School Closures May Not Be Necessary When Swine Flu Strikes

The school closures that swept across the United States last spring during the emergence of the H1N1 swine flu needn't be repeated this fall, according to new guidelines issued Friday by federal health officials. Read more

How to Stay Safe at the Salon

By Ross Weale

As the weather warms and beach season looms, many people are heading to the salon to get ready. But you may be surprised to learn about the health threats—from bacterial infections to ringworm—that hide in the most popular spa treatments. Health magazine’s Colleen Sullivan appeared on NBC’s Today show May 20 to share tips with hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb on staying healthy while you’re getting pretty.

Health Tip: Understanding Laryngitis

(HealthDay News) - Laryngitis occurs when the larynx -- which houses the vocal cords -- becomes inflamed. The results are hoarseness or loss of voice.

Here is additional information about laryngitis, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

• Most cases of laryngitis are caused by a virus, which cannot be treated with an antibiotic.
• In rarer cases, laryngitis is caused by a bacterial infection.
• Other causes may include allergies or an injury to the larynx.
• In addition to loss of voice, other symptoms of laryngitis may include fever, swollen lymph nodes, or swollen glands in the neck.
• To help vocal cords heal, try resting your voice.
• Use a humidifier to soothe a scratchy sore throat.

Antiretroviral Drugs May Prevent Vaginal Transmission of HIV

(HealthDay News) -- Antiretroviral drugs used to treat people with HIV might also prevent vaginal transmission of the virus, claims a study by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

The vast majority of new HIV infections worldwide, which total about 6,800 new transmissions daily, occur through unprotected vaginal sex with an infected partner.

For this study, the researchers used special mice with fully developed human immune systems that produced the infection-fighting cells specifically targeted by HIV in people. The Texas team found that daily doses of antiretroviral drugs before and after exposure to HIV can prevent vaginal transmission of the virus.

HIV was introduced vaginally into the mice. None of the mice that received the antiretroviral drugs emtricitabine (FTC) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) showed any evidence of infection, while 90 percent of mice that didn't receive the drugs became infected by HIV.
The study was published in the Jan. 14 online issue of PLoS Medicine.

"Our motivation is to look for interventions that can be implemented rapidly and have the potential to make a big difference," senior study author Dr. J. Victor Garcia-Martinez, a professor of internal medicine, said in a prepared statement.

"We don't want something in 10 years. We want female-controlled prevention measures now. Our observations support the potential for antiviral drugs to function as an effective pre-exposure prophylaxis against the further spread of AIDS," Garcia-Martinez said.

More information
The New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center has more about HIV/AIDS drugs.

Chronic Coughs Need a Doctor's Attention

(HealthDay News) -- If you wake up due to coughing or have a cough that lasts for weeks, you may have a potentially serious problem that requires medical attention.

"Cough is the most common respiratory symptom for which patients seek medical attention," Dr. Alan B. Goldsobel, chairman of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology's cough committee, said in a prepared statement.

"Cough protects the body by removing mucus and irritating particles from the respiratory tract. Coughing is a useful function and does not always mean there is a problem ...," Goldsobel explained. "However, coughing at night, after going to sleep indicates the need for medical attention."

Common causes of coughing include: viral upper respiratory tract infections; asthma; nasal and sinus disease; stomach and esophageal problems; an inhaled foreign body; habit; and environmental irritants.

People should see an allergist/immunologist if they have:

• a cough that lasts three to eight weeks or more;
• a cough that coexists with asthma;
• coexisting chronic cough and nasal symptoms;
• a chronic cough and tobacco use or exposure.

More information
To learn more about cough and children, visit the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

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Child Maltreatment Rises in Homes of Soldiers Sent to War

(HealthDay News) -- A U.S. Army-sponsored study finds that children of enlisted soldiers are more likely to be abused or neglected when a parent is deployed to a combat zone.

The findings point to the need for more support services at home, the study authors said.

"The practical implication is that child maltreatment incidents are much more likely to occur during soldier deployments than during other times, and this really underlines the necessity of formal and informal support for parents who are going through this," said Deborah A. Gibbs, lead author of the study and a senior analyst with the Children and Families Program at RTI International in Research Triangle Park, N.C. "Our findings really put a number on the extent of the problem and suggest the areas in which supports are most necessary."

The study is published in the Aug. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on violence and human rights.

U.S. Army support of the study should give the issue of child abuse in general even more of a spotlight, experts said.

"The fact that the military is taking an interest is going to be helpful for the whole nation," said Dr. Rachel Bramson, associate professor of family and community medicine with the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and the Scott & White Clinic in College Station, Texas. "A lot of times if you have an organization of complexity with the degree of resources and the appropriate interest in their employee and family health, then you can bring about greater social change," she added.

U.S. Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ben Clark is deputy director of family programs, Family Advocacy Program, Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command. Responding to the study, he said, "What they [the researchers] see is pretty consistent with what we see.

We see an increase of neglect cases when we have large deployments. We're getting resources to help with that."

