Novel Shingles Vaccine Effective in Older Adults

New form of vaccine also effective in persons with immunosuppression. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Vaccines/51269?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-30&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

What urine reveals about obesity

To glean that insight, researchers sifted through the urine samples of 2,195 men and women (ages 40 to 59) who ranged across the weight spectrum for the telltale metabolites of obesity. In all, they found 29 chemical metabolites -- the by-products of physiological processes that proceed unseen inside the body -- whose levels variously rose and fell with people's BMI. The result is a "network map" which could serve as a "metabolic signature" for the modern obesity epidemic, the authors said. To the uninitiated, the network map looks like an air traffic controller's worst nightmare: a tangle of hundreds of chemicals that interact with one another in myriad ways. But to those devising ways to protect the obese from the health consequences of their condition, any of those overlapping nodes could contain the secret passageway to success. Among the most notable metabolites they found linked to obesity were those produced by bacteria that colonize the gut, the latest in a flurry of research findings that implicate the gut's microbiome to in obesity and metabolic disease. Other metabolites suggest that the skeletal muscle of obese people uses energy differently than does that of people of normal healthy weight. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-urine-obesity-20150429-story.html

Americas Region Becomes First To Eliminate Rubella (German Measles).

points out that the rubella “virus is usually mild, but it can cause birth defects and miscarriages when women are infected during pregnancy.” But, even though German measles has now been “eliminated in the Americas, it’s still prevalent in other regions in the world.” Yesterday, Dr. Susan E. Reef, the team leader for rubella in the [CDC’s] Global Immunization Division, said, “Now that we have achieved this goal” of eliminating rubella in the Americas, “the next step is to maintain it.” reports that WHO “officials said it has been more than five years since there’s been a German measles case that originated in the Americas.” In other words, “the only cases in the region are imported from other parts of the world.” Five years represent “enough time to certify German measles as the third infectious disease to be eliminated from the Americas, they said,” following the elimination of smallpox “in 1971 and polio in 1994.” http://time.com/3840211/americas-eliminate-rubella/

Doctors to parents: Don't let kids with lice bug you. Send them to school!

Students with lice don't need to stay home from school, according to an updated set of doctor guidelines that may have some parents scratching their heads. Lice are definitely nuisances, but they don't pose a health threat or justify keeping a child from getting an education, the American Academy of Pediatrics said in an updated report published in the journal Pediatrics. http://www.today.com/health/should-children-lice-go-school-doctors-say-yes-t17936

Donated Breast Milk May Pose Possible Dangers.

reports on “peer-to-peer” breast “milk donation networks like Eats on Feets and Human Milk 4 Human Babies (HM4HB), informal communities that connect mothers who make a surplus of milk to mothers in need.” Responding “to the growing popularity of milk-sharing, the Food and Drug Administration released a statement in late 2010 that listed the possible dangers of shared milk, including exposure to infections like HIV, chemical contaminants such as illegal drugs, and a number of prescription drugs that doctors recommend mothers avoid while breastfeeding.” What’s more, “improper storage or handling of breast milk can...introduce environmental contaminants and bacteria.” http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/one-womans-baby-another-womans-breast-milk/391098/

Massachusetts Confirms This Year’s First Case Of Measles.

officials with the Massachusetts Department of Health “consider the disease unlikely to spread” because most people in the state are vaccinated. Nevertheless, “because the measles virus is airborne and highly infectious — it can linger in the air for up to two hours — health authorities are investigating the immunization status of all those known to have had contact with the student while he was infectious.” In addition, “officials have provided a list of public places where the student went while infectious and urged those who were there to check their immunization status and learn the symptoms of measles.” http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/04/28/massachusetts-reports-first-case-measles-this-year/ePbGNEAf0qKBLfOw0Kdn0L/story.html

Tyson Foods Will End Use Of Human Antibiotics In Chicken By 2017.

that beyond chicken, Tyson “said in a news release that it would begin meeting with groups of farmers who produce pork, turkey and beef for” the company “under contract to come up with a plan for eliminating antibiotic use in their programs.” http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/29/business/tyson-to-end-use-of-human-antibiotics-in-its-chickens-by-2017.html?_r=0

Two Weeks Of “American” Diet May Affect Biomarkers Associated With Colon Cancer Risk

“published online...in Nature Communications, African Americans who were fed a two-week diet of South African foods high in fiber and low in animal proteins and fats experienced declines in risk factors for colon cancer.” Meanwhile, “Africans who had a two-week American diet full of meat and saturated fat showed changes in gut bacteria and molecules that indicated an elevated risk of colon cancer.” http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2015/04/28/Diet-swap-reduces-colon-cancer-risk-Pitt-based-study-shows/201504280169

Just Two Weeks Of Modest Consumption Of High-Fructose Corn Syrup May Cause Cholesterol, Triglycerides Levels To Rise.

