into this Current Report on Form 8-Kand does not constitute a part of this Form 8-K.

In accordance with General Instruction B-2 of Form 8-K, the information setforth in Item 2.02 and in Exhibit 99.1 shall not be deemed to be "filed" forpurposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the"Exchange Act"), or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, andshall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or otherdocument filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended or the Exchange Act,except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

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MYRIAD GENETICS INC : Results of Operations and Financial Condition, Financial Statements and Exhibits (form 8-K) - Marketscreener.com

Genetics

New Method Finds Correlations Between Mental Health and Blood … – Mirage News

Using blood samples to study diseases that originate in the brain is a difficulty faced by psychiatric genetics in the search for markers of mental health disorders. Researchers at the Federal University of So Paulo (UNIFESP) in Brazil have shown that this hindrance can be surmounted by analyzing microRNAs in extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are produced by most cells in the body, including neurons and other nervous system cells.

The study was supported by FAPESP and is reported in an article published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

Exosomes, the smallest type of EV, can cross the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain from pathogens and toxins. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small transcripts that target messenger RNAs and regulate the expression of several genes at once. They can be detected in biofluids and EVs and have been associated with mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), paving the way for early diagnosis and treatment in future.

More work has to be done to validate these miRNAs, but our findings suggest genetic material from EVs can be identified non-invasively, said Jessica Honorato Mauer, first author of the article.

We cant be absolutely sure the exosomes analyzed came from the brain, but we know they regulate gene expression in several types of tissue and may be involved in mechanisms that increase the risk of mental health disorders.

The study sample consisted of 116 participants in a study of psychiatric disorders in childhood (sometimes referred to by the acronym BHRCS, for Brazilian High-Risk Cohort Study). Two sets of blood samples were collected at time points three years apart (in adolescence and early adulthood). EVs were extracted from the blood serum and characterized. The researchers then sequenced miRNAs extracted from the EVs to analyze variations over time in search of associations with specific psychiatric disorders.

As part of this longitudinal analysis, they divided the participants into four groups according to disorder diagnosis and trajectory: a control group comprising those without a diagnosis at either time point; an incidence group comprising those who had no diagnosis at the first time point and then transited to a diagnosis; a remission group with a diagnosis only initially; and a persistence group with a diagnosis at both points.

Analysis of miRNAs from the four groups did not bring to light any statistically significant differences. Nevertheless, the results of the statistical tests can be used in future meta-analysis investigations.

A second analysis looked for associations between miRNAs and specific disorders at the same time point, comparing individuals diagnosed with depression, anxiety or ADHD versus those without any diagnosis. Expression of miR-328 was upregulated in children with ADHD compared with those without the disorder. For the second time point, miRNAs were found to be associated with depression and anxiety. Three of these (miR-432-5p, miR-151a-5p and miR-584-5p) were downregulated in subjects with anxiety, and five (miR-4433b-5p, miR-584-5p, miR-625-3p, miR-432-5p and miR-409-3p) in those with depression.

We know there are no biomarkers for psychiatric disorders of the kind there are for certain diseases, such as cancer. I believe it will be possible in future to produce integrated predictions based on DNA, exosome miRNAs and interaction with the environment. In this case, for example, well be able to assess a persons genetic risk the risk they were born with and also evaluate the person over time by verifying changes in miRNAs or environmental exposures, so that treatment or interventions of other kinds can prevent the disease from becoming established in people who begin to present with changes in expression of this or that miRNA, said Marcos Leite Santoro, a professor of molecular biology at UNIFESP and last author of the article.

Next steps

The researchers plan to see if the results obtained hitherto can be confirmed for other cohort life stages, extending the study by using both existing data (available for more than 700 participants since 2010) and newly collected data on the same participants, who are now adults, and their children.

Besides miRNA expression, they also mean to analyze other types of data to glean a more integrated understanding of psychiatric disorders, including genomics, transcriptomics and DNA methylation, as well as environmental factors such as socio-economic conditions, exposure to drug abuse, ill-treatment in childhood, bullying at school and the COVID-19 pandemic.

