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By LocalHealthGuide on February 23rd, 2010
Listeria infection linked to soft Mexican-style cheese products from Yakima
Health officials warn consumers not to eat three products made by Queseria Bendita.
Category: Infections
By LocalHealthGuide on February 17th, 2010
Confirmed case of measles in a King County child
People who are unvaccinated, pregnant women, infants less than 6 months-old and persons with weakened immune systems at higher risk
By Michael McCarthy on January 13th, 2010
State begins publishing hospital infection rates
The report looks at bloodstream infections from central lines and ventilator-associated pneumonias.
By Michael McCarthy on December 27th, 2009
Health stories in the news
NYTs on end-of-life care and the career of UW researcher Dr. Walter Stamm
By LocalHealthGuide on December 24th, 2009
Case of measles confirmed in a King County
Risk to general public is low
By U.S. FDA on November 24th, 2009
Food Safety Tips for Healthy Holidays from the FDA
Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill — and watch out for that stuffing
By Michael McCarthy on September 12th, 2009
H1N1 “swine” flu epidemic could race ahead before vaccine arrives warns state epidemiologist
Vaccine will not arrive in time to stop widespread transmission of new H1N1 flu, says expert
By LocalHealthGuide Staff on September 09th, 2009
West Nile virus detected in dead crow found in Seattle’s Laurelhurst neighborhood
Public health officials report that a dead crow found in Seattle’s Laurelhurst neighborhood on August 24th was infected with the West Nile virus.
By CDC on September 05th, 2009
Special Webcast About the Flu for Pregnant Women and New Moms
U.S. Government’s flu information site www.flu.gov assembled a team of experts to answer questions that pregnant women and new moms might have about the flu.
By admin on August 17th, 2009
East King County subdivision residents urged to boil drinking water
Credit: Janice Haney Carr/CDC
Washington state health officials have detected the bacteria E. coli in the water supply of the Riverbend Homesites development in eastern King County and are warning residents to boil their drinking water before use.
About 1,600 people live at the development, which is just off Interstate 90 Exit 32 east of North Bend [...]
By admin on August 06th, 2009
West Nile virus arrives early in western Washington
Washington state health officials report that West Nile virus has been detected in a crow in western Washington.
Last year, the virus was not detected in the western half of the state until September.
Health officials are concerned that the appearance of the virus earlier in the summer may indicate that the virus will be more [...]
By admin on July 30th, 2009
Treating head lice – FDA Consumer Update
Head lice is a common problem among children. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are an estimated 6 to 12 million cases of head lice infestation each year in the U.S.
There are a number of treatments available for head lice, including a new drug recently approved by the U.S. Food [...]
By admin on July 21st, 2009
Health stories in the news – July 21
Continuous chemotherapy for some cancers?
New York Times reporter Andrew Pollack writes that some doctors and pharmaceutical companies are advocating treating patients with cancer continuously.
“That would be a departure from the common practice of stopping treatment when the cancer is under control and resuming it only if the cancer worsens,” Pollack writes.
Some doctors say such ”maintenance [...]
By admin on July 03rd, 2009
Holiday food safety tips
According to a new survey, only one in three people know the proper temperature to cook a hamburger in order for it to be safe to eat, the Washington State Department of Health reports.
(Answer: When the internal temperature reaches 160°F)
“Some people think they know how to tell when burgers and other meats are cooked thoroughly, [...]
By admin on June 27th, 2009
National HIV Awareness Testing Day
One out of five people in the U.S. infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, doesn’t know it, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.
CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 be tested for HIV at least once as part of their routine health care.
People who are [...]
By admin on May 19th, 2009
Pandemic flu comic book available in 19 languages
Seattle public health officials have prepared a 12-page comic book that tells the story of the 1918 influenza pandemic through the experience of one family.
The 1918 pandemic, also know as the “Spanish Flu” epidemic, killed an estimated 20 million people worldwide.
The comic book “No Ordinary Flu” is written for readers of all ages. It shows [...]
By admin on April 30th, 2009
U.S. officials answer questions about swine flu online
Webcast: U.S. health and security officials answer questions about swine flu emailed in by thousands of viewers.
The questions were fielded by:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano
Acting Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Richard Besser.
The Webcast can be viewed above or [...]
By admin on April 29th, 2009
What are the signs of swine flu?
