Microbe Wars

Happy, Happy Friday

Here's the recap from the weekly APHC newsletter:

• Remember those U.S. embassy personnel in Cuba and China that have been suffering from physical ailments from unknown origins?  The doctor leading the initial examination of those folks now says microwaves were probably used to cause brain damage to 3 dozen U.S. citizens.
• There are many microbes on and in our bodies (e.g., bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa, and viruses).  Scientists are experimenting with harnessing some of the bacteria to eat other dangerous, disease-causing bacteria (pathogens).  So far, they've confirmed that one type of bacteria (Bdellovibrio) will attack 145 of the 168 human pathogens tested -- eating 99.9% of pathogens like the plague and lung infections from the inside out.  And so far, the pathogens have NOT developed resistances to the attacks.  More tests are coming, such as treating infections from wounds or burns. 
• Consider for a minute that global warming might be real (despite the current administration's arguments otherwise), and now consider what might happen if the planet warms by only 2 degrees.  Researchers at the University of Washington have thought it through.  According to their models, insect populations will explode -- along with their chemically-charged metabolisms.  By 2100 or sooner, grasshoppers, caterpillars and other insects will eaten 46% of the world's wheat crops, 19% of rice, and 31% of corn.  Combine that with the world's human population almost doubling to 11.2 billion by 2100. 
• "What's In My Food This Week?"
• Salmonella (Intestinal bacteria) in the Kellogg's Honey Smacks continues to make people sick in 36 states 
• Cyclospora (intestinal parasite) in cilantro shipments from Mexico into the U.S.; good news is that inspectors have refused to allow some shipments into the country that were also contaminated (basil, parsley, sprouts, avocados, cucumbers, peppers)
• global outbreak of African Swine Fever is requiring culling of many pigs -- no other impact on humans that I can see

• lab mice who are allowed one meal a day have longer lifespans and less age-related diseases.  In interview after interview, however, the mice all said that their quality of life sucked
• "Rut Roh" news, there's increasing evidence linking daytime drowsiness and night-time poor sleeping to Alzheimer's disease. 
• I'll leave you with this:  63% of men and 49% of women report seeing their work colleagues NOT wash their hands after using the restroom.  Ewwww

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Labor Day Weekend and the LOC National Book Festival

holiday weekend...

Saturday was the 18th Library of Congress National Book Festival.  Holly and I went downtown to the Convention Center and got about a half dozen books from Brad Meltzer, Brian Kilmeade, Deborah Harkness, Annie Prouix, and Amy Tan. Wish I could have attended a presentation or two, but opted for autographs instead.  Gonna miss these when we move.  Where Annie Prouix was a disappointment (a rude prune), Deborah Harkness was a pleasant surprise.  Holly stepped up to the table with 3 copies of A Discovery of Witches -- one for Donna, Sarah, and herself.  Harkness asked her about it and then was charming in talking to Holly for a couple minutes, despite the extraordinarily long line waiting for their turn.  Where Prouix lost a fan, Harness created a new one or two.  Otherwise, I wish the LOC would weave in a few more fiction or even SciFi authors (gasp) instead of 17 authors in the "Understanding Our World" category -- I don't even understand what that means. 


Here's the rundown on weekly health news from PHC:

• a metaphorical shit-storm hit here last week when Reuters released a story on lead in Army family housing -- 1,000 children tested positive for various levels of lead poisoning.  My agency is ultimately responsible for remediation, and from what we hear the Reuters story exposed light on an issue that Army leader were not yet ready to expose to light.  So, leaders immediately decided to start testing all pre-1978 homes, which will cost ~$386M
• In the "Well Hell, I Could Have Told You That" category, scientists are saying that the U.S. is unprepared for nuclear war.  Their focus is on medical professionals being able and WILLING to go into fallout zones and treat those exposed to radiation.  Did you know that there are only 300 doctors in the U.S. that are proficient at skin grafting -- the primary treatment for burns?
• the world's population will increase by 29% by 2015.  That's 2.3 billion people added to the table competing for water and food, to total 9.9 billion.
• air pollution kills brain cells, as the Chinese are discovering now
• Patty, Chrissy and Andy:  if you have Children's Advil Suspension Bubble Gum fluid, please dispose of it.  The dosage is mislabeled.
• As much as I've "joked" about China trying to kill us all, this is no joke.  China is withholding samples of an evolving (and dangerous) mutation of the influenza virus that will likely hit the US.  Some think it's retaliation for tariffs.
• In the perennial favorite, "What's In My Food?" report: 
• E.coli infected ground beef meat in Colorado and California 
• Salmonella in kosher chicken in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York
• if you have Fido on a grain-free diet, you're causing heart disease

