1 March 2013

Army Public Health Weekly Update

The Army Public Health Update is a collection of articles taken verbatim

from public sources to offer awareness of current health issues and the

media coverage given to them. The articles do not necessarily represent

US Army Medical Department opinions, views, policy, or guidance, and

should not be construed or interpreted as being

endorsed by the US Army Medical Department.

U.S. Army Public Health Command

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Contents

U.S. MILITARY

 Ironhorse integrates "Go For Green"

 Military medical experts urge caution on dietary health supplements

 Report: No link between deployment, suicide in military

 Trauma sets female veterans adrift back home

 Two more divers killed at Aberdeen Proving Ground

 Update: Malaria, U.S. Armed Forces, 2012

GLOBAL

 Analysis: Emerging deadly virus demands swift sleuth work

 Blood vessels 'sniff' gut microbes to regulate blood pressure

 Firm starts trial of vaccine against staph toxin listed as bioterror agent

 Now hear this: Stanford researchers identify forerunners of inner-ear cells that enable hearing

 Pain can be a relief

INFLUENZA

 Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center: DoD Influenza Surveillance Summary

 CDC: Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report

 DoD Global Laboratory-Based Influenza Surveillance Program

 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control: Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview

 Google.org: Flu Trends

 Naval Health Research Center: Febrile Respiratory Illness Surveillance Update

 USAPHC: U.S. Army Influenza Activity Report

 PANDEMIC AND AVIAN INFLUENZA

 Cambodian man dies from H5N1 infection

 Two thirds of early 2009 pandemic cases in Victoria, Australia, were in school kids

VETERINARY/FOOD SAFETY

 Germany investigates possible organic egg fraud

 IKEA takes meatballs off Europe menus after horsemeat found

 Rats: Scratch and sniff landmine detection
Malaria Prevention

while Staying in a

Malarious Area

This new video suggests 

ways to protect yourself 

from malaria by preventing 

mosquito bites. The use of 

window screens, 

insecticide, bed nets, DEET, 

permethrin-treated 

clothing and anti-malarial 

medication are discussed.

WELLNESS

 Bad sleep 'dramatically' alters body

 Healthy older women advised against taking calcium

 Mediterranean diet shown to ward off heart attack and stroke

 Nicotine may increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease

 Nutritionist explains how energy drinks adversely affect heart health

 Police and firefighters at higher risk for mental disorders following traumatic events

 Screening might avert many lung cancer deaths: study

 Study sees more breast cancer at young age

 Study: Volunteering may improve cardiovascular health

USAFRICOM

 Chad: Yellow fever

 Democratic Republic of Congo: Measles epidemic affects thousands

 Madagascar: Tropical cyclone Haruna hits southwestern Madagascar

USCENTCOM

 Afghanistan: Girls give more than their hands in marriage

 Pakistan policeman killed while protecting health workers

 Syria: Diseases spreading as WASH systems collapse

USEUCOM

 Greece: Panic in pharmacies as hundreds of medicines run short

 Russia: Putin signs law banning smoking in public

 United Kingdom: Gonorrhoea cases soar 25 pct in England as superbugs take hold

USNORTHCOM

 U.S.: Los Angeles health officials concerned about TB outbreak on skid row

 U.S.: Metastatic breast cancer rising in patients younger than 40

 U.S.: Multiple multistate outbreaks of human Salmonella infections linked to live poultry in 

backyard flocks

 U.S.: Poll, many Americans don't see their kids as overweight

 U.S.: Secondary and tertiary transmission of vaccinia virus after sexual contact with a smallpox 

vaccinee — San Diego, California, 2012

 U.S.: Study says too many Americans still drink too much

USPACOM

 China: Coal mine death rate plunges

 India: Fighting TB with fingerprints

 Japan, Fukushima: 'Small increased cancer risk'

 Thailand reports over 5,000 dengue fever cases since the beginning of the year

USSOUTHCOM

 Brazil: African-ancestry babies get less prenatal care

 Haiti: UN rejects damage claim for Haiti cholera victims

 Paraguay: Dengue - 27 deaths in 2013 and 783 cases in one day
Smartphone Apps 

to Enable 

Biosurveillance

The U.S. Army Research, 

Development and 

Engineering Command's 

Edgewood Chemical 

Biological Center (ECBC) 

has teamed with the 

University of California, La., 

to support the Defense 

Threat Reduction Agency 

(DTRA) design and build 

modular add-on devices 

for Android smartphones, 

which will improve the 

ease, accuracy and 

consistency of 

biosurveillance. 

With U.S. Soldiers and 

other deployed personnel 

in many underdeveloped 

areas, it is increasingly 

important to have 

compact, lightweight and 

inexpensive equipment 

that is capable of detecting 

and analyzing harmful 

agents or diagnosing 

disease and quickly 

sending the results to a 

response team. These 

applications and hardware 

add-ons would enable 

Soldiers to use a device 

they already carry to 

quickly and accurately 

collect and analyze data 

with a clear yes/no 

capability, essential 

archived evidence and GPS 

tracking. Stand-To!

