Salmonella outbreak sickens 388 across U.S.: CDC

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An outbreak of salmonella food poisoning has made 388 people sick across 42 states, sending 18 percent of them to the hospital, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday.

Early C-section for full-term babies poses risk

BOSTON (Reuters) - More than half of all Cesarean deliveries are done by choice and more than a third are done too early, putting the babies at risk of breathing and other difficulties, U.S. researchers reported Wednesday.

Low blood oxygen on Everest offers treatment hope

LONDON (Reuters) - A team of British doctors conducting experiments in the "Death Zone" of Mount Everest has recorded the lowest levels of blood oxygen in humans, far below those of critically ill patients.

Mississippi has highest teen birth rate

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mississippi has claimed the distinction of having the highest teen birth rate in the United States, a figure more than three times higher than the states with the lowest rates, health officials said on Wednesday.

New therapy helps boy with rare disease

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A drug used to suppress the immune system in cancer and rheumatoid arthritis has helped extend the life of a Minnesota boy struggling with a rare and deadly form of the genetic disorder Pompe disease.

Vietnam bird flu patient's sister had same symptoms

HANOI (Reuters) - The sister of Vietnam's first confirmed bird flu patient of the year died with similar symptoms last week and the director of the hospital where she was treated said she probably also had avian flu.

Study unlocks mystery of child leukemia relapse

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A certain gene abnormality raises the chance of relapse for children with the most common form of childhood cancer, a discovery that could change the way doctors treat them, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

Smooth approval seen for Obama healthcare nominee

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Shirley Hunter reviewed her finances to make sure she could afford to retire in 1999, she never banked on health care costs more than doubling in less than a decade.

New approaches sought for troop substance abuse

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. government experts are seeking new ways to treat a flood of American troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with substance abuse problems compounded by conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder.

Breast cancer in men often detected late

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - One in every hundred breast cancers or so occurs in men, and such tumors are often detected at a late stage. Furthermore, these cancers can appear benign on mammography, according to a report in the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Test targets sport drugs cheats

Scientists find a way to identify a type of new drug which could be misused by athletes.

Everest trip helps critically ill

Blood oxygen levels recorded on a trip by medics to Everest could help the treatment of critically ill patients.

Brain-cooling devices developed

Scientists are developing new ways to cool heart attack and stroke victims' brains to protect them from damage.

GPs flu pandemic workload warning

GP surgeries have been told to prepare for seeing nearly 200 extra patients a week during the height of a flu pandemic.

Flu outbreak 'may have hit peak'

The outbreak of flu cases in England and Wales looks like it has peaked, experts say.

Doubts raised over measles target

The UK is named as one of Europe's worst countries for measles, dashing global hopes of eradicating the disease by 2010.

Bosses slam 'throw a sickie' ad

An advert for a cold and flu medicine is criticised by bosses for encouraging workers to "throw a sickie".

Radon gas action needed across UK

All new homes should be fitted with measures to prevent the build-up of the potentially harmful gas radon, say researchers.

Skin cancer 'ups new cancer risk'

Skin cancer patients have a higher chance of developing other forms of the disease, research suggests.

Blocking it out - why Tetris can help combat traumatic stress

Playing the computer puzzle game Tetris might help reduce the effects of traumatic stress, say UK researchers.

Poetry or science

Is romantic love just a chemical cocktail?

Difficult decisions

A prenatal autism test could mean the loss of great minds

Feilden's blog

Scientists need your brain for medical research

Super stethoscope

How FBI technology is driving a medical advance

Medical notes

A comprehensive guide to clinical conditions

From BBC Health

Living with seasonal affective disorder

China alert over bird flu death

Chinese authorities shut down and clean poultry markets in Hebei province, after the first human death in nearly a year.

Appeal for research brain donors

More people need to donate their brains to medical research if cures for diseases like dementia are to be found, scientists say.

Room opens after baby's death

An intensive care room reopens to new admissions after a bug affected a hospital's neo-natal ward.

Rabies victim dies of infection

A Northern Ireland woman who contracted the rabies virus while she was abroad dies, her family says.

NHS patient error deaths 'rising'

More than 3,000 people have died as a result of patient safety incidents in just one year in England, figures show.

China investigates baby's death

Chinese officials investigate the death of a baby boy soon after he was fed baby milk powder.

Warning over 'third-hand smoke'

Many people are unaware that even smoking away from babies or pregnant women presents a risk, according to US research.

Woman told she had flu dies

A mother from Norfolk dies three days after a medical line said she had a bout of flu and should drink plenty of fluids.

Heart disease and stroke

Cancer: The facts

The disease tends to affect older people - but can strike at any time.

Drug made from genetically engineered goats may become scientific first (AP)

AP - You've heard of making cheese from goats' milk, but prescription drugs? In what would be a scientific first, an anti-clotting drug made from the milk of genetically engineered goats moved closer to government approval Wednesday after experts at the Food and Drug Administration reported that the medication works and its safety is acceptable.

Major lab discloses problem with vitamin D testing (AP)

AP - The nation's largest medical lab company says it recently discovered and fixed a problem that led to inaccuracies in a small number of tests for vitamin D deficiency.

C-sections best for baby when close to due date (AP)

AP - Babies do better after a scheduled Caesarean section if they're born no sooner than seven days before their due date, a new large study of U.S. births shows. Those delivered earlier had more complications, including breathing problems, even though they were full term, the researchers reported in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine. Even just a few days made a difference, they said.

Mississippi has highest teen birth rate, CDC says (AP)

AP - Mississippi now has the nation's highest teen birth rate, displacing Texas and New Mexico for that lamentable title, a new federal report says. Mississippi's rate was more than 60 percent higher than the national average in 2006, according to new state statistics released Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The teen birth rate for that year in Texas and New Mexico was more than 50 percent higher.

Salmonella outbreak spreads to 42 states, CDC says (AP)

AP - Health officials are investigating a salmonella outbreak that has reportedly sickened nearly 400 people in 42 states, but they don't know how the bacteria are spreading.

Study raises hope for obesity treatment (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. researchers may have found an obesity treatment that unlocks the fat-fighting promise of leptin, an appetite-suppressing hormone once hailed as the answer to the battle of the bulge.

Viagra May Shield Heart From Blood Pressure Damage (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, Jan. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Tests in mouse hearts show that sildenafil, the key ingredient in Viagra, may shield hearts from damage caused by high blood pressure, a new study suggests.

Clinical Trials Update: Jan. 7, 2009 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of CenterWatch:

Health Tip: Help Stop Thumbsucking (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Many children suck their thumbs, but it can cause dental problems if children continue to suck their thumb beyond age 4.

New Ratings Put Spotlight On Nursing Homes

About 22 percent of the nation's nearly 16,000 nursing homes received the federal government's lowest rating in a new 5-star system unveiled Thursday, while 12 percent received the highest ranking possible.

New No-Cal Sweetener OK'd For Soft Drinks

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are set to launch the first diet drinks sweetened with stevia that have the FDA's blessing -- or at least its lack of objections.

Study Debunks Conventional Wisdom

For generations, mothers have doled out their own brand of medical advice. But a new study proves that many of those long-held medical truths aren't true at all.

How One 11-Year-Old Kicked Cancer

Eleven-year-old is Pearce Quesenberry is exactly the kind of patient one hopes research breakthroughs will help. And just in time for the holidays, she has some very good news, Katie Couric reports.

"Head-Bangers" Risk Brain, Neck Injuries

Researchers actually went to concerts and concluded heavy metal fans should be aware of the potential for harm. An orthopedic surgeon discussed it all, on The Early Show.