Only two weeks of modest consumption of high-fructose corn syrup causes cholesterol and triglycerides levels to rise, and the more consumed, the greater the increases. Researchers divided 85 people chosen for their healthy lipid profiles into four groups. One group consumed drinks sweetened with 25 percent high-fructose corn syrup; the second with a 17.5 percent concentration; the third 10 percent; and the last drinks sweetened only with aspartame. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/27/high-fructose-heart-risks/?ref=health

Accuracy Of Current Calorie Labeling Calculations Considered.

eports that “some nutrition experts say” the most common calorie count labeling method “is flawed” and “overestimat[es] the energy provided to the body...by as much as 25 percent.” The current system “is most accurate when the foods are easily digested and all of their energy is made available to the body,” such as highly processed carbohydrates. Within recent years, however, scientists have realized “that a substantial number of calories are lost in the effort to digest” certain food, such as meat and nuts. An alternate “and more accurate system of counting calories has been devised” and presented to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization that “counts not just how much energy (or calories) are available in a food, but what the body can actually use of that energy.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/27/on-food-labels-calorie-miscounts/?ref=health&_r=0

Ticks Are Early, Abundant, And Urban This Year: How To Protect Yourself And Your Kids

The reason: The packs of snow acted as a "blanket” for the blood-sucking insects, insulating and protecting them from the cold. Beneath the snow, ticks aren’t exposed to wind and other adverse weather conditions, and the temperature is much more stable throughout the day and night than at the surface, according to Bennett Jordan, PhD, entomologist and staff scientist for the National Pest Management Association. https://www.yahoo.com/health/ticks-are-early-abundant-and-urban-this-year-117256478987.html

Opinion Says Physical Activity Not Enough To Overcome Poor Diet With Regard To Weight Loss.

physical activity isn’t enough to overcome a bad diet when it comes to weight loss, argued a new opinion piece” in the British Journal of Sports Medicine “that said it was time to bust the myth.” http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Prevention/51178

One Hour Of Television Per Day May Increase Overweight, Obesity Risk In Kids.

that research presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting indicated “that kindergartners and first graders who watched as little as one hour of television per day were at least 50 percent more likely to be overweight, compared to tykes who watched less than an hour.” http://www.newsweek.com/strong-tv-obesity-link-children-325445

Male Fetal Cells May Protect Women With Lupus Nephritis

SLE female patients previously pregnant with male fetuses had better renal function.

Malaria Vaccine Found Effective in Infants, Young Children

Efficacy dropped sharply after 48 months, however, without a booster. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Vaccines/51180?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-25&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

Study Finds Rising Antibiotic Shortages In US.

a new study, published online in Clinical Infectious Diseases, that found antibiotic shortages in the US “increased dramatically after 2007.” Currently, shortages “affect 26 drugs, nearly half of which are needed in treating multidrug-resistant infections,” including Clostridium difficile, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Among the recommendations posed by the authors is a requirement for manufacturers “to report shortages earlier and that multidisciplinary guidelines be developed to improve antimicrobial stewardship.” Additionally, the authors recommend “better communication, alternative treatment algorithms when the first choice for therapy is unavailable, and better tracking of local antibacterial supplies” to help minimize the “effect of shortages on clinical practice.”

More Than Half The Foods Advertised To Kids Do Not Meet US Recommended Government Nutrition Guidelines.

that a study (4/24) published in the CDC’s journal Preventing Chronic Disease reveals that “53% of food products approved for advertising on TV programs that cater to kids do not meet US recommended government nutrition guidelines.” What’s more, “about half” of the advertisements for these foods “air during programs that specifically cater to” kids.

Study Looks At What Types Of Foods May Protect Against Weight Gain As People Age.

reports that research looking into what “kinds of foods might help people keep their weight in check as they age found that not all calories are created equal and some foods are not as bad for the middle-aged waistline as many” think. Although “men and women who ate lots of nuts, peanut butter, fish, yogurt and low-fat cheese tended to lose weight, other foods commonly seen as ‘unhealthy’ – such as eggs, full-fat cheese and whole milk – did not seem to make a difference in weight.” Meanwhile, “sugary drinks and refined or starchy carbohydrates – including white bread, potatoes and white rice – had the opposite effect.” The findings were published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. http://consumer.healthday.com/senior-citizen-information-31/misc-aging-news-10/what-foods-help-you-lose-weight-and-keep-it-off-698445.html

Sugar Appears To Reduce Cortisol Levels.

