Chipotle Loses More Battles to the E. coli Outbreak - http://clapway.com/2015/12/08/chipotle-loses-more-battles-to-the-e-coli-outbreak123/

Chipotle shares have dropped down even further than expected after the E. coli outbreak recently associated with its food. The shares are currently down 3.5% at $543.31, their all time low being $515.00.

The Mexican Grill Erases 2016 Outlook for Comparable sales

Business has been extremely sensitive for the company since the outbreak, and it has declared in its securities filing that it is impossible to draw an accurate sales outlook. They even posed forth-quarter earnings at half of what analysts expected, at $2.45-$2.85 per share.

Chipotle is currently hiking up measures to increase food safety. This is both to handle the current situation. All of their fresh produce will be tested extensively before consumption, and the company will be enhancing employee training to optimize customer service and cleanliness.

Seven More Cases of E. coli Infections Have Been Linked to Chipotle

The CDC has linked more cases of E. coli to Chipotle, in Illinois, Ohio, Maryland and Pennsylvania. There should be an ingredient in common that all these people have, which would be the source of the problem, but the company hasn’t yet identified it. Since no causes for these infections have been identified, analysts are expecting shares for the company to get lower and lower. Barclays even lowered their share price target by 18% to $540.00.

Chipotle has many things to explain before the storm clears. Once the source of the E. coli outbreak is found, the company can start to make amends. It’s already hired firms to ensure food safety, and it has expressed intentions to change suppliers. All produce served at Chipotle will go through extra safety checks to make sure that this instance is not repeated. However, it’s safe to assume that the next year will be a dark one for Chipotle in terms of stocks, unless something miraculous happens that restores customer faith in the restaurant chain.

Chipotle Loses More Battles to the E. coli Outbreak

A Flu Vaccine is the Perfect Holiday Gift - http://clapway.com/2015/12/04/flu-vaccine-perfect-holiday-gift123/

The National Influenza Vaccination Week runs from December 6th to 12th to encourage the community to get a flu vaccine. Despite the mixed opinions shared by the public, it’s important to stay healthy this holiday season. With the late onset of winter this year, a flu vaccine could be the difference between Christmas with family or in bed.

The Flu Vaccine is Pivotal During the Holidays

It’s important to get the flu vaccine before winter sets in, since thousands upon thousands of people will be traveling with the Holidays fast approaching. This makes people without the flu vaccine especially vulnerable.

Flu season reaches a peak on February, and the CDC has advised that the best way to keep the flu at bay is to get vaccinated every year, which is why they host the Flu Vaccination Week. Throughout this event, the CDC and the Department of Public Health will review the importance of vaccinations and good health habits like hand washing, avoiding contact with the eyes during the peak of flu season, as well as how to treat those who have contracted the flu.

Not Getting the Flu Vaccine Does More Bad than Good

There have been mixed opinions on the effectiveness of the flu shot, but the CDC maintains that it is the safest way to shield people from the flu. Anyone over 6 months old is strongly advised to receive the vaccine, especially pregnant women, people over 50, people with chronic health problems and people who live in long term care facilities.

Health Workers Should Also Protect Themselves

People who work in health care and caregivers are also strongly encouraged to get the flu vaccine. The general public should view the flu vaccine as an early holiday present to their health, as it is best to stay healthy than to spend the holidays bedridden or nursing flu symptoms, which include fevers, chills, even pneumonia and bronchitis.

 

 

A Flu Vaccine is the Perfect Holiday Gift

Use Condoms, Gonorrhea Cannot be Treated - http://clapway.com/2015/11/07/use-condoms-gonorrhea-cannot-be-treated123/

The CDC has just found cefixime, the routine antibiotic treatment used for gonorrhea is ineffective. The resistance to the treatment has doubled in the last year, and susceptibility to the drug has gone up 0.8%.

Other antibiotics have been used to treat the STD, and cefixime is one of the drugs in the secondary tier of treatment. But in 2012, the CDC recommended therapy hat combined ceftriaxone based compounds as the only one to treat gonorrhea. Increased resistance to antibiotics, which is natural as the body builds defenses against them, but between 2013 and 2014, there has been a steady decline in effectiveness that has forced the agency to pull the antibiotic as a treatment for gonorrhea.

Gonorrhea, which is transferred through unprotected sex, is common among young people between the ages of 15-24, and result in swollen testicles and painful urination in men and vaginal discharge or bleeding in women. Extreme symptoms include chronic pelvic pain, infertility and ectopic pregnancy.

Before the CDC made the announcement, the agency gathered 51,000 samples from gonorrhea patients, 97% were treated with a ceftriaxone-based mxiture. The results concluded that the treatments were largely ineffective and that some patients had the disease spread to their blood and joints. The agency urges anyone presenting new symptoms or experiencing them for an extended period of time to change to a new treatment and to seek medical attention immediately.

Use Condoms, Gonorrhea Cannot be Treated

The #USCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention (CDC) reports that an increasing number of #American children are diagnosed with #ADHD, but inadequately so. - http://clapway.com/2015/09/05/adhd-over-diagnosis-creates-american-epidemic-101/

A report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that an increasing number of American children are being diagnosed with ADHD, but inadequately so.

6.4 MILLION KIDS DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rates have been rising at about 5% a year for well over a decade. Overall, an estimated 6.4 million American children ages 4-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD.

