Howard G. Smith, MD, AM
PENTA Medical Network
617-488-9699
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HealthNews RoundUp - 1st Week of June 2022
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REPORTS
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We Now Have A Twindemic
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/5u_A8o2SFNo
We’re all so busy coping with the seemingly endless waves of CoVid that another burst of infectious disease has escaped the public’s notice. It’s the good ol’ flu.
Yes the influenza season, normally spanning November through March, has developed a new pattern this year. Instead of peaking in January or February, there was a peak in December but yet another peak in April and May.
If you got your flu shot, it is still effective but that isn’t saying much.
The adjusted vaccine effectiveness of the influenza vaccine this year was 14% against Influenza A and 16% against Influenza A/H3/N2. Fairly abysmal protection.
Since your flu vaccination isn’t very protective, your only defense against this airborne respiratory disease is….wait for it….masking indoors and avoiding crowds. Sound familiar?
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/weeklyarchives2021-2022/WhoNPHL19.html
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7110a1.htm
#influenza #vaccine #masking #distancing #CoVid #rsv
influenza, vaccine, masking, distancing, CoVid, rsv
Monkeypox 411
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/VQj4zPuGqdY
We’ve talked about a twindemic this spring of both CoVid and Influenza, but now we have monkeypox threatening to make it a tridemic. So what should you know about monkeypox?
Monkeypox is an orthopoxvirus, a cousin of the smallpox virus, that was first identified in 1958 in a colony of African monkeys. The first human case was noted in 1970, again in Africa, and the majority of infections occur in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The virus is mostly carried by rodents such as mice, rats, and squirrels.
Monkeypox does not occur naturally in the US, and all cases here stem from International travelers bringing in the virus. As of June 1st, monkeypox cases have been identified in 10 states and in more than 23 countries.
Monkeypox begins with typical symptoms of viral infections including fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue after a 5 to 21 day incubation period. One to three days after symptom onset, a rash appears followed by discrete lesions that become bumpy, liquid-filled, and pus-filled, that break giving way to scabs after a total of 2 to 4 weeks.
The disease is spread by infected secretions during close and intimate contact including sex but may also be spread through respiratory secretions. Spread is prevented by avoiding contact with sick animals and people, careful hand washing and use of alcohol hand sanitizers, and masking as well as use of eye protection around those who are infected. The very young, elders, pregnant women, and those with immune deficiencies are at particular risk.
Those previously immunized against smallpox should have some protection, but it likely has waned over time. Most at risk currently are younger persons who never received the smallpox vaccine. At this time, vaccination is not being recommended but that may change if the disease is spreading. If it is, problems will arise as available vaccines to monkeypox, JYNNEOS and the older ACAM200, are in short supply.
There are several anti-viral medications, tecovirimat and brincidofovir, that counteract monkeypox, but their effectiveness in treating human monkeypox has not been proven. Vaccinia immune globulin is available and may provide effective treatment for those infected. To prevent spread, any infected person should quarantine for 21 days.
https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/treatment.html
#Monkeypox #smallpox #vaccinia #tecovirimat #brincidofovir
Monkeypox, smallpox, vaccinia, tecovirimat, brincidofovir
The Optimal Time of Day For Exercising
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/HNGIVFcO8-U
Morning exercise is best for women and evening exercise works best for men. These the conclusions of collaborative studies by exercise physiologists at New York’s Skidmore College, the Arizona State University, and the California State University.
The researchers analyzed 30 women and 20 men in their early to mid-forties over a 12 week period. The data gathered included body fat, abdominal fat, blood pressure, respiratory exchange, muscle strength, endurance, and exercise time of day.
