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Third Case of EEE Virus Reported in Humans

October 17, 2014 By William Bland Leave a Comment

New Hampshire officials confirmed a third case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus in a human this year. According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), an adult from Manchester who came down with EEE died on September 4 from the illness, making him the third reported case and the second to succumb to the virus.

Officials believe this individual had been exposed to the virus sometime toward the end of August. Due to complicated laboratory testing, results were not available until October 8 after the individual died, confirming that he had in fact suffered the effects of EEE.

Nationally, positive tests for 2014 included two additional humans, one in Alabama and the other in New York. Also infected were one mule, one horse, and 18 batches of mosquitoes. From these batches, just one tested positive for West Nile Virus. In all, 15 EEE cases of EEE have been documented since 2004. Although the West Nile Virus is serious, EEE is a much greater concern primarily because the mortality rate is higher.

Dr. Jose Montero, public health director with the DHHS reminded everyone the importance of taking appropriate steps in preventing mosquito bites until a hard frost. Symptoms of this disease usually show up within 4 to 10 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito and include things typically associated with the flu like fever and headache.

Dr. Montero stressed for people to be vigilant, especially during the summer and early fall months when risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as the West Nile Virus and EEE are most prevalent. This includes using insect repellent, wearing appropriate protective clothing, and staying out of environments prone to mosquito populations. He also encouraged people who develop symptoms of the disease not to wait but to get testing done right away.

Study Suggests 21-Day Ebola Quarantine Not Enough

October 17, 2014 By William Bland Leave a Comment

In the past few weeks, a number of public health officials and hospitals workers have come under fire for making several mistakes in the handling of the Ebola virus, starting with a misdiagnosis of Thomas Eric Duncan, the first patient in the US to die from the disease, and a nurse who cared for him being be allowed to travel on a commercial flight while running a fever.

Dr. Charles N. Haas, engineering professor with Drexel University who has expertise in risk assessment for biological pathogens states another huge problem with authorities’ response to the Ebola crisis has been identified.

He published an article in the recent publication of the PLOS Currents: Outbreaks journal claiming that the recommended 21-day quarantine period for people harboring the virus is simply not long enough.

According to Dr. Haas, authorities have deemed that 21 days is an appropriate period for quarantine of individuals who were potentially exposed to the virus, thereby reducing risk of contagion. However, he adds there is no evidence of a systemic discussion pertaining to the basis for this timeframe.

In the paper, Haas argues that Ebola outbreaks in Zaire in 1976 and Uganda in 2000, along with data gathered from the first nine months of this current outbreak, there is up to a 12% chance that symptoms would not appear until after 21 days.

In an email sent to The Huffington Post, Haas says risk of spreading the virus is not at zero for someone becoming symptomatic after 21 days. In a separate paper published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine, incubation for the Ebola virus could be longer than 21 days although roughly 95% of patients studied actually developed symptoms within the 21-day period.

When asked what the length of quarantine should be specific to the Ebola virus, Haas did not say. However, he did comment that this becomes a policy decision that balances various costs, as well as other factors like personal liberty. Some type of formal deliberative process involving quantitative modelers is needed, as well as input from economists and others who understand legal and regulatory considerations.

When asked for a comment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), none was provided. The Ebola virus is a growing concern for everyone, and as David Cameron, Britain’s Prime Minister said, it has become the biggest health threat to our world in a generation. As such, Cameron is calling on other world leaders to take responsibility in fighting this disease.

Experimental Therapy Battles Advanced Leukemia

October 16, 2014 By William Bland Leave a Comment

Researchers report that an experimental therapy that involves genetically programming cells from the body’s own immune system provides many patients with advanced leukemia periods of prolonged remission. Reportedly, this new treatment is succeeding where more traditional treatments failed.

A recent study was conducted by researchers at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, with findings published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

This particular study involved 30 patients, broken down by five adults between the ages of 26 and 60, as well as 25 children and young adults aged 5 to 22. All of the participants of the study were seriously ill with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In addition, all had experienced several relapses or never responded favorably to more standard forms of therapy.