Meanwhile, ADHD rates have remained relatively low in other countries such as France, Finland, the United Kingdom, and Japan, where the number of children diagnosed with and medicated for ADHD is a meager 1 percent or less, according to family therapist Marilyn Wedge.

Is ADHD an American epidemic?

While much of the rise of ADHD can be attributed to improvements in recognition of the disorder, some in the medical community have expressed concerns about over-diagnosis.

In her book a “Disease Called Childhood: Why ADHD Became an American Epidemic” Wedge argues that different approaches to therapy, parenting, diet, and education may explain why rates of ADHD are so much higher in the U.S.

With the increase in ADHD diagnose resulting in doctors beginning to question whether or not these millions of children really have the disorder, the CDC undertook the much-needed effort of analyzing diagnostic methods.

LIMITATIONS TO CURRENT PROCESS

Researchers found that there are limitations to the current process – notably when it involves children younger than 6 since very few diagnostic methods would prove accurate in children that young.

“Since many of the hallmark traits of ADHD can resemble typical behavior from a young child, it’s important for the disorder to be properly recognized, diagnosed and treated to determine when that line is crossed,” said Dr. Susanna Visser, lead author of the report and an epidemiologist with the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the CDC.

The fact that 18 percent of kids involved in the study had received an ADHD diagnosis based just on how family members interpreted the children’s behaviors, is another problem, researchers found. This practice goes against AAP guidelines, which states that to make a diagnosis of ADHD the child should show symptoms in more than one major setting.

Although there is still plenty of room for improvement, the collective approach toward diagnosing ADHD, which involves clinical interview in combination with insights regarding the child’s environments, has proved effective.

What do you think of ADHD diagnostic methods? Share your views in the comments section below.

---

 

FEELiNG DISTRACTED? KEEP UP THE GROOVE WITH SWAGEU

https://youtu.be/jv-SrFqhLs8

ADHD Over-Diagnosis Creates American Epidemic

Find out how old your #heart is by using this calculator. Apart from giving you an indicator of your risk for a #heartattack or stroke, knowing your heart’s age allows you to monitor your cardiovascular heath, according to #CDC. - http://clapway.com/2015/09/02/americans-heart-age123

A vital signs report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), announced that 3 out of 4 adults in America have a heart that is older than their actual age, putting them at a risk for heart attack and stroke. The heart’s age is calculated after profiling risk factors that affect the health of the cardiovascular system.

This is the first report to outline the differences in heart age nationwide

The heart age showed disparities across age, gender, race/ethnicity, region and other sociodemographic variables throughout the nation. A variety of risk factors like high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and cigarette smoking were taken into account for the age calculation. The report was formulated based on risk factor data gathered from each state of the U.S. and information from the Framingham Heart Study. It was found that nearly 69 million people between 30 and 74 years of age have a much older heart. To put the number in perspective, it’s roughly equal to the combined number of people residing in the 130 largest U.S. cities.

The major findings of the CDC report

Men on an average have a heart that is 8 years older than their chronological age, while women fare slightly better with hearts 5 years older than their actual age. The gap between heart age and chronological age among African-American men and women was 11 years⎯the highest among the race/ethnic groups surveyed. Heart age also greatly varied with geographical location⎯Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Alabama have the highest proportion of people with heart ages older than 5 years whereas, Utah, Colorado, California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts have the lowest percentage. The heart age also tended to increase with chronological age and decrease with higher education and income.

Do you want to know your heart age?

You can know how old your heart is by using this calculator. Apart from giving an indicator of the risk for heart disease and stroke, knowing your heart’s age allows you monitor the effect of lifestyle interventions on cardiovascular heath. This could include quitting smoking, taking proper medication and exercising more. Learning your heart’s age early in life gives an early picture of cardiovascular conditions that could strike at an older age. Lifestyle changes can then reverse the effects and make our hearts younger, even though we may not look so.

Depressed teens are at a higher risk for heart disease

---

Monitor the health of your heart with the R10 Smartwatch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xizCTm2uyFg

Americans" Heart Age Older Than Actual Age

It"s not worth it! #Chemicals at the #CarWash prove to be fatal. - http://clapway.com/2015/08/23/car-wash-chemical-dangerous-to-workers-234/

A new report that was issued on Friday by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that hydrofluoric-acid based chemicals are a danger to car wash employees. This chemical used in washing commercial vehicles is highly toxic and dangerous, and put the employees at a risk for health issues. The study was published by the CDC in their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, where they wrote that exposure to this nefarious acid might lead to disability, and even death.

HYDROFLUORIC ACID IS A COLORLESS, AND CORROSIVE FORM OF HYDROGEN FLUORIDE

Hydrofluoric acid is a corrosive, colorless, and poisonous solution of hydrogen fluoride. This acid-based chemical is used by workers who wash cars and trucks. The researchers at the Washington Department of Labor and Industries only recently found this. Many unfortunate events have happened to car was workers during 2001 and 2013. For example, 48 car wash workers received burns that resulted from products they used that contained hydrofluoric acid, and a man even died after ingesting it.

HYDROFLUORIC ACID IS USED TO BRIGHTEN ALUMINUM AND REMOVE DIRT FROM CARS

Hydrofluoric acid is used to brighten aluminum and remove road dirt form cars, these are hydrofluoric acid-based chemicals are used in many car was procedures. So when workers had holes in their gloves, or didn’t wear them at all, they were injured. The workers experienced burns to their hands and even their heads or eyes.

