Asymptomatic Carriers May Help Fuel Rise In Pertussis Cases.

reports that the quick rise in pertussis rates “may largely be a result of transmission from people who are infected with the bacterium but show no symptoms of disease,” according to a study published in BMC Medicine. Even though “the protection afforded by the vaccine wanes over time, the bacterium has evolved to evade immunity, [and] vaccine coverage has not been wide enough,” investigators “found that...asymptomatic transmission may be the most important cause of all.” For that reason, the study authors recommended keeping “vaccination levels high.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/06/29/symptom-free-carriers-may-be-spreading-whooping-cough/?ref=health&_r=0

Consumption Of Sugar-Sweetened Drinks Tied To 180,000 Deaths Each Year.

reports that “the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks appears to claim the lives of about 25,000 American adults yearly and is linked worldwide to the deaths of 180,000 each year,” according to a study published June 29 in the journal Circulation. In particular, “low- and middle-income countries are bearing the brunt of the death toll attributed to overconsumption of sugar-sweetened sodas, sports drinks and fruit drinks.” http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-sugary-soda-death-toll-20150629-story.html

Oncology/Hematology 06.29.2015 0 Comments Grapefruit and Melanoma: What's Happening Here?

The association between citrus consumption and melanoma risk appeared to be exposure-dependent, consistent among women and men, and independent of consumption of other fruits and juices and vegetables. The association also appeared to be stronger among obese individuals and those who didn't exercise. Supplemental vitamin C did not appear to be associated with an increased risk of melanoma, said the researchers. "These findings provide evidence for the potential photo-carcinogenic effect of psoralen-rich foods," said Qureshi, adding that, "... further investigation is needed to confirm our findings and [to] guide sun exposure behaviors among individuals with high citrus consumption." http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/SkinCancer/52367?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-30&eun=g721819d0r

For Type 2 Diabetes, Where You Live Matters

T2D risk based in part on access to healthy food, exercise facilities, says study. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Diabetes/52370?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-30&eun=g721819d0r

Overused Antibiotics Cause Havoc Among Nursing Home Patients

Daneman's group made a notable finding: the trend toward antibiotic-related adverse events persisted among residents who did not take antibiotics. Not detailing how booo. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Geriatrics/GeneralGeriatrics/52355?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-30&eun=g721819d0r

1,000 people possibly sickened by fecal matter in French mud run

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2015/06/29/1000-people-possibly-sickened-by-fecal-matter-in-French-mud-run/2871435616790/

Smart' Insulin Patch Beats Injections in Diabetic Mice

Patch mimicking beta-cell function could offer 'closed-loop' insulin delivery http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Type1Diabetes/52342?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-29&eun=g721819d0r

Bedside Ebola Test Accurate

A bedside blood test for Ebola detected all of the cases that were positive on a standard assay and most of those that were negative, researchers reported. Importantly, the Corgenix ReEBOV Antigen Rapid Test was faster than a widely used commercial assay that employs polymerase chain reactions (PCR), according to Nira Pollock, MD, PhD, of Boston Children's Hospital, and colleagues. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Ebola/52323?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-26&eun=g721819d0r

California Bill Mandating Vaccines For Public School Students Clears Key Hurdle.

points out that “the state is requiring to vaccinate according to guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which include immunization for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, poliovirus and whooping cough.” Additionally, “state health officials...have the right under the law to revise immunization requirements based on any new guidelines issued by Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the American Academy of Pediatrics or the American Academy of Family Physicians.” http://www.newsweek.com/california-bans-religious-and-philosophical-vaccine-exemptions-schoolchildren-346987

CDC Estimates More Than 1.2 Million Americans Are Living With HIV.

reports in “Science Now” that “more than 1.2 million Americans are living with HIV, including about 156,300 who don’t realize it,” according to a report published in the June 25 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-undiagnosed-hiv-patients-20150624-story.html

Smoking Around Toddlers May Raise Their Obesity Risk.

reports that a study recently published online in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research suggests that “by age 10, children exposed to secondhand smoke as toddlers tended to have wider waists and a higher body mass index (a calculation of body fat) than their non-exposed peers.” http://consumer.healthday.com/kids-health-information-23/parenting-health-news-525/smoking-around-toddlers-as-harmful-as-smoking-during-pregnancy-study-700632.html

CDC's Meningitis B Vax Recommendation Faces Criticism

Lack of universal recommendation deemed 'confusing for parents' http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ACIP/52292?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-25&eun=g721819d0r

Experts Applaud Dietary Guidelines That Lift Dietary Fat Cap

The new guidelines wisely reverse 4 decades of dietary advice, say two researchers. http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/52289?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-25&eun=g721819d0r

Order In Which Obese People With T2D Eat Their Food May Affect Blood Sugar Levels.