U.S. MILITARY

Ironhorse integrates "Go for Green"

26 February - When asked what a Soldier is you'll get a lot of the same common answers: 

hero, warrior and service member. As true as all those are, what people may not realize is 

nutrition plays an important role in the life and activities of a Soldier. In order to help 

promote Army health and nutrition, the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence (JCCoE) designed 

a program known as "Go For Green" in 2010. According to the JCCoE, "the 'Go For Green' 

program is a nutritional recognition labeling system providing the Soldier with a quick 

assessment of the nutritional value of menu offerings and food products in the dining 

facility." The 1st "Ironhorse" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, is not exempt from 

this program. MHS

Military medical experts urge caution on dietary health 

supplements

25 February - In an effort to adopt a healthier lifestyle, many people reach for nutrient-rich 

vitamins, energy drinks and dietary supplements to pursue the goal of total wellness. But 

there are health risks attached to taking dietary supplements, especially for those with preexisting conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. While there is no single federal 

banned list of dietary supplements or ingredients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

has found that many dietary supplements—especially weight-loss, bodybuilding, and 

sexual-enhancement products—may contain ingredients that could be harmful. In some 

cases, ingredients in supplements may produce unwanted results in urinalysis testing as 

well. The Department of Defense Human Performance Resource Center, OPSS: Operation 

Supplement Safety webpage offers online information for the military community about the 

safety of energy drinks and answers frequently asked questions. More information related 

to dietary supplements and drug testing is also available. Health.mil

Report: No link between deployment, suicide in military

22 February - A study released Friday has found that demographics and the ending of a 

relationship—and not deployment status—are most closely associated with suicides in the 

Army National Guard. Between 2007 and 2010, 294 members of the Army National Guard 

committed suicide. The suicide rate for members of the National Guard was higher than 

that of members of the active Army (1 in 3,225 National Guard committed suicide, 

compared to 1 in 4,000 for the Army.) The suicide rate in the general population is 1 in 

5,000... "Primary risk factors associated with having committed suicide among the 2007-

2010 [National Guard] suicide cases were age (young), gender (male), and race (white)," 

according to the report. People who fall into that group are also most likely to commit 

suicide in the general population. U.S. News and World Report
Solve the Outbreak

A new app by Centers for 

Disease Control and 

Prevention lets you get 

clues, analyze data, solve 

the case, and save lives! 

Do you quarantine the 

village? Talk to people who 

are sick? Ask for more lab 

results? The better your 

answers, the higher your 

score - and the more 

quickly you’ll save lives. 

You’ll start out as a Trainee 

and can earn badges by 

solving cases, with the goal 

of earning the top rank: 

Disease Detective.

More information

Trauma sets female veterans adrift back home

27 February - ... Even as the Pentagon lifts the ban on women in combat roles, returning 

servicewomen are facing a battlefield of a different kind: they are now the fastest growing 

segment of the homeless population, an often-invisible group bouncing between sofa and 

air mattress, overnighting in public storage lockers, living in cars and learning to park 

inconspicuously on the outskirts of shopping centers to avoid the violence of the streets. 

While male returnees become homeless largely because of substance abuse and mental 

illness, experts say that female veterans face those problems and more, including the search 

for family housing and an even harder time finding well-paying jobs. But a common 

pathway to homelessness for women, researchers and psychologists said, is military sexual 

trauma, or M.S.T., from assaults or harassment during their service, which can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder. New York Times

Two more divers killed at Aberdeen Proving Ground

26 February - Two Navy divers died in the Super Pond at Aberdeen Proving Ground on 

Tuesday, less than a month after the death of another diver at the same location. Officials at 

the Army base in Harford County released few details late Tuesday about the incident, 

which occurred about 2:30 p.m. at the Unexploded Ordnance Range pond. The man-made 

body of water is also known as the Super Pond... A Harford County emergency response 

source said the divers were in cardiac arrest when they surfaced and had been working in 

the pond on air hoses, not self-contained breathing units, and were tethered to each other. 

The two divers were from Joint Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Va., the 

Associated Press reported. The incident came less than a month after the death of a diver at 

the Super Pond. George H. Lazzaro Jr., an engineering technician in the Firepower 

Directorate of the Aberdeen Test Center, died Jan. 30 while doing routine maintenance on 

the test infrastructure. Baltimore Sun

Update: Malaria, U.S. Armed Forces, 2012

January - U.S. service members are at risk of malaria when they are assigned to endemic 

areas (e.g., Korea), participate in operations in endemic areas (e.g., Afghanistan, Africa) and 

visit malarious areas during personal travel. In 2012, 38 service members were reported with 

malaria, fewer than in any of the past nine years. Nearly two-thirds of cases were 

presumably acquired in Afghanistan (n=24) and seven cases were considered acquired in 

Africa. The majority of cases were caused by P. vivax and nearly one-third were reported as 

“unspecified” malaria. Malaria was diagnosed/reported from 25 different medical facilities in 

the United States, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Germany, and Korea. The relatively low number 

of cases in 2012 reflects at least in part the drawdown of troops serving in Afghanistan.

Medical Surveillance Monthly Report

top of page...
That Guy Buzzed 

Free Mobile Game

That Guy Buzzed is a FREE 

action-style game 

developed for mobile 

devices and tablets 

including the iPhone, iPad, 

and Android. The game 

aims to educate the junior 

enlisted about the 

consequences of binge 

drinking by using an 

entertaining, engaging 

approach. 

That Guy Buzzed 

emphasizes the concept of 

personal control when it 

comes to drinking alcohol.

