Even though people tend to associate the common cold and influenza with the literally cold season of winter, Susan Harp, the infection control coordinator for Columbus Regional Healthcare Systems, said that catching one of these respiratory illnesses has less to do with the weather and more to do with how humans behave during colder seasons.
“I think probably the cold weather tends to make people congregate more, stay inside more, and that probably is really what’s attributed to illnesses and transmission rather than an actual temperature that happens outside,” Harp said.
Cold and flu seasons usually begin around the end of September or early October and this is when Harp recommends taking the number one preventative measure: getting a flu shot.
The availability of the shot varies from year to year, she said, depending on whether any new strains of influenza have popped up. And while Harp admits that it’s not perfect, getting the vaccination is better than not getting it.
As far as other ways to protect oneself during this increasingly illness-prone season, Harp recommends increased hand hygiene and staying away from infected individuals.
“(The flu shot) is the number one (preventive measure), but number two is you try to avoid sick people if you can,” she said. “But that’s kind of hard to do especially if they’re your children. And I think that’s probably one of the toughest ones if you are caring for somebody who’s sick you want to be very careful, you want to wash your hands, be careful if you’re handling tissues that they’ve used, if you’re picking up after them.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person can be contagious up to one day before symptoms show and for five to seven days after.
While it’s hard to isolate yourself if you don’t know you’ve contracted an illness, Harp said it’s important to stay home from work or school if you’re sick to help stop the spread of germs and to help yourself get better faster.
“Stay away long enough when you’re sick. That’s hard to say in this competitive job market that we have and people are afraid of not looking like a good performer,” she said. “But you do want to stay at home. Usually the rule of thumb is you want to be home and fever-free for 24-hours without using a fever-reducing medicine like Tylenol or something.”
Colds are generally less severe than the flu and the symptoms are manageable with over-the-counter medications. Harp said most people won’t miss work because of a cold, making it even more important to wash hands frequently and wipe down any equipment used in the office, including keyboards and telephones.
During cold and flu seasons, Harp said it’s also important to be aware of what you touch when you’re out running everyday errands. She recommends wiping down shopping carts with antibacterial wipes and using hand sanitizer often.
“Hand washing, hand washing, hand washing,” Harp said. “That’s really the key. I think people just don’t really think about how often they touch stuff.”
Flu symptoms, which include fever, body aches, extreme tiredness and dry cough, are more severe than cold symptoms, which include running or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, watery eyes and mild head and body aches.
2012年1月15日星期日
Got a cold sore? Don't kiss baby!
Fever blisters - also called cold sores - are fairly common, but they have nothing to do with a cold.
These sores typically appear on the outside of the mouth, on the lips. The majority (about 95 per cent) of fever blisters are due to a virus, typically herpes type 1. Because the sores are due to a virus, they're contagious and most people will be exposed to the virus during their lifetime.
Children are typically exposed via contact with an adult, sibling or relative who has a fever blister, or with other children who've mouthed toys or other objects that may have been contaminated with the virus.
In many cases, exposure is asymptomatic, while other children will develop painful vesicles appearing both inside the mouth, on the tongue and gums, as well as on the lips 3-5 days after exposure.
This initial illness is called herpetic gingi-vostomatitis. The initial infection tends to be more uncomfortable and may take up to two weeks to resolve. The most difficult aspect is oral discomfort, so it's important to make sure infected youngsters stay hydrated. Popsicles are often helpful for this.
Once you've been exposed to the herpes virus, it remains in your nerve endings, where it may be dormant and asymptomatic for years. About 60 per cent of children are positive for HSV-1 by adolescence. At times of stress, sun exposure, fever, or menstrual periods, the virus may become active again, and result in a fever blister.
Children who develop a fever blister are also contagious and may spread the virus to others by touching them, or picking at the lesion and then touching other people or objects with their mouths.
Fever blisters may be treated in most cases with a topical antiviral applied directly to the lesion. Prescription medications are available that may shorten the duration of a fever blister by a day or two, especially if started early and applied frequently. If you child experiences recurrent core sores, speak with your pediatrician about the use of oral antiviral medications.
Remember, if you have a fever blister, don't kiss your baby! Although the most viral shedding occurs after the initial HSV infection, you remain contagious with each fever blister, so it is best to take precautions for a few days after an outbreak.