For women, morning exercise reduced both abdominal fat and blood pressure. For men, it was the evening exercise that powered desirable fat oxidation and blood pressure reduction. For those women focused on improving their strength, exercising in the evening proved best.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.893783/full
#gender #exercise #abdominalfat #bloodpressure #strength
gender, exercise, abdominalfat, bloodpressure, strength
Egg Freezing Beats IVF For Women Postponing Motherhood
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/ZvRgZ8D8K1c
Women who elect to freeze their eggs in their 20s or early 30s are more than twice as likely to later become pregnant and more than 3.5 times more likely to deliver a baby when compared with women who use IVF techniques. NYU gynecologists studied 543 patients who froze their eggs and compared their pregnancy success with controls who began using IVF at age 40 or later.
Women who froze eggs under age 38 and thawed 20 or more mature eggs enjoyed the highest live birth rate of 70%. This rate was lowered to 58% when women who froze eggs as late as 44 were included. In contrast, IVF for women at age 40 yielded only a 30% pregnancy rate and only a 20% live birth rate.
The bottom line: women who want children a bit later in life should plan ahead and freeze their eggs.
https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(22)00254-0/fulltext
#pregnancy #ivf #eggfreezing
pregnancy, ivf, eggfreezing
CoVid Relapse After Paxlovid
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/rzwFSA0Q4D8
Persons who experience a CoVid relapse after taking a 5 day course of the Pfizer protease cocktail Paxlovid all carry high viral loads for 9 to 16 days after beginning the drug. Researchers at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s and Mass. General Hospitals followed 7 participants who redeveloped CoVid after apparently successful Paxlovid therapy.
All 7 participants experienced symptom improvement and negative home CoVid tests after their 5 days on Paxlovid. Then, an average of 4 days after stopping the drug regimen, symptoms returned accompanied by a significant viral load that was present for another 5 to 12 days. The recovered virus was sequenced in 6 of 7 participants and no resistance-associated mutations were detected.
If you develop CoVid and receive Paxlovid, be prepared to continue your home testing for at least 2 to 3 weeks after beginning the drug. We don’t know as yet for certain but we do suspect that there are symptom-free recurrences during which virus spread is possible and even likely.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.24.22275326v1.full.pdf+html
#CoVid #paxlovid #recurrence #hometesting
CoVid, paxlovid, recurrence, hometesting
Teens Fall Victim to E-Cigarette Explosions
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/XVzwyLbLfiQ
Exploding cigars are an old prank, but e-cigarette explosions aren’t funny and can be devastating to an increasing number of teens. University of Utah surgeons combed the case records for 9 children’s hospitals looking for e-cigarette-related injuries during the years 2016 through 2019.
A total of 15 children 13 to 18 years were injured. Ten required hospital admission and 3 landed in the ICU. The catalog of injuries included facial burns, loss of teeth, thigh and groin burns, hand burns, eye injuries, and even a jaw fracture. Forty percent required surgery.
Nationally, FEMA reported 195 e-cigarette fires and explosions between 2009 and 2016, and 29% of the victims suffered severe injuries.
Why do e-cigarettes explode? They often contain often cheap lithium-ion batteries to power their heaters. When these batteries get banged around, they can explode and the e-cigarette becomes a flaming rocket.
So add this explosion danger to lung damage and cancer generation making 3 good reasons for your teens and for you not to use these e-cigarettes.
https://www.journalofsurgicalresearch.com/article/S0022-4804(22)00095-6/fulltext
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/electronic_cigarettes.pdf
#ecigarette #explosions #batteries #lithiumion #cancer #emphysema
ecigarette, explosions, batteries, lithiumion, cancer, emphysema
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SHORT SHORTS
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Short Shorts for 1st Week of June, 2022
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/V4K0AKnztjM
Here are the quickie reports about cutting edge medical and healthcare discoveries this 1st week of June, 2022.