GLOBAL

Analysis: Emerging deadly virus demands swift sleuth 

work

27 February - The emergence of a deadly virus previously unseen in 

humans that has already killed half those known to be infected requires 

speedy scientific detective work to figure out its potential... The virus, 

which belongs to the same family as viruses that cause the common cold 

and the one that caused Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), 

emerged in the Middle East last year and has so far killed seven of the 13 people it is known 

to have infected worldwide... "At the moment we just don't know whether the virus might 

actually be quite widespread and it's just a tiny proportion of people who get really sick, or 

whether it's a brand new virus carrying a much greater virulence potential," said Wendy 

Barclay, a flu virologist, also at Imperial College London...[R]ecent evidence from a cluster of 

cases in a family in Britain strongly suggests NCoV can be passed from one person to 

another and may not always come from an animal source. Reuters

Blood vessels 'sniff' gut microbes to regulate blood 

pressure

26 February - Researchers at The Johns Hopkins University and Yale University have 

discovered that a specialized receptor, normally found in the nose, is also in blood vessels 

throughout the body, sensing small molecules created by microbes that line mammalian 

intestines, and responding to these molecules by increasing blood pressure. The finding 

suggests that gut bacteria are an integral part of the body’s complex system for maintaining 

a stable blood pressure. Johns Hopkins Medicine

Firm starts trial of vaccine against staph toxin listed as 

bioterror agent

27 February - Maryland firm announced yesterday the launch of a phase 1 clinical trial of a 

vaccine to counter staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), a potential bioterrorism agent. 

Integrated BioTherapeutics (IBT), based in Gaithersburg, Md., aims to enroll 28 volunteers to 

test the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine, called STEBVax, which contains an 

attenuated form of SEB. The trial is sponsored by the US National Institute of Allergy and 

Infectious Diseases and is being conducted at the University of Maryland. SEB is one of 

several toxins that are released by Staphylococcus aureus and are listed as common causes 

of food poisoning. The company described the toxin as a "superantigen," because it can 

trigger an intense inflammatory response leading to toxic shock. SEB is listed by the US 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a Category B biological agent, meaning it is 

moderately easy to disseminate and can cause moderate morbidity and low mortality. "SEB 

is a biowarfare threat to the US, and the superantigens can be critical factors affecting the 

outcome of Staphylococcus aureus infections," said IBT President M. Javad Aman in a press 

release. He said the trial marks "the first time a vaccine for such a potent toxin is being 

tested in humans." CIDRAP News Scan
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with articles classified up to 

the SECRET level from the 

USAPHC SIPRNet site: 

http://phc.army.smil.mil

Look under Hot Topics & 

Current Issues.

To access this version, you 

will need a SECRET

clearance and a SIPRNet 

account.

Links

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Health Information 

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Monthly Report 

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(AKO)

Request USAPHC Services 

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USAPHC Homepage 

USAPHC Training 

Contact USAPHC

Now hear this: Stanford researchers identify forerunners 

of inner-ear cells that enable hearing 

26 February - Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified a 

group of progenitor cells in the inner ear that can become the sensory hair cells and 

adjacent supporting cells that enable hearing. Studying these progenitor cells could 

someday lead to discoveries that help millions of Americans suffering from hearing loss due 

to damaged or impaired sensory hair cells. "It's well known that, in mammals, these 

specialized sensory cells don't regenerate after damage," said Alan Cheng, MD, assistant 

professor of otolaryngology. (In contrast, birds and fish are much better equipped: They can 

regain their sensory cells after trauma caused by noise or certain drugs.) "Identifying the 

progenitor cells, and the cues that trigger them to become sensory cells, will allow us to 

better understand not just how the inner ear develops, but also how to devise new ways to 

treat hearing loss and deafness." EurekAlert

Pain can be a relief

22 February - When something causes less pain than expected it is even possible for it to 

feel pleasant, a new study reveals. These findings may one day play a key role in treating 

pain and substance abuse. If you accidently kick your toe against a doorframe you are 

probably going to find it very painful. As a purely intellectual experiment, imagine 

purposefully kicking a doorframe hard enough to potentially break your toe. When it turns 

out your toe has been battered but not broken, the pain may be interpreted more as a 

relief. “It is not hard to understand that pain can be interpreted as less severe when an 

individual is aware that it could have been much more painful. Less expected, however, is 

the discovery that pain may be experienced as pleasant if something worse has been 

avoided,” explains Siri Leknes, Research Fellow at the Department of Psychology at the 

University of Oslo. Research Council of Norway

top of page...

INFLUENZA

Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center: DoD Influenza 

Surveillance Summary

 In Week 7 (through 16 February 2013), Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Pneumonia & 

Influenza (P&I) incidence rates decreased in all regions. The proportion of all outpatient 

visits due to ILI increased and is well-above baseline in EUCOM non-active duty 

beneficiaries. 

 Across the overseas DoD laboratory surveillance network, influenza activity varied from 

low to moderate levels except in Europe and Southeast Asia, where high levels of 

influenza activity were detected with co-circulation of influenza A/H1, A/H3, and B. 
 The influenza vaccination coverage for the DoD (Active Duty component only) is 96%. 

AFHSC DoD Influenza Surveillance Summary

CDC: Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report

During week 7 (February 10 - 16, 2013), influenza activity remained elevated in the United 

States, but decreased in most areas. 

 Viral Surveillance: Of 8,144 specimens tested and reported by collaborating 

laboratories, 1,371 (16.8%) were positive for influenza. 