These sores typically appear on the outside of the mouth, on the lips. The majority (about 95 per cent) of fever blisters are due to a virus, typically herpes type 1. Because the sores are due to a virus, they're contagious and most people will be exposed to the virus during their lifetime.
Children are typically exposed via contact with an adult, sibling or relative who has a fever blister, or with other children who've mouthed toys or other objects that may have been contaminated with the virus.
In many cases, exposure is asymptomatic, while other children will develop painful vesicles appearing both inside the mouth, on the tongue and gums, as well as on the lips 3-5 days after exposure.
This initial illness is called herpetic gingi-vostomatitis. The initial infection tends to be more uncomfortable and may take up to two weeks to resolve. The most difficult aspect is oral discomfort, so it's important to make sure infected youngsters stay hydrated. Popsicles are often helpful for this.
Once you've been exposed to the herpes virus, it remains in your nerve endings, where it may be dormant and asymptomatic for years. About 60 per cent of children are positive for HSV-1 by adolescence. At times of stress, sun exposure, fever, or menstrual periods, the virus may become active again, and result in a fever blister.
Children who develop a fever blister are also contagious and may spread the virus to others by touching them, or picking at the lesion and then touching other people or objects with their mouths.
Fever blisters may be treated in most cases with a topical antiviral applied directly to the lesion. Prescription medications are available that may shorten the duration of a fever blister by a day or two, especially if started early and applied frequently. If you child experiences recurrent core sores, speak with your pediatrician about the use of oral antiviral medications.
Remember, if you have a fever blister, don't kiss your baby! Although the most viral shedding occurs after the initial HSV infection, you remain contagious with each fever blister, so it is best to take precautions for a few days after an outbreak.
2012年1月12日星期四
When not to ignore a sore throat
Although the recent weather here in Elk Grove may have us believing otherwise, we are firmly in the winter season.
And there is no time of the year that more people deal with cold and flu symptoms than the winter; the reason why it is often referred to as the “cold and flu season.”
With or without a full-blown cold, a sore throat is an annoyance that many people experience often – and one that is often ignored in hopes that it will just go away after a few days.
It may start off as just a bit scratchy; something you can handle.
Then you may notice an excess amount of mucous in the throat area; additional irritation, but you still can bear it.
Then the soreness may even go on to include swollen lymph nodes.
Before you know it, this “annoyance” that you thought would go away soon has turned into a full blown infection that cannot be cured by simply taking cold medicine or gargling with salt water.
So when is it important to visit a doctor and have a sore throat checked out?
The Citizen spoke with Dr. Michael Sotak, lead physician at the newly opened Sutter Urgent Care center in Elk Grove.
Sotak specializes in emergency medicine and mentioned that although most sore throats do go away by themselves, there are crucial times when one should visit a doctor to have it checked for a more serious condition.
“I’d recommend getting an exam if you notice a fever over 102 degrees, that there is puss at the back of the tonsils, the glands at the front of your throat are swollen, or you are not having a cough along with your sore throat,” he said. “If you have at least two of these symptoms, it is best to get checked out as soon as possible.”
Although many people may be quick to assume that a noticed lump on the throat during soreness may be the sign of cancer, Sotak said that it is rarely the case.
But he mentioned that strep throat could lead to serious issues if left without treatment beyond seven days.
The painful, contagious infection of the pharynx can cause peritonssillar cellulites if left untreated too long.
This inflammatory reaction of the tissue between the capsule of the palatine tonsil can then lead to a peritonssilar abscess in its later stages.
“With these types of abscesses, I look for puss located right next to the tonsils and whether it is worse on the right or left side causing the uvula to be pushed over to the opposite side,” Sotak said. “If left untreated, it will be extremely painful to swallow and the airway may close up.”
Sotak said that in some cases the abscess will get worse and worse until it ruptures, but it is often treated by being drained before this occurs.
These are obviously the more serious conditions of leaving a sore throat untreated for too long, yet they indicate why a rapid strep test should be done if soreness lasts for more thana week.
Sotak said that the test lasts for about five to eight minutes and includes the rubbing of a swab on both tonsils. A color-coded result signals a negative or positive outcome and it appears in about 10 minutes after the test is done.
“Nine out of 10 times you will just need to get treated with antibiotics,” Sotak said.
In treating the first few days of a sore throat at home, and for those who may be allergic to antibiotics, other remedies are recommended.
