Diseases, Conditions, Treatments | Health FAQ

DR Congo Ebola death toll rises to 170

The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed 170 lives, health authorities said on Sunday.

The health ministry said in a bulletin they had recorded 267 cases including 170 deaths.

Authorities had put the toll at 164 on Friday.

In mid-October, Congolese authorities said they were facing a “second wave” of the outbreak centred on Beni, a town in North Kivu province near the border with Uganda.

The epicentre had earlier been focused on Mangina, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Beni.

The latest outbreak is the 10th in DR Congo since Ebola was first detected there in 1976.

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US approves first new type of flu drug in 2 decades

This undated product image provided by Genentech shows a box for Xofluza, a pill for shortening the duration and easing symptoms of the flu. U.S. health regulators have approved the first new type of flu drug in two decades. The approval on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, of Roche’s Xofluza comes ahead of this winter’s flu season. (Genentech via AP)

U.S. health regulators have approved the first new type of flu drug in two decades.

Wednesday’s approval of Xofluza for people age 12 and older comes ahead of the brunt of this winter’s flu season.

Xofluza (Zoh-FLEW’-zeh) is a pill that can reduce flu symptoms after one just dose. It developed by the Roche Group and Japan’s Shionogi.

It works about as well as Tamiflu, Roche’s older flu treatment, which is also available in cheaper generic versions.

Health officials have said an estimated 80,000 Americans died of flu and its complications last winter, the disease’s highest death toll in at least four decades.

Roche’s Genentech unit plans to launch Xofluza within a few weeks. It will cost $150 without insurance.

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Woman dies after contracting rare tick-borne virus

The family of a Missouri woman who died from a rare tick-borne illness is speaking out about the dangers of the virus, which has only been confirmed in a handful of patients since it was discovered in 2014. Tamela Wilson, who died June 23 of complications stemming from Bourbon virus, had worked at Meramec State Park in Sullivan, and removed two ticks from her body a few weeks prior to falling ill, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

The 58-year-old woman’s stepmother, Kathy Potter, said doctors didn’t know to test for the disease, and diagnosed her with a urinary tract infection before sending her home with antibiotics.

EXACTLY WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET A TICK BITE

“Every day we’d go to the hospital and she’d get worse,” Geoff Potter, another relative, told Fox 6 Now. “No improvement.”

She was eventually admitted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital on May 31, and her blood was tested for other tick-borne illnesses before being sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which confirmed Bourbon virus, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch confirmed.

There currently is no medicine to treat Bourbon virus, and some patients may require hospitalization for some symptoms. According to the CDC, because there have only been a few cases of the virus identified, the medical community is still learning about potential symptoms, but patients may experience fever, tiredness, rash, headache, body aches, nausea and vomiting. They may also present low blood cell counts.

POWASSAN VIRUS: POTENTIALLY FATAL TICK DISEASE THAT CAN BE TRANSMITTED IN MINUTES REPORTED IN MAINE

Wilson’s daughter, Amie May, said her mother developed secondary infections including pneumonia and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. It was also revealed that she had been receiving treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma since 2012.

“You wouldn’t want this for your worst enemy,” Kathy Potter told Fox 6 News.

May said her mother was working full time as an assistant superintendent at the park, which was declared “an area of interest” by the state Department of Natural Resources a week after Wilson’s death. The department was collecting ticks to test for the virus, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

“I want people to know it’s out there,” May told the news outlet. “We have a virus that doesn’t have a cure, and that’s scary.”

TICK-BORNE DISEASES ON THE RISE

Wilson’s case marks the first reported in Missouri, the state has been dealing with a rash of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Ehrlichiosis cases, prompting health officials to warn about the dangers of tick bites.

“This is an opportunity to say there are things we face every day that are much more of a problem,” Dr. Steven Lawrence, an infectious disease specialist, told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I see patients who get sick and die from tick-borne infections that could be prevented if people treated it early and doctors recognized it.”

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Stevia could offer cure for Lyme disease, researchers say

Stevia, a common coffee sweetener, could be a possible cure for Lyme disease after tests conducted by a Connecticut professor and her students showed it was most effective in treating the tick-borne illness.

