AIDS-Related Deaths Tripled Among Adolescents In Last 15 Years, UNICEF Report Says.

reported that data released last Friday by UNICEF showed that “the number of adolescents dying from AIDS has tripled over the last 15 years.” The report also showed that most “acquired the disease when they were infants.” The report further disclosed that “AIDS is the number one cause of death among adolescents aged 10 to 19 in Africa and the second leading cause of death among adolescents globally.” However, “only one in three of the 2.6 million children under the age of 15 living with HIV are on treatment.” http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-3335740/Adolescent-deaths-AIDS-tripled-2000-UNICEF.html

Breast-Feeding May Reduce A Woman’s Risk Of Diabetes And Cancer, Studies Suggest.

To Your Health” blog touted the benefits of breast-feeding for infants, pointing to the “growing number of new studies” that “provide evidence that breastfeeding” may reduce a woman’s risk of diabetes and cancer. According to a study funded by that National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, women who breast-feed “were a great deal less likely – up to 50 percent less – to develop diabetes 2 in subsequent years than those who did not breast feed.” The findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Another study suggested that “those who breastfeed may reduce an aggressive type of cancer called hormone receptive negative tumors by 20 percent.” The findings were published in the Annals of Oncology in October. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/11/25/two-more-reasons-to-breastfeed-it-may-reduce-moms-cancer-and-diabetes-risk/

Medical Groups Issue Independent Warnings About Toxic Chemicals In Common Products.

“Sunday Review” column, Nicholas Kristof wrote that “two major medical organizations have issued independent warnings about toxic chemicals in products all around us,” contending that “unregulated substances...are sometimes linked to breast and prostate cancer, genital deformities, obesity, diabetes and infertility.” The Endocrine Society released a 150-page “scientific statement,” in which it warned that “‘mounting evidence’ also ties endocrine disrupters to infertility, prostate cancer, undescended testicles, testicular cancer, breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and neurological issues,” with the threat being “particularly great when unborn children are exposed.” Meanwhile, citing “a National Cancer Institute report finding that ‘to a disturbing extent babies are born ‘pre-polluted,’” the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) pointed out that “virtually every pregnant woman in America has at least 43 different chemical contaminants in her body.” The Endocrine Society has endorsed http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/opinion/sunday/contaminating-our-bodies-with-everyday-products.html?_r=1

New Target in Sepsis: The Host Response

Researchers from Harvard University's Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury reported that bioactive lipid molecules referred to as 13-series resolvins (RvTs) hastened the resolution of inflammation and increased survival from Escherichia coli infections in a mouse model. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/54884?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-27&eun=g721819d0r

Obese Kids May Have Difficulty Resisting Food Because Of How Their Brain Is Wired.

Obese children may have difficulty resisting food because of how their brain is wired,” a study scheduled for presentation at the Radiological Society of North America’s annual meeting suggests. The MRI study involving 30 kids ranging in age from six to 10 revealed that “food smells activated the parts of their brains related to impulsive behavior and obsessive-compulsive disorder,” something that did not occur in youngsters whose weight was “normal” and “healthy.” http://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-health-information-26/brain-health-news-80/could-obesity-be-wired-into-some-children-s-brains-705334.html

UNAIDS Report: New HIV Infections, AIDS-Related Deaths On The Decline.

reports that the United Nations AIDS program said Tuesday that the strategy to end the AIDS pandemic is beginning to show results. UNAIDS estimates in a report that the rate of new HIV infections has decreased by 35 percent since the peak in 2000, while AIDS-related deaths have decreased by 42 percent since a 2004 peak. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/24/health-aids-idUSL8N13I3FA20151124

Increased Potassium Intake May Be Of Benefit In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

“The higher the levels of urinary potassium excretion, the lower the risk for renal dysfunction and cardiovascular (CV) complications in patients with type 2 diabetes and normal renal function at baseline,” research published online Nov. 6 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology suggests. The findings of the 623-patient study “indicate that increased potassium intake could be of benefit in such patients.” https://login.medscape.com/login/sso/getlogin?urlCache=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5tZWRzY2FwZS5jb20vdmlld2FydGljbGUvODU0OTI2&ac=401

