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Latest food scare in the U.S. hits Hollywood party scene

Hollywood's celebrities may have been exposed to the hepatitis A virus at one of 13 catered events, in particular a Sports Illustrated's swimsuit party.

28 Feb 2007

Common painkillers raise mens' risk of hypertension

Researchers in the United States believe that regular use of common painkillers such as Acetaminophen (paracetomol), ibuprofen and aspirin, increases the risk of high blood pressure and consequently heart disease in men.

28 Feb 2007

Lao People's Democratic Republic reports first human case of H5N1

The Ministry of Health in Lao People's Democratic Republic has today reported the first human case of infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

27 Feb 2007

Statements on peanut butter Salmonella

Statement from FDA - Product testing by several states has now confirmed that Peter Pan peanut butter and certain Great Value brand peanut butter are the sources of the foodborne illness outbreak of Salmonella Tennessee that began in August 2006. To date 329 individuals have become ill from consuming the contaminated peanut butter, and 51 of those persons were hospitalized.

25 Feb 2007

CDC says Gardasil's side effects minor

CDC officials on Thursday plan to present data at a meeting in Atlanta showing that 542 adverse health complaints have been reported about Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil, but agency officials said the side effects of the vaccine are minor and that the vaccine does not require additional warning labels, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports .

25 Feb 2007

FDA confirms peanut butter the source of salmonella outbreak affecting over 300

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States has confirmed that an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning was caused by contaminated peanut butter.

25 Feb 2007

Gardasil reaction report released

The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) today released a new analysis of the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) reports of serious health problems following HPV vaccination (Merck's Gardasil) during the last six months of 2006.

21 Feb 2007

Food scare number 4 this week - chicken breast meat

In yet another food scare in the United States a nationwide recall of 52,650 pounds of Oscar Mayer ready to eat chicken breast strips is suspected to be contaminated.

19 Feb 2007

Search for vaccine to prevent Chlamydia

It's the most common bacteria-related sexually transmitted disease in the United States, so researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio's South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center have partnered to discover a vaccine that will prevent Chlamydia.

19 Feb 2007

Winter colds, over-wrapping increase risk of SIDS

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) - the leading cause of death in infants under 1 year of age can happen at any time. But parents and caregivers should be extra careful during the cold winter months, when the flu and other infections and the urge to bundle up babies extra warmly increase the risk of SIDS, say experts from the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

18 Feb 2007

Latest food scare in the U.S.- Salmonella in peanut butter

In the latest food scare to hit the United States the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned consumers not to eat some brands of peanut butter.

18 Feb 2007

World Bank to provide Thailand with $750,000 for HIV/AIDS programs

The World Bank plans to provide Thailand with a $750,000, three-year grant aimed at providing HIV-positive people with increased access to antiretroviral drugs, Viroj Tangcharoensathien, program director for international health policy at the country's Ministry of Public Health, said recently.

13 Feb 2007

Death toll at 65 as two more Indonesians die from bird flu

Indonesian health officials say a 20-year-old woman who tested positive for bird flu has died, making her the country's 64th human victim of the deadly H5N1 virus.

11 Feb 2007

Fighting influenza with 40,000 blood samples

Four million people die every year from respiratory diseases such as viral influenza. For elderly people in particular, an infection can be dangerous. What is more, the flu vaccine is not as effective with this risk group as it is with younger people.

7 Feb 2007

Rift Valley Fever crosses into Somalia and Tanzania as Kenyans get tough

The major outbreak of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in Kenya has now claimed 139 lives and authorities say the highly-contagious disease has spread into neighbouring Tanzania.

7 Feb 2007

New guidelines on the treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular and valvular heart diseases published

The first, pan-European guidelines to be published on the treatment of valvular heart disease, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases have made a series of new recommendations which experts hope will contribute to improving the outcome of patients with these diseases.

6 Feb 2007

Rutgers Food Policy Institute looks at U.S. food recall system

Every year, the Food and Drug Administration issues dozens of food-related recalls, withdrawals and advisories. But few receive the attention that the advisory regarding E.coli-contaminated spinach received in September 2006.

6 Feb 2007

Different treatments may be needed for chronic asthma, depending on whether it results from allergies or lung infections

Researchers have now identified a particular gene that influences how severe a M. pneumoniae infection may be, which in turn suggests that a different strategy might be needed for treating asthma resulting from this and similar lung infections rather than allergies.

31 Jan 2007

Rift Valley Fever - 411 suspected cases

As of 30 January 2007, 411 suspected cases, including 121 deaths (case-fatality rate, 29%) have been reported in North Eastern Province, Coast Province, Eastern Province and Central Province. One hundred and thirty-one cases have been laboratory confirmed.

31 Jan 2007