Tag: West Nile Virus

Politics and Policies:

• United Nations has urged Philippines to pass reproductive health bill. It will help to achieve its health-related targets in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s).
• States (U.S.) sets standards for insurance exchanges.
• The Costs for senior’s Medicare Part D premiums will remain stable.
• Massachusetts Governor signs health care cost containment bill.
• Medicaid official outlines state flexibility in health law’s Medicaid expansion.
• Dementia has been added to the list of national health priority areas in Australia, following a meeting of federal and state health ministers in Sydney.
• Uganda’s government sued over maternal healthcare.
• Spain will modify the controversial plan to deny public healthcare to undocumented immigrants.  They would now be treated under same system used for temporary foreign visitors to Spain.

Programs:

• A grant of 690,000 from the African Water Facility (AWF) will support Kenya Rainwater Association (KRA) to build resilience to droughts through rain water harvesting management (IRHM).
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials say that the HIV pill is also for people at risk of getting this deadly infection- woman, heterosexual men.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Lucentis for treatment of diabetic macular edema- a life threatening eye disease that occurs in people with diabetes.
• Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) working with the University of Colorado has embraced PartoPen and Partgraph technology to reduce maternal mortality and life threatening complications.

Research:

• The researchers say that changing diets, urbanization and increasing sedentary lives has resulted in steep rise in obesity among many the African nations (Sub-Saharan Africa). They called it ‘thrifty gene hypotheses’.
• According to a new study the way red meat is cooked can affect cancer risk.  It was found that men who ate more than 2.5 servings of red meat cooked by any high temperature method (broiling or grilling etc.) were 40% more likely to have advanced prostate cancer than men who rarely did so.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there is a slight drop in high school students who smoke cigarettes but sharp increase in percentage of black students who smoked cigars.
• A recent study indicates that babies born to mothers who are overweight or obese in sub-Saharan Africa who are obese more likely die in the first two days after their birth.
• Researchers at Duke University Health System have found a promising stem cell therapy for preventing osteoarthritis after a joint injury, using a type of stem cell, called mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
• According to a study conducted by University of Minnesota researchers investigating in quality of care for diabetic patients reduces their costs.
• A recent research found that the breast cancer survivors with higher body fat had higher mean concentration of Serum amyloid A protein and C-reactive protein than women with lower body fat. Both of them are related to worse survival rates.
• According to a research article planning and management instruments in healthcare area are limited in Brazil.
• A study reconfirmed the usefulness of bendiocarb on anopheles populations (this mosquito causes malaria) resistant to pyrethroids.
• A research study shows that percentage of exercise repetitions (by Parkinson’s disease patients) completed of those agreed with a physiotherapist in a six week personalized exercise program reduced with patient’s age but better compliance with medication was seen with age.
• A study found that Asian females have very low prevalence of postpartum hemorrhage and compared to those of Europe.
• Study found that the ionizing radiations might triggers mechanisms that might favor the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
• According to Australian researchers persistent heavy marijuana use damages the brains memory and learning capacity.
• In a study involving twins it was found that fainting could be triggered by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
• In a study done in Australia it was found that overqualified immigrants who are not able to find a job of their qualification after three years are likely to suffer from depression.
• A research showed that men who did weight lifting reduced their chances of developing type 2 diabetes.

Diseases and Disasters:

• A West Nile virus epidemic has prompted a public health emergency in Dallas County in Texas. Nine people are reported to be killed by infection with this virus.
• A 6.2 magnitude earthquake killed at least 87 people and injured 400 in northwestern Iran on Saturday (Aug, 11).
• Typhoon Haikui struck China on Wednesday.  It has caused flooding and stranded hundreds of people.
• Sliced apples packages distributed to fast-food and grocery chains being recalled due possible listeria contamination.
• Queensland health authorities have rejected swine flu reports.
• Queensland doctors are concerned with an outbreak of the sexually transmitted disease, syphilis, in states northwest.
• Mexico kills 8 million birds infected with bird flu.
• The CDC says 145 cases of the influenza A (H3N2) variant have been found in four United States states since mid-July. This new strain in humans continues to spread.
• According to the CDC just one drug is left to fight against resistant Gonorrhea.