Energy-Dense Walnuts Tied to Better Diets

Walnuts significantly improved diet quality, endothelial function, and cholesterol without negatively affecting blood pressure or glucose levels in a new study. The walnut diets neither significantly improved or worsened body mass index, percent body fat, percent body water, or visceral fat (P>0.05) when the two arms were compared. But waist circumference improved in the walnut plus dietary counseling group. The walnut diets also had no significant effect on blood pressure or fasting blood glucose. http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/54869?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-25&eun=g721819d0r

E. coli linked to Costco chicken salad

Health officials are advising customers to throw away chicken salad made with rotisserie chicken purchased from any Costco location. http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/e-coli-linked-to-costco-chicken/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_business

Complete Lupus Remission is Possible; So is Eventual Relapse

A modest proportion of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a large cohort achieved complete remission for at least 3 years but relapses occurred even after 10 years of remission, suggesting long-term follow-up of SLE patients is mandatory, researchers said. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Lupus/54842?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-24&eun=g721819d0r

Do Stimulant Meds Keep Kids With ADHD up all Night?

Stimulant medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had a negative effect on a child's ability to get to sleep and resulted in overall less sleep time, a small meta-analysis measuring the impact of stimulants on a child's sleep found. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/ADHD-ADD/54844?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-24&eun=g721819d0r

Chipotle’s E. coli outbreak hits Ohio

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported new cases of the illness in California, New York and Ohio on Friday linked to the popular burrito restaurant. Those follow earlier cases in Oregon, Washington and Minnesota. http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/morning_call/2015/11/chipotle-s-e-coli-outbreak-hits-ohio.html

Research Suggests Link Between “Social Jetlag” And Higher Risk For Heart Disease, Diabetes

Well” blog reported that while previous research has “shown that there is an association between shift work and an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes,” new research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism “has found a similar association in people whose sleeping schedules change on the weekend.” reported that investigators found that study participants “with the greatest variation in their sleep schedules also had worse cholesterol readings, higher blood sugar levels, a larger waist circumference, and a higher body-mass index than those who had less social jetlag.” Lead author Patricia M. Wong said, “Social jetlag refers to the mismatch between an individual’s biological circadian rhythm and their socially imposed sleep schedules. Other researchers have found that social jetlag [especially in shift workers] relates to obesity and some indicators of cardiovascular function.” Wong “added that this study is the first to show that even a small amount of social jet lag can have big effects on health, contributing to metabolic problems. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/20/sleeping-in-feels-so-good-but-may-be-unhealthy/?ref=health&_r=0

Sleep Matters for Obesity

Sleep deprivation and metabolic disease has been studied extensively recently with reviews showing glucose tolerance decreasing in healthy young adults after just a night of sleep deprivation. It has also been shown that shorter sleep duration has an association with weight gain as revealed in the NIH-AARP study and in a recent systematic review and meta-analyses (one also linking long duration with weight gain). The data associating poor sleep with obesity and metabolic disease, including type 2 diabetes, is concerning because it seems to be a significant problem in our society for a variety of reasons. Beyond just sleep hygiene and sleep duration, it was found in the Look Ahead trial that 86% of patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This obviously contributes very detrimentally to poor sleep and expansive metabolic complications including obesity. Treatment of OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may not solely lead to weight loss, as pointed out in a recent meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials, but certainly improves health and well-being, likely improving the potential of successful obesity treatment. The good news is that weight loss does improve OSA, especially if mild or moderate. Marked improvement or resolution requires significant weight loss, but should definitely be a goal for patients with obesity and OSA with a strong indication for intensive obesity therapy. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Blogs/LifestyleMedicine/54815?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-21&eun=g721819d0r

Tenofovir Prevents HBV Transmission in Pregnancy

Giving tenofovir to pregnant women with high levels of hepatitis B virus can reduce transmission to children, researchers reported here. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AASLD/54806?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-21&eun=g721819d0r

CDC Deputy Director Says Flu Vaccine Is A Better Match To Circulating Viruses.

reports that CDC Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat reassured the House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Thursday that “current lab data shows that most flu viruses in circulation remain similar to the virus used to develop vaccines updated from the 2014-2015 season to create a better match.” Democrats and Republicans on the subcommittee “expressed concern about the capacity and modernity of the vaccine development process while still emphasizing the need for individuals to get vaccinated.” Schuchat added that it is unknown how well the vaccine will work at this time of year but emphasized that “being vaccinated protects you substantially compared to not being vaccinated.” http://www.cq.com/login?jumpto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cq.com%2Fdoc%2F4793911

