Secondhand smoke has been proven to pose a number of extremely serious health risks to those who live or work with a smoker. Emphysema, cancer, decreased fertility, eye disorders, heart problems and death have all been attributed to this type of indirect exposure to the hazardous substances contained in cigarette smoke.

Now, researchers have found that a similar link exists between asbestos particles brought home by those who worked with the material and asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, developed by family members decades later.

A study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine found a significant number of cases of the relatively rare cancer in family members of asbestos workers. According to the findings of Dr. Albert Miller of St. Vincent Catholic Medical Center in New York, the cancer, which is mainly caused by exposure to airborne particles of asbestos, most often affects the wives and daughters of asbestos workers and may take over 40 years to develop.
A few cases involving sons and other relatives were also found, however.

The study concluded that exposure to particles of asbestos carried home on workersí £lothing and bodies was directly linked to 32 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed in family members since 1990. About 90% of mesotheliomas in men have been attributed to asbestos because of their direct exposure to the material at work. In cases involving women, however, linking the disease to asbestos has proven to be more difficult. Based upon the stud results, Dr. Miller theorizes that many of these unexplained cases in women may be related to having lived with an asbestos-exposed worker at some point in their lives.Personal Injury & Side Effects News

The Canadian government has admitted that soldiers stationed at a military base in Gagetown, New Brunswick, were harmed as a result of the use of the highly toxic defoliant, Agent Orange, at that base during the 1960s. Although these soldiers will now receive disability pensions from the government, no mention has been made of civilians who may also have been injured by exposure to the chemical. The United States sprayed enormous amounts of the herbicide to defoliate large sections of forest in Vietnam between 1961 and 1971 when it was discovered to contain dioxin, a known carcinogen.

A group of civilians, who lived in the vicinity of the plant, claim that Agent Orange is responsible for cancers and other medical problems among the local residents. A professor at the University of New Brunswick wants to study the claims with funding from the government in order to see "whether theyíve had cancer or a particular kind of cancer, whether they have children with learning disabilities or learning differences, whether thereís been a difference in terms of the number of children born prematurely or whatever.".

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Using a number of sources, The Arizona Republic has compiled a list of 120 cases in the United States and Canada since 1999 where a death followed the use of a Taser stun gun.

The sources used included autopsy reports, computer searches, police reports, media accounts, and Taserís own records. To date, the research has shown that many of the deaths were "a cause, a contributing factor or could not be ruled out in someoneís death."

In several other cases, coroners and other officials reported that the use of the stun gun was not a factor in the death. In any event, the report lends strong support to the claim by many critics of the Taser that the so-called non-lethal weapon is far more dangerous than its manufacturer would have the public believe.

Hepatitis C is a particularly nasty virus for two reasons. The first is that it is the leading cause of chronic liver disease and liver transplants and complications related to the virus cause between 8,000 and 10,000 deaths each year.

The second is that symptoms of the virus may not appear until decades after a person is infected.

The virus is spread mostly through contact with contaminated blood from dirty needles and syringes shared by intravenous drug users (60%), blood transfusions (10%), and unprotected or risky sex (15%). Contaminated equipment used for tattoos, body and ear piercing, and manicures may also spread the virus. There have also been outbreaks of the virus in medical facilities with inadequate or failed infection-control procedures.

There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C which was only discovered in 1989. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 80% of those infected never have symptoms. When symptoms such as jaundice, abdominal pain, and nausea do occur, it may not be for 10, 20, 30, or even 40 years after infection. In its later stages, the virus can cause cirrhosis of the liver and fatal end-stage liver disease requiring a liver transplant.

The CDC now estimates that, in the next 10 years, the number of deaths from complications of hepatitis C will triple. The sharp increase is expected among baby boomers infected in the 1960s and 1970s as a result of risky behavior. According to the CDC, two-thirds of those infected with hepatitis C are white, male baby boomers who live above the poverty line. Dr. Robert S. Brown, medical director for the Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation at New York Presbyterian Hospital states that: "The majority of my patients experimented with drugs during the ë60s and ë70s and now work on Wall Street.".

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West Nile virus, which had been active in Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe for decades, first appeared in New York City in 1999.

Since then, the virus has spread across the United States and has accounted for 16,600 cases and 654 deaths according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The mosquito-borne illness is now considered a more serious health threat than previously believed.

