Health News: FDA- Inadequate testing, cleanliness at Jeni’s ice cream plant ♦ Washington E.Coli outbreak 25 cases ♦ Infections can affect your IQ

FDA Inspectors found inadequate testing, cleanliness at Jeni’s ice cream plant Eight visits by two Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspectors to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in late April revealed inadequate pathogen controls and cleanliness practices at the company’s production facility. The FDA inspections occurred between April 20-30

Washington E.Coli Update: 25 cases, 9 secondary ones, 4 areas sampled matched outbreak strain  Four of 10 areas sampled at the Northwest Fairgrounds in Lynden, WA, match the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 that has now sickened 25 people in Whatcom County, WA. The Lynden fairgrounds was the site of the Milk Makers Fest attended by more than 1,300 children.

Infections can affect your IQ New research shows that infections can impair your cognitive ability measured on an IQ scale. The study is the largest of its kind to date, and it shows a clear correlation between infection levels and impaired cognition.

Major breakthrough against rare kidney disease A significant breakthrough has been made in the fight against Membranous Nephropathy a rare kidney disease which can lead to kidney failure.

Best and safest blood pressure treatments in kidney, diabetes patients compiled The first definitive summary of the best and safest blood pressure lowering treatments for kidney disease and diabetes patients has been compiled by clinicians. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of kidney disease around the world, and people often have both. Chronic kidney disease caused by diabetes always affects both kidneys and generally gets worse over time, often leading to kidney failure requiring dialysis treatment or a kidney transplant.

Health News: Jeni’s Ice Cream finds source of Listeria ♦ Search engine self-diagnosis and 'cyberchondria ♦ Treating gum disease reduces prostate symptoms

Jeni’s Ice Cream finds source of Listeria In an update posted Wednesday from John Lowe, CEO of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, he said that swab testing had found Listeria on the spout of one machine in the company’s production kitchen in Columbus, OH.

Dr Google' doesn't know best: Search engine self-diagnosis and 'cyberchondria' Research is aiming to improve search engines after finding online self-diagnosis of health conditions provides misleading results that can do more harm than good.

Interferon-free therapy clears hepatitis C in 93 percent of patients in trial A 12-week dose of an investigational three-drug hepatitis C combination cured the virus in 93 percent of patients with liver cirrhosis who hadn't previously been treated. For most of the past 20 years, therapies for hepatitis C relied on interferon drugs, which require regular injections for as long as one year and trigger miserable, flu-like side effects that prompt many patients to quit the regimen.

How relaxation response may help treat two gastrointestinal disorders Participating in a nine-week training program including elicitation of the relaxation response had a significant impact on clinical symptoms of the gastrointestinal disorders irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease and on the expression of genes related to inflammation and the body's response to stress

Treating gum disease reduces prostate symptoms Treating gum disease reduced symptoms of prostate inflammation, called prostatitis, report researchers. Previous studies have found a link between gum disease and prostatitis, a disease that inflames the gland that produces semen. Inflammation can make urination difficult.