“Chloraseptic spray, gargling salt water with a quarter teaspoon of salt, Motrin, or Tylenol can all help,” he said.
And there is no time of the year that more people deal with cold and flu symptoms than the winter; the reason why it is often referred to as the “cold and flu season.”
With or without a full-blown cold, a sore throat is an annoyance that many people experience often – and one that is often ignored in hopes that it will just go away after a few days.
It may start off as just a bit scratchy; something you can handle.
Then you may notice an excess amount of mucous in the throat area; additional irritation, but you still can bear it.
Then the soreness may even go on to include swollen lymph nodes.
Before you know it, this “annoyance” that you thought would go away soon has turned into a full blown infection that cannot be cured by simply taking cold medicine or gargling with salt water.
So when is it important to visit a doctor and have a sore throat checked out?
The Citizen spoke with Dr. Michael Sotak, lead physician at the newly opened Sutter Urgent Care center in Elk Grove.
Sotak specializes in emergency medicine and mentioned that although most sore throats do go away by themselves, there are crucial times when one should visit a doctor to have it checked for a more serious condition.
“I’d recommend getting an exam if you notice a fever over 102 degrees, that there is puss at the back of the tonsils, the glands at the front of your throat are swollen, or you are not having a cough along with your sore throat,” he said. “If you have at least two of these symptoms, it is best to get checked out as soon as possible.”
Although many people may be quick to assume that a noticed lump on the throat during soreness may be the sign of cancer, Sotak said that it is rarely the case.
But he mentioned that strep throat could lead to serious issues if left without treatment beyond seven days.
The painful, contagious infection of the pharynx can cause peritonssillar cellulites if left untreated too long.
This inflammatory reaction of the tissue between the capsule of the palatine tonsil can then lead to a peritonssilar abscess in its later stages.
“With these types of abscesses, I look for puss located right next to the tonsils and whether it is worse on the right or left side causing the uvula to be pushed over to the opposite side,” Sotak said. “If left untreated, it will be extremely painful to swallow and the airway may close up.”
Sotak said that in some cases the abscess will get worse and worse until it ruptures, but it is often treated by being drained before this occurs.
These are obviously the more serious conditions of leaving a sore throat untreated for too long, yet they indicate why a rapid strep test should be done if soreness lasts for more thana week.
Sotak said that the test lasts for about five to eight minutes and includes the rubbing of a swab on both tonsils. A color-coded result signals a negative or positive outcome and it appears in about 10 minutes after the test is done.
“Nine out of 10 times you will just need to get treated with antibiotics,” Sotak said.
In treating the first few days of a sore throat at home, and for those who may be allergic to antibiotics, other remedies are recommended.
“Chloraseptic spray, gargling salt water with a quarter teaspoon of salt, Motrin, or Tylenol can all help,” he said.
2012年1月5日星期四
Cold or something more serious?
It's that time of year when everyone is reaching for the Kleenex and cold relief medicine. But for some, a nagging cough is cause for concern. Even when the runny nose or sore throat goes away, that cough can linger.
Doctors tell us it could be winter allergies or a much more serious infection that makes it hard to breathe.
Sheila Dial will be celebrating her son's seventh birthday Thursday, but first she's taking Levi to the Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic to stop his cough, which would be quite a gift to this concerned mom.
"Very frustrated because you try to help him," she says. "You don't know how. He's had a cough, runny nose and severe sinus infections all the time, so we decided to get the allergy testing done."
Dr. Greg Metz, an allergist at the clinic, says Levi isn't alone.
He says our dry and windy weather has made mold spores an allergen that is making a lot of Oklahomans cough lately.
"With the dry, kind of cold air, (mold) can irritate the lining of the airway and it can lead to drainage in sort of an irritant fashion," Metz says.
Upper respiratory infections can cause a cough that lingers for weeks.
But one pediatrician says prolonged coughing could be caused by a highly contagious infection called "whooping cough."
"You can have these repeated, violent coughing spells to the point where you literally can't breathe anymore," Dr. Savannah Stumph says, with Mercy Edmond Signal Ridge Clinic, "All the air is completely expelled from the lungs and then a violent rerespiratory 'whoop' to start breathing again can be noticed."
She says vaccines are the most important way to prevent whooping cough, also known as Pertussis, especially in infants that can stop breathing during coughing fits.