Well” blog reports that sugar appears to reduce “levels of cortisol, the stress hormone,” according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. The study involved 19 women, eight of whom drank aspartame-sweetened beverages for 12 days, while the remaining women “drank an identical beverage containing 25 percent sucrose.” Cortisol levels were measured before and after the women underwent fMRI scans while taking difficult arithmetic tests. Following the fMRI scans, researchers found that “cortisol levels were lower in the sugar consumers and higher in the aspartame group.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/23/sugar-as-a-stress-reliever/?ref=health&_r=0

Osteoporosis May Be Linked To Higher Risk Of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

reports that research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism indicated that individuals “with osteoporosis had a significantly higher risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) than those without osteoporosis.” Investigators found that “the increased risk of developing SSNHL in patients with osteoporosis was 1.76 times that of people without the bone disease.” http://consumer.healthday.com/hearing-information-19/hearing-disorder-news-351/could-weak-bones-sudden-hearing-loss-be-linked-698587.html

Study: More People In The US Using Heroin Than A Decade Ago.

eports that “far more people in the USA use heroin than a decade ago, a study from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration” indicated. According to the report, “The heroin problem in the United States has not improved in the past decade.” USA Today adds, “SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde called the level of heroin use in the United States ‘alarming.’” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/04/23/heroin-use-higher-than-a-decade-ago/26193771/

Report Criticizes FDA Approval Of Potentially Harmful Diet Medications.

“Watchdog Reports” reports, based on an investigative project, that the FDA has approved five diet medications during the past three years, “including two in the last four months,” despite the possibility of “serious side effects – including suicidal thinking, increased heart rate and cancer risk.” Critics of the diet medicines “worry the new products will repeat the diet-drug mistakes of the past, which have led to decades of injuries, deaths and, in the end, products forced off the market.” The medications include Belviq (lorcaserin), Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate), Contrave (bupropion/naltrexone), Saxenda (liraglutide injection) and Vyvanse (amphetamine). FDA Unable To Regulate Potentially Dangerous Diet Pill Additive DNP. CBS News (4/23, Firger) reports on its website that DNP, or dinitrophenol, an ingredient included in some diet pills, has been “linked to at least 62 deaths over several decades,” including one recently in the UK. Dr. David Gortler, a former FDA Medical Officer, “told CBS News it is possible that a similar incident could occur in the US,” due to the fact that the agency “does not have the authority to regulate dietary supplements from other countries that come through the mail.” http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/after-13-years-of-wariness-fda-approves-five-potentially-harmful-new-diet-drugs-b99testz1-300956041.html

Strength Training May Help Menopausal Women Counteract Weight Gain.

that many women in perimenopause or in menopause find themselves gaining weight. As estrogen falls, the metabolism slows by about 50 calories a day. To counteract weight gain resulting from a slowed metabolism, many physicians are now recommending strength training exercises in addition to aerobic exercise. Short-duration, high-intensity strength training exercises help women retain lean muscle, speed up their metabolism, may help preserve bone density, and act to stave off diabetes and heart disease. http://www.denverpost.com/fitness/ci_27953090/metabolism-changes-present-fitness-challenges-menopause.html

Are NICU Antibiotics Overused?

Suspected, yet unproven infections driving antibiotic use in many NICUs. Antibiotic use across neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in California varied considerably across facilities, irregardless of infection rates, researchers reported. Among 93% of California NICUs, the rate of antibiotic use varied 40-fold between centers, with intermediate level NICUs showing the greatest use, Joseph Schulman, MD, Director, NICU Quality Measurement and Improvement/California Children's Services, an agency within the state's department of health, and colleagues, reported in Pediatrics. http://www.medpagetoday.com/HospitalBasedMedicine/InfectionControl/51078?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-21&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

HPV Vaccine For Boys May Be Cost-Effective.

“a new analysis” published online in Cancer suggests that “boys who get the” HPV “vaccine receive important protection as well, not only against genital warts, but against HPV strains that cause oropharyngeal (mouth and throat) cancer.” The analysis also “suggests the vaccine could save North American countries significant amounts of money,” as “treatment for oral cancer one year after diagnosis costs $25,697 in Canadian dollars ($21,071 USD), the researchers say, while in the US, the same level of care would cost $79,151 for men with private insurance and $59,404 for those on Medicaid.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/20/boys-hpv-vaccine_n_7082520.html

Research Suggests Breast Cancer Cases Could Increase By 50 Percent By 2030.

By 2030, the number of breast cancer cases in the United States will grow by 50% compared their 2011 rates, according to new research from the National Cancer Institute. More New Genetic Test for Breast Cancer Would Be Cheaper and Easier Most Women Should Not Get Yearly Mammograms, Group Says Jacob's Journey: Life as a Transgender 5-Year-Old NBC News Bobbi Kristina Has 'Irreversible Brain Damage': Grandma NBC News Phoenix Toddler Found Dead After Being Left in Hot Car NBC News In the new study, presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting, researchers used cancer surveillance data, census data and mathematical models to arrive at projections. Part of the reason the numbers are so high, they note, is because women are living longer. Another factor is the increase in screening that enables doctors to spot and diagnose more cases of in-situ tumors—very early stage growths that may not require treatment—as well as more invasive tumors. http://time.com/3828256/breast-cancer-rates/

Slippery Slope: Binge Eating Dx -- Gateway to Off-Label?

