tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54319562011-12-13T22:54:05.529-05:00Updates on the battle between Man and germs: antibiotic-resistant superbugs & other bacteria, potential pandemics, emerging infectious diseases, vaccination, inflammation, probiotics, food safety & travelers' health.Donnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-60534652713703243202008-11-22T14:18:00.000-05:002008-11-22T14:19:36.904-05:00

Vaccines against rotavirus, the maincause of severe diarrhea in preschoolers, may win recommendationfor global use by the World Health Organization (WHO). About 527,000 young children die from rotavirus-induceddiarrhea annually, 85 percent of them in lower-income countriesof Africa and Asia, WHO says.(h/t Bloomberg.com)

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1156517341634907122006-08-25T10:49:00.000-04:002006-08-25T22:03:16.693-04:00

In the past couple of years, CA-MRSA has fully infiltrated itself into the US community, which I remarked on back in April 2005. As a new MSNBC article states, MRSA skin infections are often mistaken for spider bites, but don't clear up and rapidly get worse. Bug bites are common in summer but a new super bug sweeping San Diego could have potentially fatal effects. Local hospital emergency rooms

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1152368395653249442006-07-08T10:19:00.000-04:002006-07-08T10:19:55.873-04:00

By the time [Richard] Herskovitz got to the emergency room at Carroll Hospital Center [one day after dropping a computer on his foot], the swelling had moved up to his knee and his leg had turned dark. The former body builder still didn't know what was wrong until an orthopedic surgeon diagnosed it.Herskovitz said he still doesn't know the doctor's name, but he saved his life.'Saw my leg, knew

Donnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1149127152250166232006-05-31T21:59:00.000-04:002006-05-31T21:59:12.400-04:00

Apparently "50 tons of red gunk...rained on India in 2001. It's possible that the stuff contains critters from outer space," sez Boing Boing.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1147583073195077452006-05-14T01:04:00.000-04:002006-05-14T01:05:38.886-04:00

Like something out of "Aliens," excruciatingly painful skin lesions extrude a mysterious, fibrous material -- in different colors. One sufferer finally took his life to end the agony. And some doctors think people are making it all up.Welcome to the bizarre infection called Morgellons Disease, which has afflicted over 100 people in south Texas and other southern states. Antibiotics eventually

Donnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1147449822691425012006-05-12T12:03:00.000-04:002006-05-12T15:13:46.423-04:00

The antibacterial ingredient triclosan -- now added to nearly everything, from hand soap to toothpaste and cloth -- has been found to survive processing in water-treatment plants. It's also been detected in processed-sewage sludge (aka biosolids) spread as fertilizer in farmers' fields. (For some background, read my earlier discussion of the triclosan controversy.)That means the microbe-killing

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1146004065066971562006-04-25T18:27:00.000-04:002006-04-25T18:27:48.913-04:00

From today's WaPo, some additional detail on the scary situation for contact-lens wearers. Apparently many users are "confused and concerned. Eye doctors report a surge in calls from users of Bausch & Lomb's ReNu with MoistureLoc MultiPurpose Solution, which the company has asked retailers to stop selling."Bausch has already pulled all product from store shelves, and last week the FDA told users

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1145762395679107222006-04-22T23:19:00.000-04:002006-05-18T16:34:37.133-04:00

You're not just imagining it, CFS sufferers, and it's not just a hard-to-identify infection. The results of a study on a group of people in Wichita, Kansas with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has proven that there are a number of genetic components to the illness. A detailed WaPo story sums up an important finding in the research: "[T]hough [chronic fatigue] syndrome comes in many flavors,...experts

Donnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1145670677542816362006-04-21T21:51:00.000-04:002006-04-21T21:51:17.650-04:00

The mumps virus outbreak has afflicted over 1,100 in Iowa and other midwestern states, and will likely spread as college student end the academic year and travel around the country. So says the CDC. "This is an unstable situation right now,' said Julie L. Gerberding, CDC director. The CDC has dispatched teams to Iowa and Nebraska to help health workers try to contain the outbreak, mainly by

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1145391317866787652006-04-18T16:15:00.000-04:002006-04-18T16:15:18.730-04:00

Many US farmers maintain a manure lagoon, filled with cow manure to which water is added. The mixture is mixed and then sprayed on crop fields as fertilizer. Great way to recycle cow pies, but some of the bacteria-laden mixture runs off into streams -- or even into wells -- and the whole mess stinks.Technology may change all that. Buzz Hoerr of Colchester, Vermont is president of ElectroCell

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1145374927118141052006-04-18T11:42:00.000-04:002006-04-18T11:46:01.060-04:00

There's a lot wrong with the MSM, but when they do their job well, it's only right to applaud their efforts. One of the bright spots in the Hurricane Katrina mess was the truly indefatigable efforts by the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper to continue providing area residents -- and the world -- with vital information. This the paper did, even though its facility was flooded and the paper

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1145159131202881692006-04-15T23:45:00.000-04:002006-04-15T23:45:31.310-04:00

From Sunday's WaPo:President Bush is expected to approve soon a national pandemic influenza response plan that identifies more than 300 specific tasks for federal agencies, including determining which frontline workers should be the first vaccinated and expanding Internet capacity to handle what would probably be a flood of people working from their home computers.The Treasury Department is