 Pneumonia and Influenza Mortality: The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia 

and influenza (P&I) was above the epidemic threshold. 

 Influenza-Associated Pediatric Deaths: Fourteen pediatric deaths were reported. 

 Geographic Spread of Influenza: Twenty-two states reported widespread influenza 

activity; Puerto Rico and 21 states reported regional influenza activity; the District of 

Columbia and 6 states reported local influenza activity; 1 state reported sporadic 

influenza activity; Guam reported no influenza activity, and the U.S. Virgin Islands did 

not report. FluView

DoD Global Laboratory-Based Influenza Surveillance 

Program

During Week 7, 111 specimens were tested from 34 locations. There were 25 Influenza A 

viruses (20 A(H3N2) and five A(H1N1)pdm09); and 16 Influenza B viruses detected.

To date, 2,754 specimens have been tested from 79 locations of which 987 were positive for

Influenza A (869 A(H3N2), 94 A(H1N1)pdm09, two co-infections of A(H3N2) & B, one coinfection of A(H3N2) & A(H1N1)pdm09, one co-infection of A(H3N2) and Parainfluenza and 

six A/not subtyped); and 206 were positive for Influenza B (14 B/Yamagata, two B/Victoria, 

and 190 B/lineage undetermined). There have been 176 other respiratory viruses isolated 

(59 Parainfluenza, 43 Adenovirus, 65 RSV, and nine Enterovirus).

Sequence analysis of specimens processed indicate a good match to the vaccine strains this 

season. USAF School of Aerospace Medicine

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control:

Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview

 In week 7/2013, 19 of the 29 countries reporting indicated concomitantly high/mediumintensity transmission and wide geographic spread. Ten countries reported decreasing 

trends, the first time since the beginning of influenza transmission for five of them. 

 The proportion of influenza-positive cases among sentinel specimens remained high 

(52%) but continued to decrease, as first observed in the previous week. 

 Since week 40/2012, an even distribution of influenza virus types has been observed, 

50% each for type A and type B viruses. Among influenza A viruses, an increasing 

proportion of A(H1)pdm09 over A(H3) has been reported since week 52/2012. 
 For week 7/2013, 78 hospitalised laboratory-confirmed influenza cases were reported 

by five countries (Belgium, France, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain), 48 (62%) tested 

positive for influenza type A and 30 (38%) for type B. 

Influenza activity remained substantial in week 7/2013 across Europe but an increasing 

number of countries reported indications of declining transmission. Weekly Influenza 

Surveillance Overview

Google.org: Flu Trends

27 February – Estimates of flu activity based on certain Internet search queries indicate that 

the level of flu activity in the northern hemisphere ranges from low in Bulgaria and Poland

to intense in Russia and in the southern hemisphere ranges is minimal but low in Chile.

Google.org Flu Trends

Naval Health Research Center: Febrile Respiratory 

Illness Surveillance Update 

For the week ending 23 February 2013:

 Influenza: There has been an increase in influenza activity at basic training centers from 

mid-January into February 

 Adenovirus: Type 14 adenovirus cases continue at MCRD Parris Island, though FRI rates 

remain low

 FRI surveillance at all eight U.S. military basic training centers indicated FRI rates at or 

below expected values. NHRC Febrile Respiratory Illness Surveillance Update 

USAPHC: U.S. Army Influenza Activity Report

For the week ending 16 February 2013 (Week 7)

 Civilian Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) activity persisted, but was decreasing in many areas. 

CDC reported the proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza was 

above the epidemic threshold but continued to decrease.

 Influenza cases: Five dependent hospitalized influenza cases were reported to USAPHC 

in week 7. 75 hospitalized cases have been reported during this influenza season, 67 in 

dependents and 8 in Active Duty.

 Acute Respiratory Disease at BCT sites: While ARD rates remain low at all Army BCT 

sites, surveillance testing in week 7 detected influenza at Ft. Jackson (2/5 were A/H3).

 Viral specimens: During week 7, 420 of 1554 (27%) laboratory specimens tested were 

positive for respiratory pathogens. Influenza A accounted for 37% of positive 

specimens. Most of the influenza positive specimens were from SRMC (28%); 19% were 

from ERMC, and 18% from WRMC. USAPHC U.S. Army Influenza Activity Report
PANDEMIC AND AVIAN INFLUENZA

Cambodian man dies from H5N1 infection

26 February – An official from Cambodia's health ministry said today that a 35-year-old man 

died yesterday from H5N1 avian flu, marking the country's ninth case and eighth death 

from the disease so far this year, according to news reports. Ly Sovann, deputy head of the 

health ministry's disease surveillance bureau, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the man 

was from Kampong Cham province and died last night at a Phnom Penh hospital. Sovann 

said the man had eaten two sick ducks before he became ill earlier this month. In all nine 

cases this year, the patients had contact with poultry or poultry deaths were reported in 

their area before they got sick. The man's case, if confirmed by the World Health 

Organization (WHO), would raise the country's total number of H5N1 cases to 30, including 

27 deaths. CIDRAP

Two thirds of early 2009 pandemic cases in Victoria, 

Australia, were in school kids

26 February – Two thirds of early-pandemic cases in Victoria state, Australia—where the 

2009 H1N1 (pH1N1) pandemic spread first in that country—were in school-aged children, 

and limited, short-term school closures appeared to have no impact, according to a study 

yesterday in PLoS One. Australian researchers studied records from the first 1,000 labconfirmed pH1N1 cases reported in the state from May 20 to Jun 5, 2009. Two thirds of the 

patients were age 5 to 17 years old, with cases in 203 schools. One school accounted for 

nearly 8% of the 1,000 cases, but it was not closed until 9 days after the first identified 

patient had symptoms. CIDRAP

top of page...

