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Healthday (8/31) reports, “About 27,000 ‘Imaginarium’ wood coloring cases made in China and sold at Toys ‘R’ Us stores are being recalled because the ink on the outer packing of the wood contains lead, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday.” Consumers should immediately return the toys to the store for credit.
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced that the Department is making available another $75 million to states, territories and four metropolitan areas to help strengthen their capacity to respond to a pandemic influenza outbreak.
“The additional funding will provide our nation’s health care community with a means to continue planning, training and acquiring needed equipment for an effective pandemic response,” Secretary Leavitt said. “It will also help keep the momentum we have generated over the past year in this important public health area.”
The supplemental funding will be used to:
Establish or enhance stockpiles of critical medical equipment and supplies;
Continue development of plans for maintenance, distribution and sharing of those resources;
Plan for and develop pandemic alternate care sites; and
Conduct medical surge exercises.
The one-time pandemic influenza response planning grants will supplement the $430 million HHS announced on June 28, 2007, to strengthen the ability of hospitals and other health care facilities to respond to bioterror attacks, infectious diseases, and natural disasters that may cause mass casualties. Amounts for each jurisdiction are shown in the table below:
IHT, 8/30/07: A new U.S. policy that subjects travelers who wear any type of head covering to possible additional screening at airport checkpoints has prompted vociferous protests from Sikh organizations, who say they are being singled out for ethnic profiling.Muslim women who veil their hair are also expressing concern that the change – particularly because further screening is at the discretion of each screener – will single out Muslims.
Comment: Now, let’s be serious, folks. Do you think that this Sikh protestor is making his “point” effectively? He not only is wearing his headgear which can conceal the front line of Notre Dame’s football team, but he is brandishing his ceremonial sword. This is not how to win friends and influence enemies. If I should have to remove my shoes, he should have to remove his headgear. It’s not profiling. It’s security. Don’t blame TSA. Blame Bin Laden
Glass K, Barnes B. How much would closing schools reduce transmission during an influenza pandemic? Epidemiology. 2007 Sep;18(5):623-8.
BACKGROUND:: When deciding whether to close schools during an influenza pandemic, authorities must weigh the likely benefits against the expected social disruption. Although schools have been closed to slow the spread of influenza, there is limited evidence as to the impact on transmission of disease.
METHODS:: To assess the benefits of closing schools for various pandemic scenarios, we used a stochastic mathematical model of disease transmission fitted to attack rates from past influenza pandemics. We compared these benefits with those achieved by other interventions targeted at children.
RESULTS:: Closing schools can reduce transmission among children considerably, but has only a moderate impact on average transmission rates among all individuals (both adults and children) under most scenarios. Much of the benefit of closing schools can be achieved if schools are closed by the time that 2% of children are infected; if the intervention is delayed until 20% of children are infected, there is little benefit. Immunization of all school children provides only a slight improvement over closing schools, indicating that schools are an important venue for transmission between children. Relative attack rates in adults and children provide a good indication of the likely benefit of closing schools, with the greatest impact seen for infections with high attack rates in children.
CONCLUSIONS:: Closing schools is effective at reducing transmission between children but has only a moderate effect on average transmission rates in the wider population unless children are disproportionately affected.
AP, 8/31/07: More than 10,000 people were evacuated Thursday from Latin America’s tallest building where police found a small handmade bomb inside a car parked in the garage, authorities said.A bomb squad retrieved the device — consisting of three metal tubes filled with gunpowder, cables and a cell phone, all tied together with tape — from the 740-foot (225-meter) Torre Mayor on Mexico City’s main Reforma avenue, the city’s Public Security Department said in a news release.
Had the device exploded, damage would have been limited mostly to the car, the department said.
The federal Attorney General’s Office is investigating the incident but there were no initial claims of responsibility.
An unidentified person called one of the tower’s offices to warn that a bomb had been placed inside a car on one of the building’s 13 parking levels. The car was reported stolen, authorities said.
A total of 10,800 people were evacuated from the 55-floor building.