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1144795586949929102006-04-11T18:41:00.000-04:002006-04-11T18:46:26.950-04:00

A new book, sold only at Amazon.com and titled The Natural Bird Flu Cure "They" Don't Want You To Know About, has reached a ranking of 3,713 today! I haven't read it yet, but it appears to rely on scientific research on megadoses of Vitamin C. Worth a look, at least.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1144718003952341042006-04-10T21:13:00.000-04:002006-04-13T22:16:00.923-04:00

Update 13 Apr 06: Thanks to the rapid transmission of news today, companies must react immediately to negative developments. Bausch & Lomb has done that by telling stores to remove their ReNu brand contact-lens solution from shelves, advising users to switch to a different brand, and offering to refund the money of anyone who returns their ReNu product to Bausch.Update 11 Apr 06: B&L's stock

Donnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1144407576488961372006-04-07T06:59:00.000-04:002006-04-11T18:24:22.720-04:00

Don't be left behind in the bird-flu panic! Show your fear (pretend it's just ironic postmodern ennui) -- or just clue others in to H5N1 -- with cool shirts, hats and buttons from H5N1 Wear!

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1144378424608569032006-04-06T22:53:00.000-04:002006-04-06T23:04:16.550-04:00

Researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of Washington used supercomputers to model the rapid spread throughout the United States of a hypothetical, mutated form of bird flu that could be easily transmitted between humans. They also studied how to slow the spread of a pandemic flu.They determined that though it would take time to develop and produce a vaccine perfectly

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1144354018552902272006-04-06T16:06:00.000-04:002006-04-12T10:12:40.486-04:00

Only cleaners with bleach appear to kill active Clostridium difficile (c-diff) bacteria, plus their spores. In fact, the use of non-bleach-containing cleaners actually seems to encourage the bacteria to form more spores -- which under the right conditions will grow and infect humans.(If bacteria produce more spores, they have greater potential to survive for long periods of time in the hospital

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1144296019521650372006-04-06T00:00:00.000-04:002006-04-06T12:49:32.240-04:00

Will felines someday take the place of attorneys in Shakespeare's famous statement? If a full-blown, human-transmissible bird-flu epidemic ever does come about, well, putting down Fluffy may mean the difference between (human) life and death.Think I'm kidding? "Cats are significantly more likely to catch and pass on bird flu than has generally been thought and could help the virus to mutate to

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1144288768223799602006-04-05T21:59:00.000-04:002006-04-06T00:15:35.710-04:00

Will antibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii become the next MRSA? It's been killing hospital patients in the UK and France, and causing problems in US military hospitals. Now it's showing up in Italian hospitals. A typically dry research paper, presented at the 16th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID)in France, discloses that "there is new and

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1144037106218812282006-04-03T00:05:00.000-04:002006-04-04T13:30:08.256-04:00

Update 04 Apr 2006: Less than two days after I posted this article, discussion of Dr. Pianka's recent utterances can be found filling the talk-radio waves and the blogosphere. There's a thoughtful take on this issue of "eco-sacrifice," courtesy of The American Thinker.Forrest M. Mims III reports at The Citizen Scientist about hearing the unbelievable at a recent meeting of the Texas Academy of

Donnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143909019580290572006-04-01T11:30:00.000-05:002006-04-02T13:48:48.086-04:00

How might quantum physics and the bird-flu epidemic be alike? Well, quantum theory posits that "by the very act of watching, the observer affects the observed reality." This bizarre phenomenon is usually related solely to scientific experimentation on subatomic particles. But it appears to have applications in everyday life, as well.In a review of the book Jackie Oh!, E.W. Wilder makes the

Donnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143843102832950482006-03-31T17:11:00.000-05:002006-04-15T23:50:17.093-04:00

Update 15 Apr 2006: The mumps epidemic is spreading throughout the US Midwest.-------------------------"We are calling this an epidemic," said Iowa state epidemiologist Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, explaining that mumps has spread to more than one-third of the state and does not appear to be confined to certain age groups or other sectors of the population.Quinlisk said Iowa has had about five cases of

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143733426822922292006-03-30T10:43:00.000-05:002006-03-30T10:45:36.670-05:00

Retailer John Wanamaker famously lamented, "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don't know which half." His dilemma -- measuring ad-campaign results -- continues to be most ad agencies' Achilles' heel. I thought about that as I scanned the MSNBC headline: "First Bird Flu Shot Protects Only Half of People" -- which half? Apparently the new US avian-flu vaccine is "

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143692961603907782006-03-29T23:29:00.000-05:002006-03-30T10:18:43.163-05:00

If you pick up an infection during your hospital stay, expect your bill to be an astonishing 750 percent higher than if you had stayed germ-free. That's what the state of Pennsylvania found in statistics from 2004. Pennsylvania is the first US state to require hospitals to report on HAI -- hospital-acquired infections. According to a new report by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143690678995183282006-03-29T22:51:00.000-05:002006-03-30T17:11:48.946-05:00

WaPo takes a look at some consumer products designed to help us spot and kill germs at the daily-life level -- things like toothbrush sanitizers and food-freshness strips. These products were recently showcased in Chicago at the huge trade show of the International Housewares Association."It's getting scarier out there for a lot of people. We've heard about anthrax and mad cow disease and all the