A new Swiss perfusion technique keeps donor livers alive and well for up to 3 days while they await transplantation into recipients. In the past, the liver would only tolerate a 12 hour maximum residence outside the human body. The additional time allows transportation for longer distances as well as the laboratory and tissue testing necessary to assume a good match and long-term function.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-022-01354-7
From NY’s Rockefeller University comes the news that a new synthetic antibiotic called cilagicin capably neutralizes even the nastiest, drug resistant bacteria including MRSA and C. difficile. The drug is based on a computer prediction regarding the type of molecule a bacterium would create to protect itself from its more aggressive cousins. Cilagicin works effectively by combining 2 molecules that together irreversibly weaken bacterial cells walls. Existing antibiotics have only one such molecule. The drug works in mice and is non-toxic to humans.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn4213
A spoon full of sugar……. You know the rest. MIT bioengineers and Harvard gastroenterologists have a better way to make the medicines go down for those with difficulties swallowing, say after a stroke, or an aversion to pills and capsules as do most kids. Their better mousetrap is a gel-based drug delivery platform using gels composed of plant-based oils including sesame oil. The gels can be produced with different viscosities and flavors. Clinical studies are slated to begin soon.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abm8478
The FDA has announced the first drug approved for the treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis. The drug is dupilumab and its better known as Dupixent. Its now approved for use in adults and teens 12 years and over weighing at least 88 pounds. Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic inflammation that triggers swallowing problems with food trapping on the way down to the stomach. Dupixent is about 60% effective in reducing the eosinophils populating the esophagus and driving this disorder. No word yet on insurance coverage.
There you have the latest health reveals for the 1st week of June, 2022. When additional information about these developments becomes available, I’ll pass it on to you.
#liver #transplantation #perfusion #bacteria #antibiotic #drugresistant #ai #swallowing #gels #stroke #plantoil #esophagitis #eosinophil #dupixent
liver, transplantation, perfusion, bacteria, antibiotic, drugresistant, ai, swallowing, gels, stroke, plantoil, esophagitis, eosinophil, dupixent
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HEALTH BUSINESS SHORTS
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Healthcare Business News. 1st week of June, 2022
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/-Yw1UYtJ2E8
Here is some notable healthcare-related business news for this 1st week of June, 2022
The Mayo Clinic has launched its OB Nest Program that moves at least half of a low-risk pregnant woman’s prenatal visits out of the medical offices into her home or “nest.” Pregnancy is treated as a natural process rather than a disease. Even so, women and their partners are trained to use provided home monitoring devices like fetal heart rate Dopplers to capture data. They then communicate with the medical team using secure messaging, phone calls, and video visits. Expect this care model to spread.
Braidio, developer of the smartphone app My Health Concierge, has partnered with BlueSemi, maker of the multi sensor EYVA, to create a portable system that will be the heart of a preventive home health monitoring system capable of interfacing with larger telehealth ecosystems. EYVA’s sensors will measure blood glucose, HbA1c, blood oxygen, heart rate, ECG, blood pressure, and breathing patterns over 60 second and feed the data to the My Health device for processing and uploading. Brave new world coming.
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/ai-and-iot-device-connects-concierge-platform-rpm
The UCLA spinoff SILQ Technologies is marketing a urinary catheter with a unique surface treatment that eliminates bacterial growth by more that 80%. The anti-microbial properties arise when a thin layer of zwitterionic material is bound to the catheter’s surface with UV light. The company plans to expand commercial use of this process to reduce biofilm bacterial growth on endoscopy and other diagnostic equipment. The best news: this surface requires no antibiotics to inhibit bacterial growth.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202200254
There you have the latest healthcare-related business news for this 1st week of June, 2022
#OBnest #Mayo #myhealth #evya #zwitterions #ucla #silq
OBnest, Mayo, myhealth, evya, zwitterions, ucla, silq
Saw It On TV:
Here is the nitty gritty about the healthcare products and services that you see on TV in an endless barrage of ads.
