The Topps Meat Company, the bankrupt ground beef processor that recalled millions of pounds of E. coli tainted meat in September, might soon have a new owner.  Premio Foods, of Hawthorne, N.J., is seeking to purchase Topps Meat via a federal bankruptcy proceeding in a deal that could close in early January. The 67-year-old Topps Meat Company was forced to seek Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Protection following an E. coli outbreak that sickened 100 people in the US and Canada that was blamed on the company’s frozen ground beef products.

Topps Meat Company, a leading US frozen ground beef processor, recalled over 330,000 pounds of frozen ground beef patties in late September following an E. coli outbreak in New York that sickened six people and was linked to one of its products.  While investigating the Topps ground beef E. coli outbreak, health authorities discovered a box of Topps frozen ground beef patties in one of the victim’s freezers.  Testing revealed the patties were infested with E. coli O157:H7. Days later, Topps recalled another 21 million pounds of beef.  Before it was over, the Topps Ground Beef E. coli outbreak spread to 8 states and several Canadian provinces.  Unable to absorb the costs of the Topps ground beef E. coli recall, the company closed its doors on October 5, and filed for bankruptcy in November.  Its Elizabeth, New Jersey processing plant has been idle ever since.

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Snuff, or smokeless tobacco, is as dangerous as cigarettes and other forms of smoking.   This is the time of year for resolutions and what better resolution that to quit smoking?  Many trying to quit might opt for snuff, thinking it is a healthier choice. In fact smokeless tobacco isn’t a safe alternative, says a University of Minnesota cancer expert.  “The results of our studies do not support the concept that smokers should switch to smokeless tobacco,” writes Stephen Hecht, PhD.  “Long-term use of nicotine replacement therapy may be a better option.”  Hecht has been studying smokeless tobacco—mainly as oral moist snuff—for over two decades.  In fact, snuff can leave at a serious risk of developing cancer of the larynx and other ailments.

The two types of smokeless tobacco are chewing tobacco and snuff.  Chewing tobacco is sold in loose leaf, twist, and plug forms; snuff comes in moist, dry, and sachet forms.  The most popular form of smokeless tobacco today is moist snuff.  Hecht notes that smokeless tobacco—which can cause oral and pancreatic cancer—contains carcinogens called nitrosamines in levels similar to nitrosamines in cigarettes.  Nitrosamine levels in smokeless tobacco are about 1,000 times higher than in other consumer products and beyond the content allowed by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in products such as beer and bacon.  Products touting low nitrosamine claims don’t eliminate the risk, according to Hecht.  An enormous amount of indirect evidence indicates that nitrosamines are human carcinogens and tobacco-specific nitrosamines are one of the major groups of chemical carcinogens in tobacco products, no doubt responsible for the link between tobacco use and cancer.

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HIV tests will be routine for pregnant women and infants in New Jersey. Acting New Jersey Governor Richard J. Codey signed a measure into law Wednesday that will take effect in six months and will incorporate HIV testing as part of routine prenatal care.  HIV testing will also be required for some newborns in N.J. under the new law supporters say puts N.J. in the forefront of the national fight against transmission of the disease to babies.  “We can significantly reduce the number of infections to newborns and help break down the stigma associated with the disease.  For newborns, early detection can be the ultimate lifesaving measure,” said Codey, acting governor while Governor Jon S. Corzine is out of the country for the holiday.  Codey sponsored the bill as the Senate president.  The bill allows women to opt out of the HIV testing, but critics argue the screening will deprive women of their right to make medical decisions.

New Jersey is the first state to push HIV testing for both pregnant women and newborns.  Arkansas, Michigan, Tennessee, and Texas require health care providers to test a mother for HIV, unless she asks not to be tested, while Connecticut, Illinois, and New York test all newborns.  The law also requires newborns to be tested when the mother tests positive or her HIV status is unknown.  Riki E. Jacobs, executive director of the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation in New Brunswick, the state’s largest AIDS service agency, said the law won’t help the women who don’t get prenatal care.  “We need to focus on getting people into care and keeping them in care,” Jacobs said. “That is our most potent prevention weapon.”