Deployment of a parent results in added stress, particularly to the parent left behind. Stress, in turn, is thought to play a role in child maltreatment, including neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse.

In 2004, there were more than 1.1 million American military families with children younger than 18.

Although there is not a long history of research in this field, previous studies have found that children of parents in the U.S. military serving in Iraq and elsewhere have higher blood pressure, heart rates and stress levels than other youngsters, and that children from military families are twice as likely to die from severe abuse as other children are.

Gibbs and her colleagues looked at confirmed incidents of child maltreatment by a parent in 1,771 families of enlisted U.S. Army soldiers who had been deployed to combat at least once between September 2001 and December 2004.

In total, 1,858 parents in these families had maltreated their children. The overall rate of child maltreatment was 42 percent higher during the times when the soldier-parents were deployed, compared to when they weren't deployed.

Moderate or severe maltreatment was 61 percent higher during deployment periods as compared to non-deployment periods.

While rates of child neglect were nearly double during deployment, the rate of physical abuse was less.

The rate of maltreatment by female civilian spouses was more than triple during times of deployment. Male civilians had a higher rate of maltreatment during these periods, but not significantly so, the study found.

The rate of child neglect by civilian female spouses was nearly four times the rate at other times.

"When people are stressed, there's a much higher likelihood of abuse. It's true of any situation," Bramson said. "Also, most abusers were themselves abused. The key is preventing abuse, so you don't raise kids who are going to go on to be abusers. Luckily, there's more interest in trying to create community interventions. One of the major things is awareness, and that's why I'm excited about this coming from the military. That's going to get some attention."

Among the themed issue's other reports:
Almost 40 percent of Nepalese sex-trafficked girls and women, many forced into prostitution, who were repatriated tested positive for HIV infection.

Group psychotherapy helped reduce depression among displaced adolescent girls who had survived war in northern Uganda. The interventions were less effective among adolescent boys.
Former Ugandan and Congolese child soldiers who have more symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are less likely to be open to reconciliation and are more likely to have feelings of revenge.

Adults displaced by war in northern Uganda have high rates of PTSD and depression. They are also more likely to favor violent means to end the conflict, compared to people without comparable symptoms.

More information
Visit Prevent Child Abuse America for more on this issue.

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Genetic Analysis Offers Insights Into AIDS Resistance

(HealthDay News) -- Variations in three genes play a critical role in how different people infected with HIV respond during the early stages of their infection.

This finding, detailed in the July 20 issue of Science, could help scientists find vaccines as well as new treatment targets for people infected with the AIDS-causing virus.

"There are new mechanisms of control of HIV1 that are implicated by these findings," said study senior author David Goldstein, a professor of molecular genetics and microbiology at Duke University and director of the school's Center for Population Genomics and Pharmacogenetics.

"We don't yet know how to capitalize on those new mechanisms to develop new treatments, but it establishes directions for exploring new treatment options."

The study results are the first to emerge from the Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI), a seven-year project funded by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) with a goal of understanding the genetic influences on early responses to HIV infection. Many more studies are planned.

"We're really only just getting started," Goldstein said.

"It is a very important study," said NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci. "It's significant for a couple of reasons. First of all, it used a technique that is going to be increasingly used in the genetics of medicine and that is to do a genome-wide association study to try and identify genes or modifications of genes which we call polymorphisms that are associated with certain expression of disease."

People infected with HIV have widely varying responses to their infection, with some falling sick quickly and others successfully fighting off full-blown AIDS for years or even decades.

One measurable difference is the level of circulating virus in the blood during the "stable" period after a person is infected but before he or she develops symptoms. This "viral load" is generally an indication of how well the person's immune system is fighting off the infection.

The new study searched for genetic differences that might explain variations in viral loads.
"One of the big questions in HIV is what are the determinants of the great variability in individuals being able to handle the virus. That's a big, big open question," Fauci said. "One of the ways to address that is to say look, there are some people whose viral set point, the level at which the body holds the virus in the absence of therapy, that varies enormously from person to person. We have no idea why that's the case. This study came up with three gene polymorphisms which appear to be associated very strongly with the ability to set the viral load.

The combination of those explains about 15 percent of the variation in viral load among patients."

"The approach that we've taken is to use these natural differences among individuals in how well they can control the virus after infection as a pointer to new ways to act against the virus," Goldstein said. "That variation is huge. Some can push viral levels so low they will never progress to AIDS, whereas others can hardly contain it."

It took the international team of geneticists 18 months to identify the three crucial genes. In the end, they identified 486 appropriate patients from a possible universe of 30,000 people worldwide, and did genome-wide scanning on these patients. The study participants could not be undergoing treatment (as this would affect viral load levels), they had to know when they became infected, and there had to be high-quality laboratory estimates of their viral load.

This was the first time a genome-wide approach has been used for an infectious disease, the researchers said.
Two of the gene variants -- or polymorphisms -- were found in genes controlling the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system, which helps identify foreign invaders and tags them for destruction. These genes, HLA-A and HLA-B, are switched off by HIV when it enters the body so the immune system is no longer able to recognize the virus as foreign.