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143688447555069102006-03-29T22:14:00.000-05:002006-03-30T10:21:14.596-05:00

Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute have succeeded in increasing the killing power of vancomycin aglycon, an important antibiotic against which bacteria have been developing resistance. In a laboratory version of tricking or hot-rodding a vehicle, Brendan M. Crowley and Dale L. Boger modified the molecular structure of vancomycin and produced a new variant that is many times more

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143556484895367072006-03-28T09:34:00.000-05:002006-03-28T09:49:43.483-05:00

Today's NYT has a profile of Dr David Nabarro, the United Nations' chief avian flu coordinator. After focusing on how scared Dr. Nabarro is of the potential impact of H5N1 bird flu, the scribber gets down to specifics, of which the quotes below are a sample. I especially like his point about the sudden spread of the virus, after years of "smoldering" in Asia. He attributes it to migratory birds.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143429494934938042006-03-26T22:18:00.000-05:002006-03-26T22:22:36.280-05:00

WaPo scribbler Dana Milbank had a wry commentary in Friday's fishwrap about here 'n' there meetings in official D.C. -- all dealing with hypothetical catastrophes: "Happy Doomsday To You!" -- cute title."It began with a breakfast meeting in a Senate office building where, over fruit salad and bagels, government and academic experts discussed the coming avian flu pandemic....""Next: the

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143405884317588342006-03-26T15:44:00.000-05:002006-03-26T15:44:44.456-05:00

The international health community is responding to recent disease crises by focusing more attention and resource on zoonoses -- animal diseases that can also sicken people. The threat of zoonotic diseases was a major theme last week in Atlanta, at the four-day International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases (ICEID), and the three-day International Symposium on Emerging Zoonoses that

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143264103218741882006-03-25T00:21:00.000-05:002006-04-11T18:41:20.806-04:00

Update 11 Apr 2006: Apparently someone has already pursued the angle I discuss below, and has published a book (at sale only at Amazon.com) titled The Natural Bird Flu Cure "They" Don't Want You To Know About. Today its rank is 3,713!---------------------------Browsing through the online British Medical Journal, I ran across the most interesting letter from Sidney J. Bush, an optometrist (see

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143216454896400132006-03-24T11:07:00.000-05:002006-03-24T11:25:15.936-05:00

***It's World TB Day - Learn More***Tuberculosis cases declined to an all-time low in the US in 2005 -- down to 14,093. That's the good news, says the CDC. The bad news, however, is that TB is becoming resistant to the antibiotics used to fight it (primarily isoniazid and rifampin). Between 2003 and 2004, the number of US residents with "multi-drug resistant" (MDR) TB increased by 13 percent.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143138395396292602006-03-23T13:26:00.000-05:002006-03-23T13:28:40.036-05:00

Unlike other flu viruses that multiply in the throat -- making it easy to spread through coughing -- the H5N1 avian-flu virus prefers to replicate much deeper in the lungs. Clips from WSJ: Using tissues from human cadavers, researchers at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam studied which cells the bird virus would become attached to. According to Thijs Kuiken, a veterinary pathologist who

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1143040704480671462006-03-22T10:18:00.000-05:002006-03-22T10:20:07.893-05:00

The data are a bit old -- 1998 through 2002 -- but research shows that Americans are eating less so-called "risky foods" than ever before. Risky foods are those most likely to cause illness from dangerous germs that they carry. The most important risky foods are: - Pink (rare or raw) hamburgers and ground beef- Raw fresh fish (aka sashimi)- Raw oysters- Raw (unpasteurized) milk- Runny (

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142997163953833592006-03-21T22:12:00.000-05:002006-03-21T22:15:11.643-05:00

A surprising discovery has been published in Emerging Infectious Diseases: alcohol-based hand gels with less than 60% alcohol can't be counted on to kill most harmful bacteria and viruses.Based on experiments that found an alcohol concentration of 60% or more was needed, a team led by Scott Reynolds (a specialist in infection control at the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center in

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142946675845556592006-03-21T08:11:00.000-05:002006-03-21T13:30:50.086-05:00

...asks the AFP news agency. My sentiments exactly. The article presents several reasons why Euros are hysterical over H5N1 avian flu. Here's part:The daftness gives the lie to a continent that prides itself on having the world's richest history in science, the most educated population and a communications system that is second to none.But there is no surprise among historians and food experts,

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142915678855887762006-03-20T23:34:00.000-05:002006-03-20T23:34:39.110-05:00

Dean's World reproduces an e-mail by controversial molecular biologist Peter Duesberg, regarding Duesberg's skepticism about the possibility of a human avian-flu pandemic. Read the whole thing, but herewith some quotes:The current Flu propaganda is thus a mix of ignorance and self-interest and an exploitation of general ignorance by the CDC, WHO, the vaccine, pill and test-kit manufacturers of

Donnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142896277041584462006-03-20T18:11:00.000-05:002006-03-20T18:20:02.516-05:00

Speaking at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases (ICEID) in Atlanta, Dr. Rebecca Garten of the CDC said that H5N1 avian flu has diversified into two genetic types. But it gets even more complicated. "Back in 2003, we only had one genetically distinct population of H5N1 with the potential to cause a human pandemic, now we have two," she's quoted in a Red Herring article.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142865815545828962006-03-20T09:43:00.000-05:002006-03-31T17:52:43.280-05:00