It can be treated with antibiotics, but the cough can last up to 10 weeks.
"In other parts of the world, Pertussis is actually known as the 'hundred day cough' because that's literally how long it can last," Stumph says.
Whooping cough vaccines fade over time, so Stumph says adults should get vaccinated every 10 years.
Sinus infections, acid reflux and asthma may also be causing that cough.
Levi completed the allergy testing.
The results are forcing Sheila to find the family cat a new home.
Doctors tell us it could be winter allergies or a much more serious infection that makes it hard to breathe.
Sheila Dial will be celebrating her son's seventh birthday Thursday, but first she's taking Levi to the Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic to stop his cough, which would be quite a gift to this concerned mom.
"Very frustrated because you try to help him," she says. "You don't know how. He's had a cough, runny nose and severe sinus infections all the time, so we decided to get the allergy testing done."
Dr. Greg Metz, an allergist at the clinic, says Levi isn't alone.
He says our dry and windy weather has made mold spores an allergen that is making a lot of Oklahomans cough lately.
"With the dry, kind of cold air, (mold) can irritate the lining of the airway and it can lead to drainage in sort of an irritant fashion," Metz says.
Upper respiratory infections can cause a cough that lingers for weeks.
But one pediatrician says prolonged coughing could be caused by a highly contagious infection called "whooping cough."
"You can have these repeated, violent coughing spells to the point where you literally can't breathe anymore," Dr. Savannah Stumph says, with Mercy Edmond Signal Ridge Clinic, "All the air is completely expelled from the lungs and then a violent rerespiratory 'whoop' to start breathing again can be noticed."
She says vaccines are the most important way to prevent whooping cough, also known as Pertussis, especially in infants that can stop breathing during coughing fits.
It can be treated with antibiotics, but the cough can last up to 10 weeks.
"In other parts of the world, Pertussis is actually known as the 'hundred day cough' because that's literally how long it can last," Stumph says.
Whooping cough vaccines fade over time, so Stumph says adults should get vaccinated every 10 years.
Sinus infections, acid reflux and asthma may also be causing that cough.
Levi completed the allergy testing.
The results are forcing Sheila to find the family cat a new home.
2011年12月7日星期三
Valeska Paris Receives Threat from Scientology Attorneys
Last week, we wrote about Valeska Paris, the Swiss-born Australian woman who says that from 1996 to 2007, she was held against her will on Scientology's private cruise ship, the Freewinds.
She says that Scientology leader David Miscavige moved her to the ship in 1996 when she was 18 in order to keep her away from her own mother, who had sued Scientology and denounced it on French television. For the first six years of her time on the ship, Valeska says she was unable to leave it without an escort.
Scientology denies that Valeska was held against her will, and now it has had its attorneys in Sydney send her a threatening letter.
"You should seek legal advice in relation to our client's rights to take legal action again [sic] you," states the letter, from the Sydney firm Kennedys.
Valeska tells me she plans to continue speaking out and will not be deterred by the letter.
"It's just a scare tactic," she says.
As we wrote earlier, Valeska signed confidentiality agreements with Scientology -- one while she was on the Freewinds, another in Australia as she was leaving the Sea Org in 2009.
Valeska has said that because her story involves church leader David Miscavige, she doesn't think he would risk suing her for speaking out since he would almost certainly be required to become a witness and be deposed.
In the letter, at least, Scientology's attorneys do their best to sound outraged that she would speak out: "Your conduct in speaking to the media was a direct and blatant breach of your confidentiality agreement with our client."
Well, in upcoming days we'll see if they intend more than just a shot across her bow.
In the meantime, I have been speaking to Valeska at length, getting more details about her time on the Freewinds. I've learned interesting new details, and cleared up other things that our readers had questions about.
On Sunday, we wrote about the 1995 marriage of Ramana Dienes-Browning, a 16-year-old member of Scientology's Sea Org, who was wed aboard the church's private cruise ship, the Freewinds.
Ramana told us that she felt somewhat pressured to marry at 16. It was the only way to move out of the girls' dormitory on the ship into a better room. The 25-year-old man who wanted to marry her, meanwhile, was favored among executives, and they wanted to see him happy. So she went through with it, and then realized she wasn't at all prepared for married life. Before long, her husband was away for long periods before the marriage fell apart.
Now we have learned that three years after Ramana's wedding, on May 9, 1998, that same dress was worn by Valeska Paris.
