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News, opinions and meeting coverage in infectious disease.

Toxic Shock from Strep: a 'Lightning Strike'

In rare cases, the bacteria responsible for causing strep throat -- group A Streptococcus -- can penetrate beyond the superficial surfaces of the body and lead to necrotizing fasciitis, toxic shock syndrome, and even death.

Kids Today Really Are Different

The adolescent phase in human development now lasts much longer than it once did, leading to a potential rise in risky behavior, including STDs and excessive drinking, researchers said.

Antibiotic Clears Stubborn E. Coli

Patients in last spring's outbreak of severe Escherichia coli who were treated with azithromycin had a lower frequency of long-term infection, German investigators reported.

Circumcision Tied to Drop in Herpes, Too

SEATTLE -- African men who underwent circumcision not only reduced their risk of contracting HIV infection, they also were significantly less likely to be infected with herpes simplex virus-2, researchers reported here.

FDA Adds More Warnings for Lipitor, Crestor, and Zocor

WASHINGTON -- Statins may cause drug-drug interactions for patients taking drugs to treat HIV/AIDS or hepatitis C, according to a new statin warning from the FDA.

FDA Issues Warning on Acid Reflux Drugs

The FDA warned today that use of proton pump inhibitors -- including popular brands such as Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid -- may increase the risk of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.

Herpes Drugs Work, but Not Forever

Anti-herpetic agents reduce recurrence of herpes simplex-2 (HSV-2) symptoms but do not completely block subclinical shedding of virus, even at high doses, researchers reported.

'Brain-Eating' Amoeba Kills Second Neti Pot User

Louisiana state health officials are warning patients about potential dangers of using tap water for sinus irrigation after two patients died of Naegleria fowleri infection.

AMA Adopts Policies on Circumcision, Gun Safety

The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates has adopted a number of new policies at its interim meeting, including policies on male circumcision, physician discussion of gun safety, and a new medical coding system that will go into effect in 2013.

Airport Metal Detectors Safe for Pacemakers

Metal detector security screening appears safe for people with pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), researchers found.

Calif. 12-Year-Olds Can Get HPV Vaccine Without Parental OK

Minors as young as 12 can consent to preventive measures against sexually transmitted diseases, including vaccination, according to a new California law that has sparked an outcry over parents' rights.

Tetanus Rare but Still Deadly

Although rare, tetanus is still a life-threatening disease in the U.S., largely because of inadequate vaccination and wound care prophylaxis, CDC researchers said.

Cephalexin Useful in Pediatric MRSA

Children with uncomplicated skin and soft tissue infections can still be treated with cephalexin -- along with drainage and careful wound care -- even though community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has reached epidemic proportions worldwide, a randomized study suggested.

More Vets Approved for Agent Orange Claims

WASHINGTON -- Veterans who served in Korea from 1968 through 1971 were probably exposed to Agent Orange, which makes them eligible for treatment at VA medical centers, according to a ruling from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACG: C. Diff No Match for Cheap Spice

SAN ANTONIO -- A component of the inexpensive curry spice turmeric may help ward off infection with Clostridium difficile in hospitals, researchers said here.

Smokeless Tobacco Dangerous and No Help for Quitting

Although less harmful than cigarette smoking, smokeless tobacco products are not safe as a smoking cessation tool and carry a number of potentially fatal health risks, an American Heart Association scientific statement said.

WHO Declares End to H1N1 Pandemic

Director-General of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan, MD, MPH, has declared an end to the H1N1 influenza pandemic, following the advice of an emergency committee convened to address the issue.

Salsa, Guacamole Among Top Causes of Foodborne Illness

Foodborne illnesses attributed to salsa and guacamole served in restaurants and delis have more than doubled in the last 10 years -- resulting in over 100 hospitalizations and three deaths, according to the CDC.

Contaminated Pepper Leads to Meat and Seasoning Recall

WASHINGTON -- Wholesome Spice of Brooklyn, N.Y. spice company is recalling 25-pound boxes of commercial-grade crushed red pepper as the CDC and FDA investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo that infected consumers of Italian-style meats produced by a Rhode Island firm.

Nursing Mothers Should Avoid Yellow Fever Vaccine

A single case report has raised concern that yellow fever vaccine virus may be transmitted through breast milk, suggesting the need to avoid administering the vaccine to breastfeeding women.

