The H1N1 Virus: 1 Year Later

It’s December again and that means that millions of Americans are fighting through yet another cold and flu season. Last year at this time the public had to deal with a pandemic in wake of the emergence of the H1N1 virus, fortunately, this season is showing to be far calmer than last, this according to the state and local departments of community health. In fact, numbers are so low in the state that they are not even being counted as of now, this according to MDCH Public Information Officer James McCurtis:

“Since this season we are experiencing low activity, we are not tabulating the number of confirmed cases. I can tell you there are very few cases.”

McCurtis says that so far there have been no mutations in the virus. His expectations for the remainder of this flu season in the state sound positive.

“We expect the virus to remain sporadic and low. Hopefully people will get their flu shots and help continue to keep the number of those affected low,” said McCurtis.

This is a far cry from last year when the public was put on alert of the potential severity of the virus which resulted in a world-wide pandemic . The threat of a greater risk of complications and death had many, especially those who were considered more vulnerable, on alert. Schools with ill students were closing and those infected were urged to cover their faces with protective masks and remain in quarantine, something that has not been heard of as of yet this season.

Introduction Attempt

This is another attempt at my introduction. For some reason You tube will not play the whole video. The part it play is only 3 seconds out of about 50.

Scientists Successfully Reverse Aging in Mice

Video Credits: Posted by Dr. Ron Paul , 11-29-2010 via YouTube

New research, the results of which were released this morning, shows that scientists have successfully reversed aging in rats. Specifically, scientists were able to restore the sense of smell, reverse brain disease, and even restore fertility to some mice. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute released the results in the journal, Nature. Now while scientists were able to do this in mice, they first had to alter the telomeres of the mice. Because of this, the same process cannot be used in humans. However, on a positive note, scientists are hoping to create drugs that can help to one day enhance the aging process.

To read more about this study, Click Here
To Learn More About the Science of Aging, Click Here

Hospital Errors Still Common Place

New research is showing that hospital errors are still common place. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that the number of errors and medication mistakes was steady with no decrease between the years 2007 and 2009. This comes after initiatives to reduce them which started in the year 2000. The study looked at 2,300 patient records from a random selection of hospitals in North Carolina between the years 2007 and 2009. The researchers found 588 errors that led to patient harm. About two-third of these errors were considered preventable. One of the most common complication was hospital acquired infections. To read more about this study, Click Here

To read more about types of hospital errors, Click Here

To learn how to protect yourself from medical error, Click Here

Cholera Still a Concern in Haiti

Cholera is still of high concern in Haiti. Cases are still being seen in high numbers nearly a year after the devastating earthquake there. Most recent numbers show that since the outbreak began, more than 60, 000 people have contracted the disease, with 25,000 needing hospitalization, and another 1,400 dying of the disease. Some relief may soon be in sight, as the Pam American Health Organization has said that it will treat approximately 400,000 cholera cases within the next year, which is up from their original pledge of 250,000 over a few years prior to the earthquake.



Video Credits: Posted BossMen , 11-20-2010, via YouTube

All of this amidst presidential elections set to take place this week, which some have urged to be postponed due to the cholera outbreak. However, it will take place this Sunday, as urged by the US Ambassador to Haiti.

For more information on how to donate to victims in Haiti, visit: theClinton – Busch Haiti Fund

To read more about the danger of Cholera, Click Here

New study Sheds Light More Light on Second-Hand Smoke

This photo was taken by StephenMcLeod on 05-18-2008 and used here under a Creative Commons License

On Nov. 24, 2010, a British medical journal released results of a study on secondhand and its global impact. Researchers studied 192 countries in 2004 and found that 30 percent of men and women are exposed to secondhand smoke, while 40 percent of children are also exposed on a regular basis.

Based on these data scientists then estimated the number of deaths from heart disease and other respiratory illness due to the secondhand smoke. Researchers found that approximately 600,000 people die each year from these illnesses thought to be caused by effects of secondhand smoke exposure. This number accounts for about 1 percent of the world’s population. On its own, smoking is blamed for killing approximately 5 million smokers each year.

In recent years we have found out that being exposed to secondhand smoke can be just as harmful as smoking yourself. It causes a lot of health problems. Children of those who smoke are at greater risk for lung infections, and sudden infant death syndrome.

Surprisingly, rates of exposure were lower in the North and South America, and higher Europe and Asia. Many of the deaths were seen in Southeast Asia and Africa, where the combination of the smoke with local infectious disease puts people, especially children at higher risk. The lower rate of exposure in Western countries is attributed to smoking ban in public places. Though another startling find is that women were twice as more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke than men, and accounted for nearly half of the 600,000 deaths that happened during the study.

For more information and tips on how to quit smoking, please visit: SmokeFree.Gov

To learn the dangers of secondhand Click Here

Avian Influenza Scare in China

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The H1N1 virus is not the only flu that we may have to worry about this flu season. For the first time is seven years, the Avian flu, also referred to as the H5N1 virus, is once again being seen in humans. The first confirmed case is again seen outside the United States. However, there is slight concern, as travel always poses the risk of spreading a virus, as we saw previously with the SARS outbreak.

The first case seen since 2003 was reported in China last week, after a 57 year-old woman returned to mainland China and was admitted to a hospital in serious condition after a visit to Hong Kong. The woman has since stabilized and the strain that she contracted appears to be an un-mutated strain that is responding well to the standard flu treatments.

Shortly after the case was reported, China raised their bird flu alert to serious, saying that travelers were at risk of contracting the virus if they were traveling to the area. China conducted tests on a number of chicken farms but as of yet all tests are coming back negative, with the country still unsure of where the woman contracted the virus. As of now the virus appears to be an isolated incident.

Human cases of the virus, which is very rare, were last seen 7 years ago, when China had an outbreak of Avian influenza that killed 6 people and sickened many more. China responded by culling millions of ducks and chickens to rid the nation of the virus. For more information on the Avian flu virus and its risks, visit the CDC’s influenza page here.