Let’s take a closer look at Dupixent, $24 million
#REF
REF
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In upcoming editions of SAW IT ON TV, I’ll review the healthcare products that you see advertised on TV.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/639356/tv-advertise-drugs-usa/
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CPSC Recalls
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FDA Recalls
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Organic Strawberries Spark Hepatitis Outbreaks in the US and Canada
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/2L9yq4ER5Jg
The FDA, CDC, and the Canadian public health and food inspection agencies announce the recall of FreshKampo and HEB fresh organic strawberries purchased between March 5 and April 25, 2022 and frozen. Hepatitis A outbreaks have been traced to these strawberries. They were sold at: Aldi, HEB, Kroger, Safeway Sprouts Farmers Markets, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Weis Markets, WinCo Foods, and other retail outlets. If you bought and froze these strawberries, take them out of your freezer now and destroy them. Restaurant owners…. That goes for you too! If you by chance have eaten these strawberries in the past 2 weeks and have never been vaccinated against hepatitis A or had this infection, check with your healthcare team about post-exposure prophylaxis. For more information, call the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator for your state ,and you can find that number online.
https://www.fda.gov/safety/report-problem-fda/consumer-complaint-coordinators
#strawberries #hepatitisA #vaccination #prophylaxis
strawberries, hepatitisA, vaccination, prophylaxis
Recall on Trader Joes’s Lemony Arugula Basil Salad Kit
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/pdbw-2IjLvU
The FDA and Taylor Farms Retail have recalled Trader Joes’s Lemony Arugula Basil Salad Kit. This product contains undeclared wheat and eggs. Those with egg or wheat allergies or those with gluten issues or celiac disease could develop severe or life-threatening allergic reactions should they ingest this product. The recalled product has a best if used by date of June 2, 2022. It has been sold nationwide at all Trader’s Joe’s stores. If you bought this product, discard it. For more information, contact Taylor Farms at 1-855-455-0098.
#traderjoes #basilsalad #wheat #egg #gluten #celiac #allergy #recall
traderjoes, basilsalad, wheat, egg, gluten, celiac, allergy, recall
Giant Eagle Recalls Its Baked Items Containing Peanut Butter
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/QYuVxJomFMs
The FDA and Giant Eagle have recalled ALL bakery items that contain peanut butter and were prepared and sold in each of 3 Pennsylvania markets in Ebensburg, Indiana and Northern Cambria. These items have Jif peanut butter in them that is contaminated with salmonella. This bacterium causes severe and life-threatening gastrointestinal and systemic infections in the very young, elders, and in those with immune weaknesses. If you bought these items, return them to the Giant Eagle store for a refund. For additional information, call Giant Eagle Customer Care at 1-800-553-2324.
#gianteagle #bakery #peanut #jif #salmonella #infection #recall
gianteagle, bakery, peanut, jif , salmonella, infection, recall
Quick Chek Apple and Peanut Butter Snack Trays
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/mrEdrCGSWG4
The FDA and Safeway Fresh Foods also known as Sunnyside Fresh now recall Quick Chek branded Apple and Peanut Butter Snack trays sold in New Jersey. These products contain Jif peanut butter that is contaminated with salmonella. This bacterium causes severe and life-threatening gastrointestinal and systemic infections in the very young, elders, and in those with immune weaknesses. If you bought these trays, the company recommends destroying them. Before doing so, you might want to call the company at 1-215-518-1391 to ask about refunds.
#quickchek #peanutbuttersnacktrays #safeway #jif #salmonella #infection #recall
quickchek, peanutbuttersnacktrays, safeway, jif, salmonella, infection, recall
Multiple Snack Packs and Sandwiches Recalled For Peanut Butter Contamination
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/oPnrrqBtNqI
The FDA and AG Specialty Foods have recalled a group of perishable products contaminated with Jif salmonella-containing peanut butter. These include: “The Goods” Snack Pack, We Be PB & Jammin’ Snack Box, Peanut Butter Strawberry Jam Old Fashioned White Bread, and Peanut Butter Strawberry Jam White Bread containing the Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, Jif Creamy Peanut Butter To Go 1.5oz cups, Jif Natural Creamy Peanut Butter To Go 1.5oz cups, and Smuckers Peanut Butter. These were sold in Oregon and Washington state. If you bought any of these, the company recommends disposing of them. They don’t mention refunds, but I would definitely call the company at 1-503-305-6100 to ask them about compensation.