Waist-To-Hip Ratio Proposed As Measure Of Health.

reports on a study (11/20) published Nov. 10 in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that a good way to determine whether one has too much belly fat is to divide the measure of one’s waist by one’s hips. In general, the ratio of waist to hips should not exceed one, and in women anywhere from 0.85 to 1 is “a healthy ratio,” while “for men the ideal ratio is .9-to-1.” Mayo Clinic researcher and lead author on the study Francisco Lopez-Jimenez said that for those who have too high a waist-to-hip ratio, they might try “a diet low in refined carbohydrates,” adding that “The very first fat that we burn after engaging in a good exercise program is actually abdominal fat.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/11/19/this-simple-measure-of-health-may-be-more-important-than-your-weight/

Study Finds Wide Variance In How The Same Foods Affect Postprandial Blood Glucose Levels In Different People.

the findings of an-800 patient study published Nov. 19 in Cell suggest there is a “wide variance in how the same foods” affect postprandial blood glucose levels in different people. Then, “to understand why such vast differences exist between people, the researchers conducted microbiome analyses on stool samples,” finding that “specific microbes did correlate with how much blood sugar rises after a meal.” http://www.cbsnews.com/news/huge-differences-even-when-people-ate-the-same-foods/

Viagra May Help Ward Off T2D By Improving Body’s Ability To Use Insulin.

reports that in the study of overweight adults with pre-diabetes, “all of the patients were randomly assigned to take Viagra (25 milligrams, three times per day) or an inactive placebo for three months.” At that point, patients “in the Viagra group were more sensitive to insulin and also had lower levels of albumin in their urine...than those in the placebo group, the researchers found.” The study was published Nov. 18 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. http://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/misc-diabetes-news-181/could-viagra-help-prevent-type-2-diabetes-in-those-at-risk-705322.html

Disruption Of Routine Sleep Habits May Be Tied To Increased Risk For Diabetes, Heart Disease

reports that the disruption of routine sleep habits may be associated with an increased risk for diabetes and heart disease, according to the results of a 447-patient study published online Nov. 18 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Even after adjusting for confounding factors, researchers found that people “with large differences in their sleep schedules on workdays and free days tended to have worse cholesterol and fasting insulin levels, greater insulin resistance, larger waist size, and higher body mass index.” In a news release from the Endocrine Society, study lead author Patricia Wong, of the University of Pittsburgh, said that the study is the “first...to extend upon that work and show that even among healthy, working adults who experience a less extreme range of mismatches in their sleep schedule, social jetlag can contribute to metabolic problems.” http://consumer.healthday.com/sleep-disorder-information-33/misc-sleep-problems-news-626/sleep-cycle-changes-raise-health-risks-705348.html

Oral RSV Drug Shows Promise in Early Study Symptoms reduced in volunteers infected with RSV

An oral drug designed to inhibit replication of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lowered viral loads and alleviated clinical symptoms in healthy adults who had been inoculated with the virus in an early-stage placebo-controlled trial, researchers said. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/54773?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-19&eun=g721819d0r

Antibiotic Reduces Severe Lung Illness in At-Risk Kids

Bacharier's group conducted a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled parallel group trial across 9 academic medical centers, comprising 607 children from 12 to 71 months old with histories of recurrent, severe LRTIs with wheezing requiring systemic corticosteroids or unscheduled clinic or hospital visits. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive azithromycin or placebo at the earliest signs and symptoms prior to development of LRTI. Of these, 443 children (223 azithromycin and 220 placebo) actually experienced at least 1 RTI and were treated. Use of azithromycin reduced the risk that a given RTI would become severe by 3 percentage points (8% with placebo versus 5% with azithromycin), Bacharier and colleagues reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/URItheFlu/54776?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-19&eun=g721819d0r

CDC: Rates Of Syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea On The Rise.