THOSE AFFECTED HAD THIRD DEGREE BURNS AND SOME NEEDED SURGERY

Some of the workers were hospitalized with third-degree burns and some needed plastic surgery and skin transplants. In the end, seven workers were hospitalized, where three displayed sever burns and two needed surgical interventions. One researcher from the department of Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention programs said that hydrofluoric acid doesn’t cause immediate pain or distress, so its toxicity spreads subtly and in low concentrations. The hydrofluoric acid was causing the workers pain after a while, and then they realized they needed medical treatment.

This recent development has caused a lot of conversations that car wash companies should implement other alternatives to hydrofluoric acid based products. Another alternative that has been thought of is that workers should be made to wear protective gloves in order to prevent the health hazards involved.

---

Check out some of the best of Clapway in our News in Review segment:

Car Wash Chemical Dangerous to Workers

%Here is some news that will not make #parents happy, now, that schools are about to open and head #lice will become one of the most popular concerns.% - http://clapway.com/2015/08/22/mutant-lice-resistant-to-treatment-101/

Here is some news that will not make parents happy, now, that schools are about to open and head lice will become one of the most popular concerns.

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about six to twelve million infestations by lice get recorded every year in the U.S. in children 3 to 11 years old.

Ouch.

HOW DO LICE SPREAD?

Lice do not jump or fly and it’s all a matter of hair and head contact. The only bridge that helps them travel from one head to another is the other head itself:

“It[‘]s really head-to-head contact, lice do not jump, they do not fly, it is all hair-to-hair, head-to-head contact,” Diane McGinley, Owner of Shiny Strands says.

Of course there are drugs that can help parents with their children’s lice but what has been really difficult to control are the nits, which are their eggs, and some chemicals are not strong enough to eradicate them.

BUT NOW WE HAVE A BIGGER LICE-PROBLEM

A new head lice strain that has become resistant to the conventional, chemical treatments has appeared in the U.S., according to health officials.

A new study, presented Tuesday at the American Chemical Society meeting and funded by Sanofi, a pharmaceutical company that owns Sklice lotion, which contains a newer generation lice-fighting chemical, says that in samples from 25 of the 30 states, there were insects that had resistance genes. In some samples, including ones from California, Florida, Maine and Minnesota, every insect in the sample did.

And as Kyong Sup Yoon, associate professor of biological sciences and environmental sciences at Southern Illinois University says, people are going to have a very hard time fighting the lice with permethrin or pyrethrin based products.

According to a CNN report, lice resistance is not something new and it started in the mid 1990s in the United States. Head lice remover manufacturers suggest that parents be sure to eliminate nits from the scalp of the infected person, which are attached to the base of hair and hatch in about eight days.

HOW TO ELIMINATE NITS

The first thing you do in order to fight the new species of the resistant lice that appeared across the U.S. recently is to try higher doses of the standard lice treatments like Nix and Rid, which contain over-the-counter permethrin.

“Tell you[r] child that if he or she takes their coat or sweatshirt off during recess, don’t make a pile of jackets. No matter what you use, if it’s a chemical or all-natural, there isn’t a shampoo or magic formula that will just completely eradicate head lice,” McGinley of Shiny Strands suggests.

Some alternative methods suggest olive oil, mayonnaise, and vinegar on a child’s head but remember that after the treatment you have to vacuum the area, wash bedding and bag everything up. There are some cities where you can hire professional lice checkers and cleaners to do the hard work for you. Google it!

---

 

A.I. WILL NEVER GIVE YOUR KIDS LICE. LISTEN TO MUSIO!

Mutant Lice Have Become Resistant to Treatment

%99% of #contactlens users ignore hygiene rules, adopting behaviors that could lead them even to #blindness.% - http://clapway.com/2015/08/21/contact-lens-users-risking-blindness-101/

​In an effort to promote contact lens and eye health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did a report based on a nationwide survey of 1,000 contact wearers. CDC discovered that 99 percent of them ignore hygiene rules adopting behaviors that could lead them even to blindness.

CONTACT LENS RISKS IN NUMBERS

Almost 85% of contact lens wearers say that they have showered with their lenses in while 61% have gone swimming wearing them. Health officials have always been suggesting that lenses should not come in contact with water and that even swim goggles are not a healthy solution.

Users’ cleaning habits are not better with 55% of them sometimes “topping off” their lens case with a more disinfecting solution. The official recommendation says that all contact lens users have to empty the case and then clean in before filling with fresh solution.

RELATED POST: SCIENTISTS DISCOVERED HOW OBESITY WORKS TO TREAT IT

Almost two-thirds of the surveyed sample had rinsed their contact lenses using tap water, which is a potentially risky move. As the report says, household tap water may be safe for drinking, but it is not sterile and the microorganisms contained in it can cause eye infections:

“Household tap water, although treated to be safe for drinking, is not sterile and contains microorganisms that can contaminate lens cases and contact lenses and cause eye infections,” the report says.

Over half said that they had slept overnight with their lenses in and more than 87% admitted they had fallen asleep in their contacts at some point, making napping the most common offense. While certain contact lenses are FDA approved for overnight wear, the CDC says that “sleeping in any type of lens can increase the risk of eye infections.”

Jennifer Cope, the lead author of the study, CDC medical epidemiologist said in a statement that healthy contact lens wear and care is extremely important and that many users do not have a clear idea about their proper use:

“Good vision contributes to overall well-being and independence for people of all ages, so it’s important not to cut corners on healthy contact lens wear and care. We are finding that many wearers are unclear about how to properly wear and care for contact lenses.”