Research published in the May 13 issue of Nature Genetics also implicated the HLA-B gene. That study found that HLA-B, in combination with another gene, KIR3DL1, might confer some protection against AIDS progression.

But HIV doesn't seem to be able to shut off HLA-C, the third gene variant identified by the researchers behind the new study. "This had not been a focus of attention in the past because it was not known that it is important in the control of HIV," Goldstein said. "We've now implicated this part of the immune response as being important so it now becomes a focus."

"It might be that this gene represents a vulnerable point for HIV," he added. "As far as we know, HIV can't act against it."
The three gene variants identified in the study explain 15 percent of the variability in how well people contain their viral load. "In genetic terms, that's a lot," Goldstein said. "These are very important genetic effects."

The next CHAVI study will look at what factors might protect people from becoming infected with HIV in the first place.

More information
Visit CHAVI for more on cutting-edge HIV/AIDS research.

Cirrhosis Can Impact Heart Surgery Success

(HealthDay News) -- For patients with cirrhosis, the severity of the disease will predict how well they do after heart surgery, a new study finds.

While milder cases of the liver ailment will have less of an impact on heart surgery outcomes, patients with severe cirrhosis may require alternative approaches to managing their heart disease, according to research published in the July issue of Liver Transplantation.

Cirrhosis is a degenerative disease of the liver that causes a scarring of the tissues, prevents blood flow through the organ and ultimately impairs liver function. It is often brought on by heavy alcohol use, or infection with hepatitis B or C.

While the relationship between the degree of cirrhosis and the success of abdominal surgeries is well known, few studies have examined outcomes for heart surgery, the researchers noted.

In their study, a team led by Dr. Farzan Filsoufi of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City examined data from patients who had heart surgeries at the center between January 1998 and December 2004. They identified 27 patients with cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis prognosis and possibility for success in surgery for cirrhosis patients is characterized according to the "Child-Pugh classification" as A, B or C, with A being the most optimistic outcome and C being the least.

According to the study, there was a 10 percent postsurgical mortality rate for those in class A, an 18 percent mortality for those in class B, and a 67 percent death rate for those in class C.

The rates of complications after the surgery were 55 percent for patients in class B and 100 percent in class C, the researchers added.

Based on the findings, the authors concluded heart surgery can be performed safely and with a good likelihood for survival for cirrhosis patients in class A. They therefore recommended careful selection of heart surgery patients with cirrhosis to help improve the chance of successful outcomes.

Patients with advanced cirrhosis may require alternative approaches to heart surgery, such as medically managing their heart disease until it is possible to perform surgery at the same time as a liver transplant, the researchers wrote.

More information
To learn about liver diseases, visit the American Liver Foundation.

CDC Panel Recommends Meningitis Vaccine for All Teens

(HealthDay News) -- Advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Wednesday that all teens between the ages of 11 and 18 be routinely vaccinated against potentially deadly bacterial meningitis.

The recommendation, issued by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, broadens the current guidelines for vaccinating adolescents and will be adopted by the agency, experts said.

"The prior recommendation had focused on different age groups," said Dr. Carol Baker, chairwoman of the committee's Meningococcal Working Group. "The new recommendation will be routine vaccination of all adolescents 11 through 18 years of age."

The earlier recommendation, which targeted only 15- to 18-year-olds, was made because vaccine supplies were limited, added Baker, who is president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

"The vaccine supply to be able to immunize this many adolescents is now sufficient," she said. "Now we will prevent many more infections."

Meningococcal meningitis is a rare but sometimes fatal bacterial infection that often strikes pre-adolescents, adolescents and young adults. The disease strikes quickly and has devastating complications, including hearing loss, brain damage, limb amputations and, in some cases, death.

"Vaccination is going to do a whole lot to reduce the incidence of this disease," said Lynn Bozof, executive director of the National Meningitis Association.

"The CDC's action will raise awareness ... among parents and adolescents that this disease is out there and it is potentially vaccine-preventable," she added.

The committee recommended that teens be routinely vaccinated with Menactra, the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) made by Sanofi Pasteur.

The vaccine has been proven to protect against up to 83 percent of meningococcal cases among adolescents, according to the National Meningitis Association.

"The CDC recognizes that all adolescents are at risk for this disease, and they are doing what is in the best interest of the public," Bozof, who lost a son to meningitis, said. "If this recommendation had been in place nine years ago, my son would be alive."

Meningitis is spread through the exchange of respiratory droplets, which can come from sharing a drink or utensils, kissing, or coughing and sneezing. Adolescents and young adults are at increased risk for the disease, which can be contracted in crowded living situations, such as dormitories, boarding schools and sleep-away camps.

Bozof believes all adolescents should be vaccinated. "You have a vaccine that can prevent the killer disease," she said. "To me it's a no-brainer -- you just go and protect your children."