The order in which obese people with type 2 diabetes [T2D] eat their food can affect their blood sugar levels,” according to a study published June 23 in Diabetes Care. The 11-participant study revealed that “having protein and vegetables before carbohydrates was linked to lower blood sugar and insulin levels after the meal.” http://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/diet-diabetes-news-178/order-food-is-eaten-may-affect-blood-sugar-in-type-2-diabetes-700643.html

Akkermansia Muciniphila Microbe May Change How Body Processes Food, Affect Weight.

Akkermansia muciniphila microbe may “change how your body processes food and affect your weight,” according to research published online in the journal Gut. The microbe, which “is linked with a fiber-rich diet,” is “also associated with lower levels of blood sugar, insulin and fats. http://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/dieting-to-gain-or-maintain-weight-192/could-a-microbe-in-your-gut-help-you-lose-weight-700624.html

Fewer Young Women Diagnosed With Cervical Cancer

Declines may be because of new screening guidelines plus introduction of HPV vaccine. http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/CervicalCancer/52258?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-24&eun=g721819d0r

Five-Day Diet Mimics Fasting And Reduces Cancer Risk.

reports physicians have been “loathe to recommend” fasting as a diet method, but now scientists have “developed a five-day, once-a-month diet that mimics fasting – and is safe.” The small study published in the journal Cell Metabolism and funded by the National Institute of Aging found that “participants who intermittently fasted for three months had reduced risk factors for an amazing range of issues: aging, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease.” There were only 19 participants in the study, but the “promising” results are pushing University of Southern California researcher Valter D. Longo to try to get FDA approval to recommend the regimen to patients. The diet lets participants eat as they normally would for 25 days a month, but alters their diet over the course of five days with a static amount of calories divided into set percentages of protein, fat and carbohydrates. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/06/22/heres-how-a-five-day-diet-that-mimics-fasting-may-reboot-the-body-and-reduce-cancer-risk/

Smartphones Pose Slight Risk to Heart Devices

atients with pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) should keep their smartphones away from their hearts to avoid electromagnetic interference, according to a German study. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Arrhythmias/52248?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-23&eun=g721819d0r

Skinny Jeans Put the Squeeze on Leg Nerves

Patient treated for swelling, neuropathy after doing one too many squats in supertight pants http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/52252?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-23&eun=g721819d0r

Wegmans recalls bottled water that may contain E.coli

The retailer announced this weekend that it is recalling some of its 16.9 ounce bottles of Wegmans Food You Feel Good About Spring Water, with Niagara Bottling LLC on the label. Only Wegmans Food You Feel Good About Spring Water 16.9-ounce bottles with a "best by" date range of June 10, 2016 to June 18, 2016 -- and with the following UPC codes are included in the recall: 16.9 ounce, UPC 7789018860 16.9 oz, 12-pack, UPC 7789010085 16.9 oz, 24-pack, UPC 7789028768 16.9 oz, 35-pack, UPC 7789029365 "No other sizes or code dates of Wegmans bottled water are affected by this recall," Wegmans wrote in its product recall message to consumers. http://www.syracuse.com/product-recalls/2015/06/wegmans_recalls_bottled_water_that_may_contain_ecoli.html

Colorado Teen Dies Of Plague.

reported in “Nation Now” that 16-year-old Taylor Gaes of Colorado died on June 8 “from a rare case of the plague, officials said.” The young man’s “illness didn’t present with the telltale sign of the infection – swollen lymph nodes – which would have alerted officials to the illness sooner, said Katie O’Donnell, a Larimer County Health Department spokeswoman.” Rather, Gaes “suffered from a fever and muscle aches, which at first made his sickness look like the flu.” reports that health “authorities suspect” that Gaes “contracted bubonic plague from fleas on a dead rodent or other animal on his family’s rural property near Fort Collins,” CO. The Post points out that “an average of seven human plague cases are reported each year across the country, according to the” CDC. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-plague-colorado-teen-20150620-story.html

Customers Struggle To Understand “Added Sugars” On Food Labels.