Update 26 Mar 2006: WaPo outdoors scribbler Angus Phillips writes that the "front-page story on [mycobacteriosis] in The Post two weeks ago [see my story below] sent rockfish market prices plunging by half. It came at a rough time for the sportfishing industry."----------While the numbers of rockfish (striped bass) in the Chesapeake Bay have surged in recent years -- leading to huge catches by

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142862608309633522006-03-20T08:49:00.000-05:002006-03-20T09:01:48.426-05:00

Excellent update in today's NYT on the continuing drive to wipe out polio. This article discusses why it's so difficult to finish the job - some clips below:Nearly 18 years ago, in what they described as a "gift from the 20th century to the 21st," public health officials and volunteers around the world committed themselves to eliminating polio from the planet by the year 2000.Since then, some two

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142649202744130332006-03-17T21:33:00.000-05:002006-03-17T21:33:23.213-05:00

TIME blogger Christine Gorman reports on research first reported in Nature, to the effect that the deadly game of bacteria vs. antibiotics may have an ultimate winner: the germs.Bad news in Nature (March 16, 2006). A team of biologists, biochemists and molecular biologists from the Max Planck Institute and the Hannover Medical School in Germany believe we may already possess nearly all of the

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142635008673465312006-03-17T17:36:00.000-05:002006-03-17T17:58:20.230-05:00

An informative, free-access WSJ article today, in which wildlife and poultry experts answer questions about the spread of H5N1 avian flu via migratory birds. Some interesting clips:WSJ.COM: What precautions is the [US] chicken industry taking with regards to H5N1?Mr. Lobb: Every [US] flock is tested before it goes to market, so far they have not found any problems, but we're definitely monitoring

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142609066780283532006-03-17T10:24:00.000-05:002006-03-17T17:59:26.850-05:00

A gem of a comment in the middle of a yada-yada MRSA article I noted yesterday: [UK health groups] urge frequent hand-washing by healthcare staff as the most important single measure for controlling spread of the [MRSA] infection.Doctors in one sample estimated that they washed their hands 73 per cent of the time but were in fact found to clean them on just nine per cent of occasions.Experts call

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142556954832279532006-03-16T19:55:00.000-05:002006-03-16T20:10:42.600-05:00

1. Super-sensitive blood test could detect cancers, etc. much earlier2. Hospital-acquired C-diff deaths3. Pneumococcus vaccine lowers chance of pneumonia death (!)4. MRSA-busting "hit squads" target UK hospitals5. PDT (photodynamic therapy) kills S. mutans & other oral bacteria6. Calling Michael Crichton! Unknown bacteria found thriving in Columbia wreckage7. The Six Scariest Germs8. UK experts'

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142521016882368092006-03-16T09:56:00.000-05:002006-03-16T10:01:55.933-05:00

Today's WSJ highlights a discussion going on within the public-health community regarding how to eradicate avian flu from animal hosts living in areas with high infection rates dubbed "viral reservoirs." They're looking at the strategy being used to combat rinderpest, a cattle disease, in Africa. Rinderpest has been almost wiped out (no cases reported in the past five years!) due to a strategy of

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142481199458965742006-03-15T22:53:00.000-05:002006-03-16T10:08:40.583-05:00

WaPo columnist Sally Squires has a good article on probiotics that goes beyond the usual yada-yada of their being "good" bacteria. She actually recommends several positive, practical changes anyone can make to their diets, to eat more probiotic bacteria without resorting to supplements:1. Add chicory to your coffee This practice was popular during World War II, when coffee supplies were limited.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142456871118765132006-03-15T16:07:00.000-05:002006-03-15T16:11:08.876-05:00

Why is the United States, and Americans such as Bill and Melinda Gates, pouring millions of dollars into fighting avian flu, if our country is really the source of the disease? That's got to be the response to accusations like the one reported today as coming from Russian Communist Party [didn't those guys lose the Cold War and have their ideology completely discredited?] leader Gennady Zyuganov:

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142433765754123342006-03-15T09:42:00.000-05:002006-03-15T09:57:12.116-05:00

So says Dr. Kennedy Shortridge in an article in the current SEED Magazine."I have no idea if H5N1 will cause a pandemic," continues Dr. Shortridge, an emeritus professor of microbiology at Hong Kong University who has spent three decades studying influenza. "We can't be certain at all." Shortridge led the campaign against H5N1 in Hong Kong in 1997, after it killed six people. Shortridge believes

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1142393377432115122006-03-14T22:29:00.000-05:002006-03-14T22:29:37.680-05:00

Robert G. Webster is one of the few bird flu experts confident enough to answer the key question: Will the avian flu switch from posing a terrible hazard to birds to becoming a real threat to humans?There are 'about even odds at this time for the virus to learn how to transmit human to human,' he told ABC's 'World News Tonight.' Webster, the Rosemary Thomas Chair at St. Jude Children's Research

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1141269979332139072006-03-01T22:26:00.000-05:002006-03-01T22:26:19.683-05:00

According to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, Michael Leavitt, the lethal avian flu now spreading rapidly around the world could soon infect wild birds and domesticated flocks in the United States. In testimony to a congressional panel, Leavitt told senators that no one knows when or if the virus will pose a threat to people. But, he said, "it's just a matter of time -- it may be very