says that a report released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that “syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia are rising at alarming rates.” Between 2013 and 2014, physicians reported a 15 percent increase in syphilis infections, a 5 percent increase in gonorrhea cases, and a 3 percent increase in chlamydia cases, the report found. The CDC said the diseases pose “a substantial health challenge.” Dr. Gail Bolan, director of the CDC’s STD Prevention Division, “said there was ‘no single answer’ for the increase, but noted several factors.” http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/us/spike-seen-in-reported-cases-of-sexually-transmitted-diseases.html?_r=0

Women With Apple-Shaped Body At Risk for Eating Disorder Researchers say more fat at center of body is a predictor

Each one-point increase in percentage of abdominal fat was associated with a 53% increase in risk of developing loss-of-control when eating, even though percentage of total body fat didn't predict the eating disorder, according to Laura Berner, PhD, at Drexel University in Philadelphia, and colleagues. With a 2 year follow-up, Berner and colleagues also found that more trunk fat was also associated with body image dissatisfaction in nearly 300 college-aged women at risk of weight gain. They published their findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. "Our results suggest that centralized fat deposition increased disordered eating risk above and beyond other known risk factors," said Berner in a press release. "The specificity of our findings to centralized fat deposition was also surprising." Previous research has shown that loss-of-control eating predicts weight gain and the development of binge-eating episodes, said the researchers. And a separate study, published last week, found that the waist-to-hip ratio is a far better predictor of relevant outcomes like mortality than is body mass index (BMI). Berner and colleagues found that their results were independent of BMI and of depressive episodes. http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/54751?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-18&eun=g721819d0r

AAP: Animal Antibiotics Threaten Kids' Health

Drug-resistant organisms spreading, and children are most vulnerable. Citing the potential threat to children's health, as well as to the public at large, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) took a stand against the use of nontherapeutic antibiotic use in animals. The AAP technical report, which was published simultaneously in Pediatrics, described how the use of antibiotics in livestock as growth stimulants, and not for treating illnesses, contributes to the threat of antimicrobial resistance and potential infection through the food supply -- especially among young children who are most vulnerable to infection. http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/PublicHealth/54718?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-17&eun=g721819d0r

WHO Survey Indicates People Lack Understanding Of Antibiotics.

Misunderstanding of antibiotics fuels superbug threat, WHO says http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/16/us-health-antibiotics-who-idUSKCN0T50X720151116#UlSPQKgkhLj0hbKD.97

Global Pharmaceutical Companies “Rushing Into” Dietary Supplement Market.

reports that global pharmaceutical companies are “rushing into” the nutraceutical market, “putting hundreds of millions of dollars behind new nutraceutical products that can move quickly onto store shelves without much federal oversight.” The market is “already huge,” as “studies show between half and two-thirds of Americans use dietary supplements,” and the relaxed regulation decreases the cost of developing and marketing products. http://www.statnews.com/2015/11/16/celebrity-selfies-lax-regulations-drive-booming-supplement-industry/

Moderate Coffee Drinking Associated With Lower Risk Of Death From Certain Conditions, Including T2D.

reports on a study published in Circulation based on data covering “almost 168,000 women and over 40,000 men,” some of them for up to 30 years, finding that those who drank fewer that five cups of coffee daily “had a lower risk of deaths from cardiovascular disease, neurological diseases, type 2 diabetes [T2D] and suicide.” http://www.cbsnews.com/news/coffee-drinking-linked-to-a-longer-life/

Cardiac Events Tied to Certain Antibiotics

Macrolide use was also associated with a 31% increased risk of cardiovascular death, but not with an increase in the risk of all-cause death, noncardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Arrhythmias/54705?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-16&eun=g721819d0r Antibiotic macrolides US FDA-approved : Azithromycin - unique; does not inhibit CYP3A4 Clarithromycin Erythromycin Fidaxomicin Telithromycin

FDA Finalizes New Food Safety Rules

Under the new Foreign Supplier Verification rule, food importers will be required to verify that suppliers are producing food that meets U.S. safety standards. The FDA also issued guidelines governing the accreditation of third-party auditors to conduct food safety audits on foreign food facilities. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that imported food accounted for 19% of the U.S. food supply, including 52% of fresh fruits and 22% of fresh vegetables. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued new rules designed to prevent foodborne illnesses caused by tainted produce that sicken millions of Americans each year, the agency said on Friday. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/54703?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-16&eun=g721819d0r

Study Finds Devices Emitting More Sleep-Disrupting Blue Light.