When researchers showed consumers nutrition panels that broke out the grams of “added sugars” as part of the total grams of sugar in the food, many people miscalculated the amount of sugar, the study found.Even among consumers who said they frequently read food labels at the store, about 45 percent of them incorrectly identified the amount of sugar when they first looked at the label with separate lines for “sugars” and “added sugars,” the researchers report in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/19/us-food-labels-sugar-idUSKBN0OZ29420150619

Sunlight Exposure May Increase IVF Success.

reports that a study presented at the annual meeting of the European Society for Reproductive Health found that weather conditions may affect live birth rates per cycle of IVF. According to the Telegraph, “in the least sunny periods, live birth rates per cycle were 14 per cent,” while they were up to “19 per cent when the weather improved.” The researchers suggest that the side effects may be attributed to the hormone melatonin, which is stimulated by sunlight, and known to play a role in the reproductive cycle. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11683901/Dose-of-sunshine-can-boost-womens-chances-of-conceiving-a-baby-by-third.html

Researchers Suggest Weighing Yourself Every Day For Better Weight Loss.

eports that researchers from Cornell University “found that people who weighed themselves frequently and tracked the results on a chart lost weight” better than those who did not track progress. Additionally, the researchers found “the results were more apparent for men than women.” The findings go against “that advice from your doctor or nutritionist about how stepping on the scale every day could be counterproductive to your weight loss goals.” David Levitsky, the paper’s senior author and a professor of nutrition and psychology at Cornell, said in a statement that logging weight fluctuations “forces you to be aware of the connection between your eating and your weight.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/06/18/cornell-researchers-actually-you-should-be-weighing-yourself-every-day/?wprss=rss_national

Diet Rich In Fish Oil Promotes Blood Cell Production In Mice.

reports that “a diet rich in fish oil appeared to promote blood cell production” in mice “partly by altering the hematopoietic niche in bone marrow,” according to research published online in the journal Endocrinology, a publication of the Endocrine Society. The study, which received funding from the NIH, among others, “demonstrated that a fish oil rich diet, but not high in other fats, promoted extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen and increased hematopoietic stem-cell (HSC) self renewal in bone marrow.” Specifically, “the diet appeared to alter hematopoietic niche and induce the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 12 (MMP12) in bone marrow.” http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/GeneralEndocrinology/52193

Age That Children Hit Puberty May Predict Their Health In Later Life.

reports that research suggests that “the age that children hit puberty” may “be a significant predictor of their health in later life.” Researchers “analysed the data of nearly half a million people whose details are compiled by UK Biobank.” The investigators “found that the age at which both men and women begin puberty is associated with a total of 48 different health conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, glaucoma, psoriasis and depression – along with early menopause in women.” that the study also found that “early puberty increased the odds of type 2 diabetes by 50%.” Altogether, the study indicated that starting puberty “early or late could alter the risk of nearly 48 separate conditions.” http://www.bbc.com/news/health-33168864

Experimental Drug For Dwarfism In Children Shows Promising Early Results.

reports that BioMarin Pharmaceutical announced Wednesday that its experimental drug BMN 111 (vosoritide) which is “vying to become the first approved treatment for dwarfism,” resulted in “improved growth in children by a significant amount in a preliminary study.” The six-month results of the study showed that “the 10 children who got the highest dose of the drug grew at an average rate of 6.1 centimeters, or 2.4 inches, per year, about a 50 percent increase from the four centimeters per year they were growing before starting the drug,” which is “similar to that of a child without the condition.” Reuters (6/18, Shaji) also reports the story. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/18/business/drug-accelerated-growth-in-children-with-dwarfism-pharmaceutical-firm-says.html?_r=0

Study Examines How Exercise Benefits People With Type 2 Diabetes.

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas looked at health records from people with type 2 diabetes. They found that people who exercised had lower body fat, smaller waist size and better blood sugar control than people who were inactive. The positive effects of exercise were seen whether people did aerobic exercise, resistance training or a combination of the two. People also saw positive effects from exercise even if they didn't have any improvement in their heart/lung (cardiorespiratory) fitness, the investigators found. "What we observed is that exercise improves diabetes control regardless of improvement in exercise capacity," co-author Dr. Jarett Berry, associate professor of internal medicine and clinical sciences at UT Southwestern, said in a center news release. About 30 percent of people who exercise are considered non-responders, the researchers said. That means they can't improve their cardiorespiratory fitness despite regular exercise. The fact that some of the diabetes patients who exercised didn't have improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness, but still gained other health benefits, "suggests that our definition of 'non-responder' is too narrow. We need to broaden our understanding of what it means to respond to exercise training," Berry said. http://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/diabetes-management-news-180/exercise-benefits-people-with-type-2-diabetes-700462.html

US Birthrate Up For First Time In Seven Years.

reports that according to a study by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the “rate of births among women ages 15 to 44 ticked up 1% from 2013 to 2014.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/17/birth-rate-rises-us-women/28811271/

