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USDA BSE update for 8 January 2004
On January 6, USDA euthanized the entire bull calf herd from Sunnyside,
Washington. Approximately 450 animals were euthanized according to American
Veterinary Medical Association humane guidelines. USDA officials secured
the animal carcasses overnight and disposed of the carcasses by landfill
on January 7. None of the carcasses entered the human food supply chain
or were rendered. more
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USDA issues new regulations to address BSE
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service today issued four new rules to implement announcements made last week by Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman
to further enhance safeguards against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). more
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Scientists identify genes that regulate allergic response to diesel fumes
The risk of developing respiratory allergies from exposure to diesel emissions depends largely on genetics, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Given their findings, researchers estimate that up to 50 percent of the United States population could be in jeopardy of experiencing health problems related to air pollution. more
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MMWR Reprint: Bovine spongiform encephalopathy in a dairy cow - Washington State, 2003
On December 23, 2003, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made a preliminary diagnosis of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a single "downer" (i.e., nonambulatory disabled) dairy cow in Washington state. On December 25, this diagnosis was confirmed by the BSE international reference laboratory in Weybridge, England. This
report summarizes the findings of the initial investigation of this case and describes the public health prevention measures adopted by USDA to protect the human food supply. The occurrence of BSE in the United States reinforces the need for physicians to be aware
of the clinical features of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) and to arrange for brain autopsies in all decedents with suspected or probable CJD to assess the neuropathology of these patients.
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MMWR Reprint: Fatal respiratory diphtheria in a U.S. traveler to Haiti - Pennsylvania, 2003
Respiratory diphtheria can be severe or fatal in unvaccinated persons; even with appropriate treatment, 5%--10% of patients with diphtheria die. For > 50 years, vaccination against diphtheria has been recommended for children and adults in the United States. Persons who are unvaccinated or vaccinated inadequately can contract diphtheria during travel to areas where the disease is endemic*, putting them and their close contacts at risk for severe illness. This report describes fatal respiratory diphtheria in an unvaccinated Pennsylvania resident who had visited Haiti, a country where the disease is endemic. The case highlights the need for all international travelers to be up-to-date with all recommended vaccinations, including a primary series of diphtheria toxoid--containing vaccine. more
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Update: Influenza-associated deaths reported among children aged <18 Years --- United States, 2003--04 Influenza season
During the 2003--04 influenza season, CDC has received reports from state health departments regarding deaths among children with evidence of influenza virus infection. To help investigate these deaths, CDC has requested that all influenza-associated deaths among children aged < 18 years be reported to CDC through state and local health departments during the 2003--04 season. This summary is based on preliminary data reported from 31 states as of January 6, 2004.
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University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center: Future of cancer diagnosis, treatment lies in tumor 'barcode'
It has been said that a human being is a veritable encyclopedia of proteins. Proteins are the fabric of life – they provide the bricks and mortar of our cells, and run day-to-day operations. When these functions go awry – when too much or too little protein is produced, when a daisy-chain network of proteins working together is disrupted – illness can arise.
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