VETERINARY/FOOD SAFETY

Germany investigates possible organic egg fraud

25 February - German authorities are investigating possible large-scale fraud by organic egg 

producers amid increased concern over food industry practices following Europe's horse 

meat scandal. The northern state of Lower Saxony, a major agricultural hub, has launched 

probes of some 150 farms suspected of wrongly selling eggs produced by hens kept in 

overcrowded conditions under the organic label. Two other states are investigating a further 

50 farms. Reuters

IKEA takes meatballs off Europe menus after horsemeat 

found

25 February -Sweden's IKEA stopped nearly all sales of meatballs at its furniture store 

cafeterias across Europe after tests in the Czech Republic on Monday showed some 
contained horsemeat. The vast majority of IKEA's meatballs are made by Sweden's Familjen 

Dafgard, which said on its website that it was investigating the situation and would receive 

further test results in coming days. Reuters

Rats: Scratch and sniff landmine detection

25 February- When the first of Apopo’s furry and fourlegged HeroRats were released into a landmine-ridden 

field of Mozambique, there was understandable skepticism 

among the various government officials in attendance... 

But as the gigantic rodents (bigger than New York City 

sewer rats) stuffed into tiny harnesses began to sweep back and forth on ropes between 

their human handlers, stopping every so often to scratch and point out a landmine, it didn’t 

take long for the crowd to be convinced... [S]ince Apopo’s rats launched into action in 2006, 

they’ve successfully cleared more than 6 million square meters of Mozambique’s 

countryside, uncovering 2,406 landmines, 992 bombs, and 13,025 small arms and 

ammunitions. BBC

U.S.: Multiple multistate outbreaks of human Salmonella 

infections linked to live poultry in backyard flocks

25 February - Salmonella infections don’t just come from contaminated food—they can 

come from contact with animals, too. Many Salmonella infections occur in people who have 

contact with certain types of animals. In 2012 there were two records involving outbreaks of 

human Salmonella infections linked to live poultry: 

1. Eight outbreaks were reported which was more than any year in history and these 

outbreaks resulted in more than 450 illnesses –and2. The largest outbreak of human Salmonella infections linked to backyard flocks in a single 

year occurred. CDC

top of page...

WELLNESS

Bad sleep 'dramatically' alters body

25 February - The activity of hundreds of genes was altered 

when people's sleep was cut to less than six hours a day for 

a week. Writing in the journal PNAS, the researchers said 

the results helped explain how poor sleep damaged health. 

Heart disease, diabetes, obesity and poor brain function 

have all been linked to substandard sleep. What missing hours in bed actually does to alter 
health, however, is unknown. So researchers at the University of Surrey analysed the blood 

of 26 people after they had had plenty of sleep, up to 10 hours each night for a week, and 

compared the results with samples after a week of fewer than six hours a night. More than 

700 genes were altered by the shift. Each contains the instructions for building a protein, so 

those that became more active produced more proteins - changing the chemistry of the 

body. BBC

Healthy older women advised against taking calcium

25 February - Healthy older women should not take calcium and vitamin D supplements to 

prevent fractures, according to a final recommendation issued Monday by the U.S. 

Preventive Services Task Force. In healthy adults, lower doses of calcium and vitamin D seem 

to be ineffective. As for higher doses, it's still up in the air, the government group said. The 

new recommendations do not apply to people who are known to be vitamin D-deficient or 

who already have osteoporosis, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) noted.

Medline Plus

Mediterranean diet shown to ward off heart attack and 

stroke

25 February - About 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease can 

be prevented in people at high risk if they switch to a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, 

nuts, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables, and even drink wine with meals, a large and rigorous

new study has found. The findings, published on The New England Journal of Medicine’s 

Web site on Monday, were based on the first major clinical trial to measure the diet’s effect 

on heart risks. The magnitude of the diet’s benefits startled experts. The study ended early, 

after almost five years, because the results were so clear it was considered unethical to 

continue. The diet helped those following it even though they did not lose weight and most 

of them were already taking statins, or blood pressure or diabetes drugs to lower their heart 

disease risk. New York Times

Nicotine may increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease 

21 February - The first scientific study to look at the role of cigarette smoke in the 

development of Alzheimer’s disease finds it may trigger or worsen the condition in older 

people who are at risk for this most common form of senile dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is 

usually a condition of old age. Experts say people who live long enough - generally into 

their 70s, 80s and 90s -- are at significantly increased risk of developing the 

neurodegenerative disease, which not only robs people of their memories but also of their 

mobility. Alzheimer's is incurable and leads eventually to death. Now, a new study suggests 

cigarette smoking may trigger or hasten the development of dementia. The research only 

involved mice, but the findings offer human tobacco smokers another compelling reason to 

kick the habit. VOA
Nutritionist explains how energy drinks adversely affect 

heart health

26 February - ... What do energy drinks do to our heart health? Energy drinks may contain 

large amounts of caffeine and other stimulants, as well as ingredients that vary from 

manufacturer to manufacturer. Although the caffeine content in cola beverages is regulated 

by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the caffeine content in energy drinks is not... The