Vitamin D May Ease Crohn's Activity

Patients with Crohn's disease who took vitamin D supplements showed improvements in measures of intestinal permeability and levels of antimicrobial peptides, among other parameters, according to Maria O'Sullivan, PhD, of St. James Hospital in Dublin, and colleagues. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/GeneralEndocrinology/52156?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-17&eun=g721819d0r

Russian scientists find sleep disturbances linked to heart attacks and strokes

However, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends adults get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day, noting that sleep is involved in the repair of the heart and blood vessels and that ongoing sleep deficiency has been linked to not only heart disease and stroke but also diabetes, kidney disease, and obesity. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/MyocardialInfarction/52154?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-17&eun=g721819d0r

FDA Expected To Ban Artificial Trans Fats This Week.

the FDA is expected to announce this week that it will ban all artificial trans fats” within three years. Under the anticipated rule, “food manufacturers could still petition the FDA for limited use of trans fats,” and “naturally occurring trans fat will continue to be in diets from consumption of beef, milk and other dairy products.” http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/fda-to-announce-move-toward-ban-on-trans-fats/33603112

Parents’ Denial Fuels Childhood Obesity Epidemic

eports on the phenomenon of “oblivobesity,” in which parents “increasingly seem to be turning a blind eye as their children put on pounds.” The Times cites a recent study in Childhood Obesity, which found that “more than three-quarters of parents of pre-school-age obese sons and nearly 70 percent of parents of obese daughters described their children as ‘about the right weight.’” Some potential explanations for parents’ blindness to their children’s obesity are that youngsters are generally becoming heavier, meaning that they may not particularly stand out as overweight, or that parents may not know how to handle the problem, so they deny it exists. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/health/parents-denial-fuels-childhood-obesity-epidemic.html?ref=health

Benefits Of Exercise May Not Extend To Weight Control.

The Upshot,” Aaron E. Carroll, MD, a professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine, points out, “Exercise has many benefits, but there are problems with relying on it to control weight,” a conclusion suggested by a number of studies. Dr. Carroll adds that exercise may even increase appetite as the body seeks to replace spent calories. Still, exercise “has a big upside for health beyond potential weight loss,” as it can “improve outcomes in musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pulmonary diseases, neurological diseases and depression.” http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/upshot/to-lose-weight-eating-less-is-far-more-important-than-exercising-more.html?ref=health&_r=0

Inhaled Insulin May Be Good Alternative To Injected Insulin For Some People.

Health & Science” blog reports that for some people with diabetes, inhaled insulin may be a good alternative to injected insulin. People with type 2 diabetes “inhale a dose before each meal to avoid glucose spikes after eating.” Discussed is MannKind’s Afrezza (insulin human [rDNA origin]), whose “the long-term safety and efficacy are still under investigation.” In fact, its packaging “carries an FDA label warning of health risks for people with chronic lung disease.” The label also advises that “Afrezza is not recommended for people who smoke or recently stopped smoking or for children.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/weary-of-the-needle-jab-diabetics-yearn-for-new-form-of-insulin/2015/06/15/a060d166-f81a-11e4-a13c-193b1241d51a_story.html

Florida Warns Beachgoers About Rare, Potentially Fatal Bacteria in Seawater

A rare bacteria that’s found in seawater has infected seven and killed two people this year in Florida, state health officials warned. Vibrio vulnificus can spread through direct contact between seawater and open wounds as well through eating raw shellfish, Florida Health Department spokesperson Mara Burger said in a statement, CBS News reports. If the bacterium is ingested, symptoms included abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. If it enters through the skin, it can cause infections and skin ulcers—though calling it a “flesh-eating bacteria,” as many say, is a misnomer. http://time.com/3920367/florida-beach-bacteria/

American Adults Have Gotten Heavier Over Past 50 Years.

The average American woman weighs 166.2 pounds, according to the” CDC, which “as reddit recently pointed out” is nearly “exactly as much as the average American man weighed in the early 1960s.” In that same period of time, men have also “gained nearly 30 pounds, from 166.3 in the 60s to 195.5 today.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/06/12/look-at-how-much-weight-weve-gained-since-the-1960s/

28 Ohio beaches under advisory for E. coli contamination

More than two dozen beaches across Ohio are contaminated with E. coli but will remain open, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The Columbus Dispatch reported (http://bit.ly/1FLrbB5 ) that 28 of Ohio's 134 public beaches were under bacteria advisories Wednesday, with 21 of those beaches located on Lake Erie. Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2015/06/11/6271538/28-ohio-beaches-under-advisory.html#storylink=cpy

Better Sight Yields Better Sleep

Circadian rhythm is regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, an essential component of the master biologic clock," she said. Hence the surgery brings more light to the retina and may allow the individuals to have a more normal circadian rhythm, which manifests in better sleep quality and, in turn, prevention of sleep-modulated cognitive decline.http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/APSS/52077?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-12&eun=g721819d0r