About So Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

The So Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of So Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. You can learn more about FAPESP at http://www.fapesp.br/en and visit FAPESP news agency at http://www.agencia.fapesp.br/en to keep updated with the latest scientific breakthroughs FAPESP helps achieve through its many programs, awards and research centers. You may also subscribe to FAPESP news agency at https://agencia.fapesp.br/subscribe.

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New Method Finds Correlations Between Mental Health and Blood ... - Mirage News

Genetics

Study Identifies Genetic Mutations That Contribute to Adult Epilepsy – Mass General Brigham

Findings point to the potential for using existing cancer therapies to treat drug-resistant epilepsy

Epilepsy affects approximately 1 in 26 people and the most common form, known as temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), often cannot be adequately treated with anti-seizure medications. Patients with this form of epilepsy may require neurosurgery to provide relief from seizures. The conditions origins and progression are not well understood, and it has been unclear if genetic mutations may contribute to TLE. A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham, in collaboration with colleagues at Boston Childrens Hospital, sheds new light on the role of somatic mutations in TLE DNA alterations that occur after conception and suggests the potential of using existing cancer therapies to treat TLE that is resistant to anti-seizure medications. Their results are published in JAMA Neurology.

Somatic mutations are likely an underappreciated and significant cause of neurologic diseases, particularly for epilepsy, said co-first authorSattar Khoshkhoo, MD,of the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Womens Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. And as an epileptologist who specifically focuses on epilepsy genetics in my clinical practice, my underlying assumption is that all epilepsy is due to genetic causes until proven otherwise. We are discovering more and more new genetic pathways in epilepsy, which is important because our goal is to offer more specific, targeted treatments for individual patients and offer guidance on who would benefit from one treatment versus the other.

Our results provide the first solid insight into this most common form of adult epilepsy, said co-senior authorChristopher Walsh, MD, PhD, of Boston Childrens Hospital. It shows that epilepsies that are not usually inherited can still be genetic in their mechanism. And the specific genetic pathway we have identified, RAS/MAPK, opens a whole new avenue of therapeutic possibilities, since anti-cancer drugs that target this pathway may have unexpected uses in epilepsy.

To uncover somatic mutations, Khoshkhoo and colleagues performed a case-control genetic association study, analyzing DNA from brain tissue samples collected from 105 patients with epilepsy and 30 controls between 1988 and 2019. The team sequenced portions of the genome coding for proteins (whole exome sequencing) and looked at specific locations in the genome (gene-panel sequencing), with each genomic region sequenced more than 500 times on average.

The team pinpointed 11 somatic mutations that were enriched in hippocampus, the region of the brain where seizures typically originate, from 11 patients with treatment-resistant TLE. All but one of the 11 mutations were connected to a specific genetic pathway known as the RAS/MAPK pathway. This finding is particularly important because several anti-cancer drugs have been developed to target the RAS/MAPK pathway. If the studys results are confirmed and validated, such drugs could be tested for the treatment of TLE. In addition to suggesting a potential path to treatment, the findings could also be used to help inform treatment decisions for patients who do or do not harbor these somatic mutations.

This work is exciting because it identifies potential drug targets that can be modulated with repurposed, FDA-approved anti-cancer agents. This suggests the potential for a rational, precision medicine treatment for a problem that we currently treat by removing a significant part of the temporal lobe with neurosurgery, saidKristopher Kahle, MD, PhD,the Nicholas T. Zervas Endowed Chair at Harvard Medical School and the chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of Mass General Brigham. Kahle also holds research appointments in genetics/genomics and neurosurgery at Boston Childrens Hospital.

The authors note that their study includes samples only from patients whose disease was severe enough to require surgery and may not be generalizable to patients with less severe disease. In addition, samples from these patients may have more scarring and cell death from seizures. This could mean that the somatic mutations they detected may be much more prevalent than the rates found in this study.

The investigators plan to test a larger number of hippocampus samples and use cell models to test pre-existing drugs.

Our findings point to the potential for developing the first disease modifying treatment in TLE, said Khoshkhoo. Being able to provide a genetic diagnosis has implications for clinical decision making and could signal a new day for treatment.

