Doripenem Injection (Doribax) Gets FDA Approval For Treating Complicated Urinary Tract and Intra-Abdominal Infections

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved doripenem injection, 500 mg intravenous infusion, for the treatment of complicated urinary tract and intra-abdominal infections. Doripenem injection, sold under the trade name Doribax, has been shown to be active against several strains of bacteria.

“This is a significant new drug in the treatment of hospitalized patients with serious bacterial infections,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., FDA’s deputy commissioner for scientific and medical programs, chief medical officer and acting director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

In several multi-center, multinational studies, doripenem was shown to have a cure rate comparable to the currently prescribed medications levofloxacin, for complicated urinary tract infections, and meropenem, for complicated intra-abdominal infections.

The most common adverse reactions reported were headache, nausea, diarrhea, rash, and phlebitis. In addition, allergic reactions have occurred and some may require immediate treatment.

The safety and effectiveness of doripenem injection in pediatric patients have not been established. Doripenem has not been studied in pregnant women, and the drug should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.

Doripenem injection is manufactured by Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, LLC, Raritan, N.J.

However it is beneficial to know symptoms of Urinary Tract infections before they become complicated or if one has a clean slate prevent it.

UTI-bladder-Urinary tract infection symptoms:

* Burning sensation when urinating
* Persistent strong urge to urinate
* Going frequently on bathroom passing small amounts of urine
* Strong smelling urine , blood in the urine or cloudy
Prevention of urinary tract infection:
You can take action to prevent urinary tract infection:

* Drink a lot of liquid Cranberry juice(not if you are taking the blood-thinning medication warfarin) and especially water. Cranberry juice is known as good natural remedy for urinary tract infection.
* Urinate promptly, when urge arises. Don't retain urine for a long time after you feel urge to urinate.
* Wipe from front to back after urinating and after bowel movement. It helps bacteria in the anal region from spreading to the vagina and urethra.
* Clean your genital area before sex intercourse
* Empty your bladder as soon as possible after sex intercourse
* Avoid using feminine products that could be potentially irritable, such as deodorant sprays for genital areas.
* Take showers instead of tub baths

Sphere: Related Content

FDA,s Approved Source Of Puffer Fish

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers only to eat puffer fish (also known as fugu, bok, blowfish, globefish, swellfish, balloonfish, or sea squab) from two known safe sources. The safe sources are 1) imported puffer fish that have been processed and prepared by specially trained and certified fish cutters in the city of Shimonoseki, Japan, and 2) puffer fish caught in the mid-Atlantic coastal waters of the United States, typically between Virginia and New York. Puffer fish from all other sources potentially contain deadly toxins and therefore are not considered safe.

The liver, gonads (ovaries and testes), intestines, and skin of some puffer fish contain the toxins tetrodotoxin and/or saxitoxin. These toxins are 1,200 times more deadly than the poison cyanide and can affect a person's central nervous system. There are no known antidotes for these toxins. Puffer fish must be cleaned and prepared properly so the organs containing the toxins are carefully removed and do not cross-contaminate the flesh of the fish. These toxins cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing.

Symptoms resulting from ingesting either of the toxins include tingling of the lips and mouth, followed by dizziness, tingling in the extremities, problems with speaking, balance, muscle weakness and paralysis, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms can begin anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours after eating the toxic fish. In extreme cases death can result from respiratory paralysis.

The Japanese government licenses specially trained fish cutters to process and prepare puffer fish. These fish are imported into the United States two to three times per year for special occasions, by only one approved New York importer, Wako International, under an FDA/Japanese government agreement. This is the only acceptable source of imported puffer fish. They are sold only to restaurants and dishes containing the fish are often very expensive, sometimes costing hundreds of dollars for a full meal.

Puffer fish caught from the mid-Atlantic coastal waters of the United States do not contain these deadly toxins and are considered safe to eat. They are less expensive than imported puffer fish and may be found in markets or restaurants. However, puffer fish caught off the east coast of Florida should not be eaten because the entire fish is potentially toxic.

Before ordering or buying puffer fish, consumers should ask where it came from to ensure it is from a known safe source. Consumers who are unsure of the source should not eat puffer fish.

To Spanish Readers

Coma pez globo sólo de fuentes seguras conocidas

La Administración de Medicamentos y Alimentos (FDA, Food and Drug Administration) recomienda a los consumidores que coman pez globo (también conocido como, fugu, bok, botete diana, pez inflado o pez rechoncho) sólo de fuentes seguras conocidas. Las fuentes seguras son: 1) pez globo importado que se ha procesado y preparado por cortadores de pescado certificados y especialmente capacitados en la ciudad de Shimonoseki, Japón, y 2) pez globo que se pesca en las aguas costeras del Atlántico medio de los Estados Unidos, normalmente entre Virginia y Nueva York. Los peces globo de todas las demás fuentes pueden contener toxinas mortales, por lo que no se consideran seguros.

El hígado, las gónadas (ovarios y testículos), los intestinos y la piel de algunos peces globo contienen las toxinas tetrodotoxina o saxitoxina. Estas toxinas son 1,200 veces más mortales que el cianuro y pueden afectar el sistema nervioso central de una persona. No se conocen antídotos para estas toxinas. El pez globo se debe limpiar y preparar de manera adecuada para que los órganos que contienen las toxinas se retiren cuidadosamente y no se produzca la contaminación cruzada de la carne del pescado. Estas toxinas no se pueden destruir con la cocción o congelación.

Los síntomas que aparecen al ingerir cualquiera de las toxinas incluyen hormigueo en los labios y la boca, seguido de mareos, hormigueo en las extremidades, problemas para hablar, con el equilibrio, debilidad muscular y parálisis, vómitos y diarrea. Estos síntomas pueden comenzar desde 20 minutos hasta 2 horas después de comer el pescado tóxico. En casos extremos, se puede producir la muerte debido a una parálisis respiratoria.