COMMENT: Like this is a striking revelation? Who in the hell wouldn’t be depressed if they lived in a damp anb moldy house? Either their circumstances were so dire that they were forced to live in such a dwelling or their state of mental well-being was so altered that they chose to live in such a state? Mold makes people sick, if sick people remain sick, they tend to get depressed.
Either way, it sure as hell sounds depressing to me? I just wonder how many millions in research dollars it took to figure this one out? I am neither a mental health expert or research scientist, but I was able to master this issue.
Damp, Moldy Homes May Cause Depression
08.30.07, 12:00 AM ET
THURSDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) — People who live in damp, moldy homes may be prone to depression, a new study suggests.
The possible link was uncovered in an analysis of mold and health conditions in several cities in eastern and western Europe. And it could one day lead to the addition of emotional problems to the list of health woes caused by mold, the study authors said.
But, the researchers cautioned, it’s still too soon to tell if exposure to mold is directly related to depression, or whether an already depressed person might simply relinquish control of their surroundings to the degree that mold may develop.
“There is some preliminary evidence which suggests that high levels of exposure to mold may lead to depression,” said study lead author Edmond D. Shenassa, an assistant professor of community health at Brown University School of Medicine.
“But it’s not a certainty,” he stressed. “We have found an association between mold and risk of depression, but we have more work to do to see if this is causal situation.”
The study results are published in the October issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Molds are ubiquitous and toxic microscopic organisms called fungi that come in a variety of species numbering in the tens — or even hundreds — of thousands. Mold spores — spread through air, water or insects — are found year-round both indoors and out, and survive and multiply most readily in warm, damp, shady, and humid conditions, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Typically, routine cleaning with soap, water and bleach can prevent mold from accumulating in the most susceptible areas, such as the seal of a refrigerator door, showers, windows, and air conditioners.
But, a serious mold problem — easily evidenced by either the smell of a musty odor or the sighting of slimy, furry and discolored patches on walls or ceilings — can develop and fester after excessive and continuous water damage.
The U.S. government has not established general guidelines for acceptable levels of residential mold. And no study has conclusively linked mold exposure to mental health problems.
However, the CDC cautions that inhaling living or even dead mold spores can provoke an allergic respiratory reaction among sensitive individuals. Wheezing, shortness of breath, and even lung infections can ensue, as can the onset of a stuffy nose, cough, headaches, and skin, throat, or eye irritations.
Those most at risk include men and women suffering from allergies, asthma, or the immune suppression that accompanies HIV infection, chemotherapy treatment for cancer, and organ transplants.
To explore the possible link between mold and mental health problems, Shenassa and his colleagues reviewed World Health Organization data collected between 2002 and 2003 in eight European cities: Angers, France; Bonn, Germany; Bratislava, Slovakia; Budapest, Hungary; Ferreira do Alentejo, Portugal; Forli, Italy; Geneva, Switzerland; and Vilnius, Lithuania.
Almost 6,000 men and women in almost 3,000 households were questioned in person about their health, including whether they had been clinically diagnosed as depressed in the prior 12 months. The participants, who ranged in age from 18 to 104, were divided equally between men and women and were chosen by random.
They were asked if they had experienced any of four symptoms of depression in the previous two weeks, such as problems sleeping, low self-esteem, poor appetite, and/or a decreased interest in activities. Those with three or more symptoms were deemed to be depressed.
Residents were also asked to assess their living conditions, while, at the same time, the researchers conducted visual inspections to calculate the levels and location of any dampness and mold in each home.
Finally, each study participant was asked whether or not they felt in control of their home environment, as well as whether they had any of six conditions that can be associated with exposure to mold, including: cold or throat problems; wheezing; asthmatic attacks or other respiratory problems, fatigue; or headaches.
Housing characteristics — such as light, ventilation, size, crowding and heating conditions — were also noted, as were basic demographic information such as employment status. The researchers pointed out that such factors, as well as general health, are sometimes associated with depression.
Shenassa and his colleagues found that 57 percent of all the residents lived in homes that were free of dampness or mold, although the prevalence of mold varied greatly depending on region — ranging from more than 80 percent in Portugal to a little more than 25 percent in Slovakia.
