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Chickens may be silent carriers of bird flu

Health officials are on alert again in Hong Kong following reports of a suspected case of bird flu just over the border with China in Shenzhen.

14 Jun 2006

Retrial in Libya of medics back on track

The retrial in Libya of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who have been accused of deliberately contaminating hundreds of Libyan children with AIDS, reopened this week.

14 Jun 2006

Anorexia not alleviated by anti-depressants

Patients battling to deal with the eating disorder anorexia nervosa, do not benefit or prevent relapses of the life-threatening eating disorder by taking the anti-depressant Prozac.

14 Jun 2006

Health crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory

The health sector in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) is currently facing an acute funding crisis mainly because of the recent interruption or reduction of support from major donors and delays in transfer of tax revenues.

13 Jun 2006

Hospitals, dirty hands and the risk of disease

Thousands of patients in hospitals each year are at risk of potentially fatal infections because health care workers do not wash their hands on enough occasions.

13 Jun 2006

Are we over-dosing on antibiotics?

Dutch researchers say that a three day course of antibiotics is just as effective as the usual seven to 10 days course when it comes to treating common pneumonia.

12 Jun 2006

Doctor who linked MMR jab to autism faces charges of serious professional misconduct

A British doctor who caused panic by suggesting that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine was linked to autism is to be charged with serious professional misconduct.

12 Jun 2006

Terminally ill cancer patients continue to receive aggressive treatment at end of life

The increasing use of chemotherapy and intensive hospital treatment for cancer patients in their last two weeks of life continued at least into the late 1990s despite the growth of the hospice movement that emphasizes comforting personal bonds and controlling pain and discomfort

9 Jun 2006

Quebec's first successful combined heart/liver transplant

Doctors at the McGill University Health Center have announced Quebec's first successful combined heart/liver transplant.

9 Jun 2006

Microbes could represent the future of medicine

Not all bacteria are bad. In fact, beneficial microbes could represent the future of medicine, with the potential to treat a variety of diseases in humans and animals from diarrhea and eczema to gum disease and autoimmune disorders.

9 Jun 2006

Discovery of SLIRP gene could lead to cancer breakthroughs

Western Australian researchers have discovered a new gene that could lead to breakthroughs in breast and prostate cancer, as well as diabetes.

9 Jun 2006

Benefits of naps for medical residents

The first study to assess the benefits of naps for medical residents during extended shifts found that creating protected times when interns could sleep during a night on-call significantly reduced fatigue.

8 Jun 2006

Markey Cancer Center receives approval to test cancer drug DB-67

Tom Burke died of colon cancer only a few years ago, but not before he helped create a new drug to fight cancer.

8 Jun 2006

New football boots and toxic shock syndrome

As the World Cup kicks off, doctors in this week's British Medical Journal report an unusual condition that can develop in budding young footballers.

8 Jun 2006

NHS could save 2 billion pounds by switching to generic cholesterol lowering drugs

The NHS in England could save over £2bn in the next five years if doctors simply switched patients to cheaper generic cholesterol lowering drugs (statins), say two senior doctors in this week's British Medical Journal.

8 Jun 2006

What is the optimal duration of antibiotic therapy?

Taking antibiotics for three days is just as effective for community acquired pneumonia as continuing treatment for the recommended 7-10 days, finds a study in this week's British Medical Journal.

8 Jun 2006

Potentially ground-breaking treatment for nerve damage caused by diabetes

The University of Manchester team has discovered that injection of a novel therapeutic that works by stimulating a person's genes may prevent nerve damage - primarily to the hands and feet - caused by the disease.

From The University of Manchester 8 Jun 2006

Liquorice compounds could be a key component for cheaper, more effective liver cancer treatment

Liquorice compounds could be a key component for cheaper, more effective liver cancer treatment, reports Chemistry & Industry magazine.

8 Jun 2006

Simple arm exercises could help beat peripheral vascular disease

Scientists at Sheffield Hallam University have discovered that simple arm exercises could help beat a crippling leg condition that affects one in twenty people over 55 in the UK.

From Sheffield Hallam University 8 Jun 2006

Popular hypertension drugs triple the risk of birth defects

A study by American researchers has found that certain widely used hypertension drugs, once considered safe in the early stages of pregnancy, can almost triple the risk of birth defects.

8 Jun 2006