Tragedy of Aimee Copeland Haunting Americans: Could flesh-eating bacteria be in other local rivers and waterways?

The horrifying tragedy of Aimee Copeland keeps the nation praying for the 24-year-old university student fighting to survive after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria following a fall in local river, Georgia.

Tragedy of Aimee Copeland Haunting Americans: Could flesh-eating bacteria be in other local rivers and waterways?

The Americans are now concerned after the Copeland tragedy and the question continuously stings their minds …Could that type of bacteria be creeping around in the James River or other local waterways?

As reported earlier, Aimee Copeland contracted the unusual infection after an accident that took place on a homemade zip line during an expedition along the little Tallapoosa River, near Augusta.

The bacteria, which according to experts normally found in fresh water, entered her body through a deep cut in her left leg. Due to suffering from this rare kind of infection doctors have already removed her left leg and some infected tissues from her abdominal area; but still the infection is spreading and more body parts will soon be removed to save her life.

The question haunting the people …. Could the same type of bacterium be found in the James River, the Appomattox, or even a local pond or lake?

Dr. David Trump, a local expert at the state health department, spoke with CBS 6 on this critical issue.

He said, “I can’t make any guarantees about one place or the other, but there is more risk if the water is stagnant, whether it be cloudy or a pond…or if it is really high temperature.”

Dr. Trump also suggested strongly that if anybody suffers a cut or wound in the water, no matter where it is, get out and get it treated immediately.

Last August, a nine-year old Henrico boy died from an amoeba he picked up while swimming in the James River. His death was one of four deaths by amoeba, as confirmed by the Center for Disease Control. The others were in Kansas, Florida and Louisiana.

Report Tags: Flesh-eating bacteria, Aimee Copeland, Georgia Student, Augusta, Carrollton River, Fresh Water Bacteria, Bacterial Disease, Mystery Disease, USA

Mysterious flesh-eating infection put university student's life in danger

There are heartening signs for Aimee Copeland, student of University of West Georgia, whose freak zip-lining accident led to a flesh-eating bacteria infection that's kept her on life support for days.

Mysterious flesh-eating infection put university student's life in danger

The 24-year-old Aimee Copeland is at Doctor's Hospital in Augusta where the flesh-eating bacteria has already cost her one leg. Doctors and her family members fear to have more loss like her other leg as and both hands.

The infection began after Copeland went through surgery in which surgeon cut her leg last week. Copeland got injured when a homemade zip line over a Carrollton River broke, resulted in a wound in her leg due to fall in the water. She had frequent visits to a a local hospital due to severe pain.

She has been in serious condition since Friday, when she was diagnosed with the rare flesh-eating infection. Surgeons cut her left leg and also removed infected tissue from her abdomen hoping to stop the bacteria from spreading.

She is still on life support at an Augusta burn unit.

 

Though the story is tragic, Copeland's family seemed hopeful when she showed signs of movement despite doctors' warnings on Tuesday that her chances of survival were "slim to none."

"Aimee has had a spectacular day -- she's breathing more on her own and her body is responding positively," Copeland's sister Paige wrote Wednesday on the wall of a Facebook page set up for Aimee. "She even got emotional today, I think she's scared."

Aimee's father writes that his daughter is alert and trying to communicate.

"She said, 'I can't talk!" said Andy Copeland. "We told her it was because of the (breathing) tube, and we explained the need for it. She also asked, 'what happened?' and 'where am I?' I thought it would be better when she became alert, but it is actually harder for us."

A website was set up for those wishing to donate blood or money. Visit AimeeCopeland.com to leave warm wishes, view pictures or help the family.

Report Tags: Flesh-eating bacteria, Aimee Copeland, Georgia Student, Augusta, Carrollton River, Fresh Water Bacteria, Bacterial Disease, Mystery Disease, USA

Gilead Sciences' Truvada: Promises to prevent HIV/AIDS infection

There’s certainly very good news for the humanity as prevention drug has been emerged for one of the most deadly disease, HIV or AIDS – a monster eating thousands of lives every year around the globe.  

Gilead Sciences' Truvada: Promises to prevent HIV/AIDS infection

According to details; the advisory team of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has endorsed on Thursday the first drug, named as Truvada, shown to prevent HIV infection – the virus responsible of causing AIDS. Although FDA is not bound to follow the advisory team’s decision, but in normal circumstances it does. FDA’s final decision is expected in the mid of next month. 

The FDA advisory team recommended approval of the daily pill Truvada for healthy people who are at high risk of contracting HIV, including gay and bisexual men and heterosexual couples with one HIV-positive partner. 

Even though the Truvada got an important endorsement; but the FDA team has some reservations about the drug, like:

·         Whether Truvada might lead to the reduced use of condoms, the most dependable protection against HIV,

·         The effectiveness of Truvada in women, who have shown much lower rates of protection in studies.

Truvada first came in spotlight three years ago, back in 2010, when government researchers proved that the drug could stop people from contracting HIV. 

The researches kept on studying the effect of the drug and after three years they reached the points where they conclude that daily doses decrease the risk of infection in healthy gay and bisexual men by 42%, when accompanied by condoms and counseling. 

Last year another study was conducted  which fetched even better results concluding that Truvada reduced infection by 75% in heterosexual couples in which one partner was infected with HIV and the other was not.

Report Tags: HIV, AIDS, HIV Infection, Truvada, Gilead Sciences, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, USA, Health, AIDS Drug, AIDS prevention,

SOURCE:

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-na-fda-hiv-20120511,0,5295464.story

Mysterious skin disease killed 19 in Vietnam, seek international help

HANOI, Vietnam (Sat, Apr. 21) – The mysterious viral skin infection has killed 19 in Vietnam since it was first reported exactly one year ago in April 2011. More than 170 other people have been registered during last year who are suffering severe medical complications due to this mysterious disease. 