reports that a study published in Frontiers in Public Health and led by Prof. Paul Gringras of Evelina Children’s Hospital in London, found that newer electronic devices are more likely to disrupt sleep because of their brighter and bluer displays. Prof. Gringras said that “smartphones, tablets and e-readers should have an automatic ‘bedtime mode’ that stops them disrupting people’s sleep.” He said that the devices emit “blue light that delays the body clock and keeps people awake later into the evening.” He explained that there are “some sleep-aware apps” that “reduce blue-green light emissions,” and that the devices could have a “bedtime mode” that would “filter out the blue” light. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34744859

Is the Ebola Virus Petering Out?

Two African countries free of disease but risks remain, WHO says http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Ebola/54666?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-13&eun=g721819d0r

FDA to Examine Maternal Vaccines to Protect Infants

An advisory panel for the FDA will explore the development and licensing of maternal immunizations used to protect infants from disease, at a meeting here on Friday. The FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will offer its recommendations regarding the appropriate clinical study design for assessing the safety and efficacy of both investigational and licensed vaccines given to mothers for their infants' protection. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Vaccines/54665?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-13&eun=g721819d0r

CDC: Congenital Syphilis Rates On The Rise In The US.

reports that “the rate of newborns with syphilis jumped 38 percent between 2012 and 2014 to its highest level in more than a decade, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” said Thursday in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The report showed that syphilis “was found in 11.6 of every 100,000 births in 2014, up sharply from 8.4 in 2012 and the highest rate since 2001.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/11/12/u-s-sees-alarming-jump-in-rate-of-newborns-with-syphilis/

Cleaning Chemicals Appear To Weaken Fertility, Mouse Study Suggests.

reports that new research indicates that “common ingredients in the cleaning sprays for your kitchen and bathroom make mice less fertile, suggesting the compounds could do the same to humans.” The study was published in Reproductive Toxicology, and “comes as US infertility rates appear to be rising.” http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/germ-killing-bathroom-sprays-appear-to-weaken-fertility/

Smoking Rates Dropped To 16.8% In 2014, CDC Report Says.

reports that according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, the prevalence of smoking in the country dropped from almost 21 percent in 2005 to 16.8 percent in 2014. This includes a full percentage point drop since 2013. However, these figures “mask deep trouble spots” among the poor and less-educated. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/13/health/us-smoking-rate-cdc-report.html?_r=0

Obesity Has Not Declined In US Recent Years, Report Indicates.

reports that “despite years of efforts to reduce obesity in America...federal health officials reported Thursday that the share of Americans who were obese had not declined in recent years, and had edged up slightly.” Approximately “38 percent of American adults were obese in 2013 and 2014, up from 35 percent in 2011 and 2012.” http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/12/health/obesity-rises-despite-all-efforts-to-fight-it-us-health-officials-say.html?_r=0

Greater Consumption Of Soft Drinks With High Fructose Corn Syrup May Be Linked To Higher Risk For Chronic Bronchitis.

http://www.healio.com/pulmonology/bronchitis/news/online/%7B050bb3fa-2810-42d0-bf77-80df944bf8b6%7D/soft-drink-consumption-may-influence-risk-for-chronic-bronchitis “Results support the hypothesis that underlying fructose malabsorption and fructose reactivity in the gastrointestinal [tract] may contribute to chronic bronchitis, perhaps through in situ formation of [advanced glycation end products], which may contribute to lung disease. Longitudinal and biochemical research is needed to confirm and clarify the mechanisms involved.”

Researchers Have Used Toenail, Hair Samples At Harvard To Study 40 Different Diseases.

reports that Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health has “toenail clippings from more than 100,000 people – and a similar number of snips of hair from cut-off ponytails.” The Globe adds that “hair and toenails harbor hormones and trace elements like arsenic and selenium, so” researchers “can analyze them to get an average of the levels in your body over several months.” This “makes the envelopes full of clippings a gold mine for researchers, who have used the samples in at least 400 research projects studying 40 diseases.” http://www.statnews.com/2015/11/11/trove-of-toenails-stashed-in-freezers-could-hold-clues-for-cancer-research/

