Salmonella Enteritidis linked to chicken products
Two outbreaks of Salmonella Enteritidis infections have been linked to raw, frozen, breaded and pre-browned stuffed chicken entrees. The Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, along with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) are investigating. There have been seven […]
Heroin deaths quadruple
The Centers for Disease Control recently published a report titled Today’s Heroin Epidemic that calls attention to a sharp increase in heroin-related overdose deaths in the United States. According to the CDC, the number of deaths almost quadrupled between 2002 and 2013 and usage has increased across a number of demographics. Heroin use increased across […]
Aetna to Buy Humana
Health insurance giants Aetna and Humana will grow even larger with a new, $37 billion deal. Aetna will acquire Humana after paying approximately $230 per Humana share and the rest of that $37 billion in cash. Just before the deal, Humana shares were $187.57, making the deal a 23% gain on share prices. Humana shareholders […]
California vaccination bill
On June 25th, California’s assembly voted to approve a bill that would end religious and personal belief exemptions from vaccinations for school children. To officially pass, Gov. Jerry Brown will have to sign off on the bill as well. The bill would make California the 32nd state to ban exemptions based on personal beliefs, but […]
Meningitis outbreak in Chicago
Six meningitis cases including a fatality have been reported in June alone in Illinois. Five of them in Chicago, according to a news release from the City of Chicago. Meningitis is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. One out of every 10 people are carriers for the bacteria and show no signs of illness. Meningitis is spread […]
Shigella sonnei outbreak investigation
An investigation to an illness outbreak caused by Shigella sonnei at a daycare in The Republic of Korea in October 2014 was traced to a child who had visited Vietnam. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that improved hygiene and infection control practices are needed to prevent future outbreaks. The six children […]
Universal health coverage
Universal health coverage, or the provision of necessary health services free of financial hardship, is a priority for many health organizations. World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan stated, “I regard universal health coverage as the single most powerful concept that public health has to offer.” To this end, WHO and World Bank Group have […]
Adventure run risks
Adventure run pictures flood social media accounts this time of year. Running USA estimates that the popularity of these running events drew a record 4 million participants in 2013. It surpassed the record 2.5 million finishers of both the half-marathon and marathon combined in 2012. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn runners […]
MERS in South Korea
An outbreak of Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in South Korea has claimed 19 lives over the last four weeks. One hundred and fifty additional cases have been reported, all of which can be traced back through a single chain of transmission that originated with a 68-year-old man who traveled to Saudi Arabia (where […]
USDA farmers markets
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) just launched a Farmer’s Market Directory that helps users find farmers markets in their area. The tool allows users to search by state, zip code, available products and season (winter vs. summer markets). With this directory, the USDA aims to “provide consumers with convenient access to information about farmers […]
HIV MTCT in Uganda
According to the World Health Organization, 35 million people were living with HIV in 2013. That number includes 16 million women and 3.2 children. Additionally, there were 2.1 million new infections that year while AIDS was responsible for 1.5 million deaths. Though HIV is a global epidemic, almost 70% of cases and 80% of deaths […]
Sexual violence against children
Sexual violence against children is a global problem according to a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Violence Against Children Surveys (VACS) are available globally in collaboration with Together for Girls (TfG) and members of the organization. The surveys were administered in household, […]