More information
For more information on meningitis, visit the National Meningitis Association.

Gel Made From Patient's Own Blood Aids Healing

(HealthDay News) -- A topical gel derived from a patient's own blood may help wounds heal more quickly and completely, according to a new preliminary study.

U.S. researchers tested the effectiveness of a gel made from platelets (particles important for blood clotting) from the blood eight healthy men and women age 21 and older. First, the researchers made five 4-millimeter (one-eighth of an inch) skin wounds 3 centimeters apart on both the right and left upper thighs of all the volunteers.

The autologous ("from the patient") platelet gel was applied to the wounds on one leg, while antibiotic ointment or a dressing was applied to the wounds on the other leg. The wounds were monitored for six months, and skin biopsies were done on each leg at the end of that time.

After 17 days, the wounds treated with the autologous platelet gel were more than 81 percent closed, compared with about 57 percent closure for the wounds treated with antibiotic ointment or a dressing.

None of the participants developed infections, and there were no serious adverse events.
The findings are published in the May/June issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.

"In this pilot study, autologous platelet gel appeared to enhance wound closure in acute full-thickness dermal wounds in healthy subjects," the study authors wrote. "Further investigations are needed to confirm the consistency of these results. If further studies support these findings, autologous gel treatment during surgery could have a useful impact on the enhancement of postoperative dermal wound healing in surgical patients."

The study, was funded by Medtronic Inc., and the study authors have financial/professional ties with the company.

More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers advice about wound care.

Emergency Room HIV Tests Cost-Effective: Study

(HealthDay News) -- Routine HIV screening in hospital emergency departments is cost-effective and actually welcomed by many patients, a George Washington University Medical School study finds.

More than 4,000 patients were offered the screening and almost 2,500 (60 percent) agreed to be tested. Of those, 26 patients (one percent) had a preliminary positive result for HIV infection.

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.

The rapid screening kits were provided free of charge by the Washington, D.C., Department of Health, while researchers did the actual clinical work. While this approach would not be feasible over the long-term, it does suggest some models for a program of ongoing HIV testing in hospital emergency departments, said study author Jeremy Brown, research director in the university's department of emergency medicine.

He said the cost per preliminary positive HIV result was about $1,700, and about $4,900 per confirmed case of HIV infection.

"Washington, D.C., has one of the highest AIDS case prevalence rates in the United States, and our results suggest that ED HIV screening in this high prevalence area is well accepted by patients," Brown noted.

"The cost per case detected is low when compared with other methods for the early detection of HIV. For example, nucleic acid amplification has been used (for) early detection of HIV infection at a cost of over $17,000 per index case identified."

The study was expected to be presented May 16 at the annual meeting of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, in Chicago.

More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about HIV testing.

Cancer Vaccines Are Proving Their Mettle

(HealthDay News) -- Vaccines against deadly pancreatic and head and neck cancers are showing real promise and may one day become an important part of treatment, researchers report.
Researchers are also confirming that cervical cancer vaccines are both highly effective and long-lasting, according to two other studies.

All of the new findings were presented Tuesday at the American Association of Cancer Research's annual meeting in Los Angeles.

In one report, a team led by Andrew Lepisto, a postdoctoral researcher in the department of immunology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, presented the results of a phase I trial of a vaccine for pancreatic cancer.

In that trial, Lepisto's team gave an immune cell-based vaccine to 12 cancer patients who underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest malignancies, because it is often caught too late

"Patients who are eligible for surgery represent about 20 percent of all pancreatic cancer patients," Lepisto said during a teleconference. The five-year survival rate after surgery is only about 20 percent, he added.

"The goal of the vaccine was to raise a strong immune response to prevent the cancer from coming back," Lepisto explained.

"We found that if we did the surgery and followed up with the vaccine, we extended patient's lives from a 20 percent five-year survival rate to over 42 percent," he said. "There are five patients who are long-term survivors."

Lepisto is planning to use the five surviving patients to understand how the immune vaccine extended their lives.

Another study was led by Sanjay K. Srivastava, an assistant professor in the department of pharmacology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His team found that an extract of triphala -- the dried and powdered fruits of three plants -- caused pancreatic cancer cells to die in mice.

"Our results demonstrate that triphala has strong anticancer properties given its ability to induce apoptosis [natural, programmed cell death] in pancreatic cancer cells without damaging normal pancreatic cells," Srivastava said in a prepared statement. "With follow-up studies, we hope to demonstrate its potential use as a novel agent for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer," he added.

In a third presentation, a team at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine say they've developed a vaccine that uses parts of the immune system to target p53, which is a protein that suppresses tumor growth. The scientists used the vaccine to treat head and neck cancer cells.
"In cancer, p53 is either mutated or altered," Theresa Whiteside, a professor of pathology, immunology and otolaryngology, said during the teleconference. By targeting the unchanged parts of altered p53 cells with a vaccine that activates the immune process, her team was able to produce killer cells that destroyed tumor cells. The vaccine also boosted the supply of immune "helper cells," which help the killer cells do their job.