She married a Sea Org member from Italy named Roberto Toppi who she genuinely had affection for. But like Ramana's match, Valeska says in the Sea Org a fulfilling marriage was difficult to obtain.
"It was kind of crap. We married in May. After Maiden Voyage [a celebration that occurs in June and July aboard the ship] he was gone 6 to 8 months," Valeska says. "I actually loved the guy, and I was really upset."
None of her family had come out for the wedding. Toppi's family came out for a visit at one point, but none of them spoke English. "I went out on an afternoon with them, and ate dinner at their hotel one day," she says. Toppi was present for that trip, but otherwise he was almost never around.
After he returned from his initial 6 to 8 month assignment, he was at the ship for about 6 months. "But then he was made a registrar, and he was off the ship pretty much the whole time," Valeska says. "In our seven year marriage, we spent 9 or 10 months together." They divorced in 2005.
Last week, after Yahoo News linked to our lengthy interview with Valeska, Yahoo writer Eric Pfeiffer received a statement from the church trashing our story.
In part, it reads: "She left the Freewinds hundreds of times to go shopping, for outings with her husband on islands such as St. Kitts, Aruba, St. Barts and Curaao, as well as for numerous other reasons."
She says that Scientology leader David Miscavige moved her to the ship in 1996 when she was 18 in order to keep her away from her own mother, who had sued Scientology and denounced it on French television. For the first six years of her time on the ship, Valeska says she was unable to leave it without an escort.
Scientology denies that Valeska was held against her will, and now it has had its attorneys in Sydney send her a threatening letter.
"You should seek legal advice in relation to our client's rights to take legal action again [sic] you," states the letter, from the Sydney firm Kennedys.
Valeska tells me she plans to continue speaking out and will not be deterred by the letter.
"It's just a scare tactic," she says.
As we wrote earlier, Valeska signed confidentiality agreements with Scientology -- one while she was on the Freewinds, another in Australia as she was leaving the Sea Org in 2009.
Valeska has said that because her story involves church leader David Miscavige, she doesn't think he would risk suing her for speaking out since he would almost certainly be required to become a witness and be deposed.
In the letter, at least, Scientology's attorneys do their best to sound outraged that she would speak out: "Your conduct in speaking to the media was a direct and blatant breach of your confidentiality agreement with our client."
Well, in upcoming days we'll see if they intend more than just a shot across her bow.
In the meantime, I have been speaking to Valeska at length, getting more details about her time on the Freewinds. I've learned interesting new details, and cleared up other things that our readers had questions about.
On Sunday, we wrote about the 1995 marriage of Ramana Dienes-Browning, a 16-year-old member of Scientology's Sea Org, who was wed aboard the church's private cruise ship, the Freewinds.
Ramana told us that she felt somewhat pressured to marry at 16. It was the only way to move out of the girls' dormitory on the ship into a better room. The 25-year-old man who wanted to marry her, meanwhile, was favored among executives, and they wanted to see him happy. So she went through with it, and then realized she wasn't at all prepared for married life. Before long, her husband was away for long periods before the marriage fell apart.
Now we have learned that three years after Ramana's wedding, on May 9, 1998, that same dress was worn by Valeska Paris.
She married a Sea Org member from Italy named Roberto Toppi who she genuinely had affection for. But like Ramana's match, Valeska says in the Sea Org a fulfilling marriage was difficult to obtain.
"It was kind of crap. We married in May. After Maiden Voyage [a celebration that occurs in June and July aboard the ship] he was gone 6 to 8 months," Valeska says. "I actually loved the guy, and I was really upset."
None of her family had come out for the wedding. Toppi's family came out for a visit at one point, but none of them spoke English. "I went out on an afternoon with them, and ate dinner at their hotel one day," she says. Toppi was present for that trip, but otherwise he was almost never around.
After he returned from his initial 6 to 8 month assignment, he was at the ship for about 6 months. "But then he was made a registrar, and he was off the ship pretty much the whole time," Valeska says. "In our seven year marriage, we spent 9 or 10 months together." They divorced in 2005.
Last week, after Yahoo News linked to our lengthy interview with Valeska, Yahoo writer Eric Pfeiffer received a statement from the church trashing our story.
In part, it reads: "She left the Freewinds hundreds of times to go shopping, for outings with her husband on islands such as St. Kitts, Aruba, St. Barts and Curaao, as well as for numerous other reasons."