El gobierno japonés autoriza a cortadores de pescado especialmente capacitados para procesar y preparar pez globo. Estados Unidos importa estos pescados dos a tres veces al año para ocasiones especiales, y lo hace a través de un sólo importador aprobado de Nueva York, Wako International, en virtud de un acuerdo entre la FDA y el gobierno japonés. Ésta es la única fuente aceptable de pez globo importado. Se vende sólo a restaurantes y los platos que contienen el pescado a menudo son muy costosos, en ocasiones llegando a costar cientos de dólares una comida completa.

El pez globo que se pesca en las aguas costeras del Atlántico medio de los Estados Unidos no contiene estas toxinas mortales y se considera seguro para comer. Cuesta menos que el importado y se puede encontrar en mercados o restaurantes. Sin embargo, el pez globo que se pesca en la costa este de Florida no se debe comer porque el pescado completo puede ser tóxico.

Antes de pedir o comprar pez globo, los consumidores deben preguntar por su origen para asegurarse de que proviene de una fuente segura conocida. Los consumidores que no están seguros de la fuente no deben comer pez globo.

Sphere: Related Content

The U.S. FDA Approves Raltegravir Tablets As New HIV Drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved raltegravir tablets for treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1 infection in combination with other antiretroviral agents in treatment-experienced adult patients who have evidence of viral replication and HIV-1 strains resistant to multiple antiretroviral agents.

Raltegravir is the first agent of the pharmacological class known as HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitors, designed to interfere with the enzyme that HIV-1 needs to multiply. Raltegravir, sold under the trade name Isentress, received a priority review by the FDA.

“This is an important new product for many HIV-infected patients whose infections are not being controlled by currently available medications,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., FDA’s deputy commissioner for scientific and medical programs, chief medical officer and acting director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

When used with other anti-HIV medicines, raltegravir may reduce the amount of HIV in the blood and may increase white blood cells, called CD4+ (T) cells, that help fight off other infections.

FDA’s approval of raltegravir is based on data from two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in 699 HIV-1 infected adult patients with histories of extensive antiretroviral use. A greater proportion of the patients who received raltegravir in combination with other anti-HIV drugs experienced reductions in the amount of HIV in the blood, compared with patients who received placebo in combination with other anti-HIV drugs.

The most common adverse events reported with raltegravir were diarrhea, nausea, and headache. Blood tests also showed abnormal elevated levels of a muscle enzyme in some patients receiving raltegravir. Caution is advised when using raltegravir in patients at increased risk for certain types of muscle problems, including those who use other medications that can cause muscle problems.

Patients taking raltegravir may still develop infections, including opportunistic infections or other conditions that may develop in patients living with HIV-1 infection. The long-term effects of raltegravir are not known, and its safety and effectiveness in children less than 16 years of age has not been studied.

Raltegravir also has not been studied in pregnant women. Women who are taking HIV medications when they get pregnant are advised to talk with their physician or other health care professional about use of this drug during pregnancy, and about registering with the Antiviral Pregnancy Registry if they use raltegravir.

Raltegravir is distributed by New Jersey-based Merck & Co., Inc.

Sphere: Related Content

OTC Cough and Cold Oral infant Medicines Voluntarily Withdrawn Due To Abuse

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) on behalf of the leading makers of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines today announced voluntary market withdrawals of oral cough and cold medicines that refer to "infants." The voluntary withdrawal affects only these "infant" oral medicines, not those intended and labeled for use in children age two and older.

"It’s important to point out that these medicines are safe and effective when used as directed, and most parents are using them appropriately," said Linda A. Suydam, D.P.A, president of CHPA. "The reason the makers of over-the-counter, oral cough and cold medicines for infants are voluntarily withdrawing these medicines is that there have been rare patterns of misuse leading to overdose recently identified, particularly in infants, and safety is our top priority."

The branded cough and cold medicines that are being voluntarily withdrawn are:

* Dimetapp® Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops
* Dimetapp® Decongestant Infant Drops
* Little Colds® Decongestant Plus Cough
* Little Colds® Multi-Symptom Cold Formula
* PEDIACARE® Infant Drops Decongestant (containing pseudoephedrine)
* PEDIACARE® Infant Drops Decongestant & Cough (containing pseudoephedrine)
* PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Decongestant (containing phenylephrine)
* PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough
* PEDIACARE® Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (containing phenylephrine)
* Robitussin® Infant Cough DM Drops
* Triaminic® Infant & Toddler Thin Strips® Decongestant
* Triaminic® Infant & Toddler Thin Strips® Decongestant Plus Cough
* TYLENOL® Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold
* TYLENOL® Concentrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold & Cough

This voluntary withdrawal does not affect medicines intended for children age two and older. CHPA and its member companies have put forth recommendations to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strengthen the labels on all oral OTC children’s cough and cold medicines from "ask a doctor" before using to "do not use" in children under two years.

CHPA made these recommendations to the FDA in preparation for a joint FDA advisory committee meeting on October 18 and 19. These recommendations, as well as several additional recommendations, including those proposed by FDA review staff, will be explored further at this meeting.

"These medicines are—and always have been—safe at recommended doses," Suydam said.

"These voluntary actions are being taken out of an abundance of caution. The vast majority of parents and caregivers safely use these medicines to help relieve their children’s symptoms. But as with all medicines, it’s important that parents read over-the-counter medicine labels carefully, use these medicines only as directed, and store them safely out of the reach of children."

CHPA will be launching a major, multi-year national campaign to educate parents and healthcare providers about the safe use of over-the-counter medicines in children, partnering with major physician, nurse, and pharmacist organizations.

Sphere: Related Content

Controversial Vaccine Drops Cases Of Meningococcal B In Rotorua And Taupo In News Zealand

Alison Brown

A drop in the number of cases of meningococcal B in Rotorua and Taupo is proof a controversial vaccine is working, health experts say.

There have been no cases of meningococcal B in Rotorua or Taupo this year. Nationally, 76 people have contracted the potentially deadly illness.