"We can generate killer cells and helper cells in patients with head and neck cancer," Whiteside said. "On the basis of this study, we have initiated a phase I clinical trial in patients with head and neck cancer," she said.

In two other presentations, researchers presented data on the benefit of widely publicized vaccines that prevent most cervical cancer. The vaccines do so by preventing infection with the major strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), thought to be the cause of most cervical malignancies.

In the first report, Dr. Stanley Gall, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Louisville, and colleagues reported that a new HPV vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline was safe and effective.

"The vaccine was 100 percent effective in preventing precancerous lesions from HPV types 16 and 18 for up to five to six years," Gall said during the teleconference. These types of HPV account for about 72 percent of all cervical cancers, he said.

Overall, the vaccine showed 68 percent efficacy regardless of the type of cancer-causing HPV virus, Gall said. "The protection goes beyond what is expected from a vaccine that is targeted to type 16 and 18 alone," he said. "It protected against type 45 and 31 and also extended protection up to five years," he said.

In the other report, Dr. Darron R. Brown, a professor of medicine and infectious disease, at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and colleagues showed that the currently available vaccine, Gardasil, made by drug giant Merck, is 99 percent to 100 percent effective in preventing cervical cancer from HPV types 16 and 18. The study involved more than 12,000 women.

"In addition, 241 women who received Gardasil five years ago are still 100 percent protected from HPV 16 and 18 and have high sustained antibody levels," Brown said during the teleconference. "This is very encouraging," he said.

More information
http://dreddyclinic.com/integrated_med/cancer.htm

Multiple Sclerosis Drug Combats Vision Loss

(HealthDay News) -- A controversial multiple sclerosis drug called Tysabri also reduces vision loss associated with the disease by 47 percent, a new study found.

"Vision loss is probably one of the most disabling things that happens to people with MS," said lead researcher Dr. Laura J. Balcer, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. "The exciting thing is, first, that we now have an eye-chart test that can pick that up and can show if treatments help vision. Second, this particular drug appears to help prevent vision loss."

In the study, Balcer's group looked at the results of two trials -- called AFFIRM and SENTINEL -- that included 2,138 people with relapsing MS. More than half the patients received Tysabri (generic name natalizumab) every four weeks for two years.

To evaluate eyesight, the researchers used a specially developed eye chart of low contrast letters. They found vision loss was reduced by as much as 47 percent among the people taking Tysabri, compared with those taking a placebo.

"Vision is one more dimension of MS that the drug helps," Balcer said. "It has already been shown that the drug reduces the rates of relapses and disability."

Balcer thinks that other MS drugs may have similar effects on vision, and there is now a test that can be included in trials to evaluate this. "Now, we can get to see how these other medications may help vision," she said.

The findings are published in the April 17 issue of the journal Neurology.

Tysabri's history has been marked by some controversy.

It received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in November 2004, only to be pulled from the market three months later after several patients in clinical trials developed a rare but deadly viral infection of the brain called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. In June 2006, the FDA allowed the drug to return to the mart, but with strict conditions. According to the new guidelines, Tysabri can only be administered by approved doctors, infusion sites and pharmacies that register and comply with a patient-safety program designed by Biogen-IDEC, the maker of Tysabri, and approved by the FDA.

One expert thinks that despite the vision benefit, Tysabri should be reserved for patients with aggressive MS or those who failed other medications.

"This study confirms the benefits of this particular MS drug in relapsing MS patients," said Dr. Anne H. Cross, a professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis. "In addition, it validates the use of a new vision test which is relevant to MS."
But the benefit to vision doesn't negate the risks associated with the drug, Cross said. "I don't think I will change my prescribing habits based upon this paper," she said. "I will probably continue to use it in the same type of patients I have been using it in in the past."

However, Nicholas LaRocca, the director of health care delivery and policy research at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, said the new study provides additional insight into the benefits of the drug and may influence the decision whether to start using it or not.
"For patients who are on natalizumab or considering natalizumab, this gives them another piece of information to consider as they are trying to make their decision," he said.

According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that can range from relatively benign to somewhat disabling to devastating, as communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted. Many researchers believe MS to be an autoimmune disease -- one in which the body, through its immune system, launches a defensive attack against its own tissues. In the case of MS, it is the nerve-insulating myelin that comes under assault.

More information
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/mm/multiplesclerosis.htm

The Benefits of Steam Sauna and Ozone

The use of a sauna should be an important part of any detoxification program.

The sauna increases the eliminative, detoxifying and cleansing capacity of the skin by stimulation of the sweat glands and also promotes healthy skin tone and texture due to increased blood circulation.

Using the steam sauna with ozone allows the steam to surround the body and ozone can be introduced through the skin.

Humid heat opens the pores, which allows the ozone through the skin to the bloodstream, where it can travel to the fat and lymph tissue. It is very important to cleanse the lymph tissue of toxins and the ozone/steam sauna is the easiest and best way to accomplish this.