2011年11月21日星期一
Cold Or Flu? You Decide
A new leaflet from the NHS - Handy Advice about Flu and Colds can help you decide whether you have a cold or flu as well as help you understand and manage your symptoms this Self Care Week.
On average, adults can expect two colds a year and children as many as ten, until they develop immunity. Sometimes bad colds can be mistaken for flu, but how do you tell the difference?
Flu's biggest symptom is a sudden high temperature of over 38 degrees Celsius and a sudden cough. Other symptoms include headache, chills, aching muscles, limb or joint pain, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, loss of appetite and diarrhoea or stomach upset.
A cold on the other hand may present some of the same symptoms but these will appear at different stages. Usually, with a cold adults will not run a high temperature, but children might.
If you have flu this is the time when you will have a high temperature and symptoms that come on quickly. You will be shivering with a headache, muscle aches in the back and legs and you may feel dizzy. The high temperature should go down within 48 hours.
If you have a cold, this is the incubation stage, and there are no symptoms to tell you that you have been infected.
If you have flu, your temperature should be dropping now and from here on your symptoms will be similar to those you get with colds.
If you have a cold, the first signs appear on day two with a tickle or soreness in the nose and/or throat and sometimes in the eyes. The sore throat gets worse and a dry cough might start. You start sneezing and your nose starts to run.
From day three the symptoms for both flu and colds are very similar. The discharge from the nose may change from clear and watery to thicker and yellowish in colour. Your nose starts to feel very stuffy and blocked up, and you might get pain in the forehead and around and behind the eyes. If the infection is a really nasty one, adults may still have a slight fever.
Try not to attend A&E as there's nothing the healthcare professionals can do for colds and flu and you run the risk of spreading the virus to other patients.
The best thing you can do is rest, drink plenty of fluids and help ease sore throats with cough lozenges, mixtures or sprays. Make sure you check with your pharmacist whether any cold or flu remedies can be used with medication you're already taking.
On average, adults can expect two colds a year and children as many as ten, until they develop immunity. Sometimes bad colds can be mistaken for flu, but how do you tell the difference?
Flu's biggest symptom is a sudden high temperature of over 38 degrees Celsius and a sudden cough. Other symptoms include headache, chills, aching muscles, limb or joint pain, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, loss of appetite and diarrhoea or stomach upset.
A cold on the other hand may present some of the same symptoms but these will appear at different stages. Usually, with a cold adults will not run a high temperature, but children might.
If you have flu this is the time when you will have a high temperature and symptoms that come on quickly. You will be shivering with a headache, muscle aches in the back and legs and you may feel dizzy. The high temperature should go down within 48 hours.
If you have a cold, this is the incubation stage, and there are no symptoms to tell you that you have been infected.
If you have flu, your temperature should be dropping now and from here on your symptoms will be similar to those you get with colds.
If you have a cold, the first signs appear on day two with a tickle or soreness in the nose and/or throat and sometimes in the eyes. The sore throat gets worse and a dry cough might start. You start sneezing and your nose starts to run.
From day three the symptoms for both flu and colds are very similar. The discharge from the nose may change from clear and watery to thicker and yellowish in colour. Your nose starts to feel very stuffy and blocked up, and you might get pain in the forehead and around and behind the eyes. If the infection is a really nasty one, adults may still have a slight fever.
Try not to attend A&E as there's nothing the healthcare professionals can do for colds and flu and you run the risk of spreading the virus to other patients.
The best thing you can do is rest, drink plenty of fluids and help ease sore throats with cough lozenges, mixtures or sprays. Make sure you check with your pharmacist whether any cold or flu remedies can be used with medication you're already taking.
2011年11月15日星期二
Virus takes memories from cellist but leaves music
Herpesviral encephalitis is caused by the same virus that causes cold sores. It is a rare infection and occurs when this virus travels along nerves to the brain. In the case of PM, the virus wiped out large sections of his medial temporal lobes which have been linked to memories of events and facts. PM was left with no memory of personal or professional events he had done and the only people he recognized were his brother and a care worker.
Doctors began testing PM’s abilities after they discovered that he was able to identify musical scales and recall music that was played for him.
