New study shows sepsis and pneumonia caused by hospital-acquired infections kill 48,000 patients — Cost $8.1 billion to treat – Two common conditions caused by hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) killed 48,000 people and ramped up health care costs by $8.1 billion in 2006 alone, according to a study released in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Common antidepressant drugs linked to lactation difficulties in moms – Women taking commonly used forms of antidepressant drugs may experience delayed lactation after giving birth and may need additional support to achieve their breastfeeding goals.
‘Poop’ dermatitis linked to fashionable toilet seats, harsh chemicals – Considered a dermatological nuisance that was long gone, skin irritations caused by toilet seats appear to be making a comeback in pediatricians’ offices, according to research led by Johns Hopkins Children’s Center investigator Bernard Cohen, M.D.
Circumcision associated with significant changes in bacteria — Changes in bacteria within the penis microbiome documented for the first time. – Circumcision, which substantially lowers HIV risk in men, also dramatically changes the bacterial communities of the penis, according to a study led by scientists at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Johns Hopkins University and published Jan. 6 in the scientific journal PLoS ONE.
Severity of H1N1 influenza linked to presence of Streptococcus pneumoniae – The presence of the Streptococcus pneumoniae in samples that can be easily obtained in clinics and emergency rooms may predict risk of severe disease in H1N1 pandemic influenza.
Leprosy susceptibility genes reported in New England Journal of Medicine paper — Largest genome-wide association study of an infectious disease – In the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) of leprosy and the largest GWAS on an infectious disease, scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and 26 institutes in China identified seven genes that increase an individual’s susceptibility to leprosy.
Toward a fast, accurate urine test for pneumonia – Scientists are reporting a discovery of the potential basis for a urine test to diagnose community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), a difficult-to-diagnose disease that is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
‘Mini’ stem cell transplantation may reverse severe sickle cell disease – Results of a preliminary study by scientists at the National Institutes of Health and Johns Hopkins show that “mini” stem cell transplantation may safely reverse severe sickle cell disease in adults.
Surface bacteria maintain skin’s healthy balance — Germs on skin are good for us. – On the skin’s surface, bacteria are abundant, diverse and constant, but inflammation is undesirable. Research at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine now shows that the normal bacteria living on the skin surface trigger a pathway that prevents excessive inflammation after injury.
A novel antifungal protein (Pr-2) was identified from pumpkin rinds. This protein was found to be noncytotoxic and heat-stable, and Pr-2 is a good candidate for use as a natural antifungal agent. – Pumpkin skin contains a substance with an antibacterial effect against microbes that cause millions of cases of yeast infections in adults and infants each year.