In this video Dr. Joe Bresee, with Influenza Division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), describes the symptoms of swine flu and warning signs to look for that indicate the need for urgent medical attention.
Local health officials have prepared a Swine Flu Tip Sheet that provides additional information about swine flu [...]
By admin on April 28th, 2009
Do not eat raw alfalfa sprouts, FDA warns
Consumers should not eat raw alfalfa sprouts and sprout blends containing alfalfa sprouts until further notice because seeds for the sprouts have been sold throughout the country may be contaminated with the bacteria Salmonella, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
The FDA warns:
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young [...]
By admin on April 24th, 2009
CDC reports 7 cases of swine flu in USA
Seven cases of an unusual strain of swine flu have been identified in the U.S.A, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says.
Swine flu is a respiratory infection caused by a virus called swine influenza A (H1N1) that usually infects pigs. Occasionally, though, the virus can infect people.
Usually, these people have worked around [...]
By admin on April 10th, 2009
Protecting yourself from ticks this spring
The cayenne tick spreads Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Compared to other parts of the U.S., Washington state sees relatively few cases of diseases caused by tick bites.
Still, these infections, which include such things as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease and tick paralysis, are not something you want to catch.
So to protect yourself, the Washington State [...]
By admin on April 09th, 2009
Vaccines: not just for kids
Each year 50,000 Americans die from a vaccine-preventable infections, and almost all of them—95%—are adults.
Influenza, for example, causes an average of 36,000 deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. every year, but less than half of the adults for whom the vaccine is recommended get the shot.
Pneunococcal infections, when can cause lung, blood stream and [...]
By admin on April 07th, 2009
Pistachio recall expands after Salmonella found in California processing plant
A California company has expanded its recall of its pistachio products after California and federal health officials found certain critical areas of its processing plant to be contaminated with several strains of the bacterium Salmonella.
The company’s pistachios are used in pistachio products sold nationwide.
Salmonella
The company, Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc., Terra Bella, California had initially [...]
By admin on April 02nd, 2009
America Has Gone Quiet on HIV/AIDS – Opinion
A survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation has found that Americans’ concern about the threat of HIV/AIDS has dropped sharply in recent years with just 6 percent of adults surveyed now naming HIV/AIDS as the most urgent health problem facing the country, down for 44 percent in 1995.
The drop comes at the same time the [...]
By admin on April 01st, 2009
Do not eat any brand of pistachios or foods products containing pistachios, FDA warns
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to eat any brand of shelled or unshelled pistachios or any food products containing pistachios until FDA investigators determine which pistachios and pistachio products should be recalled because of possible Salmonella contamination.
This warning includes such products as baked goods, trail mixes and snack foods [...]
By admin on March 30th, 2009
FDA warns consumers to avoid pistachio products
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers to avoid eating pistachio products while it investigates reports that some have been found to be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria.
Currently, the FDA and the California Department of Public Health are investigation Salmonella contamination in pistachio products sold by Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc, California.
That company has [...]
By admin on March 30th, 2009
Kroger recalls pistachios due to Salmonella risk
Kroger Company is recalling its store brand Private Selection Shelled Pistachios sold at QFC, Fred Meyer, City Market, Pay Less and other Kroger-operated stores because they may potentially be contaminated with Salmonella.
The nuts are sold in 10-ounce containers with a “Sell by” date of DEC-13-09 and DEC-14-09 with the UPC Code: 11110 73615.
There have been [...]
By admin on March 26th, 2009
Circumcision effective way to reduce risk of AIDS, herpes and genital warts, UW researchers say
Healthcare providers should make it clear to patients and parents that male circumcision substantially reduces a man’s risk of contracting AIDS, genital herpes and the virus that causes genital warts and cervical cancer, two University of Washington researchers write in today’s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
In recent years, the value of circumcision [...]
By admin on March 11th, 2009
Whooping cough outbreak linked to state high school wrestling championship in Tacoma Dome
Washington state health officials are investigating an outbreak of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, among people who attended the state high school wrestling championships held last month in the Tacoma Dome.
So far, at least 15 people, including wrestlers, coaches and spectators, who attended the match—The 2009 Mat Classic—have come down with the infection.
“Anyone who [...]
By admin on March 07th, 2009
Local market chain recalls peanut products due to Salmonella concerns
Town & Country Markets, which operates the Ballard Market, the Greenwood Market, and the Town & Country Market on Bainbridge Island, as well as the Central Markets in Shoreline, Mill Creek, and Poulsbo is recalling specific lots of peanut products because of concerns about potential Salmonella contamination.
