Cystic Fibrosis and Medical Tourism

Cystic Fibrosis of CF in short is a genetic disorder which gets passed down through recessive genes and has adverse effects on the pulmonary system of the affected. The disease's characteristics come from a defective gene which causes the formation of thick mucus in the lungs which overtime causes a number of respiratory problems alongside a weakened immune system which paired with the mucus buildup opens the lungs and digestive tract to bacterial infections. The disease is currently incurable because of its unique properties although some treatments to prolong and improve the lives of the affected exist. Patients require regular observation and tests because of the inevitable infections present so medics can give accurate diagnosis.

Treating CF is a battle on many fronts because of the weakened immune systems of the affected. It includes antibiotic treatments in an attempt to slow or prevent the progression of the bacterial infections which can be done orally or intravenously or through inhalations. The overall life expectancy of the affected varies according to each case, but what every one of them has in common is that the infection can never be completely overcome. Treatments and preventative measures developed over the last few decades have significantly improved the life expectancy, though those treatments are not available freely across the globe.

That being said a lot of countries in the world have cystic fibrosis specific clinics and centers who take care of patients affected by this disease, however in many of the the developing countries their fate is pretty grim because of the lack of resources, knowledge or competence about CF. Many of the affected feel the need to look for help elsewhere, often way beyond whatever their country can offer as a way of dealing with the problem and therefore medical tourism appears as the only viable option for them to have a fighting chance.

One of the places in the world currently which helps in the treatments of patients with CF is the Dead Sea resort where the atmospheric pressure and climate help the affected adapt to treatments. Other targets for medical tourism sought after are France and Canada because of their excellent medical care systems and others across the globe. The treatments however are very expensive and usually way beyond the scope of what the average patient can afford. Patients have decreased options when it comes to earning an income because of their condition and the need for constant treatment and immune-boosting and stimulating therapy without which their condition would quickly deteriorate.

Many of the local cystic fibrosis associations have banded together under the banner of the federation Cystic Fibrosis Worldwide, which do their best to offer help to the affected and to raise the public awareness and summon as much help as possible from the global society. The rising costs of global healthcare and the few localized places where one can get the right treatments and lung transplants have forced less fortunate patients to seek desperate help. International laws unfortunately prevent the free movement abroad they really need so they can receive care, so for the most part they are looking for ways to sponsor their needs either via the many organizations which deal with helping them or through their own means.

Overall the need for a raised public awareness of the needs of the affected is very acute since their disease isn't as popular and well-known as others spoken of on global media channels and the internet. Although not as obscure as certain genetic disorders and syndromes it is entirely possible for patients to receive care if their options were open. We can only hope that in time their pleas and needs will be addressed so they can travel freely to where they can receive the proper treatment and that raised public awareness would provide them with the finances needed to afford it.

This guest post has been provided by: Vacationhomes

With the West Nile virus present in Alachua County

Staff are struggling to determine how best to control the mosquitoes carrying it.

The Alachua County Health Department has seen far higher numbers of culex nigripalpus mosquitoes West Nile's primary carrier this year than in the past five, said health department administrator Paul Myers.

With several flocks of sentinel chickens and a horse testing positive for West Nile virus, the county was placed under a mosquito-borne illness advisory on Sept. 27. The virus was discovered in the area on Sept. 20.

The county also has found non-human cases of eastern equine encephalitis, which is transmitted to people less than West Nile virus but is more lethal.

If virus transmission intensifies or human cases are recorded, the county will be given alert status, Myers said at a Tuesday County Commission meeting.

The county health department's surveillance system for mosquito-borne illnesses includes regular testing of sentinel chickens, which are often the first to show the presence of such diseases.

Myers said the county must reduce its mosquito population, which bloomed after Tropical Storm Debby this summer.

"From Pensacola all the way to Jacksonville, they continue to see human cases, and it's not going to be a surprise to me if we see them in Alachua County," he said.

But culex nigripalpus mosquitoes are tricky to eliminate.

They breed in standing water, from retention ponds to empty flower pots.

Spraying can have mixed results because even at peak flight times like dusk, up to 80 percent of the adult females that bite humans are resting and thus not susceptible to spray, Myers said.

In humans, West Nile virus can cause West Nile fever, which causes flu-like symptoms that can last months and may induce depression, Myers said.

But the biggest danger is West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease, which can cause severe, irreparable neurological damage or even death. People over 50 years old or who have underlying health problems are most at risk.

No human cases have been detected in the county yet, and the last reported human case in the county was in 2003.

The virus incubates for two to 14 days in humans, so people could soon show symptoms.