Disclosures:Walsh has received grants from Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Institutes of Neurological Disease and Stroke, Allen Frontiers Group/Allen Foundation, Simons Foundation, and Templeton Foundation during the conduct of the study. Additional disclosures can be found in theJAMA Neurologypaper.

Funding:National Institutes of Health (R25-NS065743, K08-NS128272, T32-GM007753, R25-NS079198, R01-NS035129 and R01-NS094596, R01-NS094596, DP2-AG072437, R01-AG070921, R01-NS035129, R01-NS109358, R01-NS111029, R01-NS117609), Doris Duke Physician Scientist Fellowship, the Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research at Boston Childrens Hospital, a European Commissions Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellowship (grant agreement 101026484), Australia National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator (Grant 1172897), Australia National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator (Grant 1196637), Australia National Health and Medical Research Council Ideas (Grant 2012287), Australia National Health and Medical Research Council Project (Grants 1129054 and 1079058), the Suh Kyungbae Foundation, the Allen Discovery Center program, the Allen Frontiers Program, Yale-Rockefeller Centers for Mendelian Genomics, the Simons Foundation, March of Dimes, Hydrocephalus Association, and Rudi Schulte Research Institute.

Paper cited:Khoshkhoo Set al.Contribution of Somatic Ras/Raf/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Variants in the Hippocampus in Drug-Resistant Mesial Temporal Lobe EpilepsyJAMA NeurologyDOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.0473

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Study Identifies Genetic Mutations That Contribute to Adult Epilepsy - Mass General Brigham

Genetics

Genetic editing tech CRISPR comes to UH, gets $149K boost … – University of Hawaii

Students learning how to perform digital PCR to analyze copy numbers of transformants

University of Hawaii at Mnoa Assistant Professor Zhi-Yan Rock Du from the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering (MBBE) has received a $149,000 grant from the USDAs National Institute of Food and Agriculture to jumpstart a project that will introduce the UH System to CRISPR, the basis of genetic editing technology.

Motivated to educate Hawaiis current and future workforce in this cutting-edge technologyand to better represent Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders in science and technology disciplinesDu has initiated the first official CRISPR laboratory course at UH Mnoa, in addition to CRISPR workshops for baccalaureate and two-year postsecondary students within the UH System.

This education project will address the educational disparities and needs of curriculum development, instructional delivery systems and expand student career opportunities, said Du. The long-term goal of this project is to develop agricultural and science literacy in Hawaii by building competencies in molecular biology, genetics, biotechnology, agricultural science and science communication.

Du and his graduate students and teaching assistants conducted an MBBE/BIOL 401Lab Molecular Biotechnology Lab-Gene Editing by CRISPR/Cas9 in spring 2023 and have also planned workshops in summer and fall, with the first workshop to launch in July 2023. Students will also utilize materials such as tropical maize from a current research project for this new education opportunity.

In the past decade, CRISPR genetic engineering tools have become an essential technology in numerous industries, including food and agriculture, drug development and therapy, as well as ongoing scientific research; however, Du said that CRISPR systems are not well understood in the general community, leading to fears and misunderstandings about genetic engineering and an overall anti-science outlook.

Hawaii is heavily dependent on food imports, said Du. Its urgent to simulate local agriculture and workforce development. The grant will promote the education of college students on novel non-transgenic genome editing technologies, such as CRISPR/Cas RNP (ribonucleoprotein) with gene gun/particle bombardment methods. Students will learn and practice the new genome-editing technologies. We hope to engage more students from UH Mnoa and other campuses, including community colleges, in food and agricultural careers for our future food security and quality.

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Genetic editing tech CRISPR comes to UH, gets $149K boost ... - University of Hawaii

Genetics

Myriad Genetics to Participate in BofA Securities Healthcare Conference – Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) – Benzinga

May 2, 2023 4:05 PM | 1 min read

SALT LAKE CITY, May 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myriad Genetics, Inc., (NASDAQ:MYGN), a leader in genetic testing and precision medicine, today announced it will be participating in the upcoming BofA Securities Healthcare Conference in Las Vegas, NV.