For several years, West Nile was only regarded as a severe problem for the elderly and infirm and little more than a passing nuisance for the rest of the population. Today, however, West Nile has emerged as a serious threat to young, healthy people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. Mild cases of the virus may impair people for weeks or months while more severe cases, though still rare, can cause varying degrees of paralysis and even respiratory failure. Dr. Henry Masur of the National Institutes of Health points out that even though West Nile is "fading" somewhat from public consciousness, there are still "more cases of paralysis (from West Nile) than there were in many years of polio."

The strain of West Nile in the United States is a more serious one than that found in much of the world where the virus has relatively mild symptoms and, as result, there is a higher percentage of cases with neurological complications similar to meningitis, encephalitis, and polio. This fact was not apparent to health officials early on. In fact, experts believe that some of the more severe symptoms are mistaken for a stroke or some other paralyzing illness.

Since there is no vaccine for West Nile, the best advice is to avoid contact with mosquitoes by using repellants, stay away from places which are likely mosquito habitats or breeding areas (like tall grass or damp, marshy areas), and not permit water to collect and stand in spots where mosquitoes can breed. If you experience a high fever, severe headache, confusion or difficulty thinking, severe muscle weakness, tremors, or a stiff neck, visit an emergency room or see a doctor immediately.

BPA (bisphenol-A), is and estrogen-like chemical compound that is widely used (3 million tons annually) in the production of plastic food containers, the resins that line food cans, and dental sealants. Research has shown that that BPA leaches out of products and may be absorbed into the body at low concentrations and animal studies have revealed that the chemical has potential health risks.

A new animal study, however, suggests that even at extremely low concentrations, BPA exposure in the womb may be harmful. Moreover, the study uncovered evidence that BPA may be a breast cancer risk factor because of its potential effect on the development of vulnerable and sensitive breast tissue.

After an absence of several years, LGV (lymphogranuloma venereum), a rare sexually transmitted disease (STD) has returned to a number of major cities in the United States including Boston where there have been six confirmed cases of LGV so far this year. One patient in that city told a doctor at the Fenway Community Health Clinic that he suspects he caught the disease during a visit to Brazil. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring cases of the disease across the country which, at present, appear to be limited to men.

LGV spreads from genital bumps or lesions and can have serious consequences if left untreated. Among these are disfigured genitalia and permanent damage to the bowels. Symptoms include rectal bleeding, abdominal pain within days after exposure. LGV is treatable with antibiotics.

A study published in this monthís Journal of the National Cancer Institute links high levels of male hormones (androgens) to an increased risk in young women of developing breast cancer. Prior studies produced similar results with respect to postmenopausal women. Although androgens are normally present in women, as a rule, the levels are far lower than those found in men.

The new study, which involved 1,096 premenopausal women, found that as testosterone and androstenedione levels rose, the likelihood of developing breast cancer increased significantly. The results showed that, in women under 40, the risk of developing breast cancer over a 10-year period ranged from 1.5% for those with the lowest testosterone levels to 2.6% for those with the highest levels.

The research team concluded that the study "provides strong evidence that the risk of breast cancer among premenopausal women is directly related to circulating levels of testosterone and androstenedione." Further studies are needed to see if this risk can be lowered by lifestyle changes or other interventions.

Health Canada has advised consumers not to use New Choice Pregnancy Test which is not licensed for sale in Canada. The product uses a urine test for the presence of the hormone chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The product, which is manufactured by IND Diagnostic Inc. and distributed by Sales Enterprises Inc., has been available for purchase in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces.

Under Canadian law, pregnancy tests are classified as Class 2 medical devices and, thus, require a license in order to be imported into the country. Those having purchased the product are advised not to use it. If the test has been used, the consumer is advised to consult with a medical professional if they are concerned with the accuracy of the result. The importer has been ordered to halt the sale of the product. Other compliance actions may be taken by Health Canada to stop the importation of the test.

The May issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine reports on a study which claims to have found a successful treatment for children with SoJIA (systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis). The report is especially significant for children with SoJIA who have not responded to other therapies. Of the approximately 250,000 children in the United States with juvenile arthritis, about 10% (25,000) suffer from SoJIA. The disease often goes undiagnosed in its early stages. As it progresses, however, anemia and other blood-related problems develop along with inflammation and joint pain. Long-term disabilities may occur.

The researchers found that they "could not only control the disease, but also allow these children to grow and carry out normal lives." The patients were given a drug known as Anakinra (marketed by Amgen) and all of them responded favorably. Persistent fever stopped, active arthritis symptoms decreased in the joints, and hemoglobin, white blood cell, and other indicators improved. The therapy restored function to 75% of the subjects and lessened the symptoms of the other 25%. These findings were also presented to a recent meeting of the Federation of Clinical Immunology in Boston.
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