Artificially induced hyperthermia (rising body temperature results in the destruction of bacteria and viruses) combined with heavy sweating and a cleansing effect initiated by ozone will result in elimination of toxins accumulated mainly in the lymphatic system relieving the liver from the difficult task of dealing with them.

Through the centuries, men and women have used steam to purify the skin, soothe sore muscles, boost circulation and to simply relax.

The combined action of moist heat and ozone cleanse the lymphatic system, which carries 90% of the body's fluids.

Ozone brings oxygen to the tissues for enhanced health and vitality.

The combination of steam and ozone is a natural, effective way to promote a refreshing sense of well-being.

We believe that a an Ozone/Steam Sauna cabinet represents a pleasant and easy to follow form of body cleansing.

Benefits of ozone sauna: Relaxes and loosens muscles by reducing the buildup of lactic acid and increasing muscle flexibility. Oxidizes toxins so they can be eliminated through the skin, lungs, kidneys and colon.

Boosts blood circulation, helping injured muscles to repair quicker. Stimulates vasodilatation of peripheral blood vessels relieving pain and speeding the healing process. Eliminates bacterial and viral infections of all kinds.

Speeds up the metabolic processes of the inner organs and endocrine glands resulting in a loss of 200-450 calories in a 20 minute session.

Newest research shows steam hyperthermia an effective treatment for: * Detoxification programs * Immune system deficiencies * Pain management * Cancer * Arthritis * Stress and muscle tension * Increasing body metabolism * Elimination of toxins * Blood circulation

more info at:

http://www.dreddyclinic.com/integrated_med/ozone_oxygen.htm


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Constipation and Diarrhea

Constipation and diarrhea goes hand in hand with each other.

Even though constipation and diarrhea are generally temporary ailments, they can cause stomach pain and discomfort, an urgent need to move your bowels, abnormally frequent bowel movements, or loose/watery stool.

There are drugs that can cause these conditions. For instance, Phentermine is a weight loss drug that is used in combination with diet and exercise to reduce the appetite and assist in weight loss.

Common side effects of this medication include dry mouth, unpleasant taste, diarrhea and constipation. These side effects may be lessened by taking Phentermine with food.

Constipation and diarrhea can also be caused by food intolerance and infection. This happens when elderly people eat a large amount of beans and fruits.

Constipation and diarrhea often alternate, and abdominal cramping, gassiness, and bloating are other common complaints.

Although Irritable bowel syndrome can produce lifelong symptoms, it is not a life-threatening condition.

It often worsens with stress, but there is no specific cause or anything unusual that the doctor can see in the colon.

more info at: http://www.dreddyclinic.com/products/oxypowder.htm

Researchers Apologize for Disclosure Failure on Drug Study

(HealthDay News) -- The failure of researchers to fully disclose pharmaceutical-industry connections in a study of drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis has resulted in a letter of apology to the Journal of the American Medical Association.

However, everyone involved is quick to note that both the findings of the study and the methods used were sound. And while the exact meaning of the findings is the subject of debate, there appears to be no question of the validity of the science involved.

The original study appeared in the May 17, 2005, issue of JAMA. In that study, Dr. Eric L. Matteson, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, and colleagues looked at the risk of cancer among patients taking infliximab (Remicade, Enbrel) and adalimumab (Humira) for rheumatoid arthritis.

These drugs are tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockers (TNFs). TNF blockers bind to tumor necrosis factor-alpha, making it inactive, reducing inflammation and joint damage.
These drugs have been associated with an increased risk of some cancers, particularly lymphoma, and with an increased risk of infection.

In its study, Matteson's team concluded: "There is evidence of an increased risk of serious infections and a dose-dependent increased risk of malignancies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with anti-TNF antibody therapy. The formal meta-analysis with pooled sparse adverse events data from randomized controlled trials serves as a tool to assess harmful drug effects."

The disclosure problem arose because the researchers failed to tell JAMA editors that they had let Abbott Laboratories, the maker of Humira, review the paper before it was published because they had a prior agreement to do so. However, they did not let Centocor Inc., the maker of Remicade, review the paper, since they had no such agreement with that company. They also failed to note that a TNF drug made by Wyeth was not included in the study, even though they were working with Wyeth on another study.

In addition, the Mayo researchers didn't tell the journal they had received $25,000 from Amgen, the marketer of Enbrel, for the fellowship education training of Dr. Tim Bongartz, one of the study co-authors. "The stipend was not linked to the study or systematic review of TNF-alpha antibodies," Drs. Bongartz and Matteson write in the apology letter.

"This was really a very embarrassing thing to me," Matteson said. "This occurred due to my inattention to our disclosure statement when we submitted our original paper. There were mistakes in the disclosure, not because I intended to mislead them, but simply because I was negligent."

According to Matteson, he alerted JAMA editors to the error a week before the study was to be published -- a fact disputed by Dr. Catherine D. DeAngelis, JAMA's editor-in-chief, who said she was first notified by one of the drug companies involved.