Researchers found than in over 50% of the patients, the disease had returned following a stem-cell transplant, which in most cases, offers these patients the best hope of survival. These patients had a life expectancy of just months, if not weeks. However, after six months of treatment with the new therapy, 23 of the 30 patients were still alive and of the 23, 19 remained in complete remission.

According to Dr. Stephen A. Grupp, study leader, Children’s Hospital sees several patients each year who have been in remission for more than a year and not needing other therapies. Noting long remission periods associated with this new therapy provides researchers, as well as doctors and patients tremendous hope.

The same researchers were involved with just a few patients, some of which had chronic leukemia opposed to acute leukemia and got the same results. This shows scientists that the findings of the study are real and thereby, an increasing number of patients can be treated.

Noted by Dr. Carl H. June, director of translational research at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s cancer center, initially, no one knew if this was just luck but it has now been confirmed that results can be reproduced.

June along with Grupp and other hospitals throughout the country plan to test this experimental treatment on children suffering from advanced acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Additional research conducted at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the National Cancer Institute show the same encouraging results.

In the United States alone, roughly 2,400 people over the age of 20 and 3,600 under this age are affected with acute lymphoblastic leukemia each year. For adults, there is a cure rate of about 40% whereas for children, the cure rate jumps to as much as 80% to 90%. However, every year, approximately 1,170 adults and 270 younger adults and children die from this disease.

Unfortunately, genetically programming cells from the immune system does not work for everyone. The study revealed that of the 30 participants, 7 died, which included a few who at first went into remission but then relapsed.

CDC: Concerns of Travel Ban Affecting African Economies

October 16, 2014 By William Bland Leave a Comment

With a wide net being cast by Congressmen to enforce a travel ban for citizens of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone from entering the United States, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are on edge.

Although President Obama stated that the dangers of a serious outbreak are extraordinarily low, as risk and confirmed cases of the Ebola virus increase within the United States, Congress is trying to find ways to dramatically reduce or prevent future issues, with a travel ban being at the top of the list.

However, banning people from entering the US raises serious red flags for officials with the CDC. As of yet, the Obama Administration has opposed a travel ban for people from African countries where the Ebola virus is running rampant but some Republican lawmakers believe the reason has to do with concerns over hurting those countries’ economies.

Congressman Tim Murphy feels the concern is that these are new democracies and as such, a travel ban could have a significant impact on the economy. He added that public health policies might be based on a concern over cutting commercial ties with these democracies opposed to protecting the health of the American people.

As a supporter of a travel ban, Murphy said there is no reason to leave the door open to all travel into and out of Western African hot zones, emphasizing the Ebola virus is a dangerous and unwanted stowaway.

In comparison, Tom Frieden, Director of the CDC believes a travel ban would seriously affect the economy of West Africa, which appears to conflict with Murphy and other top health officials. The CDC has repeatedly said that halting flights would hurt the flow of personnel, as well as medical supplies going into that region, thereby putting the African people at even greater risk.

When pressed on calls for a travel ban, Frieden stated that if things are done to make the Ebola epidemic harder to stop, the disease will spread. He was then asked about charter flights taking over the delivery of needed medical supplies to which he responded that what charters do is much different from commercial airliners.

However, in hearing Friedman’s statement, Murphy claimed that supply flights could still get into and out of Ebola hot zones even if a travel ban is imposed. From an economic standpoint, Murphy believes that a lot of support can be provided to these ravaged nations and added that the US is providing that support to both government and nongovernment organizations but he still does not understand how stopping flights would be a problem.

One of the greatest concerns has to do with currently handling of Ebola patients in the US. The case of Thomas Eric Duncan was handled completely wrong. Duncan had flown to the US from Liberia and after showing symptoms of being infected he went to the hospital only to be turned away. He returned a few days later, after coming in contact with multiple people, where he died.

Duncan became the first patient in the US to die from the Ebola virus and people who support the continuance of flights from West African countries feel it is not so much flights causing the problem but the handling of the virus once confirmed.

According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, his agency is actively participating in trying to treat and prevent Ebola. Research is being expedited while at the same time, high safety and efficacy standards are enforced.

