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V for Vixen Reported December 12, 2007 No cure this sure yet, sadly World AIDS Day is Dec. 1, and while this sounds like a doom-and-gloom topic just waiting to stomp your visions of a hot post-sex afterglow, it's also a terribly important one. Time out for some statistics! In Canada, there are approximately 58,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, and about 27 per cent of … [Read more...]

Deadly bird flu strain in FranceJuly 6, 2007 Three swans found dead in the north-east of France have tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, suggesting the virus may once again be spreading across Europe. At least five other European nations have reported avian influenza outbreaks this year, according to the Paris-based World … [Read more...]

Almost Half Of Rural Indian Women Have Not Heard Of HIV/AIDS, Report SaysJuly 14, 2007 About 46% of women living in rural areas of India have not heard of HIV/AIDS, according to a recently released report from the Indian government's National Family Health Survey, which is supported by UNICEF and the British and U.S. governments, Reuters … [Read more...]

Japan to tighten visa control for Mexicans, tries to block swine fluReported April 28, 2009 TOKYO, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Japan said it would temporarily tighten visa control for citizens of Mexico, the center of the swine flu outbreak. Under the tightened rules, Mexicans could no longer obtain a visa on arrival, according to a Japanese foreign ministry official. Japan has … [Read more...]

Fast walking can prolong lifeReported November 27, 2007 Researchers who followed the health of nearly 500 older people for almost a decade found that those who walked more quickly were less likely to die over the course of the study. The findings, the researchers said, suggest that gait speed may be a good predictor of long-term survival, even in people who otherwise … [Read more...]

Hard Plastic Causes Water Bottle WorriesReported December 26, 2007 ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Catching his breath at a fitness club, Matt McHugh took a gulp of water from his trusty, hard-plastic Nalgene bottle and pondered the idea of switching to an alternative made of glass, stainless steel or another kind of plastic. Worries about a hormone-mimicking chemical used in the … [Read more...]

Eating more fish may improve seniors' memoryReported November 22, 2007 NEW YORK - Misplaced your keys? Can't place that face? Study findings suggest that you may be able to lessen the frequency of these "senior moments" simply by eating more fish. And the more fish you eat, the bigger the effect, according to research conducted in Norway. Investigators found that elderly … [Read more...]

Inching closer to spinal cord repairReported November 14, 2007 WASHINGTON: A new study has identified key elements that may make the regeneration of nerve cells using the body's own stem cells following spinal cord injury a possibility. The seminal study, co-lead by Dr Philip Horner, neuroscientist at the University of Washington, Dr Tim Kennedy, neuroscientist at the … [Read more...]

Kidney disease soars in Australia   Reported June 01, 2009 The rate of Australians receiving dialysis and kidney transplants has shot up by more than a quarter, new figures show. Chronic kidney disease was a factor in nearly one in 10 deaths in 2006 and more than one million hospitalisations in 2006-07, according an Australian Institute of Health … [Read more...]

SAHO reveals list of essential servicesReported February 25, 2009 REGINA -- Provincial health regions say about 75 per cent of the full-time jobs filled by workers in three provider unions should be designated “essential” under the Saskatchewan Party government’s controversial new law. Fifty per cent of the full-time equivalent positions in a fourth union should also be … [Read more...]

Flu fears alter life at U.S. universitiesReported May 02, 2009 BOSTON (Reuters) - Northeastern University in Boston dropped the traditional handshake for graduating students accepting diplomas, while Cisco Junior College in Texas cancelled its commencement ceremonies altogether. Coast to coast, fears of the H1N1 flu strain are altering American campus life in both subtle … [Read more...]

India HIV caseload seen dramatically lowerJuly 4, 2007 NEW DELHI, July 4 (Reuters) - India has fewer than 2.5 million people living with HIV/AIDS, a senior health official said on Wednesday, nearly 60 percent lower than the 5.7 million estimated by the United Nations. India has been ranked with the world's biggest HIV-positive caseload, but the … [Read more...]

First ever lung transplant on HIV patient performed in Italy Reported November 02, 2007 The operation took place in Palermo in southern Italy at the Mediterranean Transplant Institute. The male patient was suffering from terminal respiratory problems and the transplant was his only possible chance of survival; doctors say the patient is … [Read more...]

Mothers try tricks to make kids drink milkReported July 26, 2008 DUBAI - Ten-year-old Ali raced out of the house and headed for the play area with his mother following him with the unfinished glass of milk, but to no avail. The youngster had already reached out of bounds on his bicycle. Mothers all over the GCC struggle with the same problem almost everyday, a new survey … [Read more...]

New study suggests military members don't get help for mental problemsReported February 13, 2008 MONTREAL - A new survey of active and reserve members of the Canadian Forces suggests many soldiers don't seek help for mental disorders and such problems as alcoholism. The study of 8,441 soldiers was carried out during the last year by McGill University, the … [Read more...]