"It was very nice of him [Matteson] to do it after the fact, since he knew we were about to initiate an investigation because someone let the cat out of the bag," DeAngelis said. "We are very serious about it. I don't like it when people don't fully disclose. I wanted this letter of apology."

Based on DeAngelis's concern, the Mayo Clinic looked into the matter and instituted conflict-of interest-education for its researchers.

The disclosure issue did not stop JAMA from publishing the study on schedule. Both Matteson and DeAngelis agree there was nothing wrong with the science in the paper.

"No one is questioning the veracity of the paper," DeAngelis said. "What we are questioning is why they didn't disclose."

Based on this and other occurrences surrounding disclosure, JAMA tightened its disclosure policy on conflicts of interest.

In a July 12, 2006, JAMA editorial, DeAngelis announced an updated disclosure policy. "To further improve the transparency of reporting of potential conflicts of interest and to encourage more accurate and complete disclosures, an important new policy is that JAMA will begin requiring all authors to disclose all potential conflicts of interest in the 'Acknowledgment' section of the manuscript at the time of submission," she wrote.

Despite the disclosure problems, Matteson stands behind the findings in the study. Basically, the study found that there is a significant risk of developing cancer associated with these drugs. However, in terms of actual cases, the risk is small, he said.

"The cancer events are relatively rare," Matteson said. "But the relative risk is increased. Whether that holds up in other studies isn't known. We also documented that there was an increased risk of infection. That remains a concern with these drugs."

"The real bottom line is that these are very effective drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and are with justification used in patients with severe disease," Matteson said. "However, they do interfere with immunological function. We have to be concerned that in individual cases this interference may cause adverse events."

Patients need to be told about the risk, so they can make an informed decision whether to use them or not, Matteson said.

Several letters in this week's JAMA devoted to Matteson's study find fault with the methodology used or the findings. But all agree there are risks with the drugs to one degree or another. In fact, the risk of cancer and infection are stated on the drugs' labels.
One expert has problems with the methods used in the study.

"There are a lot of problems with meta-analysis [a review of previous studies]," said Dr. Elinor Mody, a rheumatologist at Brigham and Woman's Hospital, in Boston. The inclusion in the Matteson study of certain skin cancers and cancers that develop over a long time are particularly concerning, she noted. In addition, the study authors didn't include data on the drugs from other important trials.

However, Mody tells her patients that with rheumatoid arthritis, there is an increased risk of lymphoma. "Maybe these medications increase the risk even more," she said. "The concern about infection is nothing new -- and that's my major concern," she said.

"We are not at the point that these drugs are first-line agents," Mody said. "But this study didn't really change my mind about these medications. For some patients, they are wonder drugs."

More information
The Arthritis Foundation can tell you more about rheumatoid arthritis.

Health Tip: Symptoms of Ringworm

(HealthDay News) -- Ringworm is a fungal skin infection. It can appear almost anywhere on the body, including the hands, feet, groin and scalp. While the condition is most prevalent in children, the fungus can affect people of any age.
The National Library of Medicine says ringworm usually appears as raised, red, scaly patches. They may blister or secrete fluid, may be itchy, and are usually surrounded by a brighter red edge that looks like a ring. If the fungus spreads to the hair, it may yield bald patches. Fungus on the nails may cause them to become thick and discolored, and to disintegrate.
Ringworm spreads in areas that are damp and warm. Highly contagious, it can be passed from person to person via direct skin contact or by sharing items like combs, towels, clothing, public showers, or pool surfaces. Pets, especially cats, may pass the fungus to people.

Possible Source of E. coli Outbreak Identified

(HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has identified a California produce company as one possible source of the tainted spinach that has caused one death and illness throughout the nation.

As the outbreak of E. coli bacterium cases widened to 20 states, Natural Selection Foods of San Juan Bautista began recalling all of its prepackaged spinach and its salad mix products that contain spinach in all brands packed with Best If Used by Dates of Aug.17, 2006 through Oct. 1, 2006.

The investigation is continuing, the FDA said in a consumer alert on its Web site, and Natural Selection Foods may not be the only source of the E. coli O157:H7 that has so far has sickened 94 people. Fourteen of the victims have developed a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, the agency reported.

"We're clearly evolving and it is very important to keep an open mind whether there are other products potentially implicated," Dr. David Acheson, the chief medical officer with the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, told the Associated Press.

According to the FDA, Natural Selection Foods supplies its spinach to the following brands that package it:
Dole, Earthbound Farm, Natural Selection Foods, Pride of San Juan, Bellissima, Rave Spinach, Emeril, Sysco, O Organic, Fresh Point, River Ranch, Superior, Nature's Basket, Pro-Mark, Compliments, Trader Joe's, Ready Pac, Jansal Valley, Cheney Brothers, Coastline, D'Arrigo Brothers, Green Harvest, Mann, Mills Family Farm, Pro*Act, Premium Fresh, Snoboy, The Farmer's Market, Tanimura & Antle, President's Choice, Cross Valley and Riverside Farms.

