Monday, October 8, 2012

Thousands could be at risk in meningitis outbreak in U.S. as 8 dead, 105 affected Already: CDC

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; eight people have died, with another fatality reported in Tennessee, since the outbreak of fungal meningitis in nine U.S. states including Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Michigan, Virginia, Maryland, Minnesota and Ohio.

Thousands could be at risk due to meningitis outbreak in U.S. as 8 dead, 105 affected Already: CDC


The patients contracted the deadly fungal meningitis after being injected in their spines with a preservative-free steroid called methylprednisolone acetate that was contaminated by a fungus. The steroid is used to treat pain and inflammation.

The latest death in the most affected state of Tennessee is the fourth in this state and 35 other cases have also been registered here while the total number of infected patients are more than 105. Alarmingly, the number of people with noncontagious form of fungal meningitis has grown by 64 percent since Friday.

US health officials on Monday said that 13,000 patients in 23 states, including Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, have been injected with a potentially tainted steroid treatment, during May 21 and September 24, made by a Framingham pharmacy and linked to a national outbreak of meningitis, according to figures provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We know that 13,000 people received the injection,” said Jamila Jones, a public affairs specialist for the CDC in Atlanta. “They received it at facilities across the country. They are at risk.”

Tennessee has the highest amount of fungal meningitis with 35 cases and four deaths, followed by: 23 cases and one death in Virginia, 21 cases and two deaths in Michigan, 11 cases in Indiana, five cases and one death in Maryland, four cases in Florida, three cases in Minnesota, two cases in North Carolina and one case Ohio. 

The New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass., said it was notifying its customers, but clinics, hospitals and healthcare providers that have any of the product should stop using it immediately, retain and secure it, and follow instructions contained in the notice.

The CDC had not received any reports of infection linked to other products from New England Compounding Center, but these products have also been recalled. 

Compounding pharmacies create special formulations of medications to fit patients' healthcare needs and might change the dose or change the formulation of a medication from a solid to a liquid, the CDC said.

SOURCE:

The Wall Street Journal

ABC News

Report Tags:

CDC, Meningitis, Meningitis Outbreak, Fungal Meningitis, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Peanut Butter and Almond Butter Possible Cause of Salmonella Outbreak in US: FDA

Grocery store chain Trader Joe's is recalling jars of a specific variety of its store-brand peanut butter due to a salmonella outbreak in 18 states of the U.S. The outbreak has also prompted the voluntary recall of dozens of peanut butter and almond butter products made by Mexico-based Sunland Inc.
 
Peanut Butter and Almond Butter Possible Cause of Salmonella Outbreak in America
 
Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. It is most dangerous to children, the elderly and others with weak immune systems.
According to a press release by Trader Joe's: "We have no confirmed information that suggests this peanut butter is unsafe to eat, but there is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers and crew, and the quality of our products."
While Sunland said in a statement, "There is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers, particularly the many families who enjoy our peanut butter everyday. While FDA (Food and Drug Administration), CDC, and State Health Agencies investigate to confirm the cause of illnesses reported, as a precautionary step, we have decided to voluntarily recall our Almond Butter and Peanut Butter products."
 
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC); at least 29 cases of salmonella infection have been registered in about 18 states, including Washington, California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland. The sickness was occurred between June 11 and Sept. 2.
The CDC, working together with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), found that the Trader Joe's peanut butter and Sunland's almond butter were the likely cause of the salmonella outbreak, though the link has not been confirmed.
Report Tags:
 
Salmonella, Salmonella outbreak, Trader Joe's, Sunland, Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, FDA, Centers for Disease Control, CDC, Food and Drug Administration

Thursday, July 5, 2012

FDA approved OraQuick In-Home HIV Test Kit from OraSure to test HIV infection at home

The OraQuick In-Home HIV Test Kit has been approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) on Tuesday that will provide Americans the facility to test, in the privacy of their own homes, whether they are infected with the virus that causes AIDS.