The figures are well down on the hundreds of cases reported at the height of the epidemic, which has swept the country for 16 years.

Bay of Plenty medical officer of health Phil Shoemack says there's no doubt the immunisation campaign has been effective.

"The vaccine has accelerated the natural decrease in the epidemic. When you look at how much of an impact it's had, we wish we could have had it earlier so fewer kids would have got the disease."

Since 1991 about 6000 New Zealanders - half of them under 6 - have been struck down by the disease and 245 people have died. At the height of the epidemic, Bay of Plenty was among the worst regions affected, recording double the rate of cases as the rest of the country.

In the two years before the vaccine became available in the Bay of Plenty, 107 cases were reported - 29 in 2004 and 78 in 2003. Two people died.

Meningococcal B is an infection of the fluid of the spinal cord and fluid surrounding the brain. It is caused by bacterium and can kill within 24 hours. Other strains of the disease are caused by a virus. Symptoms can be mistaken for influenza and include fever, severe headaches, vomiting, drowsiness, muscular aches and a stiff neck.

In an attempt to control the epidemic, the Ministry of Health launched a massive $220 million vaccination programme targeting babies and teenagers in 2004. Free but not mandatory, it became available in Rotorua and Taupo in February 2005. About 32,100 people under 20 in the Lakes district have been eligible for the vaccine - 82 per cent or 26,400 have completed the programme.

The figures are slightly less for Maori, with 78 per cent of eligible Maori receiving all their doses.

About 5800 out of 7629 preschoolers (76 per cent) have been immunised. Of the 4139 Maori under fives eligible for the vaccine, 2730 (66 per cent) have completed the programme.

Vaccination rates for school-aged children are higher. Of the 24,540 eligible for the vaccine, about 20,600 (84 per cent) have completed the programme. About 9600 out of 11,740 Maori school children and teenagers (82 per cent) have received their three doses.

The school-age immunisation campaign has finished but the health ministry has indicated vaccinations will continue to be available for under-5s until 2009.

Health Rotorua chief executive and Maori health manager Eugene Berryman-Kamp said Lakes has had more success reaching Maori in all age groups than other regions.

Sphere: Related Content

Massage Hurts, But Hurts So Good

Jo McCarroll

I am a bit of sadist when it comes to having a massage, which might sound like a non-sequitur but it isn't really. Because while there is a wide variety of massages on offer, in the end there are only really two - hard massage and soft massage.

Some people like those fluffy soft massages, all tinkling music and feathery stroking.

Me, I'd rather chew glass. If I'm having a massage, I like a bruising deep tissue massage right on that edge of pain.

I am already a fan of Thai massage, which is usually, in my experience, quite exquisitely agonising (don't be fooled by the often tiny therapist - they often have superhuman upper body strength). However, I had never tried a Thai herbal hot compress ($200 for 90 minutes), an ancient form of massage and one of the signature treatments at Senses Spa at the Westin Hotel.

It uses a "massage ball", a poultice stuffed with lemon grass, plai, soap pod, turmeric and kaffir lime (among other things), soaked in hot oil and then rubbed onto your skin, followed by a full body massage.

The massage ball looks exactly like a larger version of one of those money balls you get as part of a mixed entree platter at a Thai restaurant - in fact, the waft of lemon grass that pervades the room is quite reminiscent of Thai restaurants as well (in the most pleasant way, I hasten to add).

Lemongrass, apparently, helps you relax - and the herbs that make up the compress all have healing or soothing properties. Plai, which is from the same plant family as ginger, combats joint and muscle problems; soap pod, a Thai herb similar to tamarind, improves the texture of the skin; turmeric is good for skin problems; and Kaffir lime works on skin tone.

The essential oils in the plants are released into the heated massage oil - devotees of this treatment claim it has a number of health benefits, in particular relieving muscle sprains and joint stiffness.

But the health benefits, for me, are not the point of having a massage, what I want is to de-stress and relax. And, my God, after an hour-and-a-half of being rubbed with this hot massage ball (and be warned it is hot, almost to the point where it's uncomfortable) I felt like I was practically liquid.

Having (rather swaggeringly) told the therapist I liked my massages fairly hard, she more than took me at my word: ow, ow, ow, ooo, ooo, ooo God yes.

At the end my arms barely had the strength to lift my cleansing ginger tea. Those of you who like your light ticklings and barely-there back rub, steer clear.

But for the rest of us it's best summed up in just three words: hurts so good.

Sphere: Related Content

Gordon McEwen, A Veteran Chef Allergic To Fish

Julie Jacobson

Gordon McEwen could be forgiven for wanting to cry into his kilt at times. The veteran chef, who has cooked for some of the diplomatic community's most powerful members, is acutely allergic to fish.

But the former Wellington restaurateur hasn't let what many would consider to be a major handicap get in the way of a stellar 40-year career in the kitchen.

Now at the Tauranga Club in the Bay of Plenty, McEwen spent the past 19 years as chef to five US ambassadors. During that time he catered for several world leaders and dozens of visiting dignitaries.

It was while working at the ambassador's Lower Hutt residence he had his first reaction to seafood.

"I'd been cooking fish for 25 years. I'd just had a meal when my eyes started falling out of my head and my lips began swelling up. It was not very pleasant."

Since then, he has used gloves to prepare the fish and shellfish meals for which he has become renowned.

At the same time, he "cooks" in his head - "I imagine the dish and the taste in my mind".

McEwen's wife, Elizabeth, and other kitchen staff are called on to check seasoning and taste any new dish he develops.

He says the allergy has had unexpected results - he believes his kitchen has some of the highest hygiene standards in the business.

"I take huge care in the kitchen not to cross-contaminate anything. I've had to become very aware of the implements I use, which means everyone else in the kitchen picks up on that."

While it doesn't hamper what goes on the menu - calamari in a soy-lime dressing; chilli, garlic and ginger prawns; and fresh fish with an Asian mustard sauce and balsamic vinegar drizzle are some of his dishes - it has occasionally put a dampener on McEwen's social life.