Poisonings, Deaths From Synthetic Marijuana Spiked In 2015.

reports in “Science Now” that “poison center calls linked to synthetic cannabinoids have spiked roughly fourfold in just the first few months of 2015, according to a report from the” CDC published in the June 12 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The data compiled by the CDC reveal that “between January and May 2015, poison centers received 3,572 calls linked to synthetic cannabinoid use – a 229% jump over the 1,085 calls received during the same period in 2014.” Ages of the user ranged from seven months to 72 years, with a median age of 26. The authors of the report conclude that the sudden spike demonstrates the need for stricter regulation. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-cdc-synthetic-marijuana-cannabinoids-poison-report-20150611-story.html

C-Section Births May Increase Risk Of Long-Term Health Problems.

reports that research published in the British Medical Journal suggests that newborns delivered by cesarean section have a greater likelihood of developing “obesity, asthma, and type 1 diabetes [T1D] when they get older.” A meta-analysis at the New York University School of Medicine examined 20 studies that showed that overall the rate of asthma increases to 9.5 percent, the rate of obesity increases to 19.4 percent and T1D occurs in 2.13 if every 1,000 infants born from C-section. Meanwhile, the rates for vaginal birth are 8.4, 15.8 and 1.79 per 1,000 infants respectively. Reuters (6/12, Rapaport) and MedPage Today (6/12, Walker) also cover the study. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/c-section-cesarean-births-child-health-problems-asthma-obesity-diabetes/

Kansas Reports First West Nile Case For 2015.

reports the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) said in a Wednesday statement that it had discovered the first case of West Nile virus for 2015. According to the department, “an adult from Lincoln County has tested positive for the virus, which can be spread to people from infected mosquitoes but is not contagious from person to person.” Kansas reported 54 West Nile cases in 2014. http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-reports-1st-case-of-west-nile-virus-in-2015/33511246

CDC To Issue Warning To US Physicians About MERS.

that the CDC will issue a warning as early as tomorrow about “the deadly MERS virus.” The CDC is “sounding the alarm for American doctors now,” as more than 1,200 people have been infected around the world and the death toll is “approaching 500.” Richard Besser, MD, added that “the big concern is that the person who brought it into South Korea and spread it around hospitals might be something called a ‘super spreader’ – someone who can spread it to people easier than others.”

Daily Nut Consumption May Be Linked To Lower Risk Of Early Death.

that investigators “found a 23% lower chance of death during” a “10-year study in people eating at least 10g (0.3oz) of nuts or peanuts a day.” Approximately “120,000 Dutch 55-to-69-year-old men and women provided dietary and lifestyle information in 1986, and then their mortality rate was looked at 10 years later.” Investigators found that “the premature mortality risk due to cancer, diabetes, respiratory and neurodegenerative diseases was lower among the nut consumers.” The findings were published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-33076815

Man with rare antibodies has saved 2 million babies’ lives through blood donations

The condition, Rhesus disease, occurs when a pregnant woman’s blood essentially begins attacking her unborn child’s blood cells. It occurs when a pregnant woman has rhesus-negative (RhD negative) blood and her baby has rhesus-positive (RhD positive) blood inherited from his or her father. If a RhD-negative mother becomes exposed to the RhD positive blood— typically during a previous pregnancy with a RhD positive child— she may produce antibodies that eradicate the RhD-positive baby’s foreign blood cells. When his father told him other, unknown people’s blood donations saved his life, Harrison vowed to do the same once he was allowed to, at age 18 in Australia. Every week for the past 60 years, doctors have used his antibodies to create the vaccine Anti-D, which is used to treat pregnant women with a blood disease that can lead to birth complications. He has donated his plasma more than 1,000 times. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/06/10/man-with-rare-antibodies-has-saved-2-million-babies-lives-through-blood/

Rotavirus Vaccine: Gastritis Admissions Down Dramatic decline in rate of kids hospitalized

Since the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine, rotavirus hospitalizations for young children have dropped significantly from mean pre-vaccine levels, according to state inpatient databases comprising data from nearly three-quarters of U.S. children. Following the routine rotavirus vaccination of U.S. children in 2006, the annual hospitalization rate for both rotavirus and acute gastroenteritis in children under 5 years of age declined significantly every year from 2008 to 2012, reported Eyal Leshem, MD, of the Centers for Disease Control, and colleagues. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Vaccines/52023?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-10&eun=g721819d0r