Being kind to someone can give you faith in humanity, improve your mental healthReported December 26, 2007 TORONTO - A random act of kindness, such as smiling at someone or shovelling snow or cutting the grass for an elderly neighbour, "gives you faith in humanity," says the organizer of a kindness campaign. It's also good for your mental health when you're kind to … [Read more...]

Number of new HIV cases in Sweden increases 40%   July 10, 2007 The number of new HIV cases recorded during the first half of this year in Sweden has increased 40% compared with the same time period last year and is at a record high, Xinhuanet reports. According to the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, 252 … [Read more...]

One doctor per 653 people in Turkey, health union study revealsReported March 14, 2009 There is one doctor for every 653 people in Turkey, where the largest number of doctors is in Istanbul and the smallest number is in the northeastern province of Bayburt, a study has revealed. The Turkish Health Care Workers' Union (Türk Saglik-Sen) issued a report mapping physician … [Read more...]

Swine flu: more cases in UKReported April 29, 2009 Three more cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Britain, Gordon Brown has told the Commons. One of the three is a 12-year-old girl from Torbay. Her school has been temporarily closed and all other pupils offered anti-viral drugs. The Prime Minister said the other two new cases were adults, one from Birmingham and one … [Read more...]

Ohio: 5 Confirmed Cases Of H1N1 FluReported May 05, 2009 COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Health officials said two more cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Ohio, bringing the total in the state to five. The state Health Department said Tuesday the new cases were in northeast Ohio's Portage and Holmes counties. Both involved 39-year-old women. The woman in Portage county had … [Read more...]

No worries about eating Australian porkReported April 29, 2009 As news of swine flu outbreaks dominates the media, the national representative body for Australian pork producers has acted to assure people that they should not be concerned about eating pork or pork products. Australian Pork said Australian consumers can have the “utmost confidence in the wholesomeness and … [Read more...]

Change of season increases illness Reported January 22, 2009 A common time for people to experience a cold or flu is during a change of season. My office gets flooded with calls in September as kids head back to school, sniffles and coughs are common complaints as summer gives way to autumn weather. Now, as the snow hits the ground, we prepare for the second round of stuffy … [Read more...]

Face Transplants Feasible, New Study Reveals Reported August 22, 2008 French transplant surgeon Dr. Laurent Lantieri and his colleagues have written a report on face transplantation, published in Friday's issue of the British medical journal Lancet, which reveals that face transplants are more feasible than previously thought, although they still pose significant … [Read more...]

While Homeopathy Faces Enemies In The UK, It Booms In India November 16, 2007 A two-part special report explains how homeopathy faces growing pressure in the UK, while it enjoys an remarkable boom in India. The first part of the Special Report, written by Udani Samarasekera, The Lancet Senior Editor, writes about the anti-homeopathy movement … [Read more...]

Japanese ruling bloc to submit bill to aid victims of tainted blood products December 23, 2007 TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Sunday his ruling bloc will submit legislation providing aid to about 1,000 people exposed to hepatitis C through defective blood-clotting products sold by … [Read more...]

Major leap for stem cellsReported November 21, 2007 In an advance that could transform stem-cell research and accelerate progress toward treating patients with personalized replacement tissue, American and Japanese researchers report they have reprogrammed ordinary human skin cells to behave like embryonic stem cells. By inserting four key genes into the cells, the … [Read more...]

Houston targets syphilis increaseReported August 29, 2007 To deal with a syphilis outbreak, the city Department of Health and Human Services is offering extended hours at two of its clinics that specialize in sexually transmitted diseases. The new hours start Saturday, and city residents can be diagnosed and receive treatment for free. • Medical Center Clinic, 1115 S. … [Read more...]

NY health official: Higher tax helps smokers quitReported June 15, 2008 ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York smokers have been sent outside in all kinds of weather, coughed at in disdain, and now they are burdened with the most expensive cigarette taxes in the nation. Now, to add cost to injury, the state is declaring its highest-in-the-nation cigarette tax a success. The number … [Read more...]

Many Recovering Alcoholics Depend on Coffee, CigarettesReported July 18, 2008 FRIDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Of the more than 1 million Americans who join Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), almost all drink coffee and close to 60 percent smoke, Vanderbilt University researchers report. Most recovering alcoholics drink coffee for its stimulatory effects, and smoking reduces … [Read more...]

No worries about eating Australian porkReported April 29, 2009 As news of swine flu outbreaks dominates the media, the national representative body for Australian pork producers has acted to assure people that they should not be concerned about eating pork or pork products. Australian Pork said Australian consumers can have the “utmost confidence in the wholesomeness and … [Read more...]