He has learned not to kiss his wife immediately after she has eaten seafood, and there have been several times when he's especially chosen steak at a restaurant only to suffer a reaction. "I've known straight away that whoever cooked that steak had been handling fish."

Despite that, McEwen still loves fish. He waxes lyrical when describing the preparation that goes into his dishes, and says he remembers distinctly what fish tastes like; "the texture on my tongue, Akaroa smoked salmon ... it sometimes drives me insane that I can't taste it".

He admits to being so tempted by a nice piece of fresh fish that he ate several small pieces "just in case I'd got over it.

"Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that I hadn't."

Ironically, Thai fish sauce, tinned salmon and tuna, and marinated mussels, are four things that don't trigger a reaction.

Nor does smelling seafood. "Like any- one else, I can tell what's fresh and what isn't," he laughs.

Sphere: Related Content

Tattoo Removal Surgeries Now Gaining Grounds

Diamonds, cockroaches, and tattoos are forever. But wait a minute - that's no longer true of the latter. These days, a tattoo can be here today and gone over the course of several painful tomorrows.

For many regretful men and women, what used to be a permanent reminder of a passing fad is now written in erasable ink. Tattoo removal surgeries, involving multiple laser treatments that destroy the pigments beneath the skin, have become increasingly common.

Over the past twenty years, tattoos have exploded in popularity. The explosion is thanks to better health and safety standards, including single-use needles, protective gloves, and sterilisation, as well as a surge of ink in popular culture. Together, these factors have encouraged a generation who otherwise could have lived without the Chinese symbol for Mouthwash etched in its skin. A newly tattooed tribe was born, and it thrives to this day.

While the techniques had become safer and more common, the classic dangerous appeal of the tattoo remained. Regardless of their relative safety, tattoos were no less painful or permanent. Somehow, even the promise of individuality persevered. But with more and more skin going under the needle, more and more people began to realise that forever is a long, long time.

The most comment argument against the tattoo is regret, and that regret falls into three basic categories. One, your sensibilities may change: You may eventually decide that you do not feel as strongly about Megadeth, or the Tasmanian Devil, or Jason, Sharon or Steve. Two, your circumstances may change: You may find it difficult to acquire gainful employment with exposed tattoos, even if they include WORD and EXCL across the knuckles.

All the more common is reason three: you, physically, will change. Thousands of years ago, before the first tattoo was performed on an early Eurasian ancestor, his ancient Eurasian mother asked him how it was going to look when he was old and wrinkly. This, however, is the easiest argument to refute. After all, nobody's modelling swimsuits when they're old and wrinkly.

The common theme of these arguments is time. Time passes, things change, yet (with occasional retouching) tattoos stay the same. For many, committing to a tattoo used to mean coming to terms with and accepting your regret. That, strangely, was yet another part of the appeal.

But today, for a few thousand dollars and a few weeks of appointments, that permanence and regret is no more.

Soon, a new type of tattoo ink will be available that is designed for laser surgery. Only one treatment will be necessary to remove the ink from the skin, making this the tattoo equivalent of non-alcoholic beer.

Meanwhile, the fringe will continue to get - and keep - their tattoos, even while the tribe who sought their tattooed individuality together seeks removal together as well. Like any other youthful fad, ink is now readily tossed aside for family, career, and adulthood.

Tattoos aren't forever, but some things never change.

Sphere: Related Content

Some One Million Crib Recall Underway In The United States

The largest crib recall in history is underway following findings showing that a couple of kids have been killed by their cribs. Some one million cribs with older drop-side hardware were recalled following an announcement by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Simplicity for Children Inc., asking consumers with such cribs to return them.

The agency and the company are concerned with failure in the "drop-side" of the crib when it is incorrectly assembled. According to the CPSC, the drop-side failures result from both the hardware and crib design. These two faulty elements all too easily trick consumers into unintentionally installing the drop-side upside down. Thus installed, the hardware can weaken and cause the drop-side to detach from the crib, creating a gap in which infants can become entrapped and, there, suffocate. Thus far this failure has led to three infant deaths.

"According to First Candle, a leading promoter of infant health, infants who sleep in an adult bed with their parents are up to 40 times more likely to die through suffocation or other means than infants who sleep in a crib. Parents need to know that babies are
safest in a separate sleeping space designed for them," said Simplicity President Ken Waldman.

This is the largest recall of cribs in United States history. The cribs were made in China.

All of the cribs in question were manufactured by the first part of 2006, and none of the cribs that Simplicity is presently distributing to stores have this design problem.

Once again, a controversy is surrounding products made in China and sold for children in the United States.

However, the last time such a thing happened, which was with the recent recall of supposedly lead paint toxic toys made in China for the giant Mattell toy manufacturer, it ended up being a red herring. Today, Mattell issued a company apology to the entire nation of China when it became clear that the amounts of lead paint that were in the recalled toys did not exceed CPSC limits. Instead, the problem lay tiny magnets in the toys that children could swallow and get sick from - which was a design problem on Mattell's end, not China's.

Critics are concerned that the real motive behind at least a lot of the "China bashing" lies in the frustration that many American consumers feel over the outsourcing of so many formerly American jobs to the Asian nation, where the workers demand only a fraction of the salary that their American counterparts would, as well as with the United States' steep trade deficit with China which American officials blame largely on China's artificially depreciated currency.

Sphere: Related Content

E. Coli Found In US Lettuce Brand, Triggers Dole Lettuce Recall

A bag of Dole's Hearts Delight salad mix sold at a store in Canada, tested positive for E. coli triggering a recall in at least nine states. Neither Canadian health officials nor Dole Food Co. have received reports of anyone getting sick from the product, despite speculations that the product, which is suspected of being contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 has been distributed all over Canada.

The affected packages contain romaine and green leaf lettuce and butter lettuce hearts.

“Don’t play Russian roulette,” said Rene Cardinal, national manager of the fresh fruit and vegetable program at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. “If you have it in your home, destroy it.”