Professor Eva Sapi, chairwoman of University of New Haven’s Department of Biology and Environmental Science, and her students have been testing the liquid, whole-leaf stevia extract to treat Borrelia burgdorferi — the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, according to Fox 61. Stevia is usually consumed in a powdered form.

Compared to other antibiotics such as doxycycline, cefoperazone and daptomycin, the sugar substitute proved to be the most effective in preventing the bacteria.

WOMAN DIES AFTER CONTRACTING RARE TICK-BORNE VIRUS

Though Sapi’s research was published in the European Journal of Microbiology and Immunology in 2015, she and researchers have still found that Stevia is the best treatment for Lyme Disease.

"We believe that nature put Borrelia on this planet and nature will provide a solution for it too," Sapi said.

Sapi said she began to research for cures when she was diagnosed with the illness herself.

"I was terrified to learn that not much is known about what is really working for this disease," she told Fox 61. " That was my goal, I was on a mission, I mean when I recovered I promised myself that we find something."

CANCER VACCINES HELP PATIENTS GET TUMOR-FREE IN 2 STUDIES

Sapi said though her research has shown positive results, more testing needs to be done to ensure it would work on humans.

"Just because it works in a test tube doesn’t mean its going to work in a human body so we didn’t stop," Sapi said.

The method is now going to be tested on patients in Hyde Park, New York, in clinical trials.

Click here for more from Fox 61.

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Measles outbreak kills 35 across Europe

A measles outbreak has killed 35 people across Europe in the past year, with the World Health Organization (WHO) calling the deaths an “unacceptable tragedy.”

“We are very concerned that although a safe, effective and affordable vaccine is available, measles remains a leading cause of death among children worldwide, and unfortunately Europe is not spared,” Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab, the WHO regional director for Europe, said, in part, according to BBC News. “I urge all endemic countries to take urgent measures to stop transmission of measles within their borders, and all countries that have already achieved this to keep up their guard and sustain high immunization coverage.”

PARENTS CLAIM ‘BLUE WHALE CHALLENGE’ BEHIND TEEN’S SUICIDE

While 31 deaths have been recorded in Romania, more than 3,300 illnesses were recorded in Italy, BBC News reported. Deaths were also recorded in Portugal and Germany, where the government has launched an initiative to fine parents who fail to vaccinate their children, or consult with a doctor about vaccinations.

In Italy, which counts a 6-year-old child as its latest victim, officials have also moved to tighten rules on vaccinations. In May, the country ruled that children must be vaccinated against common illnesses in order to be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten.

According to Reuters, lack of public trust in vaccines has caused a spike in many preventable diseases. Experts said negative attitudes may be due to fears over suspected side-effects and hesitancy among some doctors.

MENINGITIS SHOT ALSO OFFERS SOME DEFENSE AGAINST GONORRHEA

“Nobody can be indifferent to the fact that people are still dying of measles,” German Health Minister Hermann Groehe told Bild newspaper, in May. “That’s why we’re tightening up regulations on vaccination.”

The highly contagious measles virus typically start with fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes and sore throat, which progresses to a rash, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Children younger than 5 and adults over the age of 20 are more likely to suffer from complications which could include ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, encephalitis or even death.

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Exactly what to do if you get a tick bite

Just found a tick on your skin? Don’t panic. It usually takes about 36 hours for it to adhere, feed, and transfer the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Meaning: If you remove it during that period, it likely hasn’t had a chance to infect you. Here’s how to get that sucker off safely and what to do next.

REMOVE

Using fine-tipped tweezers, grab the tick as close as you can to where it’s attached to your skin and pull directly upward with even pressure. Twisting or jerking can cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. (If any mouthparts are left behind, leave them alone; they’re icky but harmless, and like a splinter, they’ll work their way out on their own.) Disinfect the bite and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

CHECK

If you find one tick, you may have more, so do a full-body exam. Use a handheld or full-length mirror, paying attention to the back of your knees, scalp, armpits, and even between your butt cheeks and genitals.

OPTIONAL: CONFIRM

Take a picture and upload it to the University of Rhode Island’s TickSpotters.org, especially if it looks like the tick had time to feed. In about 24 hours, their pros will reply (at no cost), identifying your tick, and based on your location, assess the riskiness of your bite. For extra assurance, attach the tick to an index card with clear tape, or submerse it in rubbing alcohol to kill it, then place into a sealed plastic baggie. Mail it to TickReport, a nonprofit organization at UMass Amherst. For about $50, they’ll test your tick and e-mail you a report within three business days about any bacteria and viruses it’s carrying. If either test suggests Lyme, get to your doctor ASAP.