The recalled products include peanuts products and trail mixes [...]
By Michael McCarthy on March 04th, 2009
Teaching the very young to swim could save thousands of lives a year, UW researcher says
Study found that formal swimming lessons can reduce a young child’s risk of drowning by 88 percent.
By admin on March 04th, 2009
Breadfarm recalls peanut products sold in Bellingham, Mount Vernon and Everett farmer’s markets
Breadfarm, Inc. of Bow, Washington has recalled peanut products that were sold at farmer’s markets in Bellingham, Everett and Mount Vernon and at the company’s retail outlet in Bow.
The products contain peanuts manufactured by the Peanut Corporation of America whose facilities have been identified as the source of the Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 677 [...]
By admin on March 02nd, 2009
Whole Foods Market recalls peanut products and self-grind peanut butters due to Salmonella fears
Whole Foods Markets is recalling selected peanuts, peanut products, and self-serve grind peanut butters that were distributed throughout Washington and Oregon because of concern they may be contaminated with Salmonella.
The peanut products and peanut butter were sold in the bulk foods sections of the Whole Foods stores from Jan 1 2007 to Feb 13 2009, the [...]
By admin on February 27th, 2009
Tacoma’s Brown & Haley candy maker recalls peanut products due to Salmonella concerns
Tacoma candy maker Brown & Haley is recalling some lots of its Honey Roasted Peanut ROCA Buttercrunch Toffee and Peanut Delights because they contain peanuts from Peanut Corporation of America, whose plant has been linked to the Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 666 people in the U.S. and Canada, including 22 in Washington state.
The Honey Roasted Peanut ROCA Buttercrunch Toffee was [...]
By admin on February 27th, 2009
Unpasteurized Mexican-style cheese may be linked to Listeria infections in Washington state
Washington state health officials are warning residents not to eat unpasteurized cheese products because they may be contaminated with a bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes, the cause of a potentially dangerous infection called Listeriosis.
Officials issued the warning after receiving reports of several cases of Listeriosis in Yakima, Klickitat and King Counties.
Unpasteurized Mexican-style cheese are the suspected sources of the [...]
By admin on February 27th, 2009
Umpqua Dairy expands recall of Tin Roof Sundae ice cream products due Salmonella concerns
Umpqua Dairy Products, Co. of Roseburg, Oregon has expanded its recall of its Tin Roof Sundae ice cream products because they contain peanuts from the Peanut Corporation of America, whose plant in Blakely, Georgia has been identified as the source of a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 666 people in 45 states and [...]
By admin on February 21st, 2009
Seattle’s Mighty-O recalls Nutty Vanilla Donuts made before Feb. 5 due to Salmonella concerns
Mighty-O of Seattle, maker of organic donuts, is recalling its Nutty Vanilla Donuts produced before February 5th because they contain peanut products from the Peanut Corporation of America, whose peanuts have been linked to the Salmonella outbreak that has sickened more than 650 people in 44 states and Canada, including 19 in Washington state.
Nationwide, nine [...]
By admin on February 18th, 2009
Seattle’s Theo Chocolate recalls “Peanut Butter Big Daddy” and Peanut Confections
Seattle’s Theo Chocolate, Inc. has recalled its Peanut Butter Big Daddy and its Peanut Confections products because it is possible that they are contaminated with Salmonella.
The company says no illnesses have been linked to these products, but the company decided to issue the recall after it determined that the products contain organic peanut splits from the Peanut [...]
By admin on February 18th, 2009
Snohomish Health District will offer free HIV testing to Black Americans in Everett next Monday, Feb. 23
In support of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, the Snohomish Health District will offer free HIV testing to Black Americans who might be at risk of HIV infection.
These would include individuals who might have had unprotected sex or have injected drugs and shared their injection equipment.
Testing will include a private counseling session. Testing and counseling [...]
By admin on February 17th, 2009
Slim-Fast issues correction concerning its recall of Slim-Fast Bar products with peanuts
Earlier this week the maker of the Slim-Fast line of weight-loss products issued a recall of three of its Slim-Fast Bar products because they may contain peanuts from the Peanut Corporation of America’s Texas plant.
After the Peanut Corporation of America’s plant in Blakely, Georgia was identified as the source of a Salmonella outbreak that has sicken 647 [...]