In addition to a flurry of new weight-loss drugs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently authorized the use of an ADHD drug to treat binge-eating disorder -- a diagnosis that is rejected by some medical professionals. The condition, characterized by compulsive overeating, achieved legitimacy when it was included in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. If an amphetamine is approved for binge-eating, will it be used off-label for weight loss? http://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/slipperyslope/51056?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-20&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

California Officials Announce End To Measles Outbreak Tied To Disneyland.

reported that on April 17, the California Department of Public Health announced that the measles outbreak tied to Disneyland is over. However, “in announcing that the health scare had passed, state medical authorities warned that California remains at high risk of another outbreak because immunization levels in some communities remain so low.” Dr. Gil Chavez, state epidemiologist, “said immunization rates in some schools are at 50% or lower, creating an ideal environment for the virus to spread quickly.” http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-measles-20150418-story.html#page=1

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages May Suppress Cortisol And The Brain’s Stress Responses.

reported that an fMRI study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism indicated that “drinking beverages sweetened with sugar suppressed cortisol and the brain’s stress responses – an effect that was lacking for drinks sweetened with aspartame.” Investigators evaluated “how sweetened drinks affected 19 women and found that sucrose consumption was associated with reduced stress-induced cortisol (P=0.024), leading them to believe that the brain is taking cues from sugar consumption and altering the body’s normal response to stress.” MedPage Today points out that “all of the participants belonged to a subgroup from an investigation funded by the National Institutes of Health.” The Medical Daily (4/20) also covers the story. http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/51052

Increasing Optimism Over HIV Cure

Goals are clear, money is available, but success is elusive. http://www.medpagetoday.com/HIVAIDS/HIVAIDS/51049?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-18&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

Low Vitamin D Status May Be Linked To Higher Disease Activity And ESR In SLE.

Following the discovery that vitamin D receptors are expressed by immune cells, vitamin D's potential role in regulating the immune response has attracted attention, noted researchers led by Kristy Yap, MBBS, of the Centre for Inflammatory Diseases at Monash University, Melbourne. Deficiency of this vitamin has been associated with several autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and SLE. A recent study, for example, showed that vitamin D3 inhibits dendritic cell maturation and expression of IFN-induced genes in SLE patients. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) low vitamin D status is associated with higher disease activity and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), while over time, an increase in serum vitamin D levels correlates with reduced SLE activity. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Lupus/51030

Kentucky, Minnesota Note Uptick In Syphilis Infections.

the Kentucky Department of Public Health has issued “preliminary figures” showing that the state’s “rate of all stages” of syphilis “has nearly doubled since 2009, from 5.5 per 100,000 residents to 10.1 in 2014.” Kentucky state epidemiologist Dr. Kraig Humbaugh said, “Unfortunately, there’s some complacency about practicing safe sex. We need to do a better job of education.” Increased cases of syphilis are not just Kentucky’s problem. Medical epidemiologist John Su, of the CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, “said there has been a steady national increase in cases after syphilis reached historic lows around 2000.” Meanwhile, the Minneapolis (MN) Star Tribune (4/17, Olson) reports that yesterday, Minnesota “reported 24,599 confirmed cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in 2014.” Officials with the Minnesota Department of Health “were troubled by...629 syphilis cases – a 17 percent increase – that primarily involved urban men who have sex with other men and a few females.” Officials “said better and faster notification of sexual partners is essential to slow the spread of infections.” http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2015/04/16/syphilis-infection-rates-rebound-kentucky-across-nation/25872075/

Study Examines How Circadian System, Behavioral Cycles May Affect Glucose Tolerance, Pancreatic Beta-Cell Function.

a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that “glucose tolerance is lower in the evening than in the morning – and the body’s internal clock and misalignment of that clock with behavior can affect the level of tolerance.” The 14-participant study examined “how the circadian system and behavioral cycles like meal and sleep time – as well as the misalignment of those two factors – affected glucose tolerance and pancreatic beta-cell function.” Researchers “found that postprandial glucose was 17% higher in the evening independent of any behavioral cycles.” http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/MetabolicSyndrome/51026

For those individuals not at high risk, disease screening rarely catches anything.