Cardinal added that not all bags are necessarily contaminated, “but don’t take any chances.”

The food safety agency discovered that a sample of Dole’s Hearts Delight mixed lettuce salad was tainted with bacteria as part of random testing completed over the weekend. It’s possible the recall could be expanded as the agency begins an investigation to determine the origin of the bagged salad and where it was distributed.

However, he noted it will take time for the government to determine where the produce was grown because it is a blend of different lettuce types.

“If it had been one single type of lettuce it would be easier,” he said. “It’s too premature at this point in time (to say) what caused the contamination.”

Last year, E. coli-tainted spinach was linked to the deaths of several people in the U.S. Hundreds more were made ill. The spinach scare, as well as subsequent recalls involving items such as carrot juice and lettuce, prompted governments and the food industry to find new ways to improve produce safety.

But this most recent recall shows there is still a long way to go before problems involving food safety are eliminated, said Mansel Griffiths, director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety at the University of Guelph, Ont.

“Hopefully as we identify these issues and put things in place — the correct production practices for the fruit and vegetable industry — then we can reduce the problems that we have.”

The traceability of food, which refers to the ability of authorities to determine where food came from and how it was distributed, is a major factor affecting how quickly possible sources of contamination can be pinpointed and dangerous foods pulled off shelves, Griffiths said.

“Certainly it would help if you could trace the sources of this lettuce as quickly as possible so remedial measures could be taken,” he said.

Despite these latest safety scares, the industry has been making major gains to improve the safety and quality of food, said Heather Holland, senior technical manager of food safety and government relations at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association.

“In actual fact, we’ve been working on food safety for a number of years,” she said.

The fact that this week’s recall is focused on a specific type of Dole brand lettuce shows that the industry’s focus on improving safety and production is working, Holland said.

“What we’re seeing here is the benefits of good practices,” she said. “We’re able here to have the scope of the product narrowed down to a lot number and a best-before date.”

The affected Dole brand lettuce blend is sold in 227-gram packages, coded UPC 0 71430 01038 9 and lot code A24924B, with a best-before date of Sept. 19. It may have been distributed nationally.

Sphere: Related Content

Long-Term Breastfeeding Does Not Reduce Children's Risk Of Suffering Asthma

Long-term breastfeeding, while famously rich in nutrients for baby, does nothing to reduce the risk of developing childhood asthma and allergies, a new study suggests.

Canadian and Belarusian doctors recruited 17,046 breastfeeding women who were attending maternity clinics in Belarus in the late 1990s.

The volunteers were split into two groups.

In one group, the women (and the healthworkers at the maternity clinics) carried out their normal practices and policies of breastfeeding.

In the other, breastfeeding was promoted and supported, with the result that more infants of women in this group were breastfed exclusively for their first three months of life, and for longer periods, at up to 12 months.

When the children reached the age of six and a half, they were tested for any symptoms of asthma and their parents were asked to detail any symptoms of wheezing, chest tightness, hay fever and eczema.

In addition, the children were given allergy pricks to test for any response to house dust mites, cats, birch pollen, mould and grass pollen.


A total of 13,889 youngsters were followed up this way.

There was no difference between the groups on the questions of asthma, hay fever or eczema - and the results from the allergy pricks showed that in the "pro-breastfeeding" group, the youngsters were more sensitive to dust mites and grass pollen than their counterparts.

"These results do not support a protective effect of prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding on asthma or allergy," say the investigators, led by Michael Kramer of The Montreal Children's Hospital, Canada.

They note that asthma and allergies have surged in incidence in the past few decades while breastfeeding has enjoyed a renaissance.

This "strong suggests that breast feeding does not have a potent protective effect (against these disease) at population level."

In 2002, a smaller study, conducted among 1,037 New Zealand infants, found that babies who had been breastfed for more than four weeks rank almost double the risk of contracting asthma and allergies in their childhood compared with counterparts who had been fed on infant formula.

Sphere: Related Content

Oesophagus Cancer Linked To Obesity In Australia

A rapid rise in cases of a deadly oesophagus cancer has been linked to Australia's obesity crisis, with doctors investigating whether fat tissue is feeding the tumours.

The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus — one of the most lethal cancers — has increased fivefold in the past 25 years in Australia, according to David Whiteman, senior research fellow at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research.

"It's a real increase in cancer which you just don't see in epidemiological lifetimes," he said. "It's unprecedented to see a cancer come up so quickly."

Those at greatest risk appear to be obese people, especially men, who suffer from reflux and have smoked at some time.

Dr Whiteman has recently completed a study aiming to identify factors that might affect a person's risk of oesophageal cancer, with a particular focus on whether fat may be feeding certain cancers.

"There really is no question that this is an obesity-related cancer but the question is how and why?" he said.

"Could it be that the fat tissue itself is acting like a fertiliser? Is it producing an environment where if you have an early change that could turn into a cancer in someone with more body fat, that it is more likely to flourish, take root and grow than it would in a lean person who doesn't have the same amount of proteins flitting around the body?"

Dr Whiteman's study has been accepted for publication in the medical journal Gut, published by the British Medical Journal publishing group. His research team compared more than 1000 Australians diagnosed with oesophagus cancers with healthy people.


The participants were asked a number of questions including the nature of their symptoms prior to diagnosis.

"People often don't realise they have any problem until they get their food stuck when they swallow and when that happens usually the cancer is of a large size, which means it's resistant to treatment," Dr Whiteman said.

"It has a survival rate that's as bad as any of the bad cancers like pancreatic cancer."

According to Cancer Council Victoria, there were an average of 133 new cases of the cancer per year in Victorian men and women in 2002-04. Men are five to eight times more likely to get it than women.

One of the big risk factors associated with the cancer is reflux (heartburn) from the stomach, a condition more often suffered by overweight people.

Smoking is also a risk factor, even for people who have only smoked for a short time.

