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Solomon Islands Could See Increase In HIV Cases, World Health Organization Says
A recent estimate from the World Health Organization says that the number of HIV cases in the Solomon Islands could reach at least 350 by 2010, the Solomon Star News reports. The Star News reports that 12 new HIV cases were confirmed in 2008, although the actual number of new cases could be higher because of unreported cases. Of the 12 cases reported in 2008, eight were among women and four were among men, according to a health report.In addition, sexually transmitted infections, particularly syphilis and chlamydia, are prevalent among pregnant women in the country and overall condom use is low, indicating that people could be at a high risk for HIV, according to the report. The most at-risk populations include mobile workers, commercial sex workers, students and men who have sex with men. Twelve facilities in the country currently offer HIV tests, and a relatively low number of tests are conducted, according to the Star News. The Ministry of Health has partnered with various groups and agencies to address HIV/AIDS in the country, the Star News reports (Carter, Solomon Star News, 5/26).

Meridian Bioscience Receives FDA Clearance For New Rapid Campylobacter Test
Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIVO) announced that it has received FDA clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new rapid test for Campylobacter, ImmunoCard STAT!® CAMPY. This new test provides fast and accurate detection of Campylobacter bacteria, one of the most common causes of diarrheal illness and the most common bacterial cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Approximately 20 million stool culture tests are conducted each year in the U.S. to detect the illness, known as Campylobacteriosis. Campylobacter is most often transmitted by poorly cooked poultry or person-to-person contact.
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A Potential Treatment For Gastric Motility Disorders
GES or pacing has been under investigation as a potential therapy for gastrointestinal motility disorders. Conventionally, GES is performed using a single pair of electrodes or single-channel GES. However, few studies have investigated the effects of two-channel GES with trains of pulses on gastric motility, such as gastric slow waves and gastric emptying.
Cardiovascular

Warning On Untreated Bitter Lupins After Two Women Become Ill, Australia

Consumers should be warned about the dangers of eating untreated bitter lupin beans after two people who consumed products containing the beans became ill with anticholinergic syndrome, according to an article in the Medical Journal of Australia. Lupins are a legume or pulse, and commonly eaten species may be either sweet or bitter. Sweet lupin flour is increasingly being added to bread to reduce glyaecemic index and reduce energy intake, and to sausages to decrease fat intake. Bitter lupins can also be eaten, but need to be treated first to remove excessive and dangerous levels of toxic alkaloids. Two women presented separately to a West Australian metropolitan hospital in September 2007 when they became ill after eating products which contained bitter lupin flour purchased from the same chain of grocery stores. Symptoms included dry mouth, lethargy, difficulty mobilising, blurred vision and light-headedness. Subsequent investigations revealed that, when the supply of sweet lupin flour was exhausted, a quantity of bitter lupins had been milled into flour, which was distributed to a number of stores. The lupin beans contained 1000 times the alkaloid level of flour permitted under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Ms Nevada Pingault, an Epidemiologist at WA Health"s Communicable Disease Control Directorate, said failure to remove alkaloids from lupins could result in lupin toxicity, manifesting as anticholinergic syndrome. "Fortunately, neither of the two women who presented to hospital became seriously ill. But lupin poisoning can be fatal," Ms Pingault said. "In light of the increasing consumption of lupin products, we recommend that information be provided to food suppliers and consumers about the dangers of selling and eating products containing bitter lupins that have not been appropriately treated to remove toxic alkaloids. "Doctors should question patients who present with symptoms of anticholinergic syndrome about their recent food consumption, particularly consumption of products which contain lupin." The Medical Journal of Australia


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