The Top 10 Medical Advances of the Decade

From genome to hormones, doctors pick the top medical advances of the decade.

Another Reason Not to Kiss a Frog

Yet another aquarium pet has been tied to a Salmonella outbreak, the CDC says. Latest culprit: the water frog.

CDC Watching H1N1 Mutation, but No Cause for Alarm

The CDC is keeping a careful eye on a mutation in some strains of the pandemic H1N1 flu that Norwegian researchers isolated from three patients with severe disease.

Obama Declares H1N1 a National Emergency

WASHINGTON -- President Obama has upped the ante in the battle to control the H1N1 flu by declaring it a national emergency, the second such declaration since the flu first emerged last spring.

Rapid Tests Miss Mark for Pandemic H1N1 Flu

Rapid tests for the H1N1 pandemic flu are at least 89% accurate -- but only if a tested specimen has a high level of the virus, the CDC said.

IVW: 'High Risk' of Resistant Swine Flu, Researcher Says

CANNES, France -- Using single antiviral drugs to treat the current outbreak of swine influenza could result in the development of a resistant strain, a leading flu researcher said here.

FDA and CDC Issue Raw Alfalfa Sprouts Warning

WASHINGTON -- The FDA and the CDC have warned consumers not to eat raw alfalfa sprouts until further notice because the sprouts have been linked to a Salmonella serotype Saintpaul contamination that has sickened 31 people in six states.

Bisphenol A Mimics Estrogen, Phthalates Target Testosterone

NEW YORK -- Call these chemicals "his" and "her" endocrine disruptors.

Melamine Found in U.S.-Made Baby Formula

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- A trace amount of melamine, the toxic chemical that has sickened tens of thousands of infants in China, was found in a U.S.-manufactured infant formula, the FDA confirmed.

Macular Degeneration Linked to Sunlight and Low Antioxidants

LONDON -- Some cases of age-related macular degeneration may arise from a combination of low plasma levels of antioxidants and exposure to blue light from the sun, a multi-national European study suggested.

FDA Warns of Toxic Tomalley in Maine Lobsters

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The FDA warned today against eating the soft, green substance found in the body cavity of Maine lobsters, called tomalley, which is considered a delicacy by some. But the meat of the claw and tail were not part of the caution.

One in Every 20 Healthcare Workers Is MRSA Carrier

GENEVA -- One in every 20 healthcare workers carries methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the vast majority without symptoms, researchers here said.

If the Hairball Is a Human's, the Danger is Great

CHICAGO -- When Rush University physicians operated to remove an abdominal mass from an 18-year-old woman, no one expected to find a 4.5-kilogram trichobezoar, a rare condition, but one that can be fatal.

State Warns Against Drinking Metromint Flavored Bottled Water

SACRAMENTO -- The California Department of Public Health has warned against drinking Metromint, a flavored water bottled in California and sold on the Internet and in grocery stores nationwide, because of possible contamination with Bacillus cereus.

Frozen Burger Recall Prompted by E. Coli Outbreak

ELIZABETH, N.J. -- Nearly two dozen illnesses from frozen hamburgers apparently tainted with Escherichia coli O157:H7 have prompted a meat company to recall more than 300,000 pounds of beef.

One Cannabis Joint Equals Smoking Up to Five Cigarettes

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- Smoking a single marijuana joint by a heavy user can cause bronchial damage similar to smoking 2.5 to five cigarettes, researchers reported.

Grand Jury Refuses to Indict New Orleans Doctor Charged with Killing Katrina-Stranded Patients

NEW ORLEANS -- Almost two years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged this city, a grand jury here refused to indict Anna M. Pou, M.D., in the deaths of four elderly patients at Memorial Medical Center.

ACEP: Don't Drink the Fabuloso!

NEW ORLEANS -- A brightly colored, attractively packaged household cleaning product called Fabuloso has led to a rash of emergency department visits for accidental ingestion, toxicology researchers reported here.

AAAAI: Lady Beetle Allergy Bugging More Patients

MIAMI BEACH - There has been a significant rise in allergic sensitization to ladybugs, an aphid-eating friend to farmers, in many parts of the U.S. because the insects swarm indoors to get out of the cold, several research teams reported here.

Acetaminophen Is Leading Cause of Acute Liver Failure

SEATTLE - Deliberate or inadvertent overdosing with acetaminophen (Tylenol and generics) is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States, researchers reported.

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