The director of Cancer Council Victoria, Professor David Hill, said the rise in adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus was concerning.

The Cancer Council has conducted a 20-year study of more than 40,000 Victorians, which looked at how lifestyle factors, including diet and exercise, affected a person's risk of developing certain cancers.

It was estimated that obesity contributed to 500 cancer deaths in Victoria each year.

The study, developed by Professor Graham Giles, found men and women who were considered overweight — with a body mass index over 25 — had an increased risk of adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus. Of the patients with the cancer, 45 per cent had the disease because they were overweight.

Professor Hill said certain cancers were associated with being overweight including cancer of the colon, endometrium, postmenopausal breast, kidney and myeloid leukaemia.

"This study shows how much impact you could make in reducing the burden of cancer by in fact changing the prevalence of the risk factor, in this case, overweight/obesity," Professor Hill said.

Sphere: Related Content

Mattel Makes A Third Toy Recall

Mattel, Inc. announced today that, as a result of the company's ongoing investigation of its toys manufactured by vendors in China, the company has voluntarily recalled 11 toys globally, including eight pet and furniture playsets sold under the Barbie® brand and three Fisher-Price® toys, due to impermissible levels of lead. No Barbie® dolls are included within the recall. In total, there are 530,000 affected toys in the U.S., and 318,000 affected toys outside of the U.S. Mattel has completed the testing program for the majority of its toys, including all of its toys currently sourced from vendors.


The voluntary recall results from Mattel's thorough investigation of vendor-sourced toys. Mattel has also globally implemented a strengthened, three-point check system to test toys throughout the manufacturing process.

"In August we promised that we'd continue to focus on ensuring the safety and quality of our toys through extensive testing of finished products, thorough investigation of our vendors and the implementation of a strengthened three-point check system. As a result of our ongoing investigation we discovered additional affected products. Consequently, several subcontractors are no longer manufacturing Mattel toys. We apologize again to everyone affected and promise that we will continue to focus on ensuring the safety and quality of our toys," said Robert A. Eckert, chairman and chief executive officer, Mattel.

In the U.S., there are seven recalled Barbie®-branded toys. The specific affected parts include:

* Dream Puppy House™– orange on miniature dog
* Dream Kitty Condo™– brown on miniature cat
* Table & Chairs Kitchen Playset – yellow food on two dinner plates, brown on miniature dog, yellow and orange on potato chip bowl, orange on salad bowl
* Bathtub & Toilet Playset – brown on miniature cat
* Desk & Chair Bedroom Playset – brown on miniature dog
* Living Room Playset (deluxe) – brown on miniature cat
* Living Room Playset (premium) – yellow flower on purse



The playsets affected by the recall were produced by Holder Plastic Company (Holder), a Mattel contract vendor, which subcontracted the painting of miniature toy pets and small furniture pieces to Dong Lian Fa (DLF) and Yip Sing (YS). DLF and YS used uncertified paint and are no longer producing toys for Mattel.

Mattel's investigation revealed that the subcontractors painted the affected toys between March 2007 and August 2007. However Mattel is being cautious and recalling the entire production of the seven toys painted by the subcontractors. Therefore, toys manufactured beginning in October 2006 are included within the recall. The toys being recalled were sold at retail between November 2006 and August 2007.

Among the three Fisher-Price® toys recalled are two Fisher-Price® GEOTRAX™ toys and one "It's a Big Big World" toy. Fisher-Price® toys with specific parts affected include:

* GEOTRAX™ Rail & Road System Freightway Transport™– yellow headlights on train car and miniature ladder
* GEOTRAX™ Special Track Pack™ – yellow headlights on train car and miniature ladder
* "It's a Big Big World" 6-in-1 Bongo Band – painted decal on top of clear plastic on drum



The two GEOTRAX™ toys were manufactured by Apex Manufacturing Company Ltd. (Apex), one of Mattel's contract vendors, which outsourced paint work to a subcontractor, Boyi Plastic Products Factory (Boyi). Apex supplied Boyi with certified paint; however, the toys were manufactured with uncertified paint. Boyi is no longer in business. The two GEOTRAX™ toys that tested for impermissible levels of lead were manufactured between July 31, 2006, and September 4, 2006; however, the painted parts were stored and incorporated into toy production throughout the year. Mattel is being cautious and recalling toys shipped between August 3, 2006, and July 31, 2007.

The Fisher-Price® "It's a Big Big World" 6-in-1 Bongo Band toy was manufactured by Shun On Factory, one of Mattel's contract vendors, which outsourced the molding and painting of one plastic piece. A subcontractor, Jingying Tampo Printing Processing Factory, used uncertified paint on the affected piece. The "It's a Big Big World" 6-in-1 Bongo Band was manufactured between May 19, 2007, and August 1, 2007.

Mattel is working in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and other regulatory agencies worldwide. Mattel is also working with retailers worldwide to identify and remove affected products from retail shelves.

For additional information regarding this recall, including a full list of affected products, please contact Mattel at (888) 496-8330, or visit the company's Web site at www.service.mattel.com. A full list of products is also published by the Consumer Products Safety Commission.

How to Return Affected Toys/Parts:

1) The first step is for consumers to determine if they have a toy that has been affected by the recall. To do so, they can visit www.service.mattel.com where they will find a complete list of each toy recalled, including color photos, toy model numbers and affected date codes. Consumers can locate toy model numbers on the bottom of most recalled toys.

For consumers without a computer, or for those preferring phone support, they may call (888) 496-8330

2) Once consumers determine that they think they own a Mattel toy affected by the recall, they are prompted to fill out a form (online) or provide their postal address (via phone), and Mattel will send to consumers (via email or to a postal address) a color brochure with photos, toy numbers and date code ranges of every affected toy, as well as a pre-paid mailing label for return of the affected part(s).

3) After receiving consumers' returned, affected part(s), Mattel will send consumers replacement parts for each affected product, as well as bonus pieces/parts.

