Urine TB Test Cuts Mortality in Patients With HIV Bedside test offers swifter diagnosis and more rapid treatment

An inexpensive urine test for tuberculosis reduced the risk of death among HIV-positive hospital patients in Africa, where the combined effect of the two diseases is a leading cause of mortality, researchers said. In a randomized controlled trial in four counties, the test was associated with a 17% relative risk reduction in all-cause mortality after 8 weeks, possibly because TB treatment was started more quickly and in more patients, according to Keertan Dheda, MBBcH, PhD, of the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and colleagues. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Tuberculosis/56655?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-10&eun=g721819d0r

Scaring People About Outcome Of Not Vaccinating May Be More Effective Than Giving Facts.

reports that instilling fear in so-called anti-vaxxers about the repercussions of not vaccinating their children, appears to be an effective method to reverse their views. The study revealed that frightening people was more likely to change their minds than giving them facts about vaccines. http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-peril-of-ignoring-vaccinesand-a-solution-1457537743

US Cancer Death Rates Continue To Decline, Report Indicates.

reports that “early cancer prevention, detection and treatment appear to be working, with death rates from all cancers combined continuing to decline in the U.S, according to a report released” by the CDC. The report indicated “men and women across all racial and ethnic groups saw death rates decrease for most type of cancers.” However, liver cancer death rates increased. The report was “a collaboration among the CDC, American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.” http://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-03-09/us-cancer-death-rates-continue-to-drop

Herpes Vaccine Cuts Viral Shedding Shedding down by as much as 55%, lesion count by 69%

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AAD/56634?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-09&eun=g721819d0r

New Data Cast Doubt On Effectiveness, Safety Of Weight-Loss Medication.

“Science Now” that the cardiovascular safety of the weight-loss drug Contrave (naltrexone/bupropion) “remains uncertain,” according to the halfway point results of the LIGHT trial published in JAMA. The researchers also concluded that claims that the drug significantly reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke are also premature. Although the Food and Drug Administration’s approval was based upon an agreement with the drugmaker to continue the LIGHT trial to study the drug’s safety and effectiveness, the trial “was abandoned after the makers of Contrave flouted the terms of their agreement with the FDA and the researchers conducting the clinical trial and made the preliminary safety findings public.” http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-heart-attack-stroke-diet-drug-contrave-20160308-story.html

Biomarker Identifies Asthma Aspirin Intolerance Finding could lead to cost-effective urine test

LOS ANGELES -- Elevated urinary leukotriene E4 levels (ULTE4) could prove to be an important biomarker for identifying aspirin intolerance in patients with asthma, according to findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis. The analysis of 10 studies in which the biomarker was analyzed in patients with asthma found UTLE4 to be an accurate marker for aspirin-intolerant asthma when measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, mass spectrometry, or radioimmunoassay. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AAAAI/56604?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-03-08&eun=g721819d0r

Salmonella apparent culprit in Lucky’s illness outbreak in Dayton OH

House-made mayonnaise tests positive for the bacteria, as do at least 9 of those sickened. http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/salmonella-apparent-culprit-in-luckys-illness-outb/nqft8/