Most Patients Face Below-Average Risk for Illness http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/GeneralPrimaryCare/51010?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-16&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

Five Days Of Processed Food May Be Enough To Alter Body’s Healthy Response To Food.

esearch suggests that “just five days on a diet full of processed food” may be “enough to alter a body’s healthy response to food.” The findings were published in Obesity. http://time.com/3821475/junk-food-diet-metabolism/

Gestational Diabetes May Raise A Child’s Risk For Autism.

he study, published April 14 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which looked at “more than 322,000 children born between 1995 and 2009,” found “no increase in autism risk if mothers were diagnosed with diabetes after 26 weeks of pregnancy.” It also revealed “no increased risk of autism if women had type 2 diabetes before becoming pregnant, possibly because these women already had their blood sugar under control.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/04/14/gestational-diabetes-autism-risk/25584265/

New York State Lawmakers Considering Label For Sugary Drinks.

lawmakers in New York state considering a label requirement “on sugary drinks to warn consumers about the dangers of obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.” The measure reportedly “faces significant challenges.” Capital New York (4/14, Prakash) also covers the story. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/new-york-lawmakers-mull-warning-labels-on-sugary-beverages/2015/04/13/85384182-e21f-11e4-ae0f-f8c46aa8c3a4_story.html

Interactive Map Shows Diabetes Prevalence In Each US County.

“if current disease rates continue, one in three Americans will have diabetes by 2050.” The blog carries an interactive map created by “That Data Dude” that shows diabetes prevalence in each US county. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/04/13/the-terrifying-rise-of-diabetes-in-every-corner-of-the-u-s/

MRSA Bacteria From Borrowed Makeup Brush Paralyzes 27-Year-Old Woman

a young mother of a 2-year-old son, was paralyzed completely after developing a staph infection that attacked her spine. She believes it was passed along through the brush and the microbes might have entered her system through a pimple on her face. Typically, about a third of healthy people have harmless staphylococcus bacteria living on their skin. But a very small proportion of people (about two percent) carry an antibiotic-resistant version. It’s possible that since Gilchrist’s friend had previously had a staph infection on her face, it had been transferred to Gilchrist through the makeup brush and her own immune system wasn’t able to fight it off. The particular strain of staph that attacked her spine was MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). http://www.medicaldaily.com/mrsa-bacteria-borrowed-makeup-brush-paralyzes-27-year-old-woman-328836

Report Links Higher Wealth To Better Health.

researchers at the Urban Institute and Virginia Commonwealth University indicates that regardless of “how much you earn, people who earn more than you are likelier to be healthier and live longer.” The investigators “analyzed a dozen health problems for which the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recorded prevalence by family income.” The researchers found that “with just a few exceptions, there’s a steady improvement in health as you climb the income scale.” http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-13/more-proof-that-the-richer-you-are-the-healthier-you-ll-be

Many Military Kids May Not Be Up To Date On Vaccines.

a review of military children’s medical records “shows many are either missing vaccines, or they are missing the records to show they had them,” according to a study published Monday in Pediatrics. Researchers “looked at the immunization records of 3,421 military children aged 19 months to 3 years old” and found that 28 percent of them didn’t have evidence of being up to date on their vaccines, compared to 21 percent “of a group of U.S. children in general they studied.” http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/military-kids-may-be-missing-vaccines-n338901

Ebola Still Emergency in West Africa

Despite a downward trend in new cases, the Ebola epidemic in West Africa remains an international public health emergency, according to the World Health Organization. In its fifth meeting since the epidemic started more than 15 months ago, an expert committee was "absolutely firm" that the disease still represents what the agency calls a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), according to WHO assistant director general Bruce Aylward, MD. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Ebola/50921?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-11&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

Powassan Virus In Connecticut Ticks: Should You Be Worried?

While comparisons are often drawn between Powassan and Lyme because the two are spread by the same kind of tick (the black-legged deer tick, though Powassan can also be spread by other kinds of ticks), the two conditions are not identical. Lyme is a bacterial illness, for instance, and can be treated with antibiotics, while Powassan is a flavivirus, a genus of virus that also causes West Nile virus and dengue fever. There is also no cure for Powassan — the best doctors can do is give you supportive care, Parada notes https://www.yahoo.com/health/powassan-virus-in-connecticut-ticks-should-you-be-116051450152.html

Vitamin Shoppe Removes Dietary Supplements Found To Contain BMPEA.

some leading vitamin stores,” including Vitamin Shoppe, “have announced that they were pulling from their shelves a group of supplements that may contain” an amphetamine-like stimulant called BMPEA. The announcement follows a study published Tuesday in the journal Drug Testing and Analysis that reported that BMPEA “has never been fully studied in humans and that under federal law is not an authorized dietary supplement ingredient.” The study also said that the FDA has been aware of BMPEA mislabeling since 2012. On Tuesday the FDA “said... that its review of the available” data on BMPEA “does not identify a specific safety concern at this time,” and an agency spokeswoman “reiterated that statement on Thursday.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/09/retailers-to-stop-sales-of-controversial-supplements/?ref=health&_r=0

Americans Miss WHO Sodium Targets -- By Wide Margin

Only 3 out of every 1,000 Americans meet the suggested intake, found a recent report in BMJ Open. But that might say more about the ridiculousness of the targets than about the poor dietary habits of Americans, said lead author Adam Drewnowski, PhD, at the department of epidemiology at the University of Washington; after all, only 1 out of 1,000 people in the U.K. hit them, and 1.5 out of 1,000 people in Mexico. http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/50908?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-10&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

