Health Glance
The virus that causes AIDS can hide in the bone marrow, avoiding drugs and later awakening to cause illness, according to new research that could point the way toward better treatments for the disease. Finding that hide-out is a first step, but years of research lie ahead.
Dr. Kathleen Collins of the University of Michigan and her colleagues report in this week's edition of the journal Nature Medicine that the HIV virus can infect long-lived bone marrow cells that eventually convert into blood cells.
Researchers: AIDS virus can hide in bone marrow
Vitamin D 'triggers and arms' the immune system
Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have discovered that Vitamin D is crucial to activating our immune defences and that without sufficient intake of the vitamin, the killer cells of the immune system – T cells – will not be able to react to and fight off serious infections in the body.
For T cells to detect and kill foreign pathogens such as clumps of bacteria or viruses, the cells must first be ‘triggered’ into action and "transform" from inactive and harmless immune cells into killer cells that are primed to seek out and destroy all traces of invaders. The researchers found that the T cells rely on vitamin D in order activate and they would remain dormant, ‘naïve’ to the possibility of threat if vitamin D is lacking in the blood.
Recalls: McCormick mixes, spinach dips, soup
The following recalls have been announced: McCormick & Company is recalling certain best buy and product codes of McCormick French Onion dip mix, McCormick vegetable dip mix, McCormick onion gravy mix and McCormick corn bread stuffing.
They could be contaminated with salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children and others with weakened immune systems. No illnesses have been reported, the company said.
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Fluoride Poisons Children in Jharkhand, India
Fluoride poisoning from groundwater in India's eastern state of Jharkhand is causing serious health problems for villagers.
In Chukru village the people are suffering from acute dental and skeletal disorders, and it's been that way for a long time.
Yellowed teeth and bone deformities develop as soon as children reach the age of five.
Salmonella-based food flavoring recall is spreading
An unfolding recall of a commonly used flavoring ingredient found in a wide variety of foods could ripple through the entire food industry, experts say. Four companies have recalled products linked to possible salmonella contamination since Feb. 26. Two were announced Wednesday and one Thursday. Given the broad use of ingredient, more are likely to come.
The product is called hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP. Made by Basic Food Flavors of North Las Vegas, Nev., it is used in many processed foods.
Fish oil PCB levels subject of lawsuit
Makers and sellers of fish oil supplements were sued in California for not including labeling about PCB contamination, a plaintiff's attorney said Tuesday.
"Consumers who want the health benefits of fish oil shouldn't also have to take the health risks of an extremely toxic man-made chemical," attorney David Roe said in a release. "And they don't have to, since preliminary test results show that some fish oil brands have only 1/70th as much PCB contamination in them as others."
Consumer group sues California health insurer
Consumer advocates filed a class-action suit against Anthem Blue Cross on Monday, accusing California's largest for-profit health insurer of illegally using drastic rate hikes to force customers into inferior health plans.
The suit comes two days before top executives from several major U.S. health insurers, including Anthem's parent company, WellPoint Inc. , were to meet in Washington with Obama administration officials to discuss escalating premiums. Anthem's plan to boost its individual premiums by as much as 39 percent has spawned inquiries by state regulators and congressional committees.
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