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By Mya Blake

Louisiana is home to two reported human West Nile infections

It is being reported that the state of Louisiana has reported its first human cases of West Nile infection for the year. The Department of Health and Hospitals, state that the two individuals caught the virus at the end of last month, and are now recovering well.

The virus is usually transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito, meaning that limiting your exposure to mosquito bites is a really good idea. Some things you can do yourself to reduce your mosquito exposure include;

- Wearing lots of bug spray

- Wearing long sleeves and pants when outdoors

- Staying indoors during prime mosquito times of day (dawn and dusk)

- Removing stagnant water from around your property

By Luther Brady

A second dead bird found in Brazos County has tested positive for the West Nile virus

It is being reported that Brazos County is home to its second dead bird that has tested positive for the West Nile virus. The bird was found last week in College Station, and the county Health Department has informed the city of the find.

To date, no human cases of the virus have been reported. Health officials stated that city residents were given a warning message via an automated telephone message system so that they can take precautionary action.

The most common method of human infection is due to us being bitten by infected mosquitoes who feed on infected birds to acquire the virus. Wearing long sleeves and pants when outdoors, slapping on that bug spray, and removing standing water from around your home are all viable methods of limiting your exposure to potentially virus carrying critters.

By Mya Blake

Studies prove that older women who suffer from aura migraines are also susceptible to heart attacks and or strokes

It is being reported in a study that older women who are prone to the type of migraine that causes visual difficulties, (aura) are more susceptible to die from heart attacks or strokes compared to women who suffer different types of migraines from the aura migraines. The study suggests that women over the age of 45, are also prone to heart disease, if they suffer from the aura migraine.

Young men and women did not take part in the study therefore, determining if the same philosophy applies to them is not possible until researchers examine the effect that the aura migraine has on them. Statistics show that women are at a higher risk than men to develop migraines, furthermore the type of migraine that is associated with the higher risk of heart attacks and or strokes, is very rarely seen in patients.

The aura will commence just before the actual migraine hits, and is characterized by; light flashes, blind spots, blurred vision, and the formation of dazzling zigzag lines.

"Since migraine without aura is far more common than migraine with aura, our data demonstrate no increased risk of cardiovascular disease for the majority of migraine patients," wrote Tobias Kurth, MD, and colleagues from Harvard Medical School's Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Source: WebMD

By Mya Blake

1 doctor and 2 nurses are facing second-degree murder charges following the deaths of 4 patients after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans

It is being reported that a doctor and two nurses are being charged with second-degree murder, resulting from their roles in the deaths of some patients following hurricane Katrina. The staff were charged following an investigation by the Louisiana attorney general's office into the apparent euthanasia of patients at the New Orleans Memorial Medical Center after Hurricane Katrina hit.

4 patients died, leading to the arrests of Dr. Anna Pou, Lori L. Budo and Cheri Landry. Trusted sources have also told CNN that the killings were not mercy related, but a simple attempt to speed up the hospital's evacuation procedure.

"She is innocent of the charges and we intend to vigorously contest them," said Pou's lawyer.

The 3 hospital workers have been released on 100000 dollars bail. "We obviously think it's a very credible ... we spent a lot of time, energy and manpower working on this case ... so we think it's a good case," said attorney general Foti.

Overall, after Katrina, 45 patients were found dead at the hospital, and for the last couple of months the team of investigators has been trying to figure out how they all died.

Source: CNN

By Luther Brady

A new report shows that pregnancy centers in the United States are not always giving out correct information pertaining to abortions

A new report released by US Democrats on the House Government Reform Committee states that women are being given faulty information pertaining to health risks involved with abortions when seeking the info from health clinics. According to Care Net, the umbrella group that governs evangelical pregnancy centers across the country, tells its affiliates to instruct callers that there is a risk of developing breast cancer associated with having an abortion. According to Molly Ford who is an official with the organization, there are studies claiming that this is the case, as well as those that dismiss the theory.

"I know the report is wanting to say that it's conclusive, but it isn't. This isn‘t about a medical statistic to us. We do post-abortion counseling every day," said Ford.

25 pregnancy centers were called to assess their level of professionalism and appropriate responses to questions that were asked. It is unsure how many, if any were under the wing of Care Net, but what is a sure thing, is that the information that was given to the people calling was misleading and inaccurate.

"It‘s wrong to pour millions of federal dollars into organizations that are providing false health information to vulnerable teenagers," stated Democrat Waxman

It is estimated that Care Net has helped more than a quarter of the nations's pregnancy centers to begin operations.