Because the tainted spinach could have been included in packaged green salads that have spinach, the FDA is now warning that those products also might be contaminated.

Consumers should throw away any fresh packaged spinach they may have bought in the past few weeks and not buy more until the warning is lifted, the agency said. It also said that washing the spinach won't help because the bacteria is too tightly attached.

The states reporting cases of illness now include: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

The affected products were also distributed to Canada and Mexico, the FDA said.
The one death occurred in Wisconsin, which has 29 cases statewide. Friday night, the AP reported, the victim was identified as Marion Graff, 77, of Manitowoc. Her son said she died of kidney failure Sept. 7.

"We are very, very upset about this," Natural Selection Foods spokeswoman Samantha Cabaluna told the AP Friday. "What we do is produce food that we want to be healthy and safe for consumers, so this is a tragedy for us."

The company has supplied a phone number -- l-800-690-3200 -- for a refund or replacement coupons.

The FDA said the first cases of infection apparently surfaced on Aug. 23, and the most recent one was reported Sept. 3. But it wasn't until Wednesday that the agency was able to identify bagged spinach as the possible cause, Acheson told a press conference Thursday night.

"It [the outbreak] is increasing by the day. We may be at the peak, we may not. And that's why we're watching it and we're giving preliminary, early data," Acheson said Thursday.

Dr. Robert Brackett, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, cautioned that anyone who believes he or she has the symptoms of E. coli poisoning should contact a doctor.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, E. coli lives in the intestines of cattle and other animals and is linked to contamination by fecal material. It can be found in undercooked meats and other foods, such as spinach, sprouts, lettuce, unpasteurized milk and juice.

The primary symptom of E. coli contamination in humans is diarrhea, often with bloody stools. While most adults recover completely, the bacteria is particularly harmful to the very young, the very old, and those with compromised immune systems. In more serious cases, potentially fatal kidney failure can develop.

Dr. Pascal James Imperato, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York City and former New York City Health Commissioner, said that normally, people between 20 and 60 years of age don't have much of a reaction to E. coli.

But, he added in a prepared statement, this outbreak seems to have affected people in that age group, indicating it might be a particularly virulent strain of bacteria.

E. coli causes an estimated 73,000 cases of infection, including 61 deaths, each year in the United States, according to CDC statistics.

The last publicly reported outbreaks of E. coli were in 2005. In October, laboratory tests found the bacteria in two bags of lettuce, suspected as the cause of an outbreak in Minnesota that sickened 17 people, eight of whom had to be hospitalized. In December, an E. coli outbreak in the state of Washington sickened at least eight children. That was traced to unpasteurized milk from a dairy.

More information
You can read the FDA's latest updates on the E. coli outbreak at its Web site.

Health Tip: When to Keep Your Child Home

(HealthDay News) -- Child-care centers are often breeding grounds for germs.

Frequent hand washing -- especially after your child has used the bathroom -- is a way to reduce the spread of disease. But parents can do more by keeping sick children home when the youngsters are sick.

Here are suggestions, courtesy of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, on when to keep your child home:

· If your child has a fever of 100 degrees or higher, you should not send him to day care. He should stay home until he has not had a fever for at least 24 hours.
· If other children at the day-care center have contagious illnesses such as strep throat, chickenpox or pinkeye, keep him home to avoid exposing him to these germs.
· Keep your child home for one to two days if he has been prescribed antibiotics.
· Don't send your child to day care if he is vomiting or has diarrhea.
· If your child won't eat or drink, has a dry mouth, sunken eyes, unusual crying, weakness or fatigue, take him to a doctor to see if he has a contagious illness or infection.

Low-Dose Bird Flu Vaccine Effective

(HealthDay News) -- A vaccine being developed in China to protect humans against the H5N1 bird flu virus is safe and effective at low doses, researchers there report.
A previous study found that 30 micrograms of the vaccine (which contains part of the H5N1 virus) given in two doses with an "adjuvant" (an additive that can increase effectiveness) produced a good immune response in humans.
However, this 30-microgram dose -- that has to be given in two doses -- means manufacturers would only be able to provide enough vaccine for 225 million people. A lower-dose vaccine may make it possible to vaccinate more people, the researchers reported Wednesday in the online edition of the journal The Lancet.
The vaccine tested in this new study contains a modified form of the whole H5N1 virus plus the adjuvant aluminum hydroxide. Vaccines created with whole viruses trigger a stronger immune response than vaccines made out of a part of the virus. However, whole-virus vaccines can cause more side effects.
This latest study included 120 people, ages 18 to 60, who received either two doses of a placebo or of the whole-virus vaccine at either 1.25, 2.5, 5, or 10 micrograms. After 56 days, all the different doses prompted the production of antibodies against the H5N1 virus. However, the best response was seen in people who received the 10-microgram dose of vaccine.
Pain, swelling, and fever were the most common side effects reported by study participants who received the vaccine.
More information
The World Health Organization has more about bird flu.