Neurologist Carsten Finke from Charite University Hospital in Berlin decided to take these tests further. Working with a team of professional musicians, Finke designed a series of tests that were designed to look at just how PM’s musical memory worked.
One test, PM was presented with a piece of music that was composed before he was struck with illness. He was then played a similar piece composed after his illness. When he was asked which piece he knew better, 93 percent of the time he chose the older piece.
In addition to amnesia, PM has had difficulty learning new things. For example, he is unable to remember the layout of his home or which medications he is supposed to take on a daily basis. However, in another test the doctors conducted, PM was able to identify pieces of music that were played to him earlier in the day 77 percent of the time.
Doctors are hoping this case will help to better understand how memories are stored in the brain. In the case of PM, they are also hoping to use music to help in his rehabilitation. They plan to try using musical notes and connect them to different people and tasks.
Doctors began testing PM’s abilities after they discovered that he was able to identify musical scales and recall music that was played for him.
Neurologist Carsten Finke from Charite University Hospital in Berlin decided to take these tests further. Working with a team of professional musicians, Finke designed a series of tests that were designed to look at just how PM’s musical memory worked.
One test, PM was presented with a piece of music that was composed before he was struck with illness. He was then played a similar piece composed after his illness. When he was asked which piece he knew better, 93 percent of the time he chose the older piece.
In addition to amnesia, PM has had difficulty learning new things. For example, he is unable to remember the layout of his home or which medications he is supposed to take on a daily basis. However, in another test the doctors conducted, PM was able to identify pieces of music that were played to him earlier in the day 77 percent of the time.
Doctors are hoping this case will help to better understand how memories are stored in the brain. In the case of PM, they are also hoping to use music to help in his rehabilitation. They plan to try using musical notes and connect them to different people and tasks.
2011年9月26日星期一
Check-up genital herpes
Genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus, of which there are two types. Type 1 commonly causes cold sores on the mouth and lips but can also cause genital herpes. Type 2 causes genital herpes but can also infect the mouth. Once it has infected someone, the virus remains in their nerve cells for life.
Most people contract genital herpes by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected person. Even close skin-to-skin contact with someone who is infected can spread the virus. Typically this occurs when the carrier of the virus is experiencing an outbreak of symptoms. But because some sufferers can have a herpes outbreak without showing any symptoms, infection can also occur during these periods.
The first symptoms usually appear within two weeks of a person becoming infected. These last for several weeks and include tingling or sores on the genital or rectal area.
In women, sores may develop inside the vagina and on the cervix. In men, lesions usually appear on or around the penis. Small red bumps appear first and develop into blisters. These become itchy and painful sores that typically develop a crust before healing without leaving a scar.
Other symptoms during the first outbreak can include fever, headache, muscle aches and painful urination. There may be vaginal discharge or swollen glands in the groin area. Some people who have mild symptoms, or none at all, may not know they are infected, but they can still transmit the virus to others.
For most sufferers the virus causes outbreaks several times a year. Recurrences are generally much milder than the first outbreak and tend to become less common over time.
There is no cure for genital herpes, but antiviral medicines may help treat symptoms and prevent future outbreaks. This can decrease the risk of passing herpes to sexual partners.
Genital herpes can cause medical complications in some instances, particularly in the case of babies born to mothers with the condition.
To help prevent the risk of contracting genital herpes, avoid oral-genital contact if either sexual partner has any symptoms of oral herpes.
Using barriers, such as condoms, during sexual activity may decrease transmission when used consistently and correctly, but transmission can still occur because a condom may not cover all infected areas.
Most people contract genital herpes by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected person. Even close skin-to-skin contact with someone who is infected can spread the virus. Typically this occurs when the carrier of the virus is experiencing an outbreak of symptoms. But because some sufferers can have a herpes outbreak without showing any symptoms, infection can also occur during these periods.
The first symptoms usually appear within two weeks of a person becoming infected. These last for several weeks and include tingling or sores on the genital or rectal area.
In women, sores may develop inside the vagina and on the cervix. In men, lesions usually appear on or around the penis. Small red bumps appear first and develop into blisters. These become itchy and painful sores that typically develop a crust before healing without leaving a scar.
Other symptoms during the first outbreak can include fever, headache, muscle aches and painful urination. There may be vaginal discharge or swollen glands in the groin area. Some people who have mild symptoms, or none at all, may not know they are infected, but they can still transmit the virus to others.