"I'm not trying to be Chicken Little here, an alarmist, but the potential is there," Myers told commissioners.

But the cost of spraying and uncertainty of its effectiveness made commissioners hesitant to authorize it at Tuesday's meeting.

It would cost $33,000 to spray four key county zones with the highest observed numbers of culex nigripalpus mosquitoes, Myers said. These zones are the city of Waldo, the city of Hawthorne and the northwest and southwest urban fringes of Gainesville.

It would need to be done from trucks because the areas are too small for aerial spraying to be effective, he said. The zones would likely need to be sprayed more than once.

The health risks of spraying are theoretical, while the risk of mosquito-borne diseases are documented and should be weighed more heavily, he said.

Commissioner Mike Byerly questioned whether funding is better used on spraying than, for example, the FluMist immunization program.

The mosquito population could be more of a nuisance issue than a public health one, he said.

Myers said he would give an emergency situation like the presence of West Nile virus higher priority.

This fiscal year's county budget does not provide funding for mosquito spraying. Myers suggested at the meeting looking for sustainable funding alternatives, but said in a later interview that such options are scarce.

The city of Gainesville's mosquito control program does spraying to control adult populations and uses mosquitofish and bacteria to manage larvae numbers, according to its website. It inspects more than 350 breeding sites monthly.

For now, the county will continue its current mosquito plan, which includes surveillance, larvaciding mosquito eggs in the county's 200-plus retention basins, and public education.

The county has warned doctors to watch for potential West Nile virus cases in patients.

Byerly suggested the county focus on public education instead of spraying.

People can best prevent the transmission of West Nile virus by taking personal precautions, such as staying inside at dusk, Myers said.

By Morgan Watkins

Cancer has become the leading cause of death among U.S. Latinos

Nosing past heart disease in 2009, researchers at the American Cancer Society reported Monday.

For most demographic groups and for the country as a whole heart disease is the top killer, claiming a total of 599,413 American lives in 2009, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That same year, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 567,628 Americans died of cancer.

Among Latinos that year, the rankings were reversed: 29,935 died of cancer and 29,611 of heart disease, according to a study in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

The change may be due to demographics, said Rebecca Siegel, an epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta and lead author of the study.

The average age of Latinos in the United States is 27 and of non-Hispanic whites is 42. In the overall population, cancer is the leading cause of death in people under 85 years of age.

"This is primarily driven by the young age distribution," Siegel said.

Cancer incidence and cancer deaths among Latinos remain lower than in non-Hispanic whites, and rates of both continue to fall due to improvements in lifestyle, early detection and treatment.

At the same time, advances in the treatment of heart disease have caused death rates to fall even faster, Siegel said.

"The overall message is positive," said Dr. Paulo Pinheiro, an epidemiologist at the University of Nevada who wasn't involved with the cancer society's report.

The American Cancer Society undertakes its analysis of cancer in Latinos every three years, compiling data from the National Cancer Institute, the CDC and other government sources.

Latinos are the fastest-growing demographic group in the U.S., the organization said, numbering 50.5 million in 2010 and making up 16.3% of the population.

Siegel and her colleagues estimated that 112,800 new cases of cancer would be diagnosed in Latinos in 2012, and that 33,200 Latinos would die this year from various forms of the disease.

They also examined incidence and mortality of the various cancer subtypes. Latinos are less likely than non-Hispanic white Americans to have the most common forms of cancer in the U.S.: breast, prostate, lung and colorectal.

But they are far more likely to develop forms of cancer that result from infection, including liver cancer (caused by the hepatitis B virus), stomach cancer (associated with the H. Pylori bacterium) and cervical cancer (caused by the human papilloma virus).

Incidence and death rates for cervical cancer, for example, are 50% to 70% higher among Latinas than among non-Hispanic white women, the report noted.

Siegel said the high rates of cervical cancer were a result of lower screening rates among Latinas.

"There's an opportunity there to reduce the risk," she said, adding that the cancer society wants to promote culturally appropriate interventions for Spanish-speaking people.

The longer Latinos are in the U.S., she said, the more they acculturate and the more their cancer risk should resemble that of non-Hispanic whites.

Pinheiro noted that U.S. residents from Mexico have lower cancer rates than people from Cuba or Puerto Rico, in part because they haven't been in the country as long.

He said he would like to see a cancer survey that compared like with like, matching Latinos who were born in the U.S. with their non-Hispanic white counterparts. However, birthplace data currently don't support such analysis.