Listeria in hummus prompts national recall by Sabra

The presence of potentially listeria in several samples of hummus has prompted a national recall by Virginia-based Sabra Dipping Co. of 30,000 cases of Classic Hummus. Inspectors with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development learned of the possible contamination by Listeria monocytogenes after routine inspections March 30 at a Kroger in Port Huron, according to Jennifer Holton, MDARD spokeswoman. http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/04/08/listeria-detected-hummus/25491479/

Family Disruption, Financial Stress May Be Linked To Overweight Or Obesity In Adolescent Girls.

reports that researchers found that just “one family stress point – a mother’s poor health – was associated with overweight or obesity in boys by the time they turned 18.” Investigators came to these conclusions after analyzing “data from more than 4,700 American teens born between 1975 and 1990. http://time.com/3773926/family-obesity-diabetes/

Rise In Diabetes Diagnoses Will Soon Amount To “National Crisis.”

founder of The diaTribe Foundation, writes that, “with the number of U.S. diabetes diagnoses expected to grow from 24 million to 44 million people by 2034,” a “national crisis” will soon unfold that could threaten US “economic survival.” To begin remedying this problem, Close calls first for issue awareness and then for incentivizing healthier lifestyles, “whether that’s through burgeoning workplace fitness incentive programs, taxes that dissuade people from unhealthy choices, or the desperate need to ensure that healthier foods are available at a competitive price.” http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/237991-diabetes-a-silent-threat-to-us-economy

Some Weight-Loss Supplements Contain Ingredients Similar To Amphetamines.

a study led by Harvard researchers published in the journal Drug Testing and Analysis found that some weight-loss and sports supplements contain ingredients similar to amphetamines rather than the plant extract their labels indicate they include. According to the article, the products in question are “sold under names like JetFuel T-300, Fastin-XR and Black Widow.” The Council for Responsible Nutrition called the products a “very small sliver of the industry,” while stating that the incorrect labeling and chemical inclusion is unacceptable. Steve Mister, president and CEO of CRN said, “The FDA absolutely has the authority and they should be going after products like this.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/04/07/weight-loss-supplements-amphetamines-sports/25380525/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatoday-newstopstories

Few Teens Utilizing The Most Effective Forms Of Birth Control.

while “American teenagers are getting better at practicing safe sex,” a report from the CDC “reveals very few teens are using the most effective forms of birth control.” Investigators “looked at 2005–2013 data from the Title X National Family Planning Program on teen contraceptive use and found that teen use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC)...are up but still very low.” http://time.com/3773686/best-birth-control-teens/

Corticosteroid Use and Lupus

Using the most recent analysis from the lupus study, senior author Michelle Petri, MD, director of the Hopkins Lupus Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and her colleagues identified a risk of organ damage associated with exposure to high doses of prednisone (7.5 mg per day or more) over time. However, the researchers also found that a reduction of as little as 1 mg per day in the average prednisone dose reduced the estimated risk of future organ damage by 3%. Further research in this area will help us better understand the long-term benefits gained from treatments, many currently in development, that allow people with lupus to reduce the amount of corticosteroid they take. http://www.lupus.org/research-news/entry/corticosteroid-use-and-lupus?utm_source=Newsletter+4-7-15&utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email

TB Cases Fall Again

The number of tuberculosis cases in the U.S. continued to fall in 2014 but the rate of decline slowed, the CDC is reporting. Preliminary data for last year from the National Tuberculosis Surveillance System show just 9,412 reported cases or 3.0 cases per 100,000 population, the agency said in the March 20 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Tuberculosis/50568

Staff Infections: What to Do When Exposed in the ER

As emergency physicians, we are exposed to patients with a host of different infections, and sometimes are required to take post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent infection. Here is a look at some of the risks we encounter and the more common testing and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) agents you might need to know, either for your own practice as a healthcare provider (HCP), or for board exams. HIV HEPATITIS C (HCV) HEPATITIS B (HBV) BORDETELLA PERTUSSIS MENINGOCOCCEMIA ANTHRAX http://www.medpagetoday.com/Blogs/EPMonthly/50835?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-07&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

Orange Glasses May Help In Improving Sleep.

