Salmonella outbreak linked to dog food
An outbreak of salmonella infections in people has been traced to contaminated dry dog food, the first time such a link has been uncovered, officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Salmonella infections from dry dog food may be an under-recognized source of illness in people, especially young children, they said. An estimated 70 people, mostly in the Northeast, were infected by dog food produced by Mars Petcare at its Pennsylvania plant. It is not known how the bacteria got in the dog food. The CDC recommends washing your hands immediately after handling dry dog food.
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Breast cancer patients deficient in vitamin D
Women with breast cancer who have a vitamin D deficiency at the time of diagnosis are more likely to have a recurrence or to die from their disease, a new study shows. The study also found that only 24 percent of the patients had adequate levels of vitamin D when they were diagnosed. Breast cancer patients should have their vitamin D levels checked, said study author Dr. Pamela Goodwin of Mt. Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto.
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Ventilator eases pain from lung cancer
New research suggests that a mechanical ventilator can ease suffering and help lung cancer patients avoid sedation at the end of life. An Italian study found that patients who used a ventilator needed less morphine and had fewer symptoms in their final hours. The findings could change the way doctors treat lung cancer patients in the end stages of their disease, said study author Dr. Stefano Nava of Istituto Scientifico di Pavia.
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Caffeine may increase risk of diabetes type 2
Drinking caffeinated coffee before eating low-sugar cereal at breakfast may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in some people, according to researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada. Male volunteers’ blood sugar levels jumped 250 percent after caffeinated coffee, compared with decaffeinated coffee. The study was in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