Second Texan Diagnosed with the Ebola Virus

October 15, 2014 By William Bland Leave a Comment

It was announced today that a second healthcare worker in Texas has been diagnosed with the Ebola virus. This worker provided care for Thomas Eric Duncan, who passed away recently from the same virus. Just yesterday, the worker reported having a fever, at which time isolation was mandated at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.

As with other cases of the Ebola virus, health officials are scrambling to identify everything who this healthcare worker might have had contact with, dating back to the time of caring for Duncan. Once everyone has been identified, they will be closely monitored for any signs of being infected.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said in a press briefing this morning that areas around the patient’s apartment complex, as well as inside the building are being disinfected by the city’s fire department. He also stated that all neighbors of the victim, who is single and has no pets, have been notified.

Rawlings stressed that the only way the Ebola virus would be beat is by dealing with it person-by-person, moment-by-moment, and detail-by-detail. He also said it is possible that more outbreaks will be reported but that eventually, things will get better.

This second Texas healthcare worker was among 100 medical professionals to include doctors, nurses, and assistants involved with the 10-day care of Duncan at Presbyterian Hospital. Duncan himself was diagnosed just three days after a Liberian nurse named Nina Pham, who cared for Duncan, was diagnosed.

Thankfully, Pham released a statement yesterday saying she is doing really well and that she appreciates all the prayers and well-wishes.

Everyone had initially hoped that the Ebola virus would never hit US soil but it has and in addition to the reported cases in Texas, there have been incidents reported in other states. While not yet confirmed, there is one individual currently at the University of Kansas hospital in Kansas City who has shown signs of the disease.

In West Africa, approximately 4,450 people have succumbed to the Ebola virus, the worst outbreak in history. Once infected, an individual will develop a fever, begin vomiting, have chronic diarrhea, and start bleeding. However, prior to the onset of a fever, infected people are not contagious.

One of the biggest challenges in keeping the Ebola virus contained is the way it is spread. In addition to being spread through direct contact with bodily fluids like semen, blood, sweat, and saliva, contamination is possible from exposed objects such as needles.

Embryonic Stem Cell Transplants Safe for Human Disease

October 15, 2014 By William Bland Leave a Comment

A new study is the first of its kind to prove long-term safety of embryonic stem cell transplants used to treat human disease. The involved 18 people who received transplants as a means of treating different forms of macular degeneration, the number one cause of vision loss.

Not only did the transplants restore some degree of sight in about 50% of participants, it appeared to be safe three years after completion of the procedure.

Findings of this study were noted in the October publication of The Lancet and according to Dr. Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer at Advanced Cell Technology, there is great potential for embryonic stem cells to become virtually any cell within the body.

However, when it comes to transplantation, several problems have surfaced to include cell rejection due to a compromised immune system and risk the cells could promote teratomas, a specific type of cancer. Teratoma develops when stem cells transform into several different kinds of cells and then form incompatible tissue such as hair and teeth.

Lanza further explains that based on these known issues, scientists who work with embryonic stem cell therapy usually focus on areas of the body that do not naturally produce a strong immune response, to include the eyes.

In the study, researchers first prompted embryonic stem cells to develop into eye cells known as pigment epithelial cells. The cells were then transplanted into 18 patients, nine with dry atrophic age-related macular degeneration and nine who have Stargardt’s macular dystrophy.

For three years after the transplants, patients were monitored. During that period, no signs of immune system rejection or cancer-like cell growth were found in any of the treated eyes. The team also conducted a 22-month follow-up, which revealed that adverse effects were associated only to the actual eye surgery or suppression of the immune system, not the transplanted cells.

As noted by Dr. Steven Swartz, co-lead author of the study and doctor with the Jules Stein Eye Institute in California, the results of this study suggest that human embryonic stem cells used to alter progressive loss of vision in people with degenerative diseases is both promising and safe long-term.

The study’s findings are also an exciting step forward in using stem cells as a safe method of treating a number of different medical conditions that require replacement or repair of tissue. Dr. Anthony Atala, director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Wake Forest School of Medicine agrees that this new study is a huge accomplishment.

There are a few scientists who prefer to take a more cautious approach to include Dr. C. Michael Samson, co-director of Ocular Immunology and Uveitus Service at the Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sanai in New York. He said that loss of vision caused by a damaged retina, regardless if from diabetes or macular degeneration, cannot be reversed with treatment options currently available.