THE RIGHT USE OF CONTACT LENS

The report of CDC comes with tips, to help reduce the risk of eye irritation or infections:

– Users should never sleep with their contact lenses in unless an eye care provider advises them to do so.

– All water must be kept away from contact lenses. Do not shower while wearing them and remove them before swimming or using a hot tub. Never wash or store your contact lenses in water.

– Contact lenses must be replaced as often as recommended by your eye care provider.

– Before putting their contact lenses in the case, users should clean it using fresh solution and never water.

– Store contact lens case upside down with the caps off after each use.

– The contact lens must be replaced, at leas, once every 3 months.

– Visit an eye care provider as often as recommended by your primary health care provider.

– If experiencing eye pain, blurred vision, redness or discomfort, remove the contact lenses immediately and call an eye care provider.

---

 

FOR SUPERLATIVE SOUND AT A DISTANCE, TRY ROKIT BOOST SWAGE U WIRELESS BLUETOOTH

https://youtu.be/wATbRe1BTaQ

Survey: Contact Lens Users Risking Blindness

CDC: Most Contact Lens Wearers Are Risking Infection - http://clapway.com/2015/08/20/cdc-most-contact-lens-wearers-are-risking-infection123/

According to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most contact lens wearers are at risk of getting an eye infection.

“Taken together, the survey results indicate that millions of Americans could be at risk for serious eye infections because of poor contact lens hygiene behaviors,” the CDC said in a statement to the press. Almost one third of respondents in the survey of Americans that wear contact lenses reported that they had gone to the doctor for uncomfortable or red eyes because of issues caused by contacts.

WHAT THEY DID WRONG

– 99 percent of the people interviewed said that engaged in at least one risk related to their contacts.

– 82.3 percent wore the lens for a longer than recommended period.

– 50.2 percent slept with their contacts in.

– 55.1 percent of respondents added new solution to the one they had previously used instead of emptying the case first.

Doing any of these things will increase your risk of eye infection by at least five times.

“Good vision contributes to overall well-being and independence for people of all ages, so it’s important not to cut corners on healthy contact lens wear and care,” said Dr. Jennifer Cope, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC, said.

HOW TO HEALTHY WITH YOUR CONTACTS

In the press release, the CDC also listed some of the healthy contact habits that you can adopt to avoid infection, like changing replacing the cases every three months and washing hands with soap and water before touching the contact lenses.

For a complete list of healthy contact habits check out these great guidelines that the organization made. It describes all of the things you can do to have great eye health, as well as the science behind all of it.

CONTACT LENS HEALTH WEEK

The CDC has made August 24-28 2015 Contact Lens Health Week, which it is preparing by publishing research like the survey mentioned above and working with its partners in the eye care industry.

MORE COOL EYE STUFF

Check out this awesome Clapway article to learn about glasses that can potentially make the colorblind see color!

PHOTO SOURCE: OPTHALMIC CONSULTANTS OF BOSTON

---

You might want to slip on contacts to witness virtual reality like never before:

CDC: Most Contact Lens Wearers Are Risking Infection

#HugsNotDrugs may be the best idea the White House has had yet on the #heroin problem in the US - http://clapway.com/2015/08/17/the-white-house-war-on-heroin-treatment-may-be-better-than-punishment-324/

The White House announced a new initiative today that pairs law enforcement officials with public health agents, thereby shifting its focus from punishing heroin addicts to treating them.

The Heroin epidemic: more users and more deaths

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more people are using heroin, including demographic groups⎯⎯ like women and people with high incomes ⎯that were earlier associated with low heroin use. The deaths associated with heroin overdose have nearly quadrupled between 2002 and 2013⎯more than 8200 people died in 2013.

Heroin is a highly addictive, illegal opiate drug that could result in death by overdose. Moreover, heroin users tend to be addicted to other opiate prescription drugs, marijuana and alcohol, which increases their likelihood of overdosing. The CDC calls for increased measures at the federal and state level to handle preventive and therapeutic measures for heroin overdose in vulnerable communities.

Marijuana vs. Heroin: Find out which is worse! 

The White House plan to end the war on heroin

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy unveiled a pilot program for $5 million covering 15 states from the New England to Washington D.C. area. Public health officials and drug intelligence officers come together to gather data on where the heroin is coming from, where and how it gets laced with a deadly additive, and what are the distribution channels being employed to get the drug to the street-level dealers. Heroin laced with fentanyl ⎯a legal opioid drug used to relieve post-surgical pain ⎯has been responsible for many heroin-related deaths. This initiative centered on the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas of the United States, hopes to collect overdose data, find patterns in trafficking behavior, and plan interventions faster than what is available today. The input of public health officials helps with training first-responders to quickly use medications like naloxone that could reverse the effects of heroin, thereby preventing deaths.

A comprehensive approach to fight against heroin use

A key component of the new plan to end the war on heroin is the shift of priorities from law enforcement to treatment of heroin addiction. The program plans to forego arrests in favor of preventing deaths from drug overdose, an initiative that seems to work. The public policy officials employed under this plan would analyze the data to identify spikes in drug use and monitor targets moving across state lines with the help of law enforcement coordinators. This free communication across state lines would help faster tracking and response.

