A local mental health facility has been temporarily shut down due to an infestation of bed bugs. Personal Enrichment for Mental Health Services, is being monitored by health officials until the bed bug problem is resolved. Bed bugs, unlike roaches or fleas, hide in the mattresses and can cause painful bites.
Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed solely upon the blood of warm-blooded animals. Bed bugs and their relatives have evolved as nest parasites. Certain kinds inhabit bird nests and bat roosts and await the return of their hosts; others have adapted well to living in the ‘nests’ (homes) of people.
Hatchling bed bugs are about the size of a poppy seed, and adults are about 1/4 of an inch in length. From above they are oval in shape, but are flattened from top to bottom.
Their color ranges from nearly white (just after molting) or a light tan to a deep brown or burnt orange. The host’s blood may appear as a dark red or black mass within the bug’s body. Because they never develop wings, bed bugs cannot fly. When disturbed, bed bugs actively seek shelter in dark cracks and crevices. Cast skins of bed bugs are sometimes discovered. Although such a finding confirms that bed bugs had been present previously, it does not confirm that any continue to infest the residence. Thus, inspect carefully for live crawling bed bugs. Because many other kinds of small brown bugs may be discovered, it is critical to ensure that the bugs are correctly identified (more about this below).
Do bed bugs cause harm or spread pathogens (disease-causing germs)?
Bed bugs seek out people and animals, generally at night while these hosts are asleep, and painlessly sip a few drops of blood. While feeding, they inject a tiny amount of their saliva into the skin. Repeated exposures to bed bug bites during a period of several weeks or more causes people to become sensitized to the saliva of these bugs; additional bites may then result in mild to intense allergic responses. The skin lesion produced by the bite of a bed bug resembles those caused by many other kinds of blood feeding insects, such as mosquitoes and fleas. The offending insect, therefore, can rarely be identified by the appearance of the bites. A physician should be consulted to rule out other causes for the lesions and to offer treatment, as needed. The affected person should resist the urge to scratch the bites, as this may intensify the irritation and itching, and may lead to secondary infection. Physicians often treat patients with antihistamines and corticosteroids to reduce allergic reactions and inflammation. Despite what you may have heard or read elsewhere, bed bugs are not known to transmit any infectious agents

Nebraska Beef Ltd. is recalling 5.3 million pounds of beef due to its connection with E.coli bacteria that has sickened 40 people in Michigan and Ohio. The latest announcement is an expansion of the earlier recall of ground beef. The USDA’s Food and Inspection Service has blamed unsanitary production processes for the food contamination.
Symptoms of E. coli infection can include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and fever. It can potentially be deadly, but most people recover within five to seven days.
Health officials urge people to thoroughly cook hamburger and, if possible, use a digital thermometer to make sure meat has been heated to at least 160 degrees.

Certainly it comes as no surprise to industry watchers that large pharmaceutical companies have been highly critical of FDA efforts to increase their monitoring and safety procedures concerning new drugs coming on to the market. The pharmaceutical companies have a singular mission in mind and that is increase their bottom line and profit margins for stock holders. On the other hand, the FDA is charged with protecting the consumer from bad drugs whose harm can potentially ruin lives. What is a bit surprising to this observer is the shameless manner that the drug companies are attacking the FDA efforts. They’re coming right out and saying the FDA is costing them more money (while they are raking in millions of dollars a year from their drugs) and delaying drugs from entering the marketplace.
With all the problems surrounding bad drugs such as Vioxx, Zyprexa, Zetia, Vytorin, just to name a few, I hope the FDA continues to fight off the big monied lobbying campaigns of the drug companies and protect consumers.

