Poisoning News and Research

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Prescription drug abuse reaches epidemic proportions

Poisoning is now the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in the U.S. While several recent high-profile Hollywood celebrity cases have brought the problem to public attention, the rates of unintentional poisoning deaths have been on the rise for more than 15 years.

6 Apr 2010

Older Americans susceptible to fatal injuries

The risk of dying from injuries is increasing for Americans ages 65 and older according to a new report from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Injury Research and Policy.

6 Apr 2010

Bile secretions in small intestine send signals to disease-causing gut bacteria

Bile secretions in the small intestine send signals to disease-causing gut bacteria allowing them to change their behavior to maximize their chances of surviving, Montana State University research associate Steve Hamner told the Society for General Microbiology during its spring meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland.

1 Apr 2010

Renowned expert to present latest research on gut microbes at EICC

Trillions and trillions of bacteria live in the human gut. The thought of all these invisible inhabitants inside you might be yucky, but without them we would not be here at all. Which microbes reside in our gut? Are they harmful? Where do they come from? What do they actually do deep in our bowels? Do pre- or pro- biotics affect them?

25 Mar 2010

Campylobacter cells can survive with biofilm protection

In research published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, IFR researchers have found that Campylobacter will readily form a biofilm under laboratory conditions, and that, when the bacteria were left in air, they respond to these stressful conditions by more rapidly forming this biofilm.

25 Mar 2010

Study offers new insight on how human brain makes moral judgments

A new study from MIT neuroscientists suggests that our ability to respond appropriately to intended harms - that is, with outrage toward the perpetrator - is seated in a brain region associated with regulating emotions.

25 Mar 2010

On World Water Day, news outlets examine U.N. reports on water, sanitation conditions worldwide

"Human beings are flushing millions of tonnes of solid waste into rivers and oceans every day, poisoning marine life and spreading diseases that kill" 1.8 million children each year, according to a U.N. report (.pdf) released on Monday, Reuters reports.

23 Mar 2010

Tricking TB into suicidal self-poisoning

Scientists have identified a new class of drug target that tricks tuberculosis bacteria into suicidal self-poisoning. New therapies are urgently required to control the tuberculosis pandemic. Even in the UK cases are on the rise.

22 Mar 2010

Novel ways of killing TB causing bacteria discovered

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found two novel ways of killing the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB), a disease responsible for an estimated two million deaths each year. The findings, published in the March 21 online issue of Nature Chemical Biology, could lead to a potent TB therapy that would also prevent resistant TB strains from developing.

22 Mar 2010

CDIs are becoming significant issue in healthcare institutions: Study

Clostridium difficile infections are quickly becoming a significant issue in healthcare based upon recent studies. Preliminary data collected from nursing homes and highlighted in a Supplementary Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory shows that almost 40 percent of gastrointestinal infections reported are CDIs.

19 Mar 2010

CPCS announces new programs that focus on accidental poisoning prevention

As National Poison Prevention Week begins, the California Poison Control System announces ground-breaking new programs, including a free text messaging service, Facebook quizzes and e-cards to provide essential tips, news and information on poisoning, the second leading cause of childhood injury in the U.S. With more than two million poisonings reported each year to poison control centers across the country, this information is potentially life-saving.

17 Mar 2010

Moms Against Mercury battle federal government's vaccine court

Now that the federal government's vaccine court has again denied claims that mercury in vaccines cause autism, frankly, we have to agree with them. Because mercury poisoning and autism produce identical symptoms, we parents of autistic children in America have been barking up the wrong tree. Mercury in vaccines causes mercury poisoning which causes brain damage which can look like autism.

16 Mar 2010

iGPS urges the U.S. Senate to mandate latest tracking technology in legislation to prevent foodborne illnesses

Cost-effective technology that allows products to be traced through the U.S. supply chain might have helped contain the spread of hydrolyzed vegetable protein products contaminated with Salmonella, Intelligent Global Pooling Systems announced today. iGPS urged the U.S. Senate to mandate the latest tracking technology in legislation pending to overhaul the nation's food safety law.

15 Mar 2010

Threat of food supply contamination: National sanitary standards on pallet industry needed

The need to set national sanitary standards on the pallet industry to curb the threat of contamination to the U.S. food supply was drawn into sharp relief by a just-issued report by the Produce Safety Project showing acute foodborne illness costs the nation $152 billion annually in healthcare, workplace and other economic losses.

6 Mar 2010

Salmonella Montevideo outbreak: FDA investigates Daniele International's pepper supply chain

As part of the Salmonella Montevideo investigation, the Food and Drug Administration has been actively investigating the supply chain of black and red pepper supplied to Daniele International Inc., Pascoag, R.I.

6 Mar 2010

Salmonella Tennessee in Basic Food Flavors' HVP: FDA taking steps to protect consumers

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking steps to protect the public following the early identification of Salmonella Tennessee in one company's supply of hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP). This is a common ingredient used most frequently as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods, including soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips and dressings.

6 Mar 2010

Scientists devise worldwide alert system to monitor contaminated food products

Countries producing food containing harmful bacteria and toxins could be named and shamed more quickly using a worldwide alert system devised by a team of scientists from Kingston University in South West London. The team, led by Professor Declan Naughton, says the easy to use computer tool can be used to monitor contaminated products; helping to prevent them reaching shop shelves and ensuring that food is safe to eat.

5 Mar 2010

MSU risk assessment: Reliable method to assess lead-poisoning risk in children

As health departments across the United States seek a better way to determine which children should be tested for lead poisoning, a method created by Michigan State University scientists has proven to be more accurate and cost-effective than current strategies.

3 Mar 2010

Parker Waichman Alonso applauds GSK for deciding to stop manufacturing denture adhesive products made with zinc

The attorneys of Parker Waichman Alonso LLP applaud GlaxoSmithKline for its decision to voluntarily stop the manufacture, distribution and advertising of all Super PoliGrip denture adhesive products made with zinc.

19 Feb 2010

GSK decides to remove potentially hazardous zinc from denture adhesive products

GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of popular denture adhesives Poligrip and Super Poligrip, announced today that it will remove zinc from all of its denture adhesive products. The pharmaceutical giant has added the potentially hazardous mineral to its adhesives for decades, despite overwhelming evidence that consuming large quantities of zinc over an extended period of time can cause serious neurological damage.

19 Feb 2010