Public Health News and Research

RSS

Illness associated with petting zoos

While petting zoos pose a risk for gastrointestinal illness, most visitors aren't aware that simple prevention measures could prevent infection. In addition, some engage in behaviors that might increase their risk of infection according to several studies being presented this week at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

21 Mar 2006

Donepezil (Aricept) helps cognitive function in brain tumor patients after radiation

A drug that is marketed to treat Alzheimer's disease also improves cognitive function, mood and quality of life in brain tumor patients following radiation therapy, according to a research team at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

21 Mar 2006

Genetic factors underlie alcohol consumption and may also contribute to nicotine addiction

Vulnerability to both alcohol and nicotine abuse may be influenced by the same genetic factor, according to a recent study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

20 Mar 2006

Movement routes key to predicting spread of infectious diseases

Knowledge of 'movement routes' is the key to predicting the pattern of spread of infectious diseases of humans, and similar data could be crucial to understand animal disease risks, says team from the University of Edinburgh.

20 Mar 2006

Early treatment with pharmacological therapy may reduce hypertension

Patients experiencing high normal blood pressure (HNBP), a precursor to hypertension, may benefit from early treatment with pharmacological therapy, according to new research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 55th Annual Scientific Session.

20 Mar 2006

Risks of cesarean delivery are under reported, benefits overstated

Unnecessary cesarean delivery constitutes a threat to the future health of mothers and babies who undergo major surgery, according to experts who spoke at a media briefing hosted by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), in Washington, D.C. today.

20 Mar 2006

Long-term treatment effective in preventing future depressive episodes

People age 70 and older who continued taking the antidepressant that helped them to initially recover from their first episode of depression were 60 percent less likely to experience a new episode of depression over a two-year study period than those who stopped taking the medication

20 Mar 2006

Fondaparinux significantly reduces risk of death for heart attack patients

Heart attack patients who have a certain pattern on an electrocardiogram significantly reduced their risk of death and having another heart attack at 30 days with the medication fondaparinux, without an increased risk of bleeding and strokes

15 Mar 2006

Telephone care and counseling for smoking cessation may help smokers quit

Smokers who receive telephone care and counseling for smoking cessation have higher rates of stopping smoking than those who receive routine care by health care providers, according to a study in the March 13 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

15 Mar 2006

Association between levels of fine particulate matter pollution and mortality risk

Investigators who extended the Harvard Six Cities fine particulate air pollution study by eight years found that reduced levels of tiny particle pollution during this period lowered mortality risk for participants.

15 Mar 2006

New agreement on Chinese malaria vaccine candidate

In a move that promises to expand the clinical testing of another promising malaria vaccine candidate, the US-based PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) and the Chinese company Shanghai Wanxing Bio-Pharmaceuticals today announced an agreement that supports the development of a pediatric malaria vaccine against Plasmodium (P.) falciparum, the most deadly strain of malaria.

15 Mar 2006

Hospitalized schizophrenics more likely to have complications

A Johns Hopkins study of more than 1,700 patients with schizophrenia hospitalized for medical or surgical care unrelated to their mental disorder shows they are at least twice as likely as similar patients without schizophrenia to suffer dangerous and expensive adverse events.

15 Mar 2006

Man-made chemical compound targets and kills tumor cells

A man-made chemical compound called ARC causes tumor cells to die but leaves normal cells unharmed, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago report in a study highlighted in the March 15 issue of Cancer Research.

15 Mar 2006

Valproic acid may help slow the progression of dementia

Researchers have found that a common anticonvulsant drug improved cognitive function and appeared to restore nerve cells in the brains of patients with HIV-related dementia. The results of the Phase I clinical trial are published in the March issue of the scientific journal Neurology.

14 Mar 2006