Two Gene Variants Linked to Brain's Response to Food Imagery

The FTO genetic variant, which is associated with type 2 diabetes, has previously been shown to affect dietary intake, and body mass index, in children. And a separate study presented here found that adolescents with any of four weight-associated nucleotide polymorphisms -- of which the FTO variant was one -- responded more intensely to words associated with high-energy foods. Dopamine is released by the pleasure center in the brain. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ObesityWeek/54628?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-11&eun=g721819d0r

Flu Vaccine May Be Less Effective If Administered Every Year, Studies Suggest.

reports that a “growing body of evidence” indicates that repeated flu shots every year may “gradually reduce the effectiveness of the vaccines under some circumstances.” A study released by Wisconsin’s Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation reported “recently that children who had been vaccinated annually over a number of years were more likely to contract the flu than those who were vaccinated only in the season in which they were studied.” In a recent interview with STAT, lead researcher and epidemiologist Dr. Edward Belongia recounted, “The vaccine was significantly more effective...if they had not been vaccinated in the previous five years.” http://www.statnews.com/2015/11/11/flu-shots-reduce-effectiveness/

Short Sessions Of High-Intensity Exercise May Benefit People With T2D.

“Short sessions of high-intensity exercise may provide more health benefits for people with type 2 diabetes [T2D] than longer bouts of less intense activity,” according to the results of a 76-patient study that was scheduled for presentation Nov. 10 at the American Heart Association’s annual meeting. http://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/diabetes-management-news-180/short-bursts-of-intense-exercise-benefits-type-2-diabetics-704903.html

Infants Who Consume Probiotics Within 27 Days Of Birth May Decrease Chances Of Developing Islet Autoimmunity.

reports that a study published online Nov. 9 in JAMA Pediatrics reveals that “infants who consumed probiotic formula or dietary supplements within 27 days of birth were less likely to develop islet autoimmunity, a condition that leads to Type 1 diabetes.” However, the study was “limited to infants with a high genetic risk of developing the disease,” the article points out. The research was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/can-the-stuff-in-yogurt-lower-the-risk-for-type-1-diabetes-a-usf-study/2253216

Weight Loss Surgery Relieves Psoriasis Symptoms

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ACR/54598?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-10&eun=g721819d0r

Record Number Of West Nile Virus Deaths Reported In California.

reported that California has suffered a record number of deaths from West Nile in 2015, according to health data published Friday. This year, 32 people have died of the virus, compared to 31 last year. The number is estimated to rise through November, health officials warn. Infection rates this year are also high, but not as high as last year, the article reported. http://www.dailynews.com/health/20151106/california-reports-record-number-of-west-nile-virus-deaths

Cooking Meals At Home May Help Fight Sugar Spikes That Can Lead To Type 2 Diabetes.

reports that after analyzing data “on nearly 58,000 women who took part in the Nurses’ Health Study and on more than 41,000 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study,” researchers found that people “who ate about 11 to 14 homemade lunches or dinners a week had about a 13 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared with those who ate less than six homemade lunches or dinners a week.” The research was presented at the American Heart Association’s annual meeting. Healio (11/9, Talierco) also covers the story. http://time.com/4104061/homemade-meals-diabetes/

Most Americans Report No Coverage for Obesity

True even when employers target BMI in wellness programs http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ObesityWeek/54522?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-11-07&eun=g721819d0r

Uninsured Rate Drops To 9%, CDC Data Show.

reports that Obama Administration officials “touted the new data on Thursday as evidence of the success of ObamaCare.” The data indicate that 16.3 million people have gained health coverage since the ACA’s coverage expansion took effect in 2013. The survey also “finds that the uninsured rate in states that expanded Medicaid dropped from 18 percent to 10 percent since 2013.” http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/259304-uninsured-rate-falls-to-new-low-under-obamacare-poll-finds

FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Heightened Warnings On Commonly Prescribed Antibiotics.

reports that an advisory panel for the Food and Drug Administration called for greater label warnings for the side effects of fluoroquinolones. The panel voted 21-0 on sinusitis, 18-2 on bronchitis, and 20-1 on urinary-tract infections. http://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-panel-seeks-tougher-antibiotic-labels-1446784061?mod=rss_US_News

Certain Food Words May Interact With Stress, Genetics To Trigger Unhealthy Eating, Studies Say.

