Impact of flooding on older adult health; beta-HPV can directly cause skin cancer in immunocompromised patients; heavy drinking linked to higher risk of undesired pregnancy – Morning Medical Update

Flooding linked to spike in hospitalizations for skin, nervous system conditions in older adults

A 17-year study published in The Lancet Planetary Health links major U.S. flood events to increased hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries, especially for skin diseases (up 3.1%), nervous system disorders (2.5%) and injuries or poisonings (1.1%). Researchers analyzed over 4.5 million hospitalizations and 72 major floods from 2000 to 2016, revealing disproportionate impacts in Black communities. The findings underscore the need for flood-resilient health systems and targeted interventions to protect older adults — who are especially vulnerable due to chronic conditions, limited mobility and poor access to care.

Beta-HPV can directly cause skin cancer in immunocompromised patients

A National Institutes of Health (NIH) case study published in The New England Journal of Medicine shows for the first time that beta-HPV — a common skin-dwelling virus — can directly cause cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) in people with defective T cells. Long believed to be a passive bystander in UV-induced skin cancer, beta-HPV was found integrated into tumor DNA in a 34-year-old woman with a rare immune disorder. After a successful stem cell transplant to restore immune function, her HPV-related cancers vanished and have not returned.

Heavy drinking linked to higher risk of undesired pregnancy

A new UCSF-led study published in Addiction found that women who drank heavily were 50% more likely to experience an undesired pregnancy than those who drank moderately or not at all — even though they expressed a stronger desire to avoid pregnancy. In contrast, cannabis use showed no such association. Researchers analyzed outcomes for 936 women aged 15–34 who wanted to avoid pregnancy and found that more than half of all undesired pregnancies occurred among heavy drinkers. The authors urge clinicians to support alcohol reduction, especially given fetal alcohol spectrum disorder risks.