Bringing together public heath and law enforcement seems to be the best way to tackle the surge in heroin addiction.

---

 

Speaking of drugs, how do we give up coffee?:

 

The White House War on Heroin: Treatment May Be Better than Punishment

Single Mutation Might Be Cause For Autism - http://clapway.com/2015/08/08/single-mutation-cause-for-autism-101/

Single Mutation Might Cause Autism

Scientists have studied disorders such as Autism for quite some time, and as technology and medicine advance so does our knowledge of these diseases. Though scientists believed that Autism was caused by genetic and environmental factors, we still cannot be sure what causes certain people to be diagnosed with them. However, researchers might be closer to answering this question than ever before.

Gene Mutation Study

According to Aamna Mohdin with IFLScience, “It was just last December that researchers first identified more than 1,000 gene mutations linked with autism. While these mutations were shown to increase the risk of autism, researchers weren’t exactly sure how.” University of North Carolina researchers have conducted a new study, in which they found an enzyme, UBE3A, is switched “on” in children with Autism. This enzyme is essential to brain development, and in a normal situation, it would have a phosphate molecule attached to it that would turn it off in the developmental process. Mohdin explains that, “As a result of being constantly switched on, UBE3A becomes hyperactive.” This is what the researchers believe leads to the abnormal brain development in children with Autism.

Autism

The Centers for Disease Control tells us that 1 in 68 children in the United States are diagnosed with Autism. There is no cure for Autism; however, researchers are discovering several ways to help cope with the disease and to help children suffering from Autism learn how to live with the disorder. Autism Speaks has a myriad of information for those seeking help, including different types of technologies and programs that are proven to aid in the development of social and behavioral skills.

Several Recent Discussions Focusing on Autism

In July, we saw a rise in the number of Autism cases; however, many believe this was due to a reclassification of the term. A debate was also sparked by the question, “Can medical marijuana ease Autism side effects?” Several parents are attempting to use this natural treatment to calm their kids when severe behavioral issues arise.

Autism Awareness is growing, and the debate on the best way to help the children is still underway. However, this new study is a step in the right direction to understanding the disease and possibly having the ability to diagnose it better, and treat it better.

---

 

KEEP LIFE IN-TENSE WITH MOLESKIN VOYAGEUR TRAVELLER’S NOTEBOOK

Single Mutation Might Be Cause For Autism

#Hospitals could be the #scariest place. - http://clapway.com/2015/07/29/humans-vs-bacteria-what-if-hospitals-were-the-battleground-244/

While a hospital is supposed to be the most sterile place in our city, thousands of patients each year actually end up worse because of hospital-acquired infections.

A new investigation from Consumer Reports looks into hospital infections to rate which medical institutions perform better or worse at protecting their patients from superbugs and other scary diseases.

If your hospital made you sick, here’s why

“In the ongoing war of humans vs. disease-causing bacteria, the bugs are gaining the upper hand,” according to the report. “You might think of hospitals as sterile safety zones in that battle. But in truth, they are ground zero for the invasion.”

In fact, every year an estimated 648,000 people in the U.S. develop infections during a hospital stay, and about 75,000 die with them, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is considered more than twice the number of people dying in car accidents.

Paradoxically, many of these cases can be traced back to the incorrect use of antibiotics.

Deadly superbugs

Consumer Reports analyzed data on MRSA and C. diff infections – considered among the most common and deadly “superbugs” in the nation. Results show that only 6 percent of hospitals scored well against both infections, according to the report.

MRSA, for instance, claims the lives of more than 8,000 patients per year. One of them was Terry Otey who died after the bacteria took hold in his surgical incision and quickly spread to his heart, killing him in three months.

Recommendations for patients and for hospitals

Another problem tackled in the report concerns the use of antibiotics. On any given day, antibiotics are given to approximately half of hospital patients. Overall, 25 percent get two or more, according to the CDC. “But up to half of the time, doctors don’t use the drugs right,” the report states.

Overall, patients were recommended to question antibiotics, consider MRSA testing and insist on cleanliness. Hospitals on the other hand, need to keep track of infections, be transparent and ready to deal with outbreaks.

For more information, you can read the complete report here and check how your hospital is performing here.

Have you ever been infected in a hospital? Share your experience in the comments section below.

---

 

Take care of your health with HidrateMe:

Humans vs. Bacteria: What if Hospitals Were The Battleground?

An outbreak of some pretty #spooky #amoeba. - http://clapway.com/2015/07/26/louisiana-drinking-water-contaminated-with-brain-eating-amoeba-136/

The brain-eating amoeba known as Naegleria fowleri has been confirmed to be in Louisiana, specifically, in the St. Bernard Parish in Southeast New Orleans. This can be a very deadly amoeba and has been found for the second time in the last two years.

The Contaminated St. Bernard Parish

The brain-eating amoeba was found in two of the five water supply sources. These water sources run for around 200 miles and produce water to 44,000 people. Officials are unsure of how the amoeba got into the water supply, as it has been found in both the treated and untreated water. It is possible that the water sources came in contact with warm ground water where the amoeba occurs naturally. Officials have planned a chlorine burn within the next couple of months to kill off the deadly amoeba.

Naegleria fowleri-The Brain-Eating Amoeba

Naegleria fowleri, or the ‘brain-eating amoeba’, is a type of Naegleria that can cause the disease meningoencephalitis, or PAM. Although it is rare, PAM can be an extremely fatal infection. The Center for Disease Control says that PAM is most often caught when a person gets water up his or her nose from swimming or another activity. PAM will eat away at the patient’s brain until it kills him or her, so the possibility of it should be taken very seriously.