MONITOR

Rash or flu-like symptoms—low-grade fever, aches, chills, and fatigue—can occur up to a month after being bitten. If you feel them, hightail it to your doc, even if you just know you may have been exposed but don’t remember being bitten (70 percent of people with Lyme don’t). An M.D. can do a visual exam or blood test to check for the disease. It can take a few weeks for the illness to show up in your blood, so if you test negative and still feel sick, consider retesting or a second opinion.

YOU GOT LYME. NOW WHAT?

Most people recover with a course of antibiotics (the sooner you take them, the better). But up to 20 percent of patients have lingering issues like fatigue and muscle and joint pain that can last for six months or longer, a condition called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). Experts aren’t sure what causes PTLDS, but if you have been treated and still feel unwell, see your M.D., who can prescribe meds and behavioral therapies to help you cope.

This article originally appeared in the June 2017 issue of Women’s Health. For more great advice, pick up a copy of the issue on newsstands now!

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Sandbox sickness: Diarrhea-causing bacteria found in playgrounds

What’s lurking in the playground sandbox? A new small study from Spain may confirm some of parents’ worst fears: There are dangerous germs in there.

In the new study, the researchers tested sandboxes, looking for the bacterium Clostridium difficile , or "C. diff." The scientists not only detected C. diff, but also found that it was drug-resistant.

As its name implies, C. diff is difficult to treat. The bacteria cause an intestinal infection that can lead to severe diarrhea.

HANTAVIRUS OUTBREAK KILLS 3 IN WASHINGTON, SICKENS 2 OTHERS

Parasitic worm in walrus meat infects 10 people in Alaska

Ten people in Alaska were recently infected with what is now a relatively rare parasitic worm that they got from eating walrus meat, according to a new report.

The cases occurred between July 2016 and May 2017, the report said. All 10 were infected with a parasitic worm called Trichinella, that they likely got from eating undercooked walrus meat. These are the first reported cases of Trichinella infection tied to eating walrus meat in Alaska since 2002, and the first outbreak (involving more than a single infected person) since 1992, the report said.

HANTAVIRUS OUTBREAK KILLS 3 IN WASHINGTON, SICKENS 2 OTHERS

The worm causes an illness called trichinellosis, and people with it may have a range of symptoms, including nausea, diarrhea , vomiting, fatigue and fever, as well as swelling of the face and eyes, aching joints and muscle pains, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In severe cases, people can die from the disease, although everyone involved in the recent Alaska outbreaks recovered.

4 weird things that may trigger food allergies and sensitivities in adults

You can’t open a health magazine these days without reading story after story about gluten. (Yes, we’re guilty of catering to reader interest when it comes to the controversial grain protein.)

But while our collective gluten obsession has probably gone a little overboard, the science on gluten helps underscore the complexity of our digestive systems and how food-related gut issues emerge.

While there’s no question some people have an allergy to gluten, which is known as celiac disease, there’s a great deal of expert debate regarding the existence of “non-celiac gluten sensitivity”—a condition separate from celiac that’s linked with abdominal pain, headaches, fatigue, and other symptoms.

Throw in the concept of a food “intolerance,” and it’s hard to keep all the terminology straight—let alone the triggers.

“If you have a food allergy, that means your body makes an antibody reaction in response to a food,” says Princess Ogbogu, MD, an allergist and internal medicine expert at Ohio State University. “That antibody causes the body to release histamine, which can lead to hives, shortness of breath, and other symptoms.” Allergies to milk, eggs, and shellfish are all common examples.

WHO warns of untreatable superbug gonorrhoea found in at least 3 patients

Health officials are warning about untreatable “superbug” strains of gonorrhoea that has spread to at least three people worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) said its likely being spread to others through sex.

“The bacteria that cause gonorrhoea are particularly smart,” Teodora Wi, a human reproduction specialist at WHO, said in a news release. “Every time we use a new class of antibiotics to treat the infection, the bacteria evolve to resist them.”

