Health News: Penn State hershey warns 2300 patients of infection risk ♦ Research points to development of single vaccine for Chikungunya, related viruses

Penn State hershey warns 2300 patients of infection risk . Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center notified 2,300 patients who had open-heart surgery at the medical center between November 2011 – November 2015 that they may have been exposed to a rare bacteria after 3 patients at WellSpan York Hospital had infections linked to heart bypass machines with heater-cooler devices. The medical center stated that there have been no confirmed cases and replaced all of its heater-cooler devices

Chronic arsenic exposure can impair ability of muscle to heal after injury Chronic exposure to arsenic can lead to stem cell dysfunction that impairs muscle healing and regeneration. More than 140 million people worldwide and 4 million Americans chronically ingest arsenic in their drinking water. The 21st most abundant metal in Earth's crust, arsenic is naturally present in soil and bedrock-walled wells and has no odor, color or taste

Research points to development of single vaccine for Chikungunya, related viruses What if a single vaccine could protect people from infection by many different viruses? That concept is a step closer to reality. Researchers have identified 'broadly neutralizing' antibodies that protect against infection by multiple, distantly related alphaviruses -- including Chikungunya virus -- that cause fever and debilitating joint pain.

New SARS-like virus can jump directly from bats to humans, no treatment available

A new bat SARS-like virus has been discovered that can jump directly from its bat hosts to humans without mutation. However, researchers point out that if the SARS-like virus did jump, it is still unclear whether it could spread from human to human.

Chickens Purchased at Farmers Markets Contain More Pathogens

Raw, whole chickens purchased from farmers markets throughout Pennsylvania contained significantly higher levels of bacteria that can cause foodborne illness than those purchased from grocery stores according to a study by researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Of 100 whole raw chickens purchased from farmers markets, 90 % infected with Campylobacter and 28 % Infected with Salmonella.

Of raw whole organic chickens purchased at grocery stores 28% infected with campylobacter and 20 % infected with Salmonella.

Of the non organic chicken purchased at grocery stores 52% infected with Campylobacter and 8 % infected with salmonella.

Overall, the chickens purchased at the farmers markets carried higher bacterial loads than the birds purchased at grocery stores.

Bacteria that cause foodborne illness, such as Campylobacter and Salmonella, are destroyed by proper cooking of poultry products; however, they also can cause cross-contamination if they come in contact with other foods through contaminated cutting boards, sinks, countertops or utensils. It is important that people always wash their hands after touching raw chicken.

Scheinberg's master's thesis, "Comparison of Poultry Products Obtained from Farmers Markets and Supermarkets in Pennsylvania," is available online at https://etda.libraries.psu.edu/paper/15223/.

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