MERS Is Not SARS, but Control Was Poor: Seoul ID Docs

As South Korea's health ministry announced eight new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) today, bringing the total diagnosed to 95, infectious disease specialists here took pains to distinguish it from another recent outbreak that struck the region. "The picture is rather different from SARS," Sung-Han Kim, MD, of Asan Medical Center's department of infectious diseases told reporters gathered here for the World Conference of Science Journalists, referring to the virus that killed nearly 800 more than a decade ago. Asan was one of the hospitals visited by patients with MERS in recent weeks. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/InfectionControl/52021?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-10&eun=g721819d0r

Experimental Epilepsy Drug Reverses Severe Post-Partum Depression In 60 Hours For Four Women.

hat four women with severe post-partum depression who were given “an experimental epilepsy drug, SAGE-547” had their symptoms “basically [disappear]” within 60 hours. Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody, director of the perinatal psychiatry program at the University of North Carolina Center for Women’s Mood Disorders and the study’s lead investigator, said “we feel this is a very strong signal, because it is a robust response.” However, Dr. Nada Stotland, former president of the American Psychiatric Association, noted that the results are “as preliminary as preliminary can be with human subjects.” Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, also a former president of the APA, added that “the problem is it’s such a small number of people” and that “at this point it’s a theory with some anecdotal supporting evidence and you can’t really say much more.” Sage Therapeutics is “advancing SAGE-547 into a larger placebo controlled trial.” http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml

Altering Sleep Patterns May Be Associated With Increased Caloric Intake.

Can Too Much Sleep Make You Fat? Going to bed too early may wreak havoc on metabolics. tudy participants with a shortened phase angle associated with dim light melatonin onset -- that is, they went to sleep before the normal time of melatonin release -- ingested an average of 369 calories more compared with others with a longer phase angle (P=0.027), said Kelly Baron, PhD, MPH, of the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, and colleagues. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/APSS/52037

Exenatide May Reduce Anticipation Of Food, And Increase Satisfaction From Eating.

eports on research presented at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association finding that the GLP-1 receptor agonist exenatide (Bydureon, Byetta), may help people with type 2 diabetes lose weight because it “may reduce cravings and increase satisfaction while eating.” The study used functional MRIs to image “the reward centers in the brains of obese individuals with and without type 2 diabetes and measured the response to the anticipation of and drinking of chocolate milk while being given GLP-1 receptor agonist intravenously versus placebo.” Researchers found that the medication “seemed to increase the feeling of reward from food while people were eating.” http://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-health-information-26/brain-health-news-80/glp-1-receptors-ada-meeting-release-batch-1768-699843.html

Trial To Test Use Of TB Vaccine Against Type 1 Diabetes.

Researchers are launching a clinical trial to see if a vaccine approved long ago to prevent tuberculosis may also hold promise as a treatment for type 1 diabetes. The proposed five-year study is designed to investigate whether repeated injections of the tuberculosis vaccine bacille Calmette-Guerin (or BCG vaccine) can quiet the immune system attack that causes type 1 diabetes and improve blood sugar levels in people with long-standing diabetes. "BCG is showing so much promise in worldwide trials [for conditions such as multiple sclerosis]," said study author Dr. Denise Faustman, director of the immunobiology laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. http://consumer.healthday.com/clinical-trials-information-35/clinical-trials-news-136/new-trial-to-test-whether-tb-vaccine-fights-type-1-diabetes-700171.html

Patient with drug-resistant tuberculosis being treated in Maryland

The patient traveled in April from India to the United States, through Chicago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. Seven weeks after arriving, the patient -- who also spent time in Missouri and Tennessee -- sought treatment and was diagnosed with active tuberculosis. She has an extensively drug-resistant form of tuberculosis, or XDR-TB, which is a relatively rare form of the disease that is resistant to at least four of the core anti-TB drugs, according to the World Health Organization. Contact tracing is underway, and the CDC is seeking people who may have had prolonged close contact with the woman, including those who sat in the same row or near the woman on the flight. http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/08/health/us-tuberculosis-patient/

Drinking Water Can Become Contaminated With Viruses, Bacteria Through Leaky Pipes: Study

Water companies around the world take heed: A new University of Sheffield study overturns the previous understanding of how leaky pipes and water pressure function together within major distribution networks. Though it is commonly assumed pressure forces water out through leaks, thus preventing water from getting in, a new research study finds evidence confirming the opposite. Contaminants can enter pipes through leaks and travel throughout a water network. Importantly, then, our drinking water may become contaminated by way of leaky pipes. ADVERTISING “Previous studies have shown that material around water pipes contains harmful contaminants, including viruses and bacteria from feces, so anything sucked into the network through a leak is going to include things we don't want to be drinking,” Dr. Joby Boxall, lead researcher and a professor in the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, stated in a press release. http://www.medicaldaily.com/drinking-water-can-become-contaminated-viruses-bacteria-through-leaky-pipes-study-337018

Toothbrushes in shared bathrooms may be contaminated by poop

Two years ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study about public pools contamination with fecal materials. Researchers at the health institute said that 58 percent of communal pools tested during the summer of 2012 were contaminated with E. Coli bacteria. http://stgist.com/2015/06/toothbrush-feces-research-quinnipiac-hygiene-communal-bathroom-3452

Death Toll From AIDS-Defining Opportunistic Infections Has Fallen Dramatically Since Early Days Of The Epidemic.