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1140979902179344722006-02-26T13:51:00.000-05:002006-02-26T13:51:42.550-05:00

Excellent background article by AP today on Flu Wiki, a recommended site for independent assessments of news on a possible influenza pandemic.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1140809923624080282006-02-24T14:38:00.000-05:002006-02-24T14:38:43.973-05:00

AP has news of a very interesting story of how technology helped discover a possible link between a virus and prostate cancer. Here's a nugget from the longer story:In a surprising discovery, researchers said Friday they had found a virus in some prostate cancer patients, a finding that opens new research avenues in the most common major cancer among men in the United States.The virus, closely

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1140727993810982752006-02-23T15:53:00.000-05:002006-02-23T15:54:48.996-05:00

Jim Geraghty, writing from Turkey, injects some more sanity into the avian-flu debate. Some tasty tidbits: Here's the bottom line on bird flu, straight from the hot zone: Those in the poultry industry ought to be a little worried and take the proper precautions. But the average chicken-and-egg eating consumer in the United States has little to worry about, even if the virus reaches American

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1140560217922200082006-02-21T17:16:00.000-05:002006-02-21T17:17:00.613-05:00

Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne disease, has hit over 100,000 people on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, and has been linked to the death of a 10-year-old girl.The child's death was "very probably" connected to the chikungunya disease, according to Antoine Perrin, head of the regional hospitals department, who said further tests were being carried out for confirmation. She was the second child

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1140463304551201522006-02-20T14:21:00.000-05:002006-02-20T14:27:37.226-05:00

As noted in my previous post, the big concern about avian flu is not the current virus (which infects humans through infected birds), but a mutated virus that spreads from one human to another. Despite being around for several years, the current H5N1 virus has not undergone such a mutation. (And it is possible that a mutated H5N1 will also be less deadly to humans than the current, bird-based

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1140405993281633412006-02-19T22:26:00.000-05:002006-02-21T17:20:14.853-05:00

Fueled by the continuing, rapid spread of bird flu around the world, AP writer Andrew Bridges has an interesting piece on zoonotic diseases -- animal diseases that also infect humans. (Get more Zap*Germs detail on zoonotic diseases.)There are 1,407 pathogens — viruses, bacteria, parasites, protozoa and fungi — that can infect humans, said Mark Woolhouse of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1140194147417887882006-02-17T11:35:00.000-05:002006-02-17T11:35:47.706-05:00

You may have read recent articles discussing the disturbing trend of bedbugs being discovered in otherwise-clean hotels and resorts. New York City is experiencing something of a bedbug plague at this time.Johns Hopkins researcher Dr. Jason Rasgon is working to identify a bacteria that bedbugs require to reproduce, then target that bacteria with an appropriate chemical to disrupt the breeding

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1139806155722329672006-02-12T23:49:00.000-05:002006-02-12T23:49:16.066-05:00

This ol' world just keeps getting more interesting:A bacterium found in a volcanic vent in the side of Antarctica's Mount Erebus has been developed by New Zealand scientists to speed up forensic DNA testing.The organism - which uses an enzyme to protect and repair its own DNA - has been incorporated in new DNA extraction products to be launched on the world market next week.Zygem Corp - a

Donnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1139688549648221162006-02-11T15:09:00.000-05:002006-02-11T15:20:55.433-05:00

Infections from Clostridium sordellii and Clostridium difficile (C-diff) have prompted a scientists' conference on May 11 at the CDC in Atlanta, says The NY Times. C. sordellii infections have killed four California women who used the Mifeprex (Mifepristone or RU-486) abortion pill. C-diff has been in the news for causing fatal infections among both weak and strong hospital patients. A recent

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1139432600757752342006-02-08T16:03:00.000-05:002006-02-08T22:59:08.883-05:00

Nigeria has discovered what's being called a "highly pathogenic" strain of H5N1 bird-flu virus in its commercial poultry. More details in this BBC story.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1139011913297608582006-02-03T19:11:00.001-05:002006-02-03T20:14:06.283-05:00

Good news for small children and their parents: RotaTeq, a new vaccine from Merck, has been approved to protect little ones from life-threatening diarrhea and dehydration produced by rotavirus infections.In the United States, rotavirus sickens about 2.7 million children younger than 5, sends up to 70,000 to the hospital and causes 20 to 70 deaths each year.A federal advisory committee on

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1138836861004281562006-02-01T18:34:00.000-05:002006-02-03T14:03:04.016-05:00

Researchers at Canada's University of Victoria discovered that air travelers are much more likely to catch a cold after flying, than if they had not taken their flight. Apparently the chance of infection is increased not so much by air recirculation as air humidity -- very low air humidity. A portion of this very interesting post at The Citizen Scientist:Very dry air dries up the mucous system

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1138721604735681602006-01-31T09:53:00.000-05:002006-01-31T10:33:25.083-05:00

Every school year, parents send their little ones off to preschool and kindergarten, where they meet new friends, learn new things -- and bring home new germs to spread around! It's not easy to teach little kids about germs, infection and the importance of handwashing, as the germs are invisible and bug-laden hands usually look clean.The HealthyHands site offers germ-related curriculum for