By Eryn Brown

HOME REMEDIES FOR PIMPLES

A) Vitamins:
Pimples have been known to positively react to the addition of niacin (100 mg; three times per day), and vitamin A to a diet. 400 mg of vitamin E taken once per day also works wonders.

B) Fenugreek:
A useful paste can be created from the leaves of this vegetable, which is then applied to the face before you retire each night. At the start of the morning, the paste should be washed off using warm water. Pimples, especially blackheads are treated with this home remedy.

C) Orange Peel:
When orange peels are pounded and combined with water, an effective home treatment for pimples is created. Apply to affected areas and watch the results.

D) Lemon:
Apply lemon juice to pimples to reduce their size and intensity.

E) Garlic:
If you rub raw garlic on problem areas several times a day, you can clear up skin. You may also eat three seeds of raw garlic once daily for a month to see results. The garlic seeds purify the blood, which aids in keeping pimples at bay.

F) Coriander and Mint Juice:
A helpful herbal remedy for pimples includes the mixing of one teaspoon of coriander juice, combined with a pinch of turmeric powder. Every night, after thoroughly washing the face, apply the juice for an effective home remedy. Mint juice may also replace the coriander for this home treatment for pimples.

G) Hot Epsom Salts Bath:
It is believed that a hot Epsom salts bath taken two times per week will ease all cases of acne .

H) Cucumber:
Try applying grated cucumber over the face, neck, and eyes for the treatment of pimples and blackheads. This process should only take 15-20 minutes of your time.

PIMPLE PREVENTION
When you are looking for skin care measures that could prevent pimples, you might want to:

A) Practice Clean Skin Habits:
Keeping the skin well cleansed will deter the formation of pimples. Using a mild cleanser at the start of your day, in the evening, and before bed is recommended. Avoid scrubbing your skin, which has the potential to make matters worse.

B) Keep Your Hands Off:
Touching your skin passes extra dirt, oil, bacteria, and grime that can trigger acne and other skin irritations. Also, if you see a pimple start to form, you should refrain from squeezing, pinching, or picking.

C) Shave With Caution:
The way you shave can also irritate the skin to provoke pimples to form. Depending on your skin sensitivity, you may have to find a balance between electric and safety razors.

D) Read All Skin Care Labels:
When purchasing skin care products, you should be on the lookout for words, such as "oil-free," "greaseless," "hypoallergenic," and "noncomedogenic"

Whose Offices Are Germier? Men vs. Women

If you're reading this at work, brace yourself. A new study shows that typical offices have hundreds of types of bacteria in them, and men's offices have the most.

Researchers report finding more than 500 different types of bacteria on common surfaces in offices in three major U.S. cities. And, perhaps less surprisingly to some people, they found that men's offices are more contaminated than women's.

"Humans are spending an increasing amount of time indoors, yet we know little about the diversity of bacteria and viruses where we live, work, and play," says lead researcher Scott Kelley, PhD.

The San Diego State University biologist and his team swabbed five common office surfaces -- chairs, phones, desks, computer mice, and keyboards -- in 90 different offices, 30 each in San Francisco, New York, and Tucson.

The research team, which was partially funded by the Clorox Corporation, found bacteria on nearly every surface they tested. Most of it came from the office workers themselves. Coughing and sneezing accounted for a good deal of the bacteria, as did shedding from the skin. However, a substantial amount came from deeper inside the body.

"We also found a surprising number of bacterial genera associated with the human digestive tract," the researchers write in the study, which appears today in the online journal PLoS ONE.

If all this sounds rather alarming -- or simply gross -- the researchers point out that there is likely little cause for concern for the vast majority of people who spend eight hours a day in an office: "[M]ost of the human-associated bacteria we found ... would only be a potential problem with severely immune compromised individuals."

On top of that, the researchers say that the dry, cool atmospheres of most offices do not lend themselves to bacterial growth.

Men Are Greater Source of Bacteria Than Women
As for the main suppliers of the bacteria, Kelley and colleagues say that men are responsible for a higher germ count than their female co-workers. Part of that may be explained by the fact that men are, in general, larger than women, which means they have more surface skin to provide a breeding ground for bacteria. However, the researchers cite previous scientific literature to offer another possible explanation.

"Men are known to wash their hands and brush their teeth less frequently than women, and are commonly perceived to have a more slovenly nature," the researchers write.

And the Germiest Spots Are ...
Office co-workers are not the only source of bacteria. Dirt is another main supplier of contamination. And the most common surfaces on which bacteria were found? Telephones and chairs.

The researchers also found that the San Francisco offices they tested were less contaminated than those in New York and Tucson. They were not sure why this should be the case.