Myriad management will participate in a fireside chat on Tuesday, May 9 at 3:00 p.m. PT. A live and archived webcast of the presentation can be viewed in the investor relations section of Myriad's website at http://www.myriad.com.

Enter your email and you'll also get Benzinga's ultimate morning update AND a free $30 gift card and more!

About Myriad GeneticsMyriad Genetics is a leading genetic testing and precision medicine company dedicated to advancing health and well-being for all. Myriad develops and offers genetic tests that help assess the risk of developing disease or disease progression and guide treatment decisions across medical specialties where genetic insights can significantly improve patient care and lower healthcare costs. For more information, visit http://www.myriad.com.

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Myriad Genetics to Participate in BofA Securities Healthcare Conference - Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) - Benzinga

Genetics

Illumina’s Surge in Stocks Signals Growing Investor Interest in … – Best Stocks

In recent news, Handelsbanken Fonder AB has increased their holdings in Illumina, Inc. by 10.1% during the fourth quarter of this year. The life sciences company has made significant strides to remain competitive in the market thanks to its strong commitment to research and development in genetics. This recent surge in stocks goes to show that investors have a growing interest in this field as they continue to recognize Illuminas potential for growth.

Illuminas financial report for Q3 demonstrates their positive progress. They have reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.08 for this quarter, exceeding analysts expectations by $0.06. Although the company had incurred a negative net margin of 100.92%, it still managed to achieve a positive return on equity of 2.26%. Moreover, the business garnered revenue amounting to $1.09 billion, surpassing predicted sales figures by hitting $1.07 billion with an 11% decrease compared to the previous year.

Illumina invests extensively not only in developing advanced technology for genetic research but also integrating these systems into life science tools beneficial across several fields such as clinical and applied markets, therefore enabling adoption to multifarious genomic solutions through its Core Illumina segment.

As genetics is proving to be an increasingly crucial component of healthcare and medical research today, companies like Illumina are poised for colossal growth in the future stemming from advancements in genetic therapies or cures that may arise later on due to innovations occurring within recently unearthed non-coding regions throughout the DNA landscape.

With intensive R&D efforts ongoing underpinning various aspects of genomic study while continuing to develop, manufacture, and market tools integrated with life science systems geared towards large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function Illumina remains at the forefront of industry leaders driving change through innovation regarding gene therapy treatments designed for an entirely new era hoping ultimately to inspire curative effects across multiple disease states.

Illumina, Inc. is a reputable life science company that develops, manufactures, and markets genetic variation and functional analysis tools for large-scale use. Recently, several institutional investors have added to or reduced their stakes in Illumina, including Acadian Asset Management LLC, which raised its holdings by 312.5% during the first quarter. Other investors such as Dimensional Fund Advisors LP, Dakota Wealth Management, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC, and Baird Financial Group Inc also increased their positions last quarter.

The firm operates through the Core Illumina segment that enables adoption of genomic solutions serving customers in various fields like research, clinical and applied markets. Shares of NASDAQ:ILMN opened at $202.31 on Tuesday with a market cap of $31.98 billion. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $218.04 with a two-hundred day moving average price at $213.87. The 12-month high is $309.12 while the low stands at $173.45.

An SVP Alexander Aravanis sold 5,398 shares of Illumina stock while Aimee L Hoyt sold 3,917 shares recently in separate transactions totaling up to 9,815 shares of company stock worth $1,974,496 in the past ninety days.Several equities analysts issued reports on ILMN shares in recent times with Argus cutting down its rating from buy to hold in January due to valuation reasoning while Barclays reduced their price target on shares from $160 to $150 and rated it as underweight.

Overall investor outlook on Illumina seems mixed as two equities research analysts rate the stock as sell while seven assign a hold rating and eight issue buy ratings according to Bloomberg.com making it average towards holding.Despite this fluctuating investment performance pattern over time associated with genome sequencing firms due to diverse reasons including liability issues faced by personal genomics companies that provided DNA tests, the constantly evolving industry holds promise in application within healthcare settings, personalized nutrition, and genetics making Illumina a promising holding for what appears will be an uncharted market of genetic solutions.