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1138672503578190462006-01-30T20:55:00.000-05:002006-01-30T20:57:33.586-05:00

The NYT Magazine has an excellent article on the pros and cons of reviving the deadly 1918 flu virus. A brief clip:The 1918 flu virus is remarkable for two reasons. First, it caused perhaps the most lethal plague in the history of humankind. In the fall of that year it spread across the planet, perversely striking down healthy young adults. Once ensconced in their lungs, the virus triggered a

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1138667922798245452006-01-30T19:38:00.000-05:002006-01-30T20:27:51.050-05:00

ScienceBlog discusses recent research that seems to support the hypothesis that an adenovirus may be implicated in human obesity.There is accumulating evidence that certain viruses may cause obesity, in essence making obesity contagious, according to Leah D. Whigham, the lead researcher in a new study, 'Adipogenic potential of multiple human adenoviruses in vivo and in vitro in animals,' in the

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1138304486353527812006-01-26T14:41:00.000-05:002006-01-26T14:41:40.656-05:00

An AP story today describes the flu-virus research underway at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, but buries the lead in the eighth paragraph:Enter the new clue [to understanding why avian flu kills so many people it infects], a protein called NS1 produced inside flu-infected cells. In bird flus, the NS1 protein harbors a molecular feature that seems to help the virus latch onto

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1138287482661681012006-01-26T09:58:00.000-05:002006-01-26T10:12:05.673-05:00

Speaking to world leaders and influencers at the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Bono announced a new idea that will allow people to buy trendy products and feel good about it. "So, here we are, fat cats in the snow, and I say that as one," he said to laughs. "It is a great place to do business and we have some business we want to talk to you about."Revenue from products with the Red

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1138054111889254952006-01-23T17:08:00.000-05:002006-01-25T10:44:08.203-05:00

The University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has decided to screen all in-patients for MRSA (antibiotic-resistant staph) before admittance, and is thought to be the first in the NHS to adopt the screening policy as a routine. Patients carrying the bug will get a kit containing soap and shampoo with the same disinfectant as that used by [operating-room] staff, and an antibiotic

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1138031387261623642006-01-23T10:49:00.000-05:002006-01-23T11:00:49.063-05:00

Just received the latest free e-newsletter from Dannon, in which they educate readers on the helpful bacteria known as probiotics (use the search function above to find other Zap*Germs postings on "probiotics"). This issue focuses on the role of probiotics in maintaining a strong immune system, especially during the winter. Below are the key points:"A lot of press is given to the 'bad' bacteria,

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1137879762928055672006-01-21T16:42:00.000-05:002006-01-23T10:19:31.836-05:00

Drawing on the natural antibacterial properties of wasabi, the Japanese horseradish, Delta Air Lines will soon start using Lemongrass Wasabi Hand Wash by Lather in its airliners' lavatories. So sez WFAA-TV in Dallas-Ft. Worth.Regarding the issue of antibacterial-vs-regular soaps for everyday use, read this detailed post from the Zap*Germs archive.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1137819043890399652006-01-20T23:50:00.000-05:002006-01-20T23:50:44.126-05:00

From the VOA, this article and related voice reporting:U.N. experts are warning that Africa is a likely new location for the emergence of bird flu, and they say the spread of the virus onto the African continent could have devastating consequences unless governments move quickly to improve health and surveillance.The warning came this week from world health experts taking part in a conference

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1137782566330882312006-01-20T13:42:00.000-05:002006-01-25T10:45:42.066-05:00

Update 20 Jan 2006: ABC News also has a CA-MRSA feature today.While providing nearly real-time updates on avian flu, The Wall Street Journal has been late to the party regarding MRSA (antibiotic-resistant staph) coverage. Today it catches up with a front-page [subscription required] story on community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA), the methicillin-resistant staph strain that has established itself

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1137735962291195602006-01-20T00:46:00.000-05:002006-01-23T17:30:51.026-05:00

This comes as something of a surprise, to me at least:Researchers at McMaster University [in Canada] screened 480 strains of bacteria they took from soil and tested them against 21 different antibiotics. Every bacterium was resistant to a number of antibiotics, an average of seven or more, according to the report in the Jan. 20 issue of Science.'The density of resistance is surprising,' said

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1137715992064903242006-01-19T19:13:00.000-05:002006-01-19T19:18:46.783-05:00

Meandering through The Scientist after linking from its feature section on synthetic biology [see my synthetic-biology post], I ran across a very readable column by Jack Woodall, in which he asks us to forget about dying from avian flu -- for most people on Earth, a remote possibility at present -- and instead worry about Aedes aegypti mosquito-borne yellow fever and dengue fever. Though there's

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1137712820879762832006-01-19T18:17:00.000-05:002006-01-19T18:52:08.983-05:00

An interesting science article in the NYT [get free login] on genetic engineering, now using the term "synthetic biology" [definition] to describe programming microorganisms to perform tasks:While much of the early work has consisted of eye-catching, if useless, stunts like [programming] blinking bacteria, the emerging field could one day have a major impact on medicine and industry.For instance,

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1137693261523853512006-01-19T12:54:00.000-05:002006-01-19T19:18:10.553-05:00