The researchers hope that these types of bacterial profiles of office spaces will help public health officials get to the bottom of disease outbreaks that can occur in office settings.

By: Matt McMillen
Reviewed by: Michael W. Smith, MD

Men's desks are germier than women's

You'd probably rather not think about it, but there are hundreds of species of bacteria on your desk, according researchers who sampled offices in three U.S. cities.

The study identified at least 500 species of bacteria in the offices, and found that men's offices tended to be germier than women's.

And although offices in New York City and San Francisco had similar types of bacteria, those in the Golden State were less contaminated than those in the Big Apple, the researchers said.

But don't go running for the hand sanitizer just yet although the findings have an "ick" factor, bacteria in your office are not necessarily something to worry about, the researchers said. After all, many bacteria are harmless, and actually helpmaintain human health.

"You shouldn't be worried in your own office it's you; it's just a reflection of who you are," said study researcher Scott Kelley, an associate professor of biology at San Diego State University, referring to the bacteria you find on your typical desk or keyboard. These bacteria are "with us all the time, and they don’t make us sick," he said.

Rather, the researchers said they hope that by documenting the various bacteria present in buildings with generally healthy people, scientists will be able to spot out-of-the norm bacteria that cause health problems, Kelley said. Such bacteria might turn up when something in the building changes, such as the air vents, he said.

Although we spend about 90 percent of our lives indoors, surprisingly little is known about the diversity of bacteria in environments such as offices, Kelley said, including how much is there and where it comes from.

Kelley and colleagues sampled a total of 90 offices from buildings in New York City, San Francisco and Tucson, Ariz. The researchers swabbed employees' chairs, phones, desktops, computer mice and keyboards. They analyzed the bacterial DNA to identify the types and amounts of bacteria present.

Most of the bacteria they found came from human skin or the nasal, oral or intestinal cavities, the researchers said. Bacteria from soils were also common, Kelley said.

Although you might expect the computer to be a germ magnet, more bacteria were found on office chairs and phones than on keyboards and computer mice, the researchers said.

Men had about 10 to 20 percent more bacteria in their offices, on average, compared with women.
This may be because men, research finds, tend to be less hygienic. "Men are known to wash their hands and brush their teeth less frequently than women, and are commonly perceived to have more slovenly nature," the researchers wrote in the May 30 issue of the journal PLoS ONE.

In addition, men are typically larger than women, and thus have a greater surface area for bacteria to live in and shed from, the researchers said.

New York City offices were the germiest, and those in San Francisco were the cleanest in terms of bacteria quantities. However, more buildings would need to be sampled before conclusions could be drawn about whether this is a typical pattern for offices in these regions, and what might be causing these differences, Kelley said.

While similar types of bacteria were found in New York and San Francisco, samples from Tucson looked different, possibility because the southern city has a different climate. Samples from Tucson tended to have fewer bacteria from the groups called Bacteroidetes and Cyanobacteria compared with the other two cities.

The researchers next plan to look at the types of molds present in offices, Kelley said.
The study was funded in part by Clorox Corporation; the cleaning product manufacturer had no role in study design, data collection or analysis.

By: Rachel Rettner

Toxic Shock Syndrome

Toxic shock syndrome can happen to anyone men, women, and children. Although it can be serious, it's a very rare illness. If you're concerned about toxic shock syndrome, the smartest thing you can do is to read and learn about it, then take some precautions.

What Is Toxic Shock Syndrome?
If you're a girl who's had her period, you may have heard frightening stories about toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a serious illness originally linked to the use of tampons. But TSS isn't strictly related to tampons. The contraceptive sponge and the diaphragm, two types of birth control methods, have been linked to TSS. And, sometimes, the infection has occurred as a result of wounds or surgery, where the skin has been broken, allowing bacteria to enter.

TSS is a systemic illness, which means that it affects the whole body. It can be caused by one of two different types of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes although toxic shock that is caused by the Streptococcus bacteria is rarer. These bacteria can produce toxins. In some people whose bodies can't fight these toxins, the immune system reacts. This reaction causes the symptoms associated with TSS.

When people think of TSS, they often think of tampon use. That's because the earliest cases of the illness, back in the late 1970s, were related to superabsorbent tampons. Research led to better tampons and better habits for using them such as changing tampons more often. The number of TSS cases dropped dramatically. Today about half of all TSS cases are linked to menstruation.

Aside from tampon use, TSS has been linked to skin infections that are typically minor and can be associated with the chickenpox rash. TSS has also been reported following surgical procedures, giving birth, and prolonged use of nasal packing for nosebleeds although all of these are rare.

By: Larissa Hirsch, MD