The brain-eating amoeba cannot be transferred to a person through drinking or touching water, but caution should still be taken when in contact with the infected water. If the contaminated water gets into the nose, it will inch its way up to the brain where it will begin its process. However, symptoms are not immediate. It takes about 5 days for stiffness of the neck, nausea, and fever to be seen in the person.

Previous Cases

There have been several other reported cases of death from this brain-eating amoeba. One was in Minnesota while the other was in California. A 2003 study found that two children died from PAM in Arizona. A more recent study from 2015 found that a 4 year old from Louisiana caught PAM. In this case, it wasn’t contracted through swimming, but instead through playing on the water-slide that he had at his home.

---

 

Enjoy nature from the safety of your own home with Atmoph:

Louisiana Drinking Water Contaminated with Brain-Eating Amoeba

New Study: Meat The Source of Common Hospital Infections - http://clapway.com/2015/07/25/new-study-meat-the-source-of-common-hospital-infection678/

Just where the multiple-infection carrying bacteria known as Klebsiella pneumoniae comes from has been a mystery to scientists for some time now. However, scientists at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TIGR) in Flagstaff, Arizona have recently found the source of Klebsiella pneumoniae–a bacteria that can cause some of the most common hospital infections in the medical field. According to a new paper, researchers believe the increasingly resilient pathogen to come from an unlikely source: store-bought meat.

SYMPTOMS OF KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE

According to the Center for Disease Control , Klebsiella is a type of bacteria that can cause multiple types of common hospital infections. Known to take root in the guts of unwary patients, Klebsiella is known to bring about pneumonia, bloodstream infections, surgical site infections, and meningitis. This strain of bacteria has been noted by medical professionals as becoming more and more resilient to antibiotics, leading the CDC to rank Klebsiella as an “urgent health threat–” a title that suggests immediate attention and awareness from patients and healthcare professionals worldwide.

HOW IT SPREADS

Klebsiella is the cause of some of the most common hospital-acquired infections, known to spread among hospital patients who carry the bacteria in their lower intestines, before it escapes their guts in diarrhea, typically brought about as a result of antibiotic use. This bacteria can spread wildly in a hospital setting, as unwashed hands can leave particles on another’s clothes or skin, as well as on hospital walls or healthcare equipment. The CDC states that this particular bacteria is not spread through the air, and is thus unable to be transmitted simply by breathing it in. However, according to recent studies by TIGR, the consumption of processed and store-bought meat may be a large source for the introduction of the bacteria to the intestines of patients. Lance Price , PhD, director of the TGen North’s Center for Microbiomics and senior author of the study, recently stated: “In this case, we see pretty compelling evidence that food can serve as a source of exposure to Klebsiella, one of the most important opportunistic pathogens in the United States.”

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

The researchers in Flagstaff, Arizona conducted a study involving the testing of supermarket-meat–508 packages of turkey, chicken, and pork–as well as thousands of blood and urine samples taken from hospital patients for the pathogen. The results of the study show Klebsiella to be present in both store-bought meat as well as human samples–and what’s more, they appear to be nearly identical on a molecular level. This indicates that the pathogen’s origin may be traced back to the farms at which hospital patients buy their meat from. Researchers speculate that this may be the reason for the bacteria’s strange resilience against antibiotics, as the meat produced on such farms are subject to routine antibiotic treatments, where the strain is able to build a tolerance, before spreading to hospital settings. This is important, as up until recently, it was accepted that the bacteria’s tolerance was due to routine medical exposure in hospitals. Price believes this new finding to be “Just more evidence that antibiotic use in food animals poses a significant threat to public health.”

The CDC urges anyone who may feel they have Klebsiella pneumoniae or any of its common hospital infections contact a healthcare professional immediately.

---

 

take your notes to the field with the moleskine voyageur traveller’s notebook!

New Study: Meat The Source of Common Hospital Infections

It follows doesn"t it? #Accessible #BirthControl for fewer #accidentally #unplanned #TeenPregnancies. - http://clapway.com/2015/07/22/increase-in-use-of-morning-after-pill-among-teens-decrease-in-teen-pregnancy-115/

A report conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined that 1 in 5 sexually active teenage girls have used the morning-after pill. 10 years ago, 1 in 12 sexually active teenage girls had used the morning-after pill.

The report from the CDC was conducted from 2011 to 2013 and is based on surveys from 2,225 teenagers between the ages of 15-19. When used within the first 72 hours, the morning-after pill reduces the likelihood of pregnancy after unprotected sex by 90%

Teen Birth Rates Down

There are 61 million U.S. women in their childbearing years at risk of unplanned pregnancy. The risk is greatest among 15-19 year olds (18%). In the late 80’s teenage pregnancy rates were 96 in 1,000. Teenage pregnancy is now down to 27 in 1,000.

Morning-After Pill Available Over-the-Counter

In 2006 the morning-after pill became available without a prescription to those 18 and over. In 2013 the age restriction was lifted. The morning-after pill typically costs $35 to $50.

According to the Guttmacher Institute the risk of teen pregnancy is twice as high for those who do not use a contraceptive method during their first time. Teen pregnancy is often coupled with a series of negative consequences including less financial stability and an inability to finish high school.