Concerned about the risk of a worldwide avian-flu pandemic, representatives from world governments attending a conference in Beijing promised to spend nearly US$2 billion to combat the disease. Details from AP include:The funding conference, co-sponsored by the World Bank, the European Commission and the Chinese government, follows a global bird-flu coordination meeting held two months ago in

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1137299628586475972006-01-14T23:33:00.000-05:002006-01-14T23:33:48.650-05:00

HealthDay says that RSV -- respiratory syncytial virus -- is the leading cause of infants being hospitalized, and is especially active in the winter months.Even though it can cause pneumonia and affects almost all children at least once before they're 2 years old, many parents haven't even heard of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), notes an expert at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.RSV most often

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1137299000639968322006-01-14T23:23:00.000-05:002006-01-14T23:23:20.866-05:00

A whopping 91 percent of virus samples tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this flu season proved resistant to rimantadine and amantadine, a huge increase since last year, when only 11 percent were.The discovery adds to worries about how to fight bird flu should it start spreading among people. Health officials had hoped to conserve use of two newer antiviral drugs, Tamiflu

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1137092738268533622006-01-12T14:05:00.000-05:002006-01-12T14:34:03.833-05:00

The Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing & distribution philosophy was started by Japanese automakers back in the '80s, and their use of it -- along with higher-quality specs -- forced Detroit to improve their then-lousy product lines and manufacturing processes in order to compete. JIT (also called "lean manufacturing") keeps the entire manufacturing-and-distribution supply chain running efficiently

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1137089104362829162006-01-12T13:05:00.000-05:002006-01-12T13:07:32.936-05:00

An AP report highlights the usefulness of the GeoSentinel medical database in tracking what infections are most likely to hit travelers in various parts of the developing world.GeoSentinel's records on 17,353 ill tourists treated from 1996 through 2004, after their return home from 230 developing nations, show many illnesses were not apparent for a while: More than one-third of the patients

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1136996449051326222006-01-11T11:20:00.000-05:002006-01-11T11:22:53.856-05:00

An IHT article today contains some interesting developments on the avian-flu outbreak in Turkey -- 1) a sudden appearance of cases whose method of transmission is baffling health experts, and 2) people who test positive but not (yet) getting sick:Two young brothers, aged 4 and 5, are being closely watched at the gleaming new Kecioren Hospital here [in Ankara], a police car at the entrance

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1136995423851322792006-01-11T11:03:00.000-05:002006-01-11T11:08:14.056-05:00

A blood-borne staph infection has taken the life of Jack Snow, the star wide receiver for the LA Rams football team from 1965-75. His infection was likely not MRSA, acording to this comment in an AP article on Snow's death:Rams internal medicine physician Douglas Pogue said last week that Snow's staph infection originated as a sinus infection, then entered the bloodstream and infected an

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1136911320655330932006-01-10T11:42:00.000-05:002006-01-11T11:25:28.953-05:00

The internal-medicine resident formerly known as the Mad House Madman has graduated, and established a new blog, Doctor, to chronicle his new career. Visit Doctor often for great insights on first-person medical practice, with frequent dashes of humor.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1136908967615807882006-01-10T11:02:00.000-05:002006-01-12T19:29:17.320-05:00

Today's NYT has a great story by Jordana Horn Marinoff, describing how an alert MD identified Marinoff's husband's severe sore throat as epiglottitis -- a bacterial infection usually found in small children -- and got Nathan to the ER in time to save his life.Here's a snippet: An hour later, Nathan called me from the emergency room. "I need you here.""I'll be there in about 15 minutes, O.K.?" I

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1136862938438316942006-01-09T22:15:00.000-05:002006-01-11T11:26:25.293-05:00

From the WSJ Avian Flu News Tracker, three blips:4:30 p.m.: A new study suggests the H5N1 virus is more widespread than thought. But it also probably doesn't kill half its victims, a fear that was based solely on flu cases that have been officially confirmed. "The results suggest that the symptoms most often are relatively mild and that close contact is needed for transmission to humans," wrote

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1136563453908603882006-01-06T11:04:00.000-05:002006-01-06T11:08:24.266-05:00

I blogged in August '05 about the increase in dangerous red-tide algae occurences that were making Florida beach tourists sick with coughs and other respiratory problems. This morning I was surprised, while reading an article on Florida manatee deaths, to learn that the red tides actually killed a number of "sea cows" in 2005.The Florida government reported a 30% increase in manatee deaths during

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1136531860515322052006-01-06T02:17:00.000-05:002006-01-06T02:17:40.840-05:00

The newly released, pandemic-flu planning report for individuals/families can be downloaded in PDF format here.Website-based info for families and individuals is here, with links to more information for businesses, schools, etc.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1136265507459716902006-01-03T00:18:00.000-05:002006-01-03T18:57:24.970-05:00

NPR reports: In testimony before the House Commitee on International Relations, [Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases] said, "I want to caution the committee that we cannot equate stockpiling and availability of Tamiflu with preparedness. We have no hard scientific data of how well this antiviral will perform under the conditions of a pandemic.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1136233409319736682006-01-02T15:23:00.000-05:002006-02-03T14:21:20.730-05:00

Zap*Germs gets a lot of visits from people asking simple questions of search engines, such as "what are germs." KidsHealth.org has an excellent intro to germs by that very title: What Are Germs? It discusses various types of infectious agents (fungi, bacteria, viruses, protozoa), how they act on our bodies, and what we can do to keep from getting sick.The site emphasizes the