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Illumina's Surge in Stocks Signals Growing Investor Interest in ... - Best Stocks

Genetics

3000-year-old ‘bear’ bone from Alaska isn’t what it seems – Livescience.com

A 3,000-year-old bone unearthed from a cave in southeastern Alaska is not from a bear, as originally thought, but from one of our own a woman. And new research reveals that her genetics are essentially the same as the Native American people who live in the region now.

The 1.2-inch-long (3 centimeters) bone fragment was discovered in the 1990s in Lawyer's Cave on the Alaskan mainland, east of Wrangell Island in the Alexander Archipelago.

It was found near shell beads and a bone awl, which indicated that the cave was inhabited by prehistoric humans at some point. But scientists thought the bone was from an animal perhaps a bear that had been hunted by Native Americans at that time.

The bone fragment seems to have been kept in an archive until 2019, when it arrived in a laboratory at the University at Buffalo in New York. Once there, genetic tests showed that the bone once thought to be from a prehistoric bear was actually from a prehistoric human.

"I was very excited," Alber Aqil (opens in new tab), a doctoral student of biological sciences at the University at Buffalo who made the discovery, told Live Science. "I had just come to the department, and this was my first project."

Related: 10 amazing things we learned about our human ancestors in 2022

Research on the fragment revealed it is part of the humerus, or upper arm bone, of a Native American woman who lived about 3,000 years ago. After consulting local tribal authorities, Aqil and his colleagues dubbed the woman "Tatok yk yes shawat" in the Tlingit language, or "young lady in cave," according to the study, published in the May issue of the journal iScience (opens in new tab).

Only about 15% of the prehistoric woman's genome could be extracted from the bone, Aqil said; but it was enough to determine that the genetics of Tatok yk yes shawat are the same as the Tlingit people and related Native American peoples who still live in the region today.

"I would say that the Tlingit people have been where they are for a [very] long time," he said.

Aqil explained that scientists now believe Native Americans entered North America from Siberia in three waves. The first, of all non-Inuit Indigenous people, occurred about 23,000 years ago (opens in new tab) over the Beringia Land Bridge. A second wave, via the sea about 6,000 years ago (opens in new tab), saw the Paleo-Inuit peoples arrive in the region: and possibly a third wave, again by sea, occurred between about 2,000 and 1,000 (opens in new tab) years ago, when the Neo-Inuit peoples arrived.

The genetics of "young lady in cave," however, are not seen in ancient DNA from the Paleo-Inuit people; and so it seems "Tatok yk yes shawat" or TYYS, as she's now known for short was a descendant of people who came in the first wave, he said.

Neither the TYYS genome nor the handful of other ancient Alaskan human genomes show any sign that the people in the first migration interbred with Paleo-Inuits at any time: "It has been claimed before that there was interbreeding between people in the first two waves, but we could not find any evidence for it," Aqil said.

The next stage of the project would be to return the bone fragment to representatives of the Indigenous peoples of southeastern Alaska, so that it could be reburied as a fragment of an ancestor with appropriate ceremonies, he said.

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3000-year-old 'bear' bone from Alaska isn't what it seems - Livescience.com

Pediatrics

Pediatrics Office Plans Move To Hindman Road – ButlerRadio.com – Butler, PA – butlerradio.com

A local medical provider is planning to build a new and larger facility in Butler Township.

The Butler Township Planning Commission has recommended conditional approval to a land development proposal made by Quick Care Medical for a vacant lot along Hindman Road.

Owners would like to construct a single-story, over 5,000-square foot building for use by a pediatrics practice. The business is currently located in Moraine Pointe Plaza, but has outgrown that space. The new building will also have room for a family practice and a day spa. Some questions about stormwater management remain to be answered.

This proposal will next move on for a vote at the Butler Township Commissioners meeting later this month. If given final approval, work could begin as soon as all necessary permits have been received.

