Also: Yosemite closes part of a popular camping area amid the threat of rodent-borne hantavirus; the threat of untreatable tuberculosis appears to be rising; and cases of West Nile virus have risen 40% in the last week.
Archive for the ‘Infectious disease’ Category
A.M. Vitals: Killer Hospital Germs and Autism
August 23rd, 2012 
Robert Lee Hotz Also: The U.S. is heading toward one of the worst West Nile seasons since 1999; and Medicare spending growth is slowing.
Posted in Antibiotics, Autism, CDC, Congress, Consumer health, Diabetes, Drugs, Genetics, Health costs, Hospitals, Infectious disease, Medicare, Obesity, Public health, Research 
Comments OffA.M. Vitals: West Nile War and DNA Data Storage
August 17th, 2012 Stefanie Ilgenfritz Here’s what’s making health news this morning:
Dallas Steps Up West Nile War (WSJ): A total of 693 cases of West Nile virus, with 26 deaths, have been reported nationwide this year to the CDC as of Aug. 14. Nearly a quarter of the cases and 10 o…
A.M. Vitals: Pfizer’s Cost-Cuts Offset Loss of Lipitor
August 1st, 2012 Amy Dockser Marcus Pfizer’s profits, health law changes go into effect, suit over bill collecting from patients gets settled
Cutting the Risk of Tainted Platelets
August 1st, 2012 Laura Landro Bacterial contamination of donated platelets has become the most significant infection risk in the U.S. blood supply. What can patients and families do to reduce the risks?
A.M. Vitals: The Biggest Blood Supply Risk, Tainted Platelets
July 31st, 2012 Amy Dockser Marcus Contaminated platelets poses bigger threat to blood supply than HIV or hepatitis C, new attention being paid to possible cognitive or developmental issues in children born with congenital heart disease
A.M. Vitals: Ebola Outbreak in Uganda Kills 14
July 30th, 2012 Amy Dockser Marcus Ebola outbreak, challenges with treating HIV patients, health insurance law implementation issues
A.M. Vitals: Second Avian Flu Paper Published
June 22nd, 2012 Stefanie Ilgenfritz Here’s what’s making health news this morning:
New Bird Flu Study Shows Virus’s Pandemic Potential (WSJ): A paper on genetically altered H5N1 virus in Science is one of two controversial experiments whose planned publication sparked fears it would gi…
Hospitals Zero In On Drug-Resistant Infections as Pressure Builds
June 5th, 2012 Laura Landro Hospitals are beefing up hygiene amid growing recognition that drug-resistant organisms can lurk on the most common surfaces.
Flesh-Eating Bacteria: Rare but Dangerous
May 15th, 2012 WSJ Staff It’s rare, but when it strikes, the consequences of infection from flesh-eating bacteria can be devastating.