Meanwhile, nine percent of all residents were determined to be depressed. Women, the elderly and the unemployed were most likely to have depressive symptoms, while those living in crowded conditions also appeared to run a higher risk for depression.
But, even after accounting for such key mitigating factors, the researchers connected the dots and found that having mold in the home appeared to be associated with depression.
“Basically, the risk for depression went up about 40 percent among people who lived in moldy homes,” said Shenassa. “And to the extent that there are the same types of mold in Europe as they are in the U.S., the results should also apply to U.S. households.”
“But although we saw that there is more depression among people who live in moldy homes, we don’t know which came first,” Shenassa cautioned. “We think there are multiple pathways to depression So, we need to do more work.”
Kelly A. Reynolds, a research microbiologist with the University of Arizona, described the study as “very interesting” but agreed that further research is needed.
“Knowing that the mold-health effects are long-term and chronic and sometimes cumulative means they [the study authors] might be very far from determining which is the chicken and the egg,” she said. “So, although there’s a lot of speculation, it’s difficult to prove a mental health connection. But what we always tell people is that if you can smell or see mold in your house, there’s really no reason to not get rid of it.”
More information
For more on the health risks of mold, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Warning on beef as E. coli sickens 6
By Carol M. Ostrom
Seattle Times health reporter
Federal inspectors are warning consumers to check the ground beef in freezers because six people in Washington have been sickened by ground beef contaminated with E. coli bacteria.
A federal consumer alert was issued Thursday after investigators tracked the illnesses, along with two others in Oregon, during late July and early August to a single strain of E. coli 0157: H7 bacteria in ground beef produced by Oregon-based Interstate Meats.
In Washington, one child and five adults from King, Island and Clallam counties were sickened. Two of them were hospitalized but have recovered.
The products subject to the alert, ordered by the U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service, were sold under the brand name, “Northwest Finest,” and include:
• 16-ounce packages of “Northwest Finest 7% FAT, NATURAL GROUND BEEF.” The label bears a UPC code of 752907 600127.
• 16-ounce packages of “Northwest Finest 10% FAT, Organic GROUND BEEF.” No UPC code is available.
Each package also bore the establishment number “Est. 965″ inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture mark of inspection, and had sell-by dates between Aug. 1 and Aug. 11.
The ground-beef products were produced between July 19 and 30 and were distributed in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. In Washington, it they were sold at Safeway, QFC and Fred Meyer stores and possibly other locations, the state Department of Health said.
Health authorities said they believe the contamination was contained to one batch of ground beef totaling 41,305 pounds.
E. coli O157 causes mild to severe intestinal illness and may cause serious kidney complications. Symptoms include diarrhea, which may contain blood; abdominal cramping; and vomiting.
So-called “natural” or “organic” products aren’t any safer than others when it comes to bacteria such as E. coli, which lives in the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and animals, health officials explained.
Loran Hickton, a spokesman for Interstate Meats, said the beef in question had passed inspection and met all local and federal standards.
For more information: Tips for safe food handling and preparation are available on the Department of Health Food Safety Program Web site (www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/sf/ food/food.htm) and the Food Safety Inspection Service Web site (www.fsis.usda.gov).
Inside the red-brick firehouse yesterday morning, hours after trucks rumbled to a seemingly routine kitchen fire just up the road, firefighters from across the city gathered to remember the two men who did not return.
The firefighters brought flowers and food. They lingered in the parking lot and did what they could to comfort one another. Two were dead, veteran firefighters Paul Cahill and Warren Payne. Many who came to pay respects knew that they themselves could have died instead.
They spoke sparingly, uttering only the few words that seemed to make sense.
“You say you’re sorry; that’s all you can say,” said Dennis Keeley, a district fire chief stationed at the department’s downtown headquarters. “It’s like a wake. You shake each other’s hands. Maybe give each other a hug and say you’re sorry.”