reports that two studies presented this week at Obesity Week suggest that “certain food words can interact with stress and genetics to trigger unhealthy eating.” In one study of participants “whose brain activity was monitored while they looked at words describing high- and low-calorie foods,” participants who were obese had a higher likelihood of wanting high-calorie foods, particularly when under stress. The other study found an association “between responses to food words and obesity risk in teens with genetic variants that increase the risk of obesity.” http://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/obesity-health-news-505/don-t-even-talk-about-it-food-words-can-make-you-overeat-704936.html

Gastric Balloon Swallowed Like A Tablet May Help Patients Lose Excess Weight.

reports in “Science Now” that the Elipse device, an encapsulated “gastric balloon that’s swallowed like a [tablet] and then sits in the stomach filled with fluid, helped patients lose more than a third of their excess weight over a four-month period,” according to the results of a study presented at Obesity Week. The study of “34 overweight and obese subjects who got the balloon lost an average of 22 pounds after four months – roughly 37% of their excess weight,” the study found. The device has yet to be approved by the FDA, however. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-swallowed-pill-weight-loss-surgery-20151105-story.html

California's first flu death of season recorded in Santa Clara County

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-first-death-of-flu-season-20151104-story.html eports that California Department of Public Health officials confirmed the state’s first flu-related death of the year on Wednesday. The person who died was under 65 years of age and lived in Santa Clara County. Last flu season in state was “moderately severe, with 78 deaths in people under 65, according to a recent department report.” The article points out that only deaths in people under 65 are reported to the state.

Survey Names Mississippi The “Fattest” State Once Again.

reports that in a “troubling survey” conducted by personal finance website WalletHub, Mississippi was “again” named “fattest” state in the US. The survey ranked “Louisiana as a close second, while Hawaii came out as the fittest – or leanest – of the 50 states.” http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3304609/United-States-Obesity-Mississippi-named-America-s-fattest-state-Hawaii-ranks-leanest.html

Counting Bites Of Food May Help Result In Weight Loss, Study Suggests.

reports that counting bites of food may help result in weight loss, according to the results of a 61-participant study published in Advances in Obesity, Weight Management & Control. Participants who counted “the number of bites they took each day and pledge[d] to take 20 percent to 30 percent fewer bites over the next four weeks” ended up losing about four pounds that month. http://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/obesity-health-news-505/study-count-your-bites-count-down-the-pounds-704746.html

Major Foodborne Outbreaks On The Rise.

reports in “To Your Health” that “major foodborne outbreaks in the United States have more than tripled in the last 20 years, and the germs most frequently implicated are familiar to most Americans: Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.” Meanwhile, “a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention makes clear the danger these pathogens pose.” The report analyzed “the illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths from foodborne outbreaks that took place in two or more states between 2010 and 2014,” finding “120 multistate outbreaks.” CDC officials are also using new gene-sequencing tools to track down the source of outbreaks faster. The agency has been using the technology for all investigations involving Listeria since September 2013 and will begin testing it for salmonella, E. coli and campylobacter next year. This DNA "fingerprinting" allows public health officials to examine thousands of pieces of DNA to link germs in sick people with the pathogens in contaminated food more precisely than the standard techniques in use for the past two decades. So far, officials say, they've been able to solve some "cold cases" by finding contaminated food responsible for unsolved illnesses. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/11/03/major-foodborne-outbreaks-in-u-s-have-tripled-in-last-20-years/

NIAID Director Warns The Public May Be Underestimating Superbug Threat.

reports that antibiotic-resistant bacteria have made hospital stays more risky, causing 75,000 deaths per year due to infections acquired while in health facilities. NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, who fears the public underestimates the threat of antibiotic resistance, said that while clean healthcare environments are important, “I don’t think the major issue is to scrub and scrub the floors. I think the major issue is to have judicious use of antibiotics.” http://www.wsj.com/articles/benefits-of-bleach-a-hospital-adopts-a-grandmothers-preferred-germ-killer-1446493104

Global Health Experts Sound Warning On “Looming Co-Epidemic” Of TB And Diabetes.

reports that a “declaration made at a summit in Indonesia” by “global health experts” sounds a warning that “the convergence” of diabetes and tuberculosis “represents a ‘looming co-epidemic.’” The statement makes a call “for greater co-ordination in testing and treating diabetes and TB.” http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34702351