Source: AP

By Ron Swerdfiger

A study proves the fact that even exercising later in life can promote a healthy heart

We've all heard the popular saying, "later is better than never" and according to a study conducted by German scientists and published in the Journal Heart, the same exact saying can be put to great use when discussing heart health. Researchers have concluded that commencing some sort of exercise program even at the age of 40, can drastically reduce your risk of heart disease by over 50 percent.

According to British researchers, the earlier you begin to exercise on a regular basis, the more benefit it will provide your heart, yet they do state that despite knowing this fact, to many Brits are still hanging out on that couch instead of getting moving.

Two groups of men between the ages of 40 and 68 were interviewed, one group with heart disease and one without. Based on their responses to questions pertaining to their health and their lifestyle present and past, the researchers concluded that those men who they interviewed that had a good exercise history, were 60% less likely to develop heart disease than those who did not partake in any sort of exercise.

"These data provide evidence that changing from a sedentary to an active physical activity pattern, even at an older age, may result in a strong reduction of coronary heart disease risk."

By Luther Brady

Obese teens may benefit from behavioral therapy and a weight loss drug called Sibutramine

Published in the July 18 Annals of Internal Medicine, is a study that shows that combining behavioral therapy with a weight loss medication saw obese teens lose an average of 14lbs over a one year period. Sibutramine is the name of the diet drug that along with reducing weight also helps to reduce risks associated with being obese; heart disease, stroke, hypertention, and reduced diabetes risk.

"this is the first large multicenter trial of sibutramine for obese adolescents," said study leader Robert I. Berkowitz, M.D., chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Currently the drug is used to treat adult obesity, and according to Berkowitz it is very rare for adult obesity drugs to be tested on young people.

498 obese adolescents aged between 12 and 16 took part in the study. Both groups received behavioral therapy, but only one of the groups received sibutramine while the other received a placebo.

At study's end, the group that was taking Sibutramine had lost an average of 14lbs, while the placebo group had gained an average of 4lbs.

"At the end of a year of treatment, one-third of the adolescents who received medication were no longer severely overweight, and one out of six who were treated dropped below the standard definition of being overweight," said Dr. Berkowitz. "We know that moderate weight loss in adults helps prevent or delay progression to type 2 diabetes. This may also be true in adolescents, although this study cannot address that question."

Source: Playfuls.com

By Laura Watson

Researchers believe that the amount of indoor swimming pools could be the cause for so many young asthma patients

It is being reported out of Belgium, that the inhalation of chlorine may play a contributing factor to a young person developing asthma. Nitrogen trichloride or trichloramine, is a very toxic gas that is released when chlorine-based disinfectants are used in swimming pools, and with indoor pools becoming more and more prominant, the rate of asthmatic childen is also on the rise.

The UK is currently the country with the most indoor pools, and going along with the theory that chlorine is increasing asthma rates, the rate of asthma in UK teens is very high.

190000 teens from 21 countries took part in a huge study, aimed at gaging the effect that chlorine would have on them. Based on statistics pertaining to number of pools per 100000 people, and other factors such as climate, they concluded that the number of asthmatic teens has a direct link to the growing amount of indoor swimming pools.

A spokesman for Asthma UK stated:
"Swimming is an excellent form of exercise for children with asthma as the warm humid air in the swimming pool is less likely to trigger asthma symptoms. We do recognise however that the chemicals present in heavily chlorinated pools may be important in making the airways more irritable and further research is needed to understand this association."

Source: Ic Wales

By Mya Blake

A device has been developed to make it possible for doctors to scan a patient's body for missing sponges following surgery

It is being reported that there is a new device that has been designed to make it possible for surgeons to retrieve that missing sponge accidently left in the patient following surgery. The device is called a Radio Frequency ID (RFID) and is attached to the sponges by stitching them in to the material. Typically during an abdominal surgery, a minimum of 50 sponges are used and although each sponge is accounted for before and after surgery there is the od occasion when one goes missing.

Similar to the device found on an article of clothing in a clothing store that will beep if not removed when you exit the store, the RFID will send radio waves to a hand held wand that when waved over the patient, will identify the radio waves if a sponge is present. In trials using 8 patients, 4 out of 8 the wand was successful in locating the missing sponge.

"This is a very nice proof-of-concept," stated Atul Gawande, a surgeon at Brigham Women's Hospital in Boston.

Sponges that are forgotten in the body of a patient can lead to that patient developing infection and possibly even dying.