First Human Ebola Vaccine Trial Shows It Seems to Work

The first test of an Ebola vaccine in people shows it's safe and appears to be working as designed, doctors reported Wednesday. A look at the first 20 people injected with the vaccine, which has been shown to protect monkeys from Ebola, shows no dangerous side effects. And it seems to be producing an immune response that would be expected to protect them from infection. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebola-virus-outbreak/first-human-ebola-vaccine-trial-shows-it-seems-work-n256196

Infant's Death Linked to Dietary Supplement

The product is a dietary supplement intended to contain three viable bacteria, Bifidobacterium lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. It is claimed to have "probiotic" properties and is marketed for infants and children by Solgar, of Leonia, N.J. Such products are being used in preterm infants on the basis of a recent Cochrane review suggesting a benefit in cases of necrotizing enterocolitis, a possible complication in preterm infants, the CDC advisory said. Rhizopus oryzae, a known cause of mucormycosis, the advisory said. An investigation by the hospital found that unopened bottles of the lot were contaminated with mold, which was confirmed by the CDC to be R. oryzae. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/48821?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2014-11-27&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=ST&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&email=amydugan2%40gmail.com&mu_id=5883165&utm_term=Daily

HRT Slows Atherosclerosis in Younger Women

Starting hormone therapy early after menopause was associated with a significant slowing of atherosclerotic progression -The researchers said the results support the "timing hypothesis" of hormone therapy, writing that the trial "supports the concept that hormone therapy reduces early atherosclerosis but has no effect on established lesions."http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/GeneralEndocrinology/48812 Does not say how but I know estrogen boosts HDL, good cholesterol.

Type 1 diabetes could be diagnosed with simple breath test, says Oxford University

The test works by detecting the harmful chemicals called ‘ketones’ which accumulate in the body when insulin levels are low. After collecting blood and “breath samples from 113 children and adolescents between the ages seven and 18,” researchers discovered “a significant relationship between increased levels of acetone in the breath of the subjects and increased levels of blood ketones.” The test itself detects acetone levels in the breath. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11253360/Type-1-diabetes-could-be-diagnosed-with-simple-breath-test-says-Oxford-University.html

FDA Unveils Sweeping Calorie Labeling Requirements.

e FDA’s announcement of two new rules “requiring the operators of chain restaurants, movie theaters and vending machines to clearly display calorie information for food and drink products.” The new rules are “new additions to the menu labeling law passed in March 2010 as part of” the ACA. In a statement, Hamburg noted that “Americans eat and drink more than one-third of their calories away from home” and that “these final rules will give consumers more information when they are dining out and help them lead healthier lives.” As far as the specific requirements of the labels are concerned, Manny Alvarez, MD said on Fox News (11/26) that restaurants with 20 or more locations will “have to display not only the caloric content of the food” but also “the sodium, the fat and the unsaturated fats.” When asked about the “goal” of the new regulations, Hamburg says the rules “reflect the fact that overweight and obesity is a huge problem in this country affecting millions and millions of people.” Hamburg went on to say “that consumers have a very big interest in knowing more about the food that they eat and the food that they feed their families,” and so the FDA is “trying to provide uniform, consistent information about calories in particular, but access to other nutritional information as well for consumers when they eat outside the home.” http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/will-labeling-calorie-counts-menus-bring-americas-obesity-rates/

From Polio to Plague: Don't Forget Other Bugs

In Madagascar, 119 cases of plague -- caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and spread by infected fleas -- have claimed 40 lives since early September, the agency reported at the weekend. Most have been bubonic, but 2% of the cases are the highly dangerous pneumonic form, in which the bacteria reach the lungs and can then be spread in droplets through coughing. Meanwhile, after a quiet summer, cases of Middle East coronavirus infection have increased in Saudi Arabia, which has been the center of that outbreak. The Saudi Ministry of Health reported 18 lab-confirmed cases of the virus so far this month, after 31 in October and 12 in September. All told, the ministry reported a total of 810 cases and 346 deaths since 2012, when the virus was first identified. Thirteen patients are currently being treated and 451 have recovered. Several dozen cases of the virus have also been reported outside the country, and the WHO said it has been formally notified of 909 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection. The early symptoms of MERS are nonspecific, the agency noted and healthcare workers need to apply standard precautions consistently, adding droplet precautions when patients have acute symptoms and contact precautions and eye protection when MERS infection is probable or confirmed. In China, the H7N9 avian flu continues to cause illness, although not at the alarming pace seen in 2013 and early 2014. In the past 3 months, China reported seven cases and two deaths from the virus. The novel avian flu strain was first identified in February 2013 and caused some 135 cases that spring. A second wave, starting in September, included another 220 cases to mid-February. The case-fatality rate over the two waves was about 31%. The virus is the first H7 strain to cause serious illness in humans; previous outbreaks of flu with a similar hemagglutinin gene -- the 'H' in H7N9 -- have mostly caused mild disease, such as conjunctivitis. H7N9 is regarded as a low-pathogenic avian strain -- it doesn't cause sickness and death in birds, making it difficult to track in poultry, which appear to be the reservoir for the virus. http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/48809?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2014-11-25&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=ST&eun=g721819d0r&userid=721819&email=amydugan2%40gmail.com&mu_id=5883165&utm_term=Daily

Lunch Brought From Home is Unhealthier Than Cafeteria Food

Most lunches brought from home don’t meet the nutritional guidelines set by the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), finds a new study. Over the last few years, school lunches have undergone a makeover in hopes of curbing adolescent obesity and helping kids get healthier. Schools now provide more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat milk. Soda and sugar-sweetened beverages have been dismissed and vending machines restocked with healthier snacks. Even breakfast options are better for young people. http://time.com/3602757/school-lunch-cafeteria-food/