Accessible Birth Control

Increased accessibility to birth control in addition to proper sexual education and understanding the risks of STDs is responsible for the decline in overall teenage pregnancy. Condoms have remained the preferred method of birth control among teens. There has been no change in sales in regard to birth control pulls over the last few years.

According to the Guttmacher Institute of the 3.2 million teenage women who use birth control, “53% use the pill, 16% use other hormonal methods, including the implant, injectable, patch and ring, and 3% use an IUD.”

Plan B

Plan B One Step is an emergency contraceptive pill that contains a higher dose of levonorgestrel, which is also found in most birth control pills. Plan B prevents pregnancy by stopping the release of an egg from the ovary. Plan B does not disturb existing pregnancies.

What are your thoughts on this correlation between morning-after pill accessibility and unplanned teen pregnancies. Comment below.

---

 

Clapway Trends presents Samson RTE2 Bluetooth Headphones. Check out the full product review now:

Increase in Use of Morning-After Pill Among Teens, Decrease in Teen Pregnancy

Lyme Disease Spreading to New Areas, Says CDC - http://clapway.com/2015/07/18/lyme-disease-spreading-to-new-areas-says-cdc896/

The Background and What We Know about the disease

Everyone should know what Lyme disease is or at the very least have an idea of the bugs that might spread it to you.

Usually, when you get bitten by a troublesome bug, you feel like you may have a fever, but with an accompanying rash. The untreated disease can wreak havoc on your body. However there is a slight chance you run the risk of developing Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome, no one really knows what causes this but guesses go to lingering damage to your tissue and immune system may be a contributing factor.

According to data from CDC monitoring, Lyme disease has really only been abundant in the Great Lakes area and the upper New England area. But it has seen a case or small smattering in other regions in the U.S. So you’re not entirely risk free.

The Bad News about Lyme disease.

Since the topic of geography is at hand, now is a good time to mention that the CDC has released a report available online now, and later in print in August. The report that says Lyme disease is spreading. The monitoring of the disease has been observed in a nine-year time period of the number of cases across the U.S.

In those years of observations, the high concentration of cases in the New England have risen an unbelievable number of 320%. That is a radical increase and when you observe how much the percentage increases in the nine year period it’s less shocking but still baffling to see it rise.

The Great Lakes are was not as high a percentile as the New England area but it was still really high with its number of an estimation of 250% rise in incidents with Lyme Disease.

The two high concentration areas spell trouble for residents and others worldwide

Not only is the concentration rising in those hot spots in the U.S., there is some movement outside of the areas that suggest spreading due to the conditions existing at that time that may help the ticks survive in the geographical area. So, the CDC says measures must be taken to prevent a severe Lyme disease epidemic.

---

 

 

protect all your most important data with the nanoform

Lyme Disease Spreading to New Areas, Says CDC

Dangers of Light Smoking Among Women - http://clapway.com/2015/07/17/dangers-of-light-smoking-among-women567/

According to a recent report, light smoking is quickly becoming a trend among adult young women. Although the popularity of cigarette smoking is down, the number of people who engage in what is known as light smoking has increased quickly. Very light smoking is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, as consuming 5 or less cigarettes a day.

This new research shows what’s behind the sociodemographic and psychosocial aspects of what makes women who are about to enter the adulthood phase become very light (or heavier) smokers.

DATA CAME FROM 2011 STUDY BY THE NATIONAL SURVEY OF DRUG USE AND HEALTH

The researchers conducted this study by looking at results from a survey from over 9,000 women who are between the ages of 18 to 25. This information was collected from surveys in the 2011 National Survey of Drug Use and Health in the United States. The valuables in the study were set by the researchers and were psychological adaptation, use of inappropriate substances, daily smoking, smoking behaviors, dependence on nicotine, and age of first smoking.

VARIABLES IN THE STUDY MADE IT MORE PRECISE

Variables used in the study groups were ethnicity, age, marital status, educational level, and other educational status values. People were college graduates, never married, and not enrolled in school currently, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in the US.

THIS STUDY ALSO DEFINED VERY LIGHT, LIGHT AND HEAVY SMOKING

The findings of the study found that 42 percent were never smokers, 28 percent were former smokers meaning that they didn’t smoke within the last month but have in the past, and 30 percent were current smokers. This study also classified current smokers from very light smokers to heavy smokers. Very light smokers have smoked 5 or less cigarettes per day in the last 30 days. Light smokers are those who smoked between 6 and 16 cigarettes a day within the last 30 days, and heavier smokers are those who smoked more than 16 or more cigarettes a day within the last 30 days. These findings were published in Preventing Chronic Disease.

---

 

check out the world’s cutest robot, musio!

Dangers of Light Smoking Among Women

As cute as #chicken are, #salmonella is no joke. - http://clapway.com/2015/07/11/cds-warns-kissing-your-chicken-might-give-you-salmonella-245/

According to the new report released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a salmonella outbreak happened in the US. The officials affirmed that people should not kiss or cuddle chicken since they risk getting salmonella infection.

PEOPLE KISSED CHICKEN AND GOT SALMONELLA

The report is far from being a fake as there have been 181 cases of salmonella reported this year in the US, 33 of them requiring hospitalization. Fortunately, no deaths have been registered, until this moment.

An investigation that involved people who reported problems was conducted. Patients were asked a large number of questions, including if they had contact with animals, as well as what they have eaten during the week.