For most sufferers the virus causes outbreaks several times a year. Recurrences are generally much milder than the first outbreak and tend to become less common over time.
There is no cure for genital herpes, but antiviral medicines may help treat symptoms and prevent future outbreaks. This can decrease the risk of passing herpes to sexual partners.
Genital herpes can cause medical complications in some instances, particularly in the case of babies born to mothers with the condition.
To help prevent the risk of contracting genital herpes, avoid oral-genital contact if either sexual partner has any symptoms of oral herpes.
Using barriers, such as condoms, during sexual activity may decrease transmission when used consistently and correctly, but transmission can still occur because a condom may not cover all infected areas.
2011年4月26日星期二
GSK eyes healthier times beyond Q1 flu sales gap
A sharp fall in sales of flu products after last year's pandemic-linked windfall will weigh on GlaxoSmithKline's first-quarter results, but Britain's biggest drugmaker can point to better times ahead.
Exceptional demand for vaccines and anti-flu drug Relenza flattered results a year ago. Their absence means sales will fall nearly 10 percent when it reports at 1100 GMT on Wednesday.
Profits, however, should be cushioned by chunky disposal gains on the group's stake in Quest Diagnostics and the sale of North American rights to cold sore treatment Zovirax.
More important than the numbers will be confidence shown by management that the company's fortunes have reached a floor -- following the furore over diabetes drug Avandia and big generic hits in 2010 -- and it is now positioned for growth.
Dominic Valder of Evolution Securities believes GSK's sales and earnings will move to a sustainably positive trend from the second half of 2011 and setting a base-line for this improvement is his main focus for the quarterly results.
On paper, GSK has a comparatively robust growth profile through 2015 -- certainly compared to rival AstraZeneca, where sales are expected to fall over the next five years -- but this is arguably already reflected in its rating.
GSK shares trade at around 10.9 times this year's forecast earnings, slightly above Novartis on 10.4 and well above sector laggards like AstraZeneca and Sanofi-Aventis on 7.2 and 7.9 times respectively.
As with Novartis, which has multiple sclerosis medicine Gilenya to interest investors, GSK also has a ground-breaking new drug in Benlysta, for lupus -- though the British group has to share its profits with Human Genome Sciences.
Pharmaceutical companies across the globe are grappling with U.S. healthcare reforms and a push by cash-strapped governments in Europe to slash the prices of drugs, along with competition from cheaper generic treatments.
That means new products which really make a difference to patients are more important than ever.
So far, European drugmakers have had a mixed first-quarter report card, with Novartis last week beating expectations on the back on strong sales of its newer drugs, while Swiss rival Roche disappointed on April 14.
Exceptional demand for vaccines and anti-flu drug Relenza flattered results a year ago. Their absence means sales will fall nearly 10 percent when it reports at 1100 GMT on Wednesday.
Profits, however, should be cushioned by chunky disposal gains on the group's stake in Quest Diagnostics and the sale of North American rights to cold sore treatment Zovirax.
More important than the numbers will be confidence shown by management that the company's fortunes have reached a floor -- following the furore over diabetes drug Avandia and big generic hits in 2010 -- and it is now positioned for growth.
Dominic Valder of Evolution Securities believes GSK's sales and earnings will move to a sustainably positive trend from the second half of 2011 and setting a base-line for this improvement is his main focus for the quarterly results.
On paper, GSK has a comparatively robust growth profile through 2015 -- certainly compared to rival AstraZeneca, where sales are expected to fall over the next five years -- but this is arguably already reflected in its rating.
GSK shares trade at around 10.9 times this year's forecast earnings, slightly above Novartis on 10.4 and well above sector laggards like AstraZeneca and Sanofi-Aventis on 7.2 and 7.9 times respectively.
As with Novartis, which has multiple sclerosis medicine Gilenya to interest investors, GSK also has a ground-breaking new drug in Benlysta, for lupus -- though the British group has to share its profits with Human Genome Sciences.
Pharmaceutical companies across the globe are grappling with U.S. healthcare reforms and a push by cash-strapped governments in Europe to slash the prices of drugs, along with competition from cheaper generic treatments.
That means new products which really make a difference to patients are more important than ever.
So far, European drugmakers have had a mixed first-quarter report card, with Novartis last week beating expectations on the back on strong sales of its newer drugs, while Swiss rival Roche disappointed on April 14.
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