In support of the study, Dr. Samson stressed that stem cell technology offers the best hope in recovering lost vision and that according to this pilot study, incredible progress is being made. Dr. Mark Fromer, ophthalmologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York agreed that using stem cell transplants to treat cases of degenerative diseases in the future is promising.

Study Supports Fighting Diabetes with Grapefruit

October 14, 2014 By William Bland Leave a Comment

The grapefruit diet has been around for more than eight decades and for weight loss, it has been proven to be a highly effective diet. In data released from a study conducted by Shriners Hospital in Boston, it was suggested that grapefruit is more beneficial than first thought by fighting diabetes.

In another new study at the University of California-Berkeley, which involved laboratory mice, it was shown that grapefruit has the ability to fight diabetes. By drinking grapefruit juice rather than water, the onset of this disease can be stopped. Researchers associated with the study agree that the outcome surpassed expectations.

As part of the study, researchers found that mice who drank grapefruit instead of sweetened water gained less weight. However, the mice also had improved metabolism, to include lower levels of blood sugar. In addition, insulin sensitivity was affected, which in the battle against diabetes is crucial.

Laboratory mice were split into six groups. Of these, one was provided with water with artificial sweetener added and the other five given grapefruit juice with artificial sweeteners since mice do not like drinking grapefruit juice. To match the level of saccharin, water for the one group of mice was sweetened equally.

Some of the mice were given a 60% fat diet for 60 days while others had a diet consisting of 10% fat for a period of 10 days. In addition to the amount of food being the same across the board, all groups consumed identical amounts of water and grapefruit juice.

From this, researchers discovered that the laboratory mice given the grapefruit juice coupled with the higher fat diet gained 18% less weight compared to the group of mice who drank the sweetened water and ate the same higher fat content diet.

In addition to less weight gain, experts found that the mice offered grapefruit juice had lower blood glucose levels of 13% and lower insulin levels of 17%. Scientists suggest the chemical naringenin found in grapefruit is the key.

Naringenin possesses anti-inflammatory properties but also induces a chemical reaction known as beta oxidation. These properties work in much the same way as two of the primary drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes and increase protein activity of PPAR gamma and PPAR alpha in cells.

Although researchers believe additional studies are needed to bolster the results and gain more insight into how grapefruit fights diabetes, the outcome of this latest study is hopeful.

Higher Infant Deaths Related to Couch Sleeping

October 14, 2014 By William Bland Leave a Comment

According to a new study, a significant number of sleep-related deaths among infants are related to sleeping on the couch. Researchers found that approximately one out of eight cases of sudden and sleep-related infant deaths happen on couches and in more than 50% of cases, while lying next to another person.

Dr. Jeffrey Colvin, pediatrician at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and one of the study’s authors stated the study was conducted due to a lack of data pertaining to factors of sleep-related infant deaths on couches.

Data on 7,934 sleep-related infant deaths, those 12 months or younger, was gathered between 2004 and 2012 from 24 states. After conducting an in-depth analysis, it was discovered that 12% of those deaths occurred while the baby was asleep on a couch.

In addition, when compared to other sleep-related deaths, those involving a couch were 20% more likely to have an unclear cause of death while 90% were more likely to have a classification of suffocation. The study also showed that most of the babies who died had never slept on a couch before or only on a few occasions.

Colvin added that in the data analyzed, the couch was not the usual sleeping location for the infants, which indicates the couch was used as a place for the baby to nap rather than sleep overnight. Also, the majority of infants were found on their side, which as written in the journal Pediatrics, researchers believe the natural slope of couches allowed the babies to roll easily and then become wedged between cushions.

Another interesting discovery was that most babies who died while sleeping on couches were also exposed to tobacco while still in the mother’s womb. However, the connection between sleep-related deaths for babies on couches and smoking is hard to explain, according to Dr. Colvin.

Overall, parents need to heed the warning that comes from this study – the couch can be a very dangerous and even deadly place for babies to sleep. Instead, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that infants be placed on a flat and firm surface, opposed to the soft cushions of a couch. As Colvin puts it, parents should follow the ABCs of safe sleeping – “Alone on their Backs in Cribs”.

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