Wired Well” blog considers whether orange glasses can improve sleep by “block[ing] wavelengths of light emitted by electronic screens.” Studies have found “that such light, especially from the blue part of the spectrum, inhibits the body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that helps people fall asleep.” A “Swiss study of 13 teenage boys, published in August in the Journal of Adolescent Health,” found that when they “donned orange-tinted glasses, also known as blue blockers and shown to prevent melatonin suppression,” during the evenings over the course of a week, they reported feeling “significantly more sleepy” than when they wore clear glasses. While options for blocking blue light are growing, “experts caution that few have been adequately tested for effectiveness and the best solution remains avoiding brightly lit electronics at night.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/07/can-orange-glasses-help-you-sleep-better/?ref=health&_r=0

Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers Best Options For Long-Term Weight Loss.

lead author Dr. Kimberly Gudzune, of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and colleagues reviewed clinical trials in support of 11 different commercial weight loss programs, including Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Health Management Resources, Medifast, OPTIFAST, Atkins, SlimFast, The Biggest Loser Club, eDiets and Lose It! Only the Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers programs were able to produce sustained weight loss over 12 months. The researchers noted that the other programs may be able to produce sustained results, but they have yet to document this scientifically. dieters should “consider trying Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers” to “maximize their chances for long-term weight loss.” Dieters who used the Jenny Craig program “lost 4.9% more weight after one year than their counterparts, who only got dieting education or behavioral counseling, the review found.” Though the Jenny Craig dieters “had the best outcomes, the program’s comparatively high cost may be prohibitive to some people, researchers wrote,” and so “they also endorsed Weight Watchers as ‘the most cost-effective’ option.” http://www.latimes.com/science/la-sci-sn-diet-programs-weight-watchers-jenny-craig-20150406-story.html#page=1

Obese People Possibly More Sensitive To Smell Of Food.

a small study published online March 13 in the journal Chemical Senses suggests that obese people may be more proficient at detecting the scent of chocolate and find it more pleasant than people who are not obese. In addition, the study determined that obese subjects perceived the salty and sour tastes more acutely than non-obese people. The study researchers concluded that smell is crucial in eating behavior since it triggers the hunger center in the brain. The researchers write that smell is significant in eating behavior because it triggers the reward center in the brain. Stafford noted that sensory cues such as sight and smell can increase cravings for addictive substances and theorizes that the same may be true for foods. He said that the smell of high-calorie foods “might also trigger craving and possibly lead to overconsumption for those individuals prone to weight gain.” http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/03/us-health-obesity-olfaction-idUSKBN0MU18V20150403

Eating Four Eggs Per Week May Reduce Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes.

a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that “eating four eggs a week can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by more than a third.” After examining “the eating habits of 2,332 men aged between 42 and 60,” researchers found that “egg consumption was associated with a lower risk of the disease as well as with lower blood sugar levels.” http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11514251/Four-eggs-a-week-can-reduce-risk-of-diabetes.html

Blue Bell suspending production at Broken Arrow plant after listeria scare

March to recall 3-ounce ice cream cups of chocolate (No. UPC-SKU #453), strawberry (No. UPC-SKU #452) and vanilla (No. UPC–SKU #451). These cups were not sold through retail outlets such as convenience stores and supermarkets. “The Broken Arrow operations will be suspended so that our team of expert consultants can conduct a careful and complete examination to determine the exact cause of the contamination. We have notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of our action and we remain committed to being transparent with that federal agency. Once our investigation is complete and we have made all necessary improvements, it will return to operation,” said the company. http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/retail/blue-bell-suspending-production-at-broken-arrow-plant-after-listeria/article_f106d0ad-7714-54e3-aafb-8eebb0a2a0ba.html

More Than Half Of Food Americans Buy Contains More Than Recommended Amount Of Salt.

“more than half of” the food Americans “buy contains more than the recommended amount of salt for each serving” consumed. In the April issue of the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, researchers from the CDC found that “meat and pasta mixed dishes...were the top culprits, with better than 80 percent of each containing too much salt in the three regions of the country examined (Pacific, East North Central, and South Atlantic).” Other foods containing more than the recommended amount of salt include “pizza (better than 70 percent), soups (more than 60 percent) and cold cuts (50 to 60 percent, depending on the region).” http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/04/02/more-than-half-the-packaged-food-you-buy-in-grocery-stores-has-too-much-salt/

Drug-Resistant Shigellosis Spreading: CDC

Multidrug-resistant shigellosis, much of it associated with international travel, is spreading in the U.S., the CDC is warning. Over a 9-month period, a strain of Shigella sonnei resistant to several antibiotics caused intestinal illness in 243 people in 32 states and Puerto Rico, the agency said in the April 3 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Most tested isolates were not susceptible to ciprofloxacin (Cipro), the antibiotic recommended for adults with shigellosis, the CDC report said. The outbreaks are part of a "troubling trend in Shigella infections" in the U.S., CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, said. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/50805?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-03&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

Taking Multiple Courses Of Antibiotics Tied To Increased Risk For Diabetes.

a study published online March 24 in the European Journal of Endocrinology suggests that patients “who take multiple courses of antibiotics may face an increased risk of developing both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, potentially through alterations in gut microbiota. “The study, which involved “208,002 diabetes patients and 815,576” matched controls revealed that “the risk of diabetes was increased by up to 37%, depending on the type of antibiotic and the number of courses prescribed,” with the “highest risk for diabetes...seen among people who received more than five courses of quinolones,” or in “patients who took more than five courses of tetracyclines.” https://login.medscape.com/login/sso/getlogin?urlCache=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5tZWRzY2FwZS5jb20vdmlld2FydGljbGUvODQyNDA5&ac=401

Global Cardiovascular Deaths Still Rising Despite Improvement In Prevention, Treatment.