FDA is investigating serious adverse effects associated with energy drinks based upon 

reports of possibly related deaths and heart attacks... Heart-related problems are the most 

common events, possibly because the stimulants in energy drinks/shots increase heart rate 

and raise blood pressure. The appealing, soft drink-like taste of energy drinks can also lead 

to over-consumption and ingestion of a surplus of stimulants. Use of alcohol and drugs can 

aggravate the problem by masking the symptoms of excess stimulants. Health.mil

Police and firefighters at higher risk for mental disorders 

following traumatic events

26 February - Police, firefighters and other protective services workers who are repeatedly 

exposed to traumatic events and are new to their profession are at greater risk of

developing a psychiatric disorder, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns 

Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The researchers also found that protective 

services workers do not appear to have a higher prevalence of mental health problems than 

workers in other occupations... "Our findings suggest that exposure to diverse types of 

traumatic events among protective services workers is a risk factor for new onset of 

psychopathology and alcohol use disorders," said Christopher N. Kaufmann, MHS, lead 

author of the study and a doctoral student in the Bloomberg School's Department of 

Mental Health. EurekAlert

Screening might avert many lung cancer deaths: study

27 February - The National Lung Screening Trial, published in 2010, found 20 percent fewer 

deaths from lung cancer in a group of people at highest risk for the disease when they were 

screened annually with CT scans, a form of high-resolution X-ray that can spot suspicious 

lung nodules. Based on the 8.6 million Americans who would fall into that high-risk 

category because of a decades-long history of smoking, researchers at the American Cancer 

Society say in a new study that 12,000 fewer people a year would die of lung cancer if 

national screening were put in place. Reuters

Study: Volunteering may improve cardiovascular health

26 February - In an inventive attempt at countering the increasing prevalence of heart 

disease, a new study in JAMA Pediatrics evaluates the impact of volunteering not on the 

recipients of good will, but on those donating their time... "The volunteers who reported the 

greatest increases in empathy, altruistic behaviour and mental health were the ones who 

also saw the greatest improvements in their cardiovascular health." Caring more about 

others was directly related to reduced markers of inflammation, and increased altruistic 
behavior (above and beyond what was required for the study) was related to reduced 

cholesterol. Greater self-esteem did not appear to have a physical effect. Atlantic

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USAFRICOM

Chad: Yellow fever

24 February - Following the emergence of yellow fever cases in the town of Goz Beida in 

Chad, a vaccination campaign against the disease was launched in the close by Djabal camp 

for Sudanese refugees in the east of the country. Djabal's health official Adam Hassan told 

Radio Dabanga the campaign was launched on Thursday [21 Feb 2013] and it will last for 4 

days and target 17 375 residents. He added the vaccines are provided by Medecins Sans 

Frontieres and urged Djabal's population to "rush" to vaccination centers. The town of Goz 

Beida is located about 2 kilometers [slightly more than one mile] from Djabal camp. 

ProMED-mail

Democratic Republic of Congo: Measles epidemic affects 

thousands 

27 February - A measles epidemic has affected tens of thousands of children in northern 

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), overwhelming health facilities, says medical charity 

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). "Most health centres are either not functional, out of 

medical stocks or inaccessible for the majority of the population. Many children die in their 

villages because the health facilities cannot provide adequate care," Anja De Weggheleire, 

MSF Medical Coordinator in DRC, told IRIN via email... Since March 2012, MSF says it has 

treated more than 18,000 patients and vaccinated 440,000 children in DRC's Equateur and 

Orientale provinces... MSF officials said they counted 35 dead children in one of the villages 

they visited. allAfrica

Madagascar: Tropical cyclone Haruna hits southwestern 

Madagascar

25 February - National disaster authorities and aid agencies are struggling to reach remote 

areas of Madagascar’s southwestern coast where thousands of people are thought to have 

been made homeless by Tropical Cyclone Haruna, which made landfall on 22 February as a 

powerful category two cyclone. According to the country’s National Disaster Risk 

Management Office (BNGRC), over 17,000 people have been affected by the storm, with 13 

reported deaths and about 1,500 houses destroyed or flooded. Speed boats and traditional 

boats were mobilized over the weekend to rescue people stranded in trees and on rooftops. 

IRIN

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USCENTCOM

Afghanistan: Girls give more than their hands in 

marriage

26 February – In Afghanistan, the maternal mortality rate is on the 

rise; hospitals are filling up with anemic women and girls; and in 

over 200 districts, high schools are devoid of even a single female 

pupil. These issues are not unrelated -- they are all products of a 

grave social problem in this country of 35 million people: early 

child marriages. According to Sadia Fayeq Ayubi, head of the reproductive health 

department at the ministry of public health, early marriage (of girls younger than 16 years) 

is illegal in Afghanistan yet girls as young as 13 are frequently married, often to much older 

men. Inter Press Service

Pakistan policeman killed while protecting health 

workers 

26 February - A Pakistani policeman has been shot dead while protecting a polio 

vaccination team in the country’s tribal region of Waziristan, bringing the death toll for such 

attacks to 11 since December. Reports say gunmen opened fire on a polio team near the 

northwestern town of Mardan on Tuesday. The local Taliban faction has banned polio 

vaccinations in the area, alleging the operation is a cover for espionage. There have also 

been rumors that the vaccinations are an attempt to sterilize Muslim children. According to 