While many are decrying Pope Benedict’s decision to move Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis to head the Apostolic Signatura in Rome, it may be too early to judge the move. Admittedly, Burke has had a deplorable history of dealing with sexually abusive priests during his 5 year tenure in St. Louis. He’s not only been completely unwilling to act against such priests, he’s actually welcomed a few into the Archdiocese of St. Louis from other dioceses!
Yet, let me play devil’s advocate for a moment. As head of the Apostolic Signatura (the church’s highest court), Burke will no longer be able to wreck havoc in parishes and dioceses. Rather, he’ll be mediating disputes between lower church tribunals (courts) over matters of canon law. In other words, he’ll be in an ivory tower removed from dealing with pastoral issues. We all know that’s not the way most of us would deal with someone like Burke, but it’s very typical in the often shadowy world of the Vatican. Perhaps, the people of St. Louis will receive a caring, compassionate shepherd willing to deal with the problem of abusive priests as well as their survivors. Perhaps, this is a good move for the church in America, just a thought.

Contrast agents used in echocardiograms continue to raise serious safety concerns even after the FDA decided earlier this year to relax some of its earlier warnings. The products — which include Optison, made by General Electric Co’s GE Healthcare, and Definity, made by privately-held Lantheus Medical Imaging — have already been linked to serious heart problems and deaths in some patients. In October 2007, the FDA stepped up its warnings for the imaging agents after the federal agency had received 200 complaints and reports of 7 deaths.
The contrast agents help radiologists view the heart more clearly yet these contrast agents have been linked to cardiopulmonary problems as well as breathing difficulty and seizures.

A British neurologist has testified under oath that he had warned Neurontin’s manufacturer, Pfizer, of its potential link to aggresion and depression. The testimony has been taken in order for the court to determine if Neurontin lawsuits will be allowed to continue. Plaintiffs have alleged that more than 100 suicides are linked to the drug Neurontin.
According to a Wall St. Journal report, “Dr. Trimble said that in 1995 and 1996, he was hired to write two confidential reports for Parke-Davis — now a unit of Pfizer — because the company “was concerned about psychosis in relation to their drug.” Dr. Trimble said he was unable to find a link to psychosis, but noted effects of depression and aggression.”

Already in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the Diocese of Fairbanks is actively seeking anyone who may have been sexually abused by Catholic priests, nuns, religious brothers, or any person affiliated with the Diocese of Fairbanks from the 1950’s until the 1980’s. As part of the bankruptcy, victims will have until December 2, 2008 to come forward to have their abuse claims evaluated and processed.
The Diocese of Fairbanks follows in the footsteps of Portland (Oregon), Tucson, and Davenport.

The last food contamination scare has now spread to five more states and the District of Columbia. Salmonella tainted tomatoes has spread to 28 states thus far. 277 people have fell ill because of the salmonella contamination.
The FDA has yet to determine the source of the salmonella but the agency is looking closely at farms in Mexico and central Florida as the culprit.
Food contamination has been a growing concern for consumers as well as the FDA. The FDA is already overburdened in attempting to deal with dangerous drugs as well as the growing food contamination problem.

The large pharmaceutical companies agreed to hold off any direct to consumer marketing of their drugs after coming under heavy fire from Congress and the FDA regarding the controversial marketing practice. The Congressmen behind the investigation, Michigan Democrats Bart Stupak and John Dingell had wanted a two year moratorium on such advertising. In the end, the drug companies agreed to something that allows them to continue their deceptive marketing practices.
The companies still can pitch their products directly to consumers. They’ll still use hired guns, actors, and celebrities who have no relation to the efficacy of the drug whatsoever. Finally, they didn’t agree to advertise products only when studies have shown they improve clinical outcomes. Drugs are often approved (and advertised) solely based on surrogate markers.
In the end, this isn’t good news for consumers and patients who rely on science rather than marketing practices to ensure their own health and welfare.

The unexpected and untimely death of NBC’s Tim Russert is a blow to the nation that’s come to expect honesty, integrity, and professionalism from Russert. Respect for Russert knew no partisan, religious, ideological, or professional boundaries. He was the consummate journalist who knew how to ask just the right question at the precise moment. He was a gentleman who never succumbed to the tempation of hyperbole or headline grabbing soundbites. He represents the best of his profession and the best of our country. Tim Russert will be sorely missed.