#snackpacks #peanutbutter #jif #salmonella #infection #recall
snackpacks, peanutbutter, jif, salmonella, infection, recall
Recall on Alterna Caviar Bond Leave-in-Heat Protection Spray
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/0b8Fd5YeXF0
The FDA and the Henkel Corporation have recalled Alterna Caviar Bond Leave-in-Heat Protection Spray. This hair care product designed to help repair damaged hair is contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia complex. This bacterium is not a threat to healthy humans but can cause serious infections in those with weakened immune systems, chronic lung diseases, chronic granulomatous disease, wound infections, or cystic fibrosis. If you bought this product, return it to the place of purchase for a refund. For additional information, call Henkel at 1-888-425-8376 or via email at Alterna.customerservice@henkel.com.
#alterna #protectionspray #bacterium #infection #recall
alterna, protectionspray, bacterium, infection, recall
Rich’s Peanut Butter Cups on Recall
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/lSlA7kr8CSI
The FDA and the Albanese Confectionery Group, Inc. have recalled Rich’s Peanut Butter Cups including Rich’s Milk Chocolate Mini Peanut Butter Cups and Rich’s Milk Chocolate Giant Layered Peanut Butter Cups. These candies are made with with Jif salmonella-containing peanut butter. If eaten, it can trigger severe and life-threatening gastrointestinal and systemic infections in the very young, elders, and in those with immune weaknesses. If you bought any Rich’s Peanut Butter Cups, return them to the place of purchase for a refund. For additional information, call Albanese at 1-219-472-6306.
#richs #peanutbuttercups #jif #salmonella #infection #recall
richs, peanutbuttercups, jif, salmonella, infection, recall
Recall on Botanic Choice Prune & Senna Softgels
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/bJIu3lznHnk
The FDA and Indiana Botanic Gardens Inc. have recalled Botanic Choice Prune & Senna Softgels. This product contains undeclared peanuts. Those with peanut allergies could develop serious or life-threatening allergic reactions after ingesting these soft gels. If you bought a bottle of these laxative soft gels, return them to the place of purchase for a refund. For more information, reach Indiana Botanic Gardens at 1-800-644-8327.
#botanicchoice #softgels #senna #laxatives #peanuts #allergy #recall
botanicchoice, softgels, senna, laxatives, peanuts, allergy, recall
Egg and Cheese Curds Snack and Power Boxes Need To Be Returned
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/MC8C_GCrFsw
The FDA and the Bix Product Company are recalling their Egg and Cheese Curds Snack and Power Boxes branded as either Jack & Olive or Created Fresh! These products are contaminated with salmonella since they contain Jif Peanut Butter. This bacterium causes severe and life-threatening gastrointestinal and systemic infections in the very young, elders, and in those with immune weaknesses. Don’t consume these products but return them to the place of purchase for a refund. For more information, call Bix at 1-651-478-8000.
#jackolive #createdfresh #eggcheesecurds #jif #peanutbutter #salmonella #infection #recall
jackolive, createdfresh, eggcheesecurds, jif, peanutbutter, salmonella, infection, recall
Euphoria Chocolate Candy Tainted with Jif Peanut Butter
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/aWCHeB4ku-I
The FDA and the Euphoria Chocolate Company are recalling Peanut Butter Classic Truffles, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Meltaways, and Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Meltaways. These products have Jif peanut butter that is contaminated with salmonella that causes nasty infections in the young, old, and immune compromised. These products were sold in Oregon. If you bought any of them, dispose or them or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. For more information, call Euphoria at 1-541-344-4914.
#euphoria #truffles #meltaways #peanutbutter #jif #salmonella #infection #recall
euphoria, truffles, meltaways, peanutbutter, jif, salmonella, infection, recall