• a new German study says that heart healthy foods = fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, dairy products, and meat.  Yes, those last two are not what most studies have been recommending.  This report says to stay away from refined carbs and processed meats.
• 1 in every 7 U.S. adults have used marijuana in 2017
• don't go to Africa...they have the market cornered on plagues and viruses.  And don't go to India, cause leprosy is making a come-back.
• South Africa has run out of water, despite 6 months of intensive rationing.  They're building desalination plants and limiting water for agricultural use, too
• weird news:  Saudi Arabia is sprinkling a nanotech anti-microbial agent on those large carpets used by millions of worshippers at the Grand Masque in Makkah.  They're also using the nanotech on the cloth garments worn by pilgrims.
• Congratulations U.S.!  We hit a record high number of STD cases in 2016 -- more than 2 million new cases.  Would it help if we showed teenagers medical photos of what STDs look like in full raging "bloom"?

 Hope everyone has a great week!

All the news fit to fear

Happy Friday.

Do any of you watch the ABC Evening News?  That sharp-looking young man always starts the broadcast with an earnest look on his face as he energetically chops the air with his hands while saying, "Several breaking stories as we come on the air tonight!"

To help you enter the weekend with a suitable sense of impending doom, here's the week's recap of health news from the Army Public Health Center.

• from our ace cub reporter in Pulaski, the Congo is dealing with their 10th Ebola outbreak since it first started killing people in the '70s.  This area already suffered from millions killed in savage ethnic wars in the late '90s.  
• Reuters reported that 1,000+ children tested positive for elevated lead levels between 2011-2016 by the Army, but test results were not reported to state health departments -- a violation of state laws.  Four Senators want to know why, and what the Army is going to do to improve its procedures.  The sites were mostly family housing unit located on Army bases in Georgia, Texas, Kentucky and New York.
• hearing aids are expensive, which is why so few people who need them do not get them (you know who we're talking about).  For several years now we've been waiting for new, low-cost hearing aids to be made available to the public without having to go to a doctor first.  That reality is inching closer.
• researchers at George Washington University and Texas Children's Hospital are developing a vaccine for human parasites like hookworm and liver flukes (shudder)
• remember the valsartan recall?  China trying to kill us all by putting impurities into your heart medicines?  Check out the update titled, "Toxim at heart of drug recall".  Valsartin now comes with traces of a carcinogen (N-nitrosodimethylamine)...no extra charge. 
• 32 different children's medicines are being recalled because of "microbial contamination".  The medicines were made by King Bio company in North Carolina.
• Chinese pig farmers have culled more than 20,000 animals trying to stem the spread of African swine fever -- for which there is no cure.
• Looks like the National Institute of Health is sketching out the parameters of what is going to be called "cannabis-use disorder" -- previously known as reefer-madness!
• All exercise improves mental health.  Read that again to be sure it sinks in, then go look at the article on the 3-year study of 1.2 million adults that found that every form of activity helps maintain a positive attitude (reduce stress, depression, etc.).  Cycling is the best solo activity, but team sports are the best overall choice to banish a bad day.
• related to that story above -- even short bouts of activities can reduce the bad health effects of sitting too long.  Moving about every once in a while reduces levels of fat in the blood and concentrations of glucose and insulin. 
• vaping is being linked to DNA damage, increasing one's risk of cancer. 
• frequent home moves increase psychosis in children.  Now we all know the impact of living with a bunch of gypsies!
• China has embarked on an anti-smog campaign.  Some reports indicate that a few folks in Beijing actually saw the sky last month.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week.  Get outside and enjoy the early Fall weather!

Joe