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Pediatrics Office Plans Move To Hindman Road - ButlerRadio.com - Butler, PA - butlerradio.com

Pediatrics

Health officials address spike in pediatric brain abscess cases, still considered ‘rare’ – News3LV

Health officials address spike in pediatric brain abscess cases, still considered 'rare'

Cases of pediatric brain abscesses increased nearly threefold in 2022, according to the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD).

On average, Clark County would have approximately five cases a year, but that number jumped to 18 last year. The sharp increase triggered a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) investigation and public health advisory from the SNHD.

Dr. Taryn Bragg is the only pediatric neurosurgeon in the state of Nevada. Because of that distinction, she was the first to treat all of the patients and noticed a pattern emerge. She recalled the CDC had been investigating similar increases in other states and asked them to investigate in Southern Nevada as well.

The findings were presented last Thursday at the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service Conference, as first reported by CNN.

"This is not the typical cold. This is not 'I have a mild headache. I have a low-grade fever. I might have some drainage from my nose.' This is severe symptoms, severe headache, lethargy, seizures, weakness, they may have even noticed swelling in the face or in the eyes," said Dr. Bragg. "And so these are things that are not subtle, you're not going to miss it."

Dr. Bragg said it was easy to detect an increase once she had eleven cases in a four or five-month period beginning Spring 2022. She wanted pediatric providers across Nevada to know about this increase so that they might consider imaging or increasing treatment for children who were showing symptoms of sinus or ear infections.

Dean Marc J Kahn with the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine in Las Vegas said the increase to 18 cases meant it's still a rare occurrence, but that it warranted some scrutiny.

"The case numbers are small. We don't know why we've seen this spike in cases, although they have gone down over the past several weeks, two months," said Dr. Kahn. "For parents, I think this is an unusual event. I think that, again, we want our kids to be vaccinated, and up to date on vaccinations. We want our kids to eat healthy, and we want them to be healthy."

Brain abscesses occur when bacteria or fungi that circulate in the blood get to the brain, causing an infection in the brain, Kahn said. When that happens, inflammatory cells fight the infection and create a walled off cavity (an abscess), which contains dead immune cells, frequently called pus.

Dr. Bragg was involved in all of the surgeries needed to treat the children with abscesses. She said it can be a lengthy process with up to six surgeries, some of which require portions of the skull to be temporarily removed for brain swelling. All of the children either fully recovered or are near full recovery, she said.

Dean Kahn from the UNLV Medical School called it a fortunate and unfortunate situation since Las Vegas and Nevada are lagging in pediatric care without a freestanding children's hospital, as outlined in a News 3 special report.

"One thing that a freestanding children's hospital brings to a community is the wide spectrum of specialists and subspecialists in pediatrics, including a pediatric neurosurgeon," said Kahn. "Unfortunately, we only have one pediatric neurosurgeon for our entire community. Fortunately, she was able to see the patients that we're talking about. But this really does underscore the need for a freestanding children's hospital in our community."

So far, the CDC investigation has not determined the exact cause for the rise in brain abscesses both in Nevada and elsewhere, but there are some theories. Since it's a respiratory illness, COVID infections were considered, but a majority of the patients did not have COVID.

Another consideration is something called "immunity debt," where children didn't build up typical immunities due to social distancing during the pandemic.

"We still don't have a clear answer for what might have potentially caused that within our county," said Dr. Jessica Penney, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer. "But we hope by bringing this to everyone's awareness, we'll be able to continue to work with our local state and federal partners to continue monitoring and research."

Health officials also want to stress that the brain abscesses aren't contagious.

"So the big question that's come up, 'Well, is it the masks? Or 'Should we still be wearing masks?'" said Bragg. "This isn't something that's sitting next to their best friend on the school bus on the way home that they're going to be at risk for developing a sinus infection."

Dr. Bragg said parents do need to keep an eye on their children and take them to the hospital or a doctor should extreme symptoms present themselves.

According to the SNHD health advisory, the median time from symptoms to hospitalization reported was 7.5 days.

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Health officials address spike in pediatric brain abscess cases, still considered 'rare' - News3LV