UN figures 19 health workers including polio outreach workers were killed last year in 

Pakistan. Polio cases have risen sharply in Pakistan in recent years, reaching a high of 198 

cases in 2011. VOA

Syria: Diseases spreading as WASH systems collapse

21 February - ...The rural area near the Turkish border has seen a growing number of 

infections in recent weeks, Abdurrahman told IRIN. “There is no running water, so people 

drink from the wells or the rivers.” The only alternative is buying water from tankers, which 

is very costly. “You have to pay about US $35to fill up the tank on your roof. This is why 

poor people are having a problem.” After two years of conflict in Syria, waterborne diseases 

are on the rise, compounding a growing humanitarian crisis. Typhoid, an infection caused 

by salmonella bacteria, has been reported, in addition to hepatitis A, a highly contagious 

viral liver disease. IRIN

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USEUCOM

Greece: Panic in pharmacies as hundreds of medicines 

run short

27 February - Greece is facing a serious shortage of medicines amid claims that 

pharmaceutical multinationals have halted shipments to the country because of the 

economic crisis and concerns that the drugs will be exported by middlemen because prices 

are higher in other European countries. Hundreds of drugs are in short supply and the 

situation is getting worse, according to the Greek drug regulator. The government has 

drawn up a list of more than 50 pharmaceutical companies it accuses of halting or planning 

to halt supplies because of low prices in the country. More than 200 medicinal products are 

affected, including treatments for arthritis, hepatitis C and hypertension, cholesterollowering agents, antipsychotics, antibiotics, anaesthetics and immunomodulators used to 

treat bowel disease. Guardian

Russia: Putin signs law banning smoking in public 

25 February - Smoking in public places will be banned in Russia after President Vladimir 

Putin signed a tough new bill into law. Under the new legislation, smoking in restaurants, 

long-distance trains and housing block entrance halls will be illegal. The government has 

made reducing smoking one of the cornerstones of its bid to improve public health. Russia 

has one of the highest smoking rates in the world, with more than four in 10 Russians 

considered smokers... The law "On protecting the health of citizens from the danger of 

passive smoking and the consequences of the use of tobacco" will come into force in 

stages, beginning on 1 June. BBC

United Kingdom: Gonorrhoea cases soar 25 pct in 

England as superbugs take hold

27 February - Gonorrhoea cases have soared by 25 percent in the past year in England as 

superbug or drug-resistant strains of the sexually transmitted infection (STI) take hold 

worldwide, British health officials said on Wednesday. Nearly 21,000 new cases had been 

diagnosed in 2011, with more than a third of cases in gay men and more than a third in 

people who have had gonorrhoea before, the UK Health Protection Agency (HPA) said in a 

statement. Effective treatment with antibiotics has been compromised by growing 

resistance, it said, noting "a drift towards decreased susceptibility" of gonorrhoea infections 

to drugs called cephalosporins which are normally recommended as treatment. Reuters

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USNORTHCOM

U.S.: Los Angeles health officials concerned about TB 

outbreak on skid row

22 February - Los Angeles County health officials have asked for federal assistance to 

analyze and contain an outbreak of tuberculosis within the city's homeless population, a 

spokeswoman for the county agency said on Friday. Los Angeles County Health Department 

spokeswoman Mabel Aragon said the agency is still in the process of confirming the 

number and type of TB cases in the county. "The CDC is helping us with surveillance and 

statistic gathering," she said... The Los Angeles Times reported that health workers have 

identified about 4,650 people who were probably exposed to a persistent outbreak of the 

contagious disease on downtown Los Angeles' skid row. Reuters

U.S.: Metastatic breast cancer rising in patients younger 

than 40

26 February - Diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer in women younger than 40 has 

increased 2% a year, every year, from 1976 to 2009, according to a study published Tuesday 

in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The increase was seen in women aged 

25 to 39 of all races and ethnicities, living in both rural and urban areas. It's a devastating 

diagnosis, particularly because a woman younger than 40 who is diagnosed with breast 

cancer is more likely to have an aggressive form of the disease and face lower survival rates. 

But for perspective, the overall population of women who are affected still remains small. 

CNN

U.S.: Poll, many Americans don't see their kids as 

overweight

25 February - Many American parents fail to see that their children are overweight or obese, 

a new poll finds. Only 15 percent of parents said their children are a little or very 

overweight, but national statistics suggest that 32 percent of kids are overweight or even 

obese, according to the researchers. In addition, only 20 percent of children in the survey 

had a parent who was worried that his or her child will be overweight as an adult. However, 

an estimated 69 percent of American adults are overweight, including 36 percent who are 

obese and 6 percent who are extremely obese. The poll results suggest that many parents 

underestimate their children's current risk for being overweight or obese, and how that risk 

could continue to affect them as adults, the researchers said. Medline Plus

U.S.: Secondary and tertiary transmission of vaccinia 

virus after sexual contact with a smallpox vaccinee —

San Diego, California, 2012

1 March - On June 24, 2012, CDC notified Public Health Services, County of San Diego 

Health and Human Services Agency, of a suspected case of vaccinia virus infection 
transmitted by sexual contact... The patient reported two recent sexual contacts: one with a 

partner who recently had been vaccinated against smallpox and a later encounter with an 

unvaccinated partner... The vaccinee did not experience vaccine-associated complications; 

however, the secondary and tertiary patients were hospitalized and treated. Morbidity and 