“The death toll from AIDS-defining opportunistic infections has fallen dramatically since the early days of the epidemic,” according to research published online in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. Nevertheless, “despite advances in therapy, only about 65% of patients survive more than five years after they have an AIDS-defining illness,” the study found. Still, “that’s a dramatic improvement on the 7% observed before drug therapy for HIV existed and the 18% seen in the era of mono- and dual-therapy,” researchers found. http://www.medpagetoday.com/HIVAIDS/HIVAIDS/51981

CDC Announces Influenza Vaccine Makeup For Next Season.

reported that in its June 5 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the CDC announced that it has “ramped up next season’s” influenza vaccines “for broader protection.” The vaccines “for the coming flu season will contain two influenza type A viruses – H1N1...and last year’s virulent H3N2 – plus an influenza B component, according to the CDC researchers.” Those strains are the ones that “appear to be circulating in the United States and around the world, and they’re expected to be the main strains in the 2015-2016 flu season...said” CDC epidemiologist Lynnette Brammer. http://consumer.healthday.com/public-health-information-30/centers-for-disease-control-news-120/cdc-tweaking-flu-vaccine-for-a-better-responsec-says-700112.html

Many American College Students Do Not Get Vaccinated Against HPV.

reported that research suggests that “many American college students don’t get vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV), and many don’t fully understand the threat posed by the virus or their risk for infection.” Investigators surveyed nearly 200 female undergraduate students. The survey indicated that while “most of the respondents knew about the HPV vaccine...54 percent were not vaccinated.” The research was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. http://consumer.healthday.com/public-health-information-30/vaccine-news-689/college-kids-don-t-get-the-hvp-threat-699995.html

WHO Dispatches Top Official to Head MERS Team in South Korea

The country is now reporting 41 cases of the disease, four of them fatal, since the first patient was detected May 20, according to published reports and statements from the South Korean health ministry. The disease, caused by a member of the coronavirus family, emerged in the Middle East in 2012 and has mainly been confined to the region. Between April 2012 and June 5, 2015, some 1,211 cases have been reported worldwide, including 492 deaths, according to the European Centres for Disease Control. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/51960?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-06&eun=g721819d0r

CDC: Flu Vaccine Was Only 19% Effective This Season.

reports that flu vaccines “were only 19% effective in preventing doctor visits for influenza this season, one of the lowest rates in the past decade, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.” Brendan Flannery, an epidemiologist in the CDC’s Influenza Division, said the viruses used to make the vaccine this year weren’t a good match for the dominant strains of influenza in circulation. In the past decade, “effectiveness rates for flu shots have ranged from 10% to 60%, according to the CDC.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/06/04/flu-shot-effective/28465601/

NIH Suspends Operations In Pharmaceutical Development Section After Fungal Contamination Discovered.

reports that the National Institutes of Health “has suspended operations” of its Pharmaceutical Development Section, which manufactures medications for clinical research, after the discovery during an inspection of the facilities by the Food and Drug Administration, conducted “between May 19 and May 29,” that two vials of albumin, used in administering interleukin, were contaminated with the fungus aspergillus, and an unnamed “non-human pathogen.” NIH is seeking alternative sources for medications, and so far has “found no evidence of patient harm.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nih-suspends-operations-of-drug-unit-after-fungal-contamination-in-vials/2015/06/04/b6218cd6-0af6-11e5-9e39-0db921c47b93_story.html

Appalachia gripped by hepatitis C epidemic, bracing for HIV

In a study last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that hepatitis C cases across four Appalachian states — Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia — more than tripled between 2006 and 2012. Kentucky leads the nation in the rate of acute hepatitis C, with 4.1 cases for every 100,000 residents, more than six times the national average, according to the CDC. Havens has tracked 503 drug users since 2008. Now 70 percent of them have hepatitis C. http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ap/health/appalachia-gripped-by-hepatitis-c-epidemic-bracing/nmWBd/

Rabbit Study Suggests Staph Bacteria May Be One Potential Cause Of T2D.