Mattel recommends that consumers do not return toys to retailers for three reasons:

1) Mattel can help consumers determine if a toy has been affected by the recall (vs. returning an unaffected toy)

2) Mattel will provide consumers with a replacement part for each toy part affected by the recall

3) Mattel will handle affected products in an environmentally friendly way

Consumers do not need to have the toy's original packaging or a receipt to return affected products to Mattel.

Toys and Games
Action Figures, Activities and Amusements, Arts and Crafts, Bike, Skates and Ride-Ons, Construction, Blocks and Models, Dolls, Electronics For Kids, Games, Hot Buys, Hobbies, Kid's Furniture and Room Decor, Learning and Education, Music, Party Supplies, Play Vehicles, Preschool, Pretend Play and Dress-up, Puzzles, Sports and Outdoor Plays, Stuffed Animals and Toys, Toy Figures and Playsets

Sphere: Related Content

Some 20 Million Condoms Recalled In South Africa

South Africa's health department said Tuesday it has recalled 20 million potentially defective condoms approved by an official accused of taking bribes from a manufacturer.

Unsafe sex is especially risky in South Africa, which has one of the world's highest HIV infection rates with an estimated 12 percent of its 47 million people infected with the virus.

There are up to 1,000 AIDS-related deaths in South Africa every day and free condom distribution is a crucial part of the government's efforts to combat the spread of the epidemic.

"An official of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), has put millions of people at risk by illegally passing millions of condoms, which had not met the quality assurance requirements," said health department spokesman Sibani Mngadi.

Mngadi said even though only a batch of 7 million condoms was affected, the department decided to recall all 20 million condoms supplied by the manufacturer since last year, and will no longer be dealing with that company.

The SABS official accused of taking bribes and two directors of the manufacturing company have been arrested and are out on bail, said the spokesman. They will be appearing in a Pretoria court on September 10 to face charges of corruption and fraud.

Story Continues Below

LEGAL ACTION

The condoms did not meet several standard tests for strength, pressure and lubrication, said Mngadi.

The SABS Web site alerted the public, saying the faulty condoms were distributed by brand names including Ultramour, Randy Rat and Positions.

SABS said it had instructed Latex Surgical Products (LSP) to recall the condoms and that it would take legal action against the manufacturer.

Story Continues Below

The Health Department is also recalling condoms produced by LSP from its national HIV/AIDS supply chain.

LSP was not immediately available to comment.

Besides a struggling health-care system characterized by a lack of doctors and nurses, many of whom have left the country for better pay abroad, the fight against AIDS has been hampered by conflicting messages from senior government officials.

Researchers, scientists and health-care workers said in a conference in South Africa in June that they were encouraged by the government's fresh approach to the crisis and improved weapons to protect those most at risk of infection.

But fresh controversy over the government's AIDS policies has erupted.

President Thabo Mbeki sacked Deputy Health Minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge this month for insubordination, sparking an outcry from AIDS activists who strongly backed her policies and critics who say she was fired for political reasons.

Madlala-Routledge had clashed with Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, dubbed "Dr Beetroot," who had horrified

AIDS activists with her advocacy of garlic, lemon and African potatoes over conventional anti-retroviral drugs.

The health department said it does not know how many of the defective condoms have been used, and it is urging the public to return them.

Sphere: Related Content

Moderate Exercise Relaxes Blood Vessels

Moderate exercise might help older adults' blood vessels relax, a study has found - pointing to one reason why exercise lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

As people age, their blood vessels can become more constricted and less pliable in response to blood flow, a change that contributes to high blood pressure and clogged arteries.

But in the new study, older men who took up regular exercise were able to substantially reduce this effect of ageing.

The findings are good news for sedentary older adults, researchers say, because the benefit required only moderate activity - namely, taking a walk five times a week.

"This is exercise that I would stress can be done by most older adults," said senior study author Dr Christopher A. DeSouza of the University of Colorado in Boulder.

He and his colleagues report the findings in the medical journal Hypertension.

The study included 28 healthy but sedentary men: 13 in their 20s and 15 in their 60s. For the first phase of the research, DeSouza and his colleagues used a test called plethysmography to measure blood vessel function in each man's forearm. They found that the older men's blood vessels were generally more constricted than those of their younger counterparts.

Next, the researchers had eight of the older men begin a three-month exercise program, while the rest remained sedentary. The exercisers worked out moderately, typically walking for about an hour, five days per week.

At the end of the three months, the exercise group showed a sharp turnaround in blood vessel constriction - with test results looking more like those of the younger men from the earlier study than the sedentary group their own age.

The improvement in blood vessel function occurred without improvements in the men's weight, body fat, blood pressure or other traditional indicators of heart health.

This is important, DeSouza told Reuters Health, because even if people aren't seeing obvious benefits from exercise - like a smaller waistline - they may still be making improvements on the inside.

Another key point, he noted, is that all of the older men in the study had been long-time couch potatoes, yet were still able to benefit from starting an exercise routine in their 60s.

"It's that old adage, 'It's never too late to start," DeSouza said.

Sphere: Related Content

Short-Burst Oxygen Therapy Benefits Few COPD Patients

Although home use of short-burst oxygen therapy is widely prescribed in the UK for patients with COPD, it may be helpful only in a small minority of patients, researchers report in the current issue of Thorax.

"Short-burst oxygen therapy is used extensively despite little evidence of benefit," lead investigator Dr Simon J Quantrill told Reuters Health. Although "18 million pounds ($A44.13 million) per year are spent on oxygen cylinders used for short-burst oxygen therapy," he noted, "no guidelines exist on how and when to use short-burst oxygen therapy."

To investigate whether short-burst oxygen therapy helps COPD patients with daily activities, Quantrill and colleagues at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London, studied 39 patients who all reported that short-burst oxygen therapy was helpful.

They were asked to choose two routine activities, such as walking upstairs or vacuuming, for which they used short-burst oxygen therapy to relieve breathlessness. The patients were then given two cylinders, one of which contained oxygen and the other, compressed air.

