Public health news: January 2006

Human H5N1 in Iraq

31 January 2006

There are reports of a human avian influenza case in Northern Iraq.  The case has yet to be confirmed by WHO but is likely given the proximity to Turkey, which has already reported human cases.

Iraq confirms human bird flu case, suspects more  (CIDRAP, January 2006)
Influenza pandemic planning  (Internal link)

Ricin vaccine shows promise

31 January 2006

Small initial trials on a vaccine against the bioterrorism agent ricin have shown it to be safe and effective.

Ricin vaccine 'shown to be safe'  (BBC News, January 2006)
Vaccine against biowarfare agent shows promise  (Reuters, January 2006)
Health protection  (Internal link)

Health White Paper awaited

30 January 2006

The Government is due to publish a White Paper today which is expected to propose longer GP opening hours, closer integration between primary and social care, and free health checks for certain ages.

Move to push NHS into community  (BBC News, January 2006)
Small hospitals offered reprieve in health plan  (Reuters, January 2006)
Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services  (DH, January 2006)

H5N1 in Cyprus

30 January 2006

The H5N1 strain of avian influenza has been found in poultry in Northern Cyprus.  Confirmation is awaited from the WHO.  Cyprus is in proximity to Turkey, which recently reported outbreaks of the human form of the disease.

Deadly bird flu found in Cyprus  (BBC News, January 2006)
Influenza pandemic planning  (Internal link)

Meta-analysis: fruit & veg may prevent stroke

27 January 2006

He et al have found a significant association between fruit and vegetable consumption and reduced stroke risk in a meta-analysis in this week's Lancet.  The study pooled data from eight studies and included 257 551 individuals.  Eating over five portions of fruit or vegetable per day was associated with a relative risk of stroke of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.69-0.79).

He et al, Lancet 367 (2006): 320-326   (Lancet, January 2006)
Fruit and veg 'cut stroke risk'  (BBC News, January 2006)

New H5N1 genetic sequencing data

27 January 2006

Preliminary results of the first large-scale sequencing of avian influenza (bird flu) virus genomes have been published this week.  The new analyses should in time help shed light on virulence mechanisms of the virus and potential targets for future therapies.

Obenauer et al, Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1121586 [?] (Science, January 2006)
Scientists identify bird flu genes, genomes  (USA Today, January 2006)

Voluntary code for soft drink manufacturers

26 January 2006

Members of the Union of European Beverages Association (Unesda) have come to a voluntary agreement to limit advertising to schoolchildren and make packaging clearer, in an effort to tackle the growing problem of obesity.

Drink firms tackle child obesity (BBC News, January 2006)
Unesda  (January 2006)
Health promotion  (Internal link)

WHO recommends artemisinin in combination only

20 January 2006

New malaria treatment guidelines issued by the WHO have advised that the use of single-drug artemisinin therapy should be abandoned in favour of combination treatments (artemisinin combination therapies, ACT) to try to prevent resistance emerging to the drug.

WHO Press release | Roll Back Malaria campaign (WHO, January 2006)
WHO issues new malaria treatment guidelines (Reuters AlertNet, January 2006)

Further negative data on cancer and mobile phones

20 January 2006

A case-control study published online by the BMJ today found no link between glioma incidence and overall mobile (cell) phone use.  The study involving 2682 participants did however find a slightly increased risk of tumour associated with ipsilateral telephone use although the authors attribute this to recall bias.  Although the general result is reassuring there is still, inevitably, a dearth of long-term data on mobile phone use and cancer risk.

Hepworth SJ et al, BMJ 2006 (BMJ online, January 2006)
Mobile cancer link 'disproved'  (BBC News, January 2006)
No raised cancer risk from mobile phones: study  (Reuters, January 2006)
Mobile phones and health  (DH, September 2005)
Mobile phones and cancer  (News archive, Internal link, August 2005)

Rapid on-site H5N1 testing kit announced

19 January 2006

A joint venture between ST Microelectronics and Veredus Laboratories has announced a rapid disposable PCR test for the human form of avian influenza (H5N1 subtype), expected to be reach the market by autumn 2006.  The test would take about 1 hour, is reported as being 99% accurate, and could be carried out in remote locations without the need for laboratory services.