“improvements in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease haven’t been able to prevent a worldwide rise in cardiovascular deaths in a growing and aging population, according to the authors of a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine.” The researchers came to this conclusion after analyzing “mortality data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013.” http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2015/04/01/global-cardiovascular-deaths-continue-to-rise-despite-gains-in-prevention-and-treatment/?ss=pharma-healthcare

Losing Even 30 Minutes Of Sleep May Have Long-Term Consequences On Weight, Metabolism.

Those who had a weekday sleep debt at the start of the study were found to be 72 percent more likely to be obese, compared with those who lacked weekday sleep debt. Six months into the study, the link between weekday sleep debt and obesity and insulin resistance was deemed to be significant. During a one-year follow-up, researchers concluded that for every 30 minutes of weekday sleep debt, there was an associated 17 percent increased risk of obesity, and a 39 percent increased risk of insulin resistance.http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/apr/01/sleep-metabolism-weight-control/

“Night Owls” More Likely Than “Early Birds” To Develop Diabetes.

Study results support importance of circadian rhythms in metabolic regulation. Men who were night owls were more likely to have diabetes or sarcopenia than those who were early risers,” the study revealed. Meanwhile, compared to early risers, “women who were night owls tended to have more belly fat and a higher risk of metabolic syndrome.” HealthDay quotes study lead author Nan Hee Kim, MD, PhD, of the Korea University College of Medicine, who said in a news release from the Endocrine Society that “considering that many younger people are night owls, the risk associated with this type of sleep habit is ‘an important health issue that needs to be addressed.’” Evening types complained more often of insomnia, which could lead to poorer sleep quality, even though sleep duration wasn't different between the two groups. In addition, evening types got less exercise and smoked more than morning types in the study. "These unhealthy behavior patterns might lead to the metabolic dysregulation in evening types, although the association between night type and metabolic disorders was significant even after adjusting for these lifestyle factors," Kim said. It could also be that evening types are more likely to have circadian misalignment, he added.It is possible that bad metabolic profiles due to unhealthy behavioral habits could influence circadian rhythms or, inversely, that chronic circadian derangement could lead to metabolic dysregulation in evening chronotypes," the authors acknowledged. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/MetabolicSyndrome/50778

No Support for Iron Boost in Pregnancy, Infants

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has affirmed previous recommendations of insufficient evidence for iron supplements in non-anemic pregnant women and asymptomatic infants, ages 6 to 24 months. An update to their 2006 recommendations about iron supplementation, drafts of the newer recommendation statements have been posted to the USPSTF website for public comment. The comment period ends at midnight ET on April 28.http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/Pregnancy/50749?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-01&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

Vaccine Slows Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Tumor-derived therapy reduces 3-year recurrence rate by a third. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/SGO/50739?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-04-01&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&mu_id=5883165

Indiana To Institute Needle Exchange Program In Response To HIV Outbreak.

“a drug-related HIV outbreak in rural Indiana has prompted Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to declare a public health emergency and take the unusual step of instituting a 30-day needle exchange program in the hardest-hit area.” Although Pence is generally against such programs, he said he was “prepared to make an exception.” Needle exchange programs “have been endorsed or supported by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Surgeon General, the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the White House Office on National Drug Control Policy, the National Institutes of Health,” and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/03/31/politicians-need-to-get-over-their-squeamishness-about-needle-exchange-programs/

Legislation Aims To Make Vaccine Exemptions Harder To Get In Several States.

reports “lawmakers in a dozen states are debating whether to make childhood vaccine exemptions harder to get, with some considering more paperwork and others proposing to eliminate personal belief and religious exemptions.” Debates about increased regulations “began after a measles outbreak at Disneyland in California over the 2014 holiday season.” Legislation has been introduced “in Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas and West Virginia...that would add paperwork for parents seeking exemptions, such as explaining how vaccines violate their religious beliefs or verifying the denomination they’re affiliated with.” http://www.cq.com/login?jumpto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cq.com%2Fdoc%2F4655988

Internet Searches May Help In Estimating Prevalence Of Non-Communicable Disease Risk.

a study published online March 24 in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health suggests that search data may useful in estimating the prevalence of certain non-communicable diseases in populations. The researchers utilized Google Trends to pick search terms and compared them to CDC data on state-based prevalences of risk factors for predicting non-communicable disease, such as amount of exercise, smoking, hypertension, heart disease or diabetes. Over the course of a year, the search trends, broken down by state, were strongly correlated to the CDC’s measured estimates of disease risk from population data. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/01/us-searchers-disease-risk-idUSKBN0MS2Y420150401