Mysterious skin disease killed 19 in Vietnam, seek international help

Most of the cases have been reported from the Ba To District, which is one of the poorest in the country. The symptoms include a severe rash and ulcers on the skin, as well as high fever that ultimately leads to liver problems and organ failure. 

The mysterious illness was thought to be died out after killing 11 people last year; but apparently it has come back with even more forcefully and 8 deaths are reported only in the last month; while 68 new cases have come under spotlight. 

Vietnamese health ministry officials have requested formally to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control to investigate the cause of this mysterious infection and to take appropriate step to stop it from spreading to the other parts of the country.

Sukkur-born miracle boy with six legs named 'Umar Farooq' after successful operation at NICH, Karachi

KARACHI, Pakistan (Fri, Apr 20) – Sukkur-born infant with six legs was successfully operated at National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in Karachi, Pakistan yesterday.

Sukkur-born miracle boy with six legs named 'Umar Farooq' after successful operation at NICH, Karachi

The doctors had decided to go for surgery after they established that the baby actually did not have six legs, but had got extra limbs of conjoined twins, and they were successful in removing the extra limbs.

The head of the NICH, Jamal Raza, said the abnormal birth was the result of a genetic disease which would affect only one in a million or more babies. “It was strange that apparently an abnormal baby with six legs was as normal as other children,” he said.

According to earlier reports, father of the baby, Imran Sheikh, is an X-ray technician whose meager salary of 6,000 Pakistani rupees a month was impossible to cater for his son’s treatment at the hospital. He appealed to philanthropists and the government of Pakistan to help his baby boy. Pakistan Baitul Mal – a charity organization in Pakistan – helped the poor family for their child’s treatment. The family also collected some money from their own sources while the major help was tended by the Baitul Mal.

 

Father of the baby boy said after the surgery, “We are a poor family. I am thankful to the government and doctors for helping us successful operating my baby.”

 He said they have thought to name their son ‘Umar Farooq’.

The heartening news of this boy’s successful surgery spread like jungle fire in Pakistan. Thankfully, this boy would be able to live a normal life with two legs.

 

Report Tags: Imran Sheikh, Six-legged boy, Sukkur-born boy with six legs, Umar Farooq, National Institute of Child Health, Karachi, conjoined twins

Medical Mystery or Miracle -- Exclusive Video: Six-legged baby boy born in Sukkur (Sindh, Pakistan)

SUKKUR, Pakistan (Wed, Apr 18) – The miraculous baby boy with six legs born to an X-ray technician, resident of Sukkur (Sindh), is being treated at National Institute of the Child Health in Karachi and the doctors are trying their best to save his life while bringing him to normal by operating the extra limbs. 

Medical Mystery or Miracle -- Six-legged baby boy born in Sukkur

 According to Mr Jamal Raza, the director of the Institute, the unnamed infant has a unusual genetic condition. "It is not one baby actually. They are two, one of them is premature," he said.

The special baby boy was born to the wife of Imran Sheikh almost a week ago in the town of Sukkur, around 450km (280 miles) north of Karachi.

Dr Ishratul Ebad, Governor of Sindh, instructed concerned officials to ensure every possible assistance for the treatment of the baby boy.

"We are a poor family. I am thankful to the government for helping us treating my baby," Imran Sheikh told the media.

"The doctors are examining the infant to plan for necessary treatment to save the baby's life and ensure he lives a normal life," said a statement from the provincial health department.

Watch Video of the special baby boy below:

Beware! Caffeine Toxicity/Poisoning from excessive use of energy drinks can lead you to death

The concern about the health of kids due to frequent intake of energy drinks and other beverages is heightening after the death of 14-year-old Maryland girl, who was reported dead after drinking two energy drinks within 24 hours. 

Add caption Caffeine Toxicity/Poisoning from excessive use of energy drinks can lead you to death

According to details; Anais Fournier died last December due to caffeine toxicity which rose sharply after she consumed two cans of Monster energy drinks, which contained 480mg of caffeine – almost equal to caffeine found in 14 cans of Coca Cola.

Fournier suffered a cardiac arrest the next day and passed away from cardiac arrhythmia due to none other than risen caffeine toxicity; U.S. TODAY reported, the amount of caffeine found in the body of the girl was almost five times the recommended caffeine limit from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

 

Wendy Crossland, the mother of deceased girl, told media that her daughter had 24-ounce energy drink while she was hanging around with her friends in the mall. 

“She drank another one less than 24 hours later, even though she knew I do not allow them because I know they are bad for you. She went into cardiac arrest three hours later at home,” Crossland said further. 

Caffeine poisoning is not rare in the U.S. and cases of caffeine poisoning have increased over the last few years, from 1,128 in 2005 to 13,114 in 2009. 

Caffeine is a stimulant, and is found in a multitude of food products, from coffee, to chocolate, to sodas -- and the amounts found in those products usually are not enough to cause any harm to health, Medscape noted. 

But caffeine poisoning is not uncommon in the U.S. TODAY reported that cases of caffeine poisoning have increased over the last few years, from 1,128 in 2005 to 13,114 in 2009. 

A recent study in the journal Pediatrics showed that anywhere from 30 percent to 50 percent of teens and young adults drink energy drinks. Nearly half of the 5,448 reported caffeine overdoses in 2007 were in people younger than 19. 

"The known and unknown pharmacology of agents included in such drinks, combined with reports of toxicity, raises concern for potentially serious adverse effects in association with energy drink use," researchers wrote in that study. "In the short-term, pediatricians need to be aware of the possible effects of energy drinks in vulnerable populations and screen for consumption to educate families."