Using nasal prongs, the participants inhaled from one cylinder to recover from breathlessness after performing one of the tasks, and then, at least 15 minutes later, they used the other cylinder after repeating the task. The subjects then went on to use the same two-cylinder procedure for their other chosen activity.

Based on the results of pulse oximetry, the average recovery time over two activities was 38 seconds less when oxygen rather than compressed air was inhaled. The recovery time reported by the patients was about the same, at 34 seconds.

Five of the patients were able to correctly identify when oxygen was employed and the difference in recovery times with oxygen versus indicated a greater benefit of oxygen therapy.

"There may be a small group of patients with severe COPD who do in fact benefit" from short-burst oxygen therapy, Quantrill said.

Nevertheless, he noted, "this needs further research with bigger numbers of patients." Moreover, Quantrill concluded, "further research is needed to be able to produce guidelines on short-burst oxygen therapy usage."

Sphere: Related Content

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Low Among Children Exposed To Farm Animals

Infants who are regularly exposed to farm animals appear to be less likely than others to develop inflammatory bowel disease in childhood, according to the findings of a German study published in the journal Paediatrics.

"Approximately 12,000 children and adolescents in Germany suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)," write Dr Katja Radon and colleagues at Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich.

The recent increase in Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease, especially in industrialised countries, and its pronounced geographical variation, suggest that environmental factors contribute this condition.

The researchers examined the association between contact with farm animals in infancy and the development of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis in childhood. Data were analysed for 748 IBD cases (444 with Crohn's disease and 304 with ulcerative colitis) and 1,481 healthy "control" children.

The children with IBD were more likely than the control children to live in urban areas. Regular contact with farm animals during the first year of life was inversely associated with IBD, the investigators report.

Specifically, the children with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis were about 50 per cent less likely to have regular contact with farm animals in infancy compared with the healthy children.

"The results of this study indicate that farm animal contact during infancy, one of the major factors protecting individuals against childhood allergies, might also decrease the risk of juvenile IBD," Radon's team concludes. The findings also support the hypothesis that allergic diseases and IBD might have similar paths of development.

Sphere: Related Content

Alcohol Reduces Risk Of Kidney Cancer

Alcohol consumption may lower the risk of developing kidney cancer, according to a report in the British Journal of Cancer.

Dr Alicja Wolk from the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, and colleagues investigated the association of different types of alcoholic beverages and of total alcohol consumption with the risk of kidney cancer in a large population-based study in Sweden.

The study involved 855 subjects with kidney cancer and 1204 "controls" without cancer.

They reported their alcohol consumption in terms of standard portion sizes - a glass of beer being 200 millilitres, a glass of wine being 100 mL, and a glass of strong wine or hard liquor equal to 40 mL.

The investigators rated the alcohol content of different beverages: medium-strong beer had 2.8 grams alcohol per 100g, red wine had 9.9 g per 100 g, and hard liquor 32g alcohol per 100g.

The team found that the odds of developing kidney cell cancer was about 40 per cent lower among those who consumed 620g ethanol per month compared to those who did not drink at all.

Drinking more than two glasses of red wine per week was associated with a 40 per cent reduction in kidney cell cancer risk compared with drinking no red wine, the investigators observed, and there were similar trends for more than two glasses per week of white wine or strong beer.

In contrast, there was no relation between kidney cell cancer risk and consumption of light beer, medium-strong beer, strong wine, or hard liquor.

"A reduced risk associated with consumption of wine and beer might be due to the phenolics they contain as these possess antioxidant and antimutagenic properties," the authors speculate.

"However, the lower risk that we observed for three different alcoholic beverages and total ethanol intake suggests that alcohol itself rather than a particular type of drink is responsible for the reduction in risk.

Sphere: Related Content

Pregnancy Where Orgasm Is Not Safe.

Orgasms cause the uterus to contract, sometimes with great intensity, lasting for one-half to one hour after intercourse. Contractions are more frequent as the due date approaches, but may be present in the early second trimester. In general, these contractions do not result in a change in the cervical dilatation or effacement.

If contractions persist for more than an hour after intercourse, or if there is an increase in pelvic pressure or heavy vaginal bleeding, you should contact your caregiver immediately.

For most women, intercourse results in no problems. However, in certain high risk pregnancies (premature labor, incompetent cervix, multiple gestations, placenta previa), "pelvic rest" is advocated to decrease the possibility of premature labor or bleeding. There currently is great debate over the relationship of intercourse to premature labor.

Chemicals present in seminal fluid, called prostaglandins, also cause increased uterine activity. For some women near term, unprotected intercourse can result in more contractions that may cause cervical dilatation or effacement. However, it is impossible to predict who would benefit from having intercourse to stimulate the onset of labor.

Quite often, the mother's pregnant abdomen can cause intercourse to be awkward, and some couples worry that intercourse may, in some way, harm the fetus. In an uncomplicated pregnancy, intercourse is completely safe for both mother and child.

Sphere: Related Content

Bird flu Spreads To 2 More Provinces In Vietnam

Bird flu has spread to two more provinces in Vietnam, killing hundreds of chickens and ducks, the Agriculture Ministry says.

The outbreak of H5N1 in the northern province of Thai Nguyen and Dong Thap to the south brought to four the number of provinces on the government's current bird flu watchlist.

Vietnam has 64 provinces.

A total of 150 ducks and 35 chickens fell sick on Wednesday in Thai Nguyen, 80 km north of Hanoi, and tests have confirmed they had the H5N1 virus, the ministry's Animal Health Department said in a report.

The virus also struck a farm in the southern Mekong delta province of Dong Thap where 250 chickens were found dead on Sunday, it said.

Bird flu has infected seven people in Vietnam so far this year, four of whom have died, bringing the death toll since late 2003 to 46, the government said.

Globally, the H5N1 virus has killed 195 people out of 322 known cases, according to a tally of the World Health Organisation. Hundreds of millions of birds have died or been slaughtered.

Sphere: Related Content