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1136084172117375622005-12-31T21:56:00.000-05:002006-01-11T10:54:50.236-05:00

Update 10 Jan 2005: Jack Snow died today; more info here.Staph infections, particularly MRSA, came into the forefront of public awareness in early 2005, as it became obvious that the formerly hospital-caught bacteria had invaded sports teams, prison communities, and even the general population. Now comes word that Jack Snow, a well-known, former US football star for the LA Rams, has been

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1136082845951402892005-12-31T21:34:00.000-05:002005-12-31T21:37:40.810-05:00

WaPo uses the local-patient angle to discuss the growing problem with antibiotic-resistant C. diff. (Clostridium difficile) infections, which I covered on 02 December. This new story adds some additional detail, however, including the revelation that some sufferers find relief through probiotic ingestion:Canadian researchers [...] have found one possible culprit: popular new heartburn drugs.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1135787394359959732005-12-28T11:29:00.000-05:002005-12-29T10:58:58.390-05:00

It appears that avian flu is being spread more by shipments of domestic chickens, ducks, etc. than by wild ducks and geese. Outbreaks earlier in 2005 strongly suggested that wild birds were carrying the H5N1 flu from Asia as they migrated. The timing and location of outbreaks in western China, Russia, Romania, Turkey and Croatia seemed to implicate migrating wild birds.There have only been a few

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1135391197490022762005-12-23T21:26:00.000-05:002005-12-23T21:27:20.366-05:00

A vaccine developed in Sweden to combat bacterial traveler's diarrhea has had good results in recent tests. The new drug, developed from a cholera vaccine, targets the chief cause of traveler's diarrhea: a bacteria called enterotoxigenic E. coli, or ETEC, which is spread through contaminated food and water. Swedish researchers used part of the cholera vaccine because a toxin produced by cholera

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1135386279734147402005-12-23T20:04:00.000-05:002005-12-23T20:05:45.706-05:00

Here are links to several radio-based audio resources on avian flu and health issues, complementing my earlier list of print-based web info sources on the bird-flu issue:1) National Public Radio Avian Flu Reporting2) National Public Radio Global-Health Issues Reporting3) Voice of America Health4) BBC Radio Health

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1135360623614822732005-12-23T12:57:00.000-05:002005-12-23T13:07:10.206-05:00

The Dannon Company says the new, probiotic-laced yogurt "will be sold nationwide in the yogurt section of nearly all food retailers in six delicious flavors: Strawberry, Vanilla, Blueberry, Peach, Prune and Mixed Berry. Activia will be available in 4oz. 4- and 8-packs at a suggested retail price of $2.49 and $4.49, respectively."More:Each 4oz. serving of Activia contains billions of beneficial

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1135351998495890992005-12-23T10:33:00.000-05:002005-12-23T10:43:42.316-05:00

Nutraingredients.com offers some Christmas cheer -- of sorts -- this week, in the form of several holiday-related stories worth reading.1) Why are certain spices (such as cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and ginger) associated with Christmas? The historical reason is a mixture of scarcity and decadence, allied with the desire to treat oneself at Christmas.2) While they delight most, the tastes

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1135303112632489292005-12-22T20:58:00.000-05:002005-12-23T20:58:41.990-05:00

In his blog, WaPo scribbler Joel Achenbach muses about bird flu. His thoughts come in the aftermath of having published a "9-jillion word story" on the disease in the WaPo Sunday Magazine. After all his research, he's still not all that scared:[W]e just don't know yet if this is going to be the Big One. It could turn into a pandemic on the scale of 1918 or it could remain essentially just a bird

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1135230294583332072005-12-22T00:44:00.000-05:002005-12-22T00:44:54.590-05:00

From the AP, not good news:In a development health experts are calling alarming, two bird flu patients in Vietnam died after developing resistance to Tamiflu, the key drug that governments are stockpiling in case of a large-scale outbreak. The experts said the deaths were disturbing because the two girls had received early and aggressive treatment with Tamiflu and had gotten the recommended

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1134837728969121222005-12-17T11:42:00.000-05:002005-12-17T11:46:57.090-05:00

Researchers are finding that the H5N1 bird flu is dangerous to humans -- even in its current genetic makeup -- because it does what the 1918 pandemic flu did: provoke the body into an over-the-top immune-system response. According to researchers at Hong Kong University, an H5N1 infection prompts a "cytokine storm" of inflammatory cells -- an overreaction by macrophages (the immune system's

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1134767943845899522005-12-16T16:19:00.000-05:002005-12-16T16:20:53.073-05:00

Like we really need more stress at Christmas time: a newspaper article on the hazards of coughed-upon homemade cookies! Is this really news? Here's something else equally important.

Donnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431956.post-1134767393207514312005-12-16T16:09:00.000-05:002005-12-16T16:09:53.263-05:00

Yeah, it looks exciting and exotic on TV, but adventure-racing through the wilderness can be hazardous to the health. After a race in November through a backwoods swamp in the Hillsborough County Wilderness Park near Tampa, Florida, 41 racers came down with suspected leptospirosis bacterial infections. It's thought the racers, who were competing in the nationals for the US Adventure Racing Assn,

Donnoreply@blogger.com0