Maintaining A Good Diet May Be Crucial To Overall Health And Stopping Deaths Considered Preventable, Studies Suggest.

reports that two studies published in the November issue of the journal Health Affairs suggest that “maintaining a good diet is crucial to overall health and stopping deaths that are usually considered preventable.” One study examined “cost-effective interventions that could lower childhood obesity,” finding that “an excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, elimination of the tax subsidy for advertising unhealthy food to children, and nutrition standards for food and drinks sold in schools outside of school meals would pay for themselves through health care costs saved.” http://time.com/4096894/us-diet-premature-death/

Menu Calorie Counts May Not Improve Dining Habits, Studies Suggest.

reports that “most consumers don’t seem to care much about calorie counts on menu boards,” according to a pair of new studies published in Health Affairs. The first study found that New York City’s requirement “has done little so far to change consumers’ eating habits,” as, initially, “just 12% of consumers ordered items with fewer calories, and that dropped to 9% when the researchers surveyed customers again in 2013 and 2014.” Furthermore, “only about half of consumers even noticed the calorie counts when they went up on menu boards in 2008.” reports that the second study found “restaurants that moved to calorie posting early reduced the calorie content of standard items on their menus by an average of roughly 120 calories.” The researchers concluded that “the greatest impact on mandatory menu labeling on population health may come from restaurants’ changing the calories of their menu items instead of consumers’ changing their behavior.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/11/02/effects-of-labeling-calories-on-menus/75046400/

Legionellosis Incidence Increasing, Data Indicate.

eported that research indicated that “passive surveillance for legionellosis showed a 249% increase in crude incidence in the United States between 2000 and 2011.” The findings were published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. https://login.medscape.com/login/sso/getlogin?urlCache=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5tZWRzY2FwZS5jb20vdmlld2FydGljbGUvODUzNDg4&ac=401

West Nile Virus Has Killed 28 People This Year In California.

reports that health officials said that the latest data from the Department of Public Health in California showed that this year 28 people have died from West Nile virus so far. As of Friday, “517 people in 30 counties...tested positive for the virus.” Many who have died from the virus are senior citizens, who are more likely to have complications from the disease, according to health officials. Also covering the story is the AP (11/2). http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-28-deaths-in-california-so-far-in-2015-from-west-nile-virus-20151101-story.html

Plague confirmed in Oregon teen

Health officials believe she contracted the bacteria from an infected flea during a hunting trip earlier this month in Morrow County, Oregon. According to a press release, the young woman began feeling sick on October 21 and was hospitalized in Bend, Oregon on October 24. Plague is rare in Oregon, with only eight human cases diagnosed since 1995 and no deaths, according to the Oregon Health Authority. The plague usually occurs in rural and semi-rural areas of the western United States, most commonly in New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. The bacteria that causes the plague is naturally occurring in the environment. Humans become infected by fleas who have fed off of infected rodents such as rats, chipmunks and squirrels. http://kfor.com/2015/10/31/plague-confirmed-in-oregon-teen/

Amid E. Coli Outbreak, Chipotle Closes 43 Restaurants In Washington, Oregon

Chipotle Mexican Grill is temporarily closing more than 40 restaurants in and around Seattle and Portland, Ore., as health officials investigate an E. coli outbreak that has gotten at least 22 people sick. USA Today reports: "Since Oct. 14, three people in Clackamas and Washington counties in Oregon, both in suburban Portland, have fallen ill, said Jonathan Modie, Oregon Health Authority spokesman. And 19 cases in Clark County, which contains Vancouver, Wash., just north of Portland; Cowlitz County, north of Vancouver; King County, where Seattle is the largest city; and Skagit County about 50 miles north of King County, also have been reported. "About a third of the victims have been hospitalized, he said. No one has died from the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria, the most common in food-borne outbreaks. " 'Many people affected with Shiga toxin E. coli may not seek health care, so the number of people made ill by this outbreak is likely more than identified,' Modie said in a statement. 'Health officials want people who have eaten at a Chipotle between Oct. 14 and 23 and become ill with vomiting and bloody diarrhea to see their health-care provider and mention this outbreak.' " http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/11/02/453950872/amid-e-coli-outbreak-chipotle-closes-43-restaurants-in-washington-oregon