STMicro to market chip to diagnose bird flu in humans (Reuters, January 2006)
Diagnose avian flu with rapid-detection point-of-need lab-on-a-chip  (ST Microelectronics, January 2006)
Veredus Laboratories news (Veredus, January 2006)
Influenza pandemic planning  (Internal link)

Hope for more bird flu money

17 January 2006

An international conference starts today in Beijing with the aim of raising up to US$1.4bn to help in the fight against avian influenza.  The conference, jointly sponsored by China, The World Bank and the EC, hopes to raise the money in order to deal more effectively with the avian form of the disease in an effort to prevent or slow the transformation into a pandemic form. 

Donors asked for bird flu funding  (BBC News, January 2006)
International pledging conference on avian and human influenza  (World Bank, January 2006)
Influenza pandemic planning  (Internal link)

Full UK public smoking ban likely

11 January 2006

The Labour Party has given its MPs a free vote on a forthcoming amendment to the Health Bill seeking to extend the ban on smoking - currently planned to exclude pubs and bars not selling food - to all public areas.  This now makes it very likely that a full ban will go ahead, much to the relief of Public Health campaigners and barmen up and down the country (the latter of whom may have felt pressure to resist change, in order to keep their jobs).  It also brings the UK in line with many other developed nations.

MPs get free vote on smoking ban  (BBC News, January 2006)
Further twists in smoking legislation saga  (Internal link, December 2005)

PCT shake-up questioned

11 January 2006

The House of Commons Health Select Committee has strongly criticised the imminent reforms to Primary Care Trusts in the UK.  The proposed merger of many small PCTs just 3 years after they were set up, combined with the suggestion that PCTs should become primarily commissioning bodies (rather than providers) have come under attack.  The proposals were contained in the document 'Commissioning a Patient-led NHS' published in July 2005.  Of particular note is the possibility that Public Health consultant posts may be reduced in number in any reorganisation.

Health Select Committee report  (HSC, January 2006)
Local NHS reforms 'ill-conceived'  (BBC News, January 2006)
'Commissioning a patient-led NHS' DH pages  (DH, January 2006)

H5N1 cases in Ankara

9 January 2006

Three individuals in Turkey's capital, Ankara, have provisionally tested positive for H5N1.  Although Ankara is over 600 miles away from Van province, where cases were reported last week, it is thought the individuals involved come from outside Ankara in a town which has probably had avian cases of H5N1.  It is therefore most likely the new cases are a result of contact with infected poultry; and the virus remains primarily a bird disease which is occasionally passed to humans, rather than a mutated pandemic form.

Bird flu team probes Turkey cases (BBC News, January 2006)
Influenza pandemic planning  (Internal link)

Human H5N1 in Turkey

5 January 2006

The first cases of H5N1 avian influenza in humans outside south-east Asia were reported yesterday in Turkey.  The infection has been present for a few months in birds in the country, but this is the first report of bird to human transmission.  There remains no widespread human-to-human transmission, indicating that that the steps required for such a virus to become a pandemic influenza have not yet occurred.

Turkey diagnoses human bird flu  (BBC News, January 2006)
Influenza pandemic planning  (Internal link)

Safe rotavirus vaccines nearer

5 January 2006

The results of large clinical trials on two rotavirus vaccines are published in this week's NEJM.  In one, testing a human-bovine pentavalent WC3 strain vaccine, episodes of severe rotavirus-induced gastroenteritis were reduced by 98%.  Neither study showed any increase in intussusception in vaccinated children, a concern with previous rotavirus immunisations.

Rotavirus Safety and Efficacy Trial Study Team, NEJM (2006) 354:23-33 (NEJM, January 2006)
Human Rotavirus Vaccine Study Group, NEJM (2006) 354:11-22 (NEJM, January 2006)
Diarrhoea vaccine tests 'hopeful'  (BBC News, January 2006)

Choose and Book progresses

3 January 2006

From 1 January 2006 NHS patients are now entitled to a choice of secondary care providers.  The system, Choose and Book, has been beset by delays and criticism of the main IT framework for the NHS (NHS Connecting for Health) but is now proceeding, albeit cautiously.  Its full implementation has wide-reaching consequences for healthcare in the UK including the possibility of independent (private) sector providers taking on a larger proportion of NHS work.

Choose and Book website  (NHS, January 2006)
Many 'unaware' of new NHS choice  (BBC News, January 2006)
Top surgeon: NHS reforms are Stalinist (Guardian, January 2006)
More choice for patients  (DH, January 2006)
NHS Connecting for Health  (NHS, January 2006)