HANTAVIRUS OUTBREAK KILLS 3 IN WASHINGTON, SICKENS 2 OTHERS

The sexually transmitted disease can infect patients’ genitals, rectum and throat, and is estimated to strike 78 million people per year. Gonorrhoea is often asymptomatic and if left untreated could cause pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and infertility, as well as increased risk of HIV.

The three cases, which were detailed in the journal PLOS Medicine, were confirmed in Japan, France and Spain. No known antibiotic has been effective in treating these patients.

“These cases may just be the tip of the iceberg, since systems to diagnose and report untreatable infections are lacking in lower-income countries where gonorrhoea is actually more common,” Wi said.

PAINKILLER MAKER STOPS SALES AT FDA REQUEST BECAUSE OF ABUSE

WHO analyzed data from 77 countries and reported widespread resistance to older and cheaper antibiotics, with decreasing condom use, increased urbanization and travel, poor infection detection rates and inadequate or failed treatment all contributing to an increase in instances.

“To control gonorrhoea, we need new tools and systems for better prevention, treatment, earlier diagnosis and more complete tracking and reporting of new infections, antibiotic use, resistance and treatment failures,” Dr. Marc Sprenger, director of antimicrobial resistance at WHO, said in a news release. “Specifically, we need new antibiotics, as well as rapid, accurate, point-of-care diagnostic tests – ideally, ones that can predict which antibiotics will work on that particular infection – and longer term, a vaccine to prevent gonorrhoea.”

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Hantavirus outbreak kills 3 in Washington, sickens 2 others

A Spokane man has become Washington state’s third fatality in an outbreak of the rodent-borne hantavirus that’s struck a total of five victims in the state since February. The man, who was in his 50s, was likely exposed to the respiratory illness in a barn in Adams County, according to the Spokane Regional Health District and Adams County Health Department.

The rare illness is usually spread through deer mice droppings, but can also be spread through contact with urine, saliva or nesting materials of infected rodents, or by inhaling dust contaminated with the virus. The virus, which kills more than a third of its victims, cannot be transmitted from person to person.

DARTMOUTH STUDENT DIAGNOSED WITH MUMPS

Symptoms may appear between 1 and 8 weeks after exposure, with early indications of infection presenting as fatigue, fever, muscle aches, dizziness, chills and abdominal problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Symptoms may progress to coughing and shortness of breath.

The latest victim, who was not identified by name, became sick in late June and died several days later, The Spokesman-Review reported. The four other recorded cases, which includes two fatalities, were men and women ranging in age from their 20s to their 50s, and hailed from four counties across the state, David Johnson, spokesman for the Washington State Department of Health, said.

About 14 percent of the deer mice population in Washington have tested positive for the virus, The Spokesman-Review reported. Johnson told Reuters that all victims were exposed to infected mice.

PAINKILLER MAKER STOPS SALES AT FDA REQUEST BECAUSE OF ABUSE

“It could happen in a barn, it could happen in an RV that’s been sitting out for the winter,” Malia Nogle, the health district epidemiologist, told The Spokesman-Review.

The outbreak is the worst recorded in Washington in at least 18 years, public health officials said on Thursday. The three fatalities also mark the highest death toll in the state during a single year since it was first identified in the “Four Corners” region of the U.S. Southwest in 1993, Reuters reported.

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Dartmouth student diagnosed with mumps

Health officials confirmed on Wednesday that a Dartmouth College student has a case of the mumps and has been placed in isolation. A statement said the school’s health providers are working with state officials to manage and test students with potential symptoms of the disease.

Students are being asked to contact Dartmouth College Health Services about any health concerns, while staff members and faculty are advised to consult their primary care physicians, The Union Leader reported.

TRAFFIC STOP ENDS IN BIRTH OF BABY GIRL

“We are writing to you today to provide you with information you will need to be an active part of the response to prevent the spread of mumps on campus,” Dr. Ann Bracken, director of clinical medical services at the college health service, told students via email.

As of Thursday, no other students had been tested for mumps, which the college requires vaccination against in order to register for classes with the exception of those who are exempted under specific circumstances, The Leader Union reported.

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Mumps may cause a patient to experience puffy cheeks, swollen jaw, fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, loss of appetite or swollen salivary glands. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms can appear 16-18 days after infection, or up to 25 days after. The virus is contagious and could cause life-threatening complications if left untreated.

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