FDA approved OraQuick In-Home HIV Test Kit from OraSure to test HIV infection at home

The OraQuick In-Home HIV Test Kit, from OraSure Technologies of Bethlehem (Pennsylvania), is one of the first of its kind ‘over the counter’ HIV test kit which got approval from FDA. The kit is an over the counter version of a test used by trained technicians in clinical settings that the FDA approved in 2004, but the kit is not as dependable as getting tested by a skilled clinical technician.

The OraQuick In-Home HIV Test discovers the existence of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2).

The one who wants to test has to take an oral swab, and place it in a specially prepared vial that comes with the kit. The test result is ready in 20 to 40 minutes.

As mentioned earlier that kit is not as dependable as a clinical test, therefore, a positive outcome doesn’t essentially mean that the user is absolutely infected with HIV, but that he/she should then go and get himself/herself tested in a medical setting to verify the result.

In the same way, a negative result doesn’t essentially signify that the user is certainly not infected: particularly if he/she may have picked up the virus in the previous three months.

Based on clinical studies, the kit is expected to show one false positive out of every 50,000 results and one false negative out of every 12 results.



Report Tgas: HIV test, OraQuick In-Home HIV Test, OraQuick In-Home HIV Test Kit, FDA, OraSure, Food and Drug Administration, USA, HIV, AIDS

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Yasser Lopez: Miami boy survived miraculously with spear in brain

MIAMI, FL – According to BBC reports; a U.S. teenager is improving after he was inadvertently hit with a spear gun by a friend during a Florida fishing trip this month.

Yasser Lopez: Miami boy survived miraculously with spear in brain
The doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami regarded the recovery of the 16-year-old Yasser Lopez as ‘Miracle’. The outcomes could have been much worse, doctors said, but still they didn’t know the extent of the damage to his memory and other parts of the brain.

According to hospital sources; the 3ft (90cm) projectile entered into the brain of Lopez over his right eye and went out the back of his head; but after a 3-hour long surgery he is out of danger and already started talking.  

Although he has no memory of the weird accident; but he was in his senses when he reached at the hospital. After providing him the anesthesia, part of the stainless steel spike had to be cut off with a mechanical cutter so that Lopez could fit into the CT scanner, doctors said. 

Lopez was lucky in the sense that spear’s path was into the right side of the brain, a non-dominant lobe, missing the parts responsible for speech and other important functions.

"It's a miracle the spear missed all the main blood vessels of the brain," neurosurgeon Ross Bullock told reporters.

Report Tags: Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Yasser Lopez, Spear in the brain, Medical, Miracle, Ross Bullock, Lucky Teenager, Teenager survived with spear in brain,

Monday, May 28, 2012

May 27, Aimee Day: victim of flesh-eating bacteria Aimee Copeland spoke her first word

'Today… May 27… is AIMEE DAY!!! Today Aimee has finally spoken her first words. I will follow with details tonight.' This is the latest blog update by Andy Copeland, the father of young female suffering from flesh-eating bacteria. 

Family delighted as victim of flesh-eating bacteria Aimee Copeland (left most) spoke her first word (Pic Credit: Facebook)
Aimee Copeland had spoken reportedly her first words since her fingers and foot were removed by surgeons at Doctors Hospital in quest to save her life.

Her first words have certainly given her family a new hope for her life but one thing is still certain that Aimee Copeland is likely to remain in hospital for several months.

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The 24-year-old university student was infected with flesh-eating bacteria as a result of an accident of homemade zip line over a local river on May 1. Copeland suffered a deep wound in her left leg after falling from the zip line and the bacteria took hold in the wound.

On very early stages of her treatment; doctors thought she had only a slim chance of surviving the aggressive infection which vigorously spread into her body including her abdominal area.
Aimee Copeland has recovered extremely quickly with the support of her family, her colleagues at university and well-wishers who have made donations on the website Copeland’s father set up for his brave daughter.

She was able to ask for ice-cream, and let her family know when she was bored and wanted a book to read.


Report Tags: Aimee Copeland, Flesh-eating Bacteria, Flesh-eating infection, Doctors Hospital, Georgia, Augusta, Zip Line Accident, Andy Copeland, Copeland

Monday, May 14, 2012

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

Friday, May 11, 2012

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

Saturday, April 21, 2012

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.

Friday, April 20, 2012

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
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