Mortality Weekly Report

U.S.: Study says too many Americans still drink too much

24 February - On any given day in the United States, 18 percent 

of men and 11 percent of women drink more alcohol than 

federal guidelines recommend, according to a study that also 

found that 8 percent of men and 3 percent of women are fullfledged "heavy drinkers." That means the great majority of 

Americans stay within the advised limit of two drinks a day for men and one for women, 

according to the study that appeared in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and 

Dietetics. "And in fact, most adults don't drink at all on any given day," said lead author 

Patricia Guenther, a nutritionist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Center for 

Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Reuters

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USPACOM

China: Coal mine death rate plunges

25 February - ...The coal mine safety situation in Shanxi, the country's second largest region 

in terms of coal output after Inner Mongolia, has improved dramatically. In 2012, 83 miners 

were killed during their work, a death rate of 0.091 in producing 1 million tons of coal, 

according to the Shanxi Provincial Coal Industry Department. The figure was below 139 in 

2010 and 202 in 2009. The absolute death tolls nationwide have also plunged. In 2012, 

some 1,300 coal miners died, according to the State Administration of Work Safety. That 

was down from 1,973 in 2011, 2,433 in 2010 and 2,631 in 2009. An official surnamed Liu 

from the general office of the Shanxi Provincial Coal Industry Department told the Global 

Times that the province has been trying to clean up its notorious reputation for mining 

deaths. Illegal mining procedures have been cracked down on nearly to the point of 

extinction, Liu said. Global Times

India: Fighting TB with fingerprints 

26 February - Health specialists in India are using fingerprint technology to make sure 

tuberculosis sufferers receive proper treatment for the deadly lung infection... Making sure 

patients complete treatment is crucial. Stopping can cause the lung infection to morph into 

a deadlier version called multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), which is much more 

difficult and costly to treat. India is estimated to be home to 100,000 such cases... [Dr. 
Shelly] Batra is using biometric technology to ensure TB patients are completing their drug 

regimen. Her organization has centers in nearly every corner of the city, where the 

fingerprints of patients and counselors are recorded as proof of interaction. Those who do 

not show up to take their medication are sent reminders and tracked down. he monitoring 

system has already made a difference and cut the default rate in half. VOA

Japan, Fukushima: 'Small increased cancer risk'

28 February - People living near the damaged Fukushima 

nuclear plant in Japan have an increased risk of developing 

some cancers, the World Health Organization says. The 

increased risk is limited to communities and some 

emergency workers exposed to radiation after the 2011 

earthquake and tsunami, analysis shows. For those living in the rest of Japan there is no 

health risk, it said. Experts stressed the increased lifetime risk of cancer remained small. The 

report is part of an ongoing assessment by international experts on the fallout from severe 

damage to the Fukushima Daiichi plant. BBC

Thailand reports over 5,000 dengue fever cases since the 

beginning of the year

28 February - The Thailand Department of Disease Control is reported a heavy dengue fever 

season since January and health officials fear that the Kingdom could exceed 100,000 cases 

in 2013. Since January 1, 2013, health officials report 5,700 dengue fever patients with four 

fatalities. This is a five times increase from the same time period in 2012... In 2012, the 

Thailand Health Ministry reported 74,250 dengue cases with 79 fatalities, representing a 

proportion of 116 patients in 100,000 people. Global Dispatch

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USSOUTHCOM

Brazil: African-ancestry babies get less prenatal care

26 February - Low birth weights are more prevalent among Brazilians with African ancestry 

and may be attributed to less use of prenatal care facilities and where those ethnic groups 

live, according to a new study. The study from researchers at the University of Iowa and 

health analysts in South America also suggests that infants of African ancestry, alone or 

mixed, were more likely to be born prematurely than those born of European-only stock. 

The findings could help policymakers decide how best to bridge the difference in infant 

health among non-European-ancestry races in South America’s largest and most populous 

country. Iowa Now
Haiti: UN rejects damage claim for Haiti cholera victims

21 February - The United Nations rejected a claim for damages on behalf of more than 

5,000 Haitian cholera victims and their families on Thursday, citing diplomatic immunity. The 

claim was filed in November 2011 by the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, a 

Boston-based human rights group that contended the U.N. and its peacekeeping force are 

liable for hundreds of millions of dollars for failing to adequately screen peacekeeping 

soldiers. It cited studies suggesting that the disease was inadvertently brought to Haiti by a 

U.N. battalion from Nepal, where cholera is endemic. A local contractor failed to properly 

sanitize the waste of a U.N. base, and the bacteria leaked into a tributary of one of Haiti's 

biggest rivers, according to one study by a U.N.-appointed panel. Cholera has sickened 

nearly 500,000 people and killed over 7,750 people since the outbreak began in October 

2010, according to the Haitian government. U.S. News and World Report

Paraguay: Dengue - 27 deaths in 2013 and 783 cases in 

one day

26 February - The dengue epidemic, which remains without control in Paraguay, 

accumulates 27 deaths so far this year and reported only Monday 783 suspected cases, said 

the Ministry of Public Health. The official bulletin of that entity added that the vast majority 

of people assisted reside in the capital and in neighboring Central department, common 

situation in the past few months. A total of 386 people remain hospitalized in Asuncion 

while 383 others were admitted to the Central department said, 36 of them in intensive care.

Prensa Latina

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