reports that a study published in the journal mBio suggests that staph bacteria may be “one potential cause” of type 2 diabetes (T2D). After exposing “rabbits to the toxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria,” investigators “found that exposure to high levels of this toxin caused the animals to develop symptoms of the disease, including insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and inflammation.” http://www.newsweek.com/staph-bacteria-may-be-trigger-type-2-diabetes-339190

Number of live anthrax shipments to labs expands, officials say

Live samples of anthrax were shipped from a military lab to 51 other laboratories in 17 states, the District of Columbia and three foreign countries, Pentagon officials said Wednesday. That's more than twice as many laboratories as previously believed, according to the preliminary results of an investigation led by Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/03/pentagon-anthrax-robert-work/28407617/

Hormone Replacement Therapy For Menopausal Women May Not Dim Memory, May Improve Mood.

Science Now” blog, a 662-participant study published Tuesday in the journal PLOS Medicine found that women at midlife “who received hormone-replacement therapy soon after entering menopause did not experience declines in memory or other measures of cognitive health,” while “menopausal women who followed an oral estrogen-plus-progesterone regimen were less prone to depression and had better mood.” The study’s findings show further evidence that, “for women who take hormone replacements close to the time of their last period, and who stay on it for just a few years rather than decades, easing the symptoms of menopause may not be so dangerous.” http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-menopause-hormone-replacement-cognition-20150602-story.html

Only 1 In 5 Young Americans Tested For HIV.

In 2011, more than 1 million Americans 13 and older had HIV, but one in seven did not know their infection status. Routine, voluntary testing is known to reduce transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics analyzed data from 5,600 females and more than 4,800 males, ages 15-44, who took part in the 2011-2013 National Survey of Family Growth. The researchers found that 19 percent had undergone HIV testing in the past year, an increase from 17 percent in both 2002 and 2006-2010. HIV testing rates in 2011-2013 were 22 percent for females and 16 percent for males, compared with 20 percent for females in 2002. There was no significant increase among males, the researchers said. http://consumer.healthday.com/sexual-health-information-32/sex-health-news-603/breaking-brief-emb-6-2-12-01amet-hiv-testing-rates-cdc-release-699992.html

Pentagon accidentally shipped live anthrax to Canada and Australia in addition to the US

Two defense officials today confirmed that in addition to accidentally sending live samples of anthrax to 28 government and private facilities across the US and army base in South Korea, the Pentagon also shipped the deadly spores to three laboratories in Canada. Investigations into anthrax shipments spurred by the recent discovery of the spores have shown that the US military also sent live samples to Australia in 2008, meaning that suspected live anthrax has now been sent by the Pentagon into three countries, 12 US states, and the District of Columbia. http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/2/8703611/anthrax-shipped-to-canada-australia-and-12-us-states

Changes In Circadian Rhythms Affect Physical, Mental Health, Medication Response.

On the front of its Personal Journal section, the Wall Street Journal (6/2, D1, Beck, Subscription Publication) reports on the science of chronobiology that is helping researchers to understand how changes in circadian rhythms affect humans’ physical and mental health, as well as response to medication. http://www.wsj.com/articles/your-bodys-witching-hours-1433198297

Type 2 Diabetes Tied To Reduced Risk For ALS.

Type 2 diabetes [T2D] may reduce the risk of developing...amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),” according to research published online in JAMA Neurology. The study of “9,294 patients diagnosed with” T2D reveals that T2D, “but not obesity...was associated with a possible lower risk of developing ALS.” http://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-health-information-26/lou-gehrig-s-disease-als-news-1/could-type-2-diabetes-shield-against-als-699981.html

Two People Die of MERS in South Korea

South Korea on Tuesday confirmed the country's first two deaths from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome as it fights to contain the spread of the virus that has killed hundreds of people in the Middle East. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/02/health-mers-southkorea-idUSL3N0YN54N20150602

University Of Oregon Meningitis Outbreak Rises To Seven.

reported that the meningitis outbreak at the University of Oregon has spread to seven, as the father of a University of Oregon student contracted meningococcemia six weeks after the last infection on campus. State officials traced the man’s infection to his May 2 visit with his daughter. Since the man lives in another state, his infection was not immediately linked to the University of Oregon outbreak.

Ability To Vividly Imagine Food Odors May Be Correlated With Likelihood To Be Overweight.

eported that research published in Appetite on April 9 suggests that one’s ability to vividly imagine food odors may be correlated with the individuals’ likelihood to be overweight. The Wall Street Journal adds that the findings may help physicians identify patients with a greater likelihood to gain weight and design interventions that may help patients maintain a healthy weight.