For the men at the firehouse, the news was an especially bruising blow. Already in the last four months, they had lost two of their own: Phinazee “Buddy” Brown, an 18-year veteran who died of injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash in May, and Eugene O’Gara, who died of a heart attack in July after about 20 years on the job.
But the deaths of Cahill and Payne struck a different chord, shocking firefighters from Jamaica Plain to South Boston. These two died on the job, the first Boston firefighters killed in a blaze since 1994.
The deaths were a horrifying reminder of the hazards of their work, for the fire had appeared at first to be nothing more than a small kitchen blaze.
Boston Fire Chief Kevin MacCurtain said during a press conference yesterday that firefighters initially arrived at Tai Ho Mandarin and Cantonese restaurant “thinking to themselves, ‘This one is going to be easy.’ ” But fire officials now believe that the fire had been smoldering above a false ceiling that concealed it for more than an hour while it created an explosive mix of gas and heat.
“This is devastating,” said Captain Pat Nichols of Ladder 25 in West Roxbury. “This is a loss of a family member. . . . This hasn’t been a good year.”
The West Roxbury firehouse has suffered on-duty losses before. Edwin “Dicer” Foley died Dec. 30, 1970, when he fell off a truck while returning to the firehouse from a false alarm. And the fire station suffered another loss about three years later when Bernard Tully died. Tully was killed on Jan. 22, 1974, when a firetruck, responding to a car crash, hit a patch of ice and slammed into a dump truck.
Tully, according to news stories at the time, knew the risks of the job, and firefighters today clearly know them, as well.
“This could be you,” said Captain Bob Dowling of Tower Ladder 10 in Jamaica Plain, reflecting on the deaths of Cahill and Payne. “You leave your wife and your kids behind. That’s the real tragedy. Their kids and wives are now without husbands and fathers.”
By midday yesterday, the visitors to the firehouse on Centre Street included not only firefighters entering through the back door, but firefighting families lingering at the front door in prayer and in tears.
The benches outside the station where firefighters often sit, chatting with pedestrians and offering local children a chance to sit in an idle firetruck, quickly became sacred ground. Mourners left flowers in bunches. Candles burned. Teddy bears piled up. One mourner left a toy firetruck. Another scrawled on a baseball, “Thank you.” And still others just stood and wept.
“Just paying my respects to the firefighters,” said Carla O’Sullivan, the wife of a retired Boston firefighter, who has worn a gold pendant shaped like a firefighter’s helmet around her neck for more than 20 years. “I know what they’re going through.”
West Roxbury is a firefighting neighborhood, where as many as 100 active members of the department live; 30 or more are graduates of nearby Catholic Memorial High School, Keeley said. When school begins there next Wednesday, students will remember the fallen firefighters in a prayer service.
But yesterday, because they had to, because it is their job, Boston firefighters were already doing what they could to push on, knowing that a call like Wednesday’s could come crackling across their radios again at any moment.
“It’s like everything else,” said Frederick Sullivan, the district fire chief for Jamaica Plain and Roxbury. “You get ready for the next one. Keep going forward.”
David Abel of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
At least eight people have been killed and more than 80 injured after two trains collided in a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, rescue services say.
The collision occurred about 200m from Austin station in the northern suburb of Nova Iguacu at 1600 (1900 GMT).
All passengers have been freed from the wreckage, but officials say the death toll could rise.
One train – empty apart from crew – was changing tracks at the time, said a spokesman for train company Supervia.
Joao Gouveia, Supervia operational director, said the driver of that train was unhurt in the incident.
But the driver of the other train – a passenger train that had departed from Rio’s central station almost an hour earlier – was injured and sent to hospital, Mr Gouveia said.
The passenger train had left Rio’s central station packed with at least 800 passengers, Mr Gouveia said.
The crash occurred when the passenger train, travelling at more than 80km/h (50mph) slammed into the empty train as it was slowly changing tracks.
Some passengers had to be released by rescue workers using blowtorches to cut through twisted metal.
Marcos de Souza, from Posse Hospital in Nova Iguacu, said more than 20 people injured in the crash had been taken to the hospital.
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