What appears to be extremely curious is that, most of the 181 cases of salmonella, were caused by live chickens, rather than dead ones. Of the infected, 64 people who were questioned affirmed they bought live baby poultry from 17 different feed supply stores and hatcheries, in a variety of states.

In accordance with the CDS reports, one of the reasons people got sick involved kissing their chicken. Many people, who were questioned, affirmed that they cuddled and even kissed the live poultry. However, when asked how many people had admitted to kissing or cuddling a chicken, the CDS refused to answer, reporting there is no data regarding this issue.

HOW TO PREVENT SALMONELLA?

Even if salmonella seems to be creating a craze among many people in different states, it can be prevented, not only by trying not to kiss or cuddle chicken. Here is what people can do, in order to stay healthy and away from this virus:

1. People who have a weak immune system or are under the age of 5 should not touch live poultry.


2. Eating or drinking near the areas where birds live must be avoided.


3. Keeping live poultry inside the houses is dangerous, especially when they come near the place where food is stored or prepared. 
   

   Therefore even if there have been registered almost 200 cases of people infected with salmonella, this issue can be easily avoided. Just take good care of yourself and, of course, stop kissing chicken!

---

Eat safe with Nutribullet. For more reviews, check out Clapway Trends:

CDS Warns Kissing Your Chicken Might Give You Salmonella!

Heroin use results surprising and spooky. - http://clapway.com/2015/07/07/heroin-epidemic-use-of-drug-more-than-doubles-across-the-u-s-343/

A new federal report released Tuesday shows that heroin is basically everywhere. The use has increased across the U.S. among men and women, most age groups, and all income levels.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Rates (CDC) some of the most startling increase occurred in “demographic groups with historically low rates of heroin use”: women, the privately insured, and people with higher incomes.

Heroin use more than doubled

Data released by CDC show that between 2002 and 2013 heroin use more than doubled among young adults ages 18–25 in the past decade. More than 9 in 10 people who used heroin also used at least one other drug and 45% were also addicted to prescription opioid painkillers.

Furthermore, as the rate of abuse doubled among women, it also went up 50 percent among men during the same time period. With more people using – and abusing – prescription painkillers, heroin has turned into a cheap and more easily available alternative.

Link between prescription painkillers and increase of heroin use

Although the absolute numbers are still low — fewer than 1 percent of people abuse heroin – drug abuse overall is up.

“They are addicted to prescription opiates because they are essentially the same chemical with the same effect on the brain as heroin,” CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden said at a press conference. “Heroin costs roughly 5 times less than prescription opiates on the street.”

With an increase of heroin use, overdose-related deaths are also on the rise. Between 2002 and 2013, the rate nearly quadrupled, and more than 8,200 people died in 2013.

Who is most at risk of heroin addiction?

The people who are most at risk of heroin addiction have been identified as those addicted to other drugs or substances, those living in large metropolitan areas, people without insurance or enrolled in Medicals and youngsters between 18-25 years of age.

What can states do to fight against the heroin epidemic?

CDC urged states to address the strongest risk factor for heroin addiction: addiction to prescription opioid painkillers. Other preventive methods include increasing access to substance abuse treatment services and help local jurisdictions to put effective practices to work in communities where heroin addiction is particularly common.

---

 

For technology related fun, check out Clapway Trends:

Heroin Epidemic: Use of Drug More Than Doubles Across the U.S.

CDC Says Beware of Pool Parasite - http://clapway.com/2015/06/27/beware-of-pool-parasites564/

The swimming pool is not always your friend, so be wary of a pool parasite

Lately, there have been lots of water-based bacteria cases and warnings popping up in the news. Now, the CDC issued out a warning for the newest parasitic threat in your swimming pool, Cryptosporidium.

This pool parasite, most easily known as ‘Crypto,’ is the cause of many diarrhea-type symptoms. The parasite is quite well-adapted, as it infects animals as well as humans. Further proof of its Darwinian prowess: it’s surprisingly resistant to chlorine disinfection, and it is protected by an outer shell that allows it to survive for longer periods of time. The pool parasite also causes vomiting, which then can lead to severe dehydration and loss of fluids that may require hospitalization.

Other parasites such as E.coli are easily disposed of in a chlorine treatment. However, these Crypto parasites can survive for up to ten days in chorine-treated water because of the aforementioned exterior shell.

Are the joys of swimming gone now?

Not necessarily; the key is to be careful and wary, especially with children. The chief of CDC’s Health Swimming Program, Michele Hlavsa, said “With these outbreaks, we can see they disproportionately affect young children. They’re the ones who can go to a pool and young children tend to carry lots of germs.”

There is also the consideration that young children’s immune systems are not up to snuff with full grown adults’ immune systems when it comes to taking on the pool parasite.

For the children’s sake, watch out for the pool parasite

Swimmers may bring this parasite into the pool with them if they have contracted it, and although it can be gone within a couple of weeks, those with weak immune systems may have more extreme, if not life-threatening, reactions. This is due to the loss of fluids from vomiting and diarrhea robbing your body of the nutrients it needs to function.

To help avoid contracting the pool parasite or having a close one catch the infection, there’s one main step to take- please check to see if the pool you’re thinking of going to was examined by the health department.

---

 

If you’re going to the pool as a way to get some healthy Sun exposure, there’s a way to do that indoors now, with the LifeLight.

CDC Says Beware of Pool Parasite