Health News:Salmonella found at the Good Earth Egg ♦ 100 diners hospitalised after food poisoning at Chinese restaurant ♦ 137,000 lives lost annually in Africa due to food contamination

137,000 lives lost annually in Africa due to food contamination A new report by the global organizations WHO and FAO, indicate that the world loses millions of lives due to unsafe food with Africa accounting for the highest deaths totaling to over 137,000 lives annually.Annually, 91 million  people worldwide fall ill  due to foodborne diseases.

100 diners hospitalised after food poisoning at Chinese restaurant were rotting meat left in sink One hundred diners were hospitalised with food poisoning at a filthy Chinese restaurant. Scores of sick customers who had eaten at the Real China had to be rushed to A&E following an outbreak of salmonella. Southampton Magistrates' Court heard shocked inspectors found hunks of raw meat left in a sink and dirty tea towels dumped on the kitchen floor.

Nonoperative treatment of appendicitis may have unknown long-term risks and costs It is too early to change the standard treatment of appendicitis in US adults to initial antibiotic therapy only, rather than surgical removal of the appendix, or appendectomy, authors of a new systematic review study conclude.

Salmonella found at the Good Earth Egg The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports Salmonella was found at an egg facility in Bonne Terre, Missouri. According to DHSS, they recently conducted a testing at the Good Earth Egg Company processing facility in Bonne Terre and received samples that indicated the presence of Salmonella bacteria.

Health News: Tamiflu: Millions Wasted on Flu Drug ♦ Simmons College - Norovirus Outbreak ♦ Africa Ebola Outbreak

Tamiflu: Millions Wasted on Flu Drug

The UK has spent £473m on Tamiflu, which is stockpiled by governments globally to prepare for flu pandemics. The Cochrane Collaboration claimed the drug did not prevent the spread of flu or reduce dangerous complications, and only slightly helped symptoms. Continue Reading

Simmons College Warns Students of Norovirus Outbreak

Simmons College have notified students about a norovirus outbreak.As many as 20 students were infected since the weekend. This outbreak comes just one week before final exams.The school sent emails about what they’re doing to keep people healthy.Continue Reading

Norovirus Outbreak Traced to Reusable Grocery Bag

A new study shows just how easy it is to catch norovirus, the fast-spreading stomach bug that's famous for causing misery on cruise ships. The study tracked a 2010 outbreak of norovirus among young soccer players in Oregon. Seven out of 17 players who attended an out-of-state tournament fell ill with severe vomiting and diarrhea, but curiously, none of them had been in direct contact with the index case -- the first girl to get sick. Investigators were stumped . Continue Reading

Note 1 Hand sanitizer does not work on norovirus. Soap and water does work.

Note 2 Wash reusable grocery

West Africa Ebola Outbreak Just Beginning

The deadly Ebola virus could continue to spread in West Africa for months in one of the most challenging outbreaks of the disease the international community has ever faced, health experts said Tuesday. The outbreak has now caused 101 deaths from 157 suspected and confirmed cases in Guinea, where the outbreak originated, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday. Another 21 suspected and confirmed cases in neighboring Liberia have caused 10 deaths. Continue Reading

Malaria Cases in U.S.Reach 40-Year High

Increase underscores importance of taking recommended medicines to prevent malaria when traveling

In 2011, 1,925 malaria cases were reported in the United States, according to data published in a supplement of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This number is the highest since 1971, more than 40 years ago, and represents a 14% increase since 2010. Five people in the U.S. died from malaria or associated complications.

Almost all of the malaria cases reported in the U.S. were acquired overseas. More than two-thirds (69%) of the cases were imported from Africa, and nearly two-thirds (63%) of those were acquired in West Africa. For the first time, India was the country from which the most cases were imported. Cases showed seasonal peaks in January and August.

“Malaria isn’t something many doctors see frequently in the United States thanks to successful malaria elimination efforts in the 1940s,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D, M.P.H. “The increase in malaria cases reminds us that Americans remain vulnerable and must be vigilant against diseases like malaria because our world is so interconnected by travel.”

Malaria is caused by a parasite transmitted by the bite of an infective female Anopheles mosquito. In 2010, it caused an estimated 660,000 deaths and 219 million cases globally. The signs and symptoms of malaria illness are varied, but the majority of patients have fever. Other common symptoms include headache, back pain, chills, increased sweating, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and cough. Untreated infections can rapidly progress to coma, kidney failure, respiratory distress, and death.

“Malaria is preventable. In most cases, these illnesses and deaths could have been avoided by taking recommended precautions,” said Laurence Slutsker, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria. “We have made great strides in preventing and controlling malaria around the world. However, malaria persists in many areas and the use of appropriate prevention measures by travelers is still very important.”

Travelers to areas with malaria transmission can prevent the disease by taking steps such as use of antimalarial drugs, insect repellent, insecticide-treated bed nets, and protective clothing.

Travelers in the United States should consult a health-care provider prior to international travel to receive needed information, medications, and vaccines. CDC provides advice on malaria prevention recommendations on-line (http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers/drugs.html). If a traveler has symptoms of malaria, such as fever, headaches, and other flu-like symptoms, while abroad or on returning home, he or she should immediately seek diagnosis and treatment from a health-care provider.

Clinicians should consult the CDC Guidelines for Treatment of Malaria and contact CDC’s Malaria Hotline for case management advice, as needed. Malaria treatment recommendations can be obtained online (http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/diagnosis_treatment) or by calling the Malaria Hotline (770-488-7788 or toll-free at 855-856-4713).

Source CDC