Global Health News

Findings of a University of Chicago study indicate that loneliness may adversely affect blood pressure in adults. A direct relation was found between loneliness and larger increases in blood pressure four years later. This link was independent of age and other factors that could impact blood pressure, including smoking and alcohol use. Questions about social relationships and other topics were asked of 229 participants aged 50 to 68.

Precancerous polyps can be decreased in number and size through treatment with a specific type of omega-3 fatty acid. Researchers examined 55 individuals with high genetic risk of developing bowel cancer. Twenty-eight participants received six months of treatment with daily doses of highly purified omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, and others received a placebo. The number of polyps in patients receiving omega-3s decreased by 12 percent, polyp size also decreased.

A new study suggests that use of the supplement black cohosh does not help to increase bone density in postmenopausal women. Researchers studied 128 women for one year, and found that regular exercise generally helped to maintain bone density. Black cohosh extracts are marketed as a “natural” form of hormone replacement therapy, but these extracts were found to have no beneficial impact on bone density.

A 10-year-old British boy has become the first child to undergo a windpipe transplant surgery using an organ created from his own stem cells. Donor trachea was stripped to its collagen scaffolding and injected with stem cells from the boy’s bone marrow. By using the boy’s own tissue, doctors at the Great Ormond Street Hospital hoped to decrease the risk of rejection.

Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa will be among a dozen African nations to receive doses of the H1N1 vaccine. The World Health Organization will deliver millions of dozes in the coming weeks to combat the virus, which continues to spread throughout West Africa including Senegal and the Ivory Coast. A total of 95 countries lack access to H1N1 vaccines and have requested doses from the WHO.

A study of 28 Southeastern hospitals has indicated that infections from Clostridium difficile (C-diff) are surpassing MRSA infections. MRSA infections are due to bacteria that cannot be treated with common antibiotics, and are deadly if they enter the bloodstream. C-diff is also resistant to some antibiotics. It is commonly found in the colon and can cause diarrhea and a more serious intestinal condition known as colitis.

Scottish Government guidelines warning against sitting on patients’ beds or bringing flowers are being called “dehumanizing” by some physicians. The guidelines warn against doctors, friends, and relatives sitting on beds to halt the spread of infections, including MRSA and C-diff. Gifts of flowers are also prohibited as “stagnant water and dust…could pose a hygiene risk.” According to critics of these guidelines, they represent “an illusion of activity with no substance.”

According to a recent report, children treated for food-related “anaphylactic” reactions may require a second dose of epinephrine. Twelve percent of the 1,200 children aged six and up taking part in the study required two doses in order to alleviated the anaphylaxis reaction, which causes difficulty breathing. Food allergy affects up to 6 percent of children and seems to be rising.

Doctors warn that piles of rotting fish and other debris swept ashore by the tsunami that followed Chile’s recent earthquake could promote the spread of infection. As efforts to locate and rescue survivors continue, an extensive hepatitis and tetanus vaccination campaign has been initiated. An increase in the number of cases of diarrhea has also been seen due to unsafe drinking water and individuals with injuries wading through contaminated water.

As Chile’s new President, Sebastian Pinera, was sworn into office, the nation was struck by a 7.2-magnitude aftershock. There have not been reports of damages or injuries, but at least three other aftershocks occurred during the inauguration ceremony. According to geophysicist Don Blakeman, the largest aftershock occurred along the same fault zone as the 8.8-magnitude earthquake on February 27th.

Not only did Chile’s recent earthquake disrupt the infrastructure of the nation, it may have also shortened the length of each Earth day. Richard Gross, research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, explained that the quake shifted the Earth’s figure axis (the axis about which the Earth’s mass is balanced) by 2.7 milliarseconds, thus shortening each day by 1.26 microseconds.

Haitian authorities are facing the prospect of sustaining the healthcare system in the nation after foreign doctors and nurses have left. Following the 7.0 earthquake that caused massive destruction in Port-au-Prince, healthcare workers flooded the nation to provide support. Now, however, the immediate medical crisis is over, and individuals with ailments not related to the earthquake are seeking care.

Taiwan was hit recently by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake which injured 64 people, destroyed houses, and cut off electricity to more than half a million homes. The March 4th quake struck a sparsely inhabited mountainous area in Jiahsian township in Kaohsiung county, a region still recovering from floods and mudslides resulting from a massive typhoon in August. Nineteen aftershocks followed the initial earthquake, the strongest with a magnitude of 5.7.

Eastern Turkey was struck recently by a large earthquake that killed 51 people as it destroyed homes in at least six villages. Reports indicate that an additional 34 people were treated for injuries caused by the 5.9-magnitude quake (according to the U.S. Geological Survey). More than 50 aftershocks followed the initial earthquake, with magnitudes between 5.3 and 5.5.

The international response to Haiti’s earthquake was immediate, due in large part to the ease of donating by text message. Government agencies and international aid organizations have also setup similar programs to allow for donations via text message to support Chile’s relief efforts. According to Marnie Webb, co-CEO of TechSoup Global, texting campaigns could revolutionize donations following natural disasters.