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Secondhand smoke exposure is even more dangerous to children than once thought.  Although experts have long known that exposure to secondhand smoke either prenatally or early in life can raise a child’s risk of developing asthma symptoms, the evidence regarding allergies in general has been mixed, resulting in mixed consensus as to the effects of secondhand smoke on youngsters.  Secondhand smoke exposure causes respiratory symptoms in children and slows their lung growth and causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more frequent and severe asthma attacks in children.  But now, a new secondhand smoke study, conducted at the Kaolinska Institute in Stockholm and led by Dr. Eva Lannero suggests that young children who were exposed to cigarette smoke as babies may be more likely to suffer from certain allergies.  This new secondhand smoke study suggests that it is possible that being exposed to secondhand smoke triggers inflammation in the lining of young children’s airways which may sensitize them to allergy-triggering substances.  In the new study, Swedish researchers found that four-year-olds who had been exposed to their parents’ cigarette smoking during early infancy were at greater risk of developing allergies to indoor allergens such as dust mites and cat dander.  The children studied were also at an increased risk of developing food allergies.  Lannero and her colleagues reported the findings in the medical journal Thorax.

The study included more than 4,000 families with infants born between 1994 and 1996.  Parents were asked whether either of them smoked when the child was two months, one year, or two years old.  At the age of four, the children had their blood tested for antibodies to a range of common allergens, such as cat dander, dust mite, and mold, as well as foods such as milk, eggs, and wheat.  The researchers found that children who had been exposed to cigarette smoke at the age of two months were 28 percent more likely to have antibodies to either an indoor air allergen or a food allergen.  In particular, their odds of being sensitized to cat dander were double that of children with no secondhand smoke exposure at two months of age.  These children were also nearly 50 percent more likely to have antibodies to food allergens.  The findings, according to Lannero’s team, support the theory that early damage to the mucous membranes lining the airways may make children more sensitive to allergens and offer parents yet another reason to keep their children away from secondhand smoke.

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A Listeria outbreak has prompted a warning from North Carolina public health officials. Following at least three cases of listeriosis in North Carolina, the North Carolina Division of Public Health is cautioning pregnant women to avoid eating soft cheeses, hot dogs and deli-style meats, and prepared salads. The Listeria cases were identified in Moore, Durham, and Mecklenburg counties; a probable case was identified in Buncombe County. All three confirmed listeriosis cases involved Latinas; two were pregnant women whose pregnancies ended in miscarriage. The third Listeria case also involved a pregnant woman; she delivered early but she and her baby are doing well. The probable listeriosis case involves another pregnant Latina who also lost her baby. All four women consumed soft cheeses from a variety of sources. Although the cases occurred close together in time, data from molecular testing conducted at the State Laboratory of Public Health confirmed different strains were involved. Because a single product does not seem to be the source, a general Listeria warning was issued. “This is a tragedy, which could have been avoided,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Jeff Engel. “Listeriosis can be prevented by avoiding unpasteurized milk and other potentially contaminated food, especially among vulnerable people.”

Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Listeriosis outbreaks have been associated with consuming unpasteurized or raw milk, contaminated soft cheeses, vegetables, and ready-to-eat meats. The Listeria bacterium is found in soil and water and animals can carry the bacterium without appearing ill, contaminating foods of animal origin such as meats and dairy products. The bacterium has been found in processed foods that become contaminated after processing, such as soft cheeses and deli counter cold cuts. The disease typically affects pregnant women, newborns, and people with weakened immune systems and symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea. If infection spreads to the nervous system, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions can occur.

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Toy recalls and toy injuries are on the rise.  While many parents this year have worried about lead in toys, one medical organization is warning of another danger -   toys that can cause serious eye injuries. There were over 210,000 toy injuries treated in U.S. emergency rooms in 2005 and about 6,000 of those involved injuries to the eyes of children under the age of 15, according to the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

This year, the CPSC recalled 61 toys involving more than 25 million products; over six million toys have been recalled due to lead, the highest number ever due to product defects. The attention paid to lead tainted toys is understandable.  Lead is known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and can cause mental and physical retardation and behavioral and other health problems in children.  In adults, lead can damage the nervous system. But lead is not the only toy injury danger children face.    Many other dangerous toys can damage children’s eyes, warns the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).

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Alaris Pump modules manufactured by Cardinal Health where recalled this week due to a defect in the pumps that could lead to over-infusion.   The company became aware of the defective medical devices following a review of customer complaints and service data. Cardinal Health received one report of an injury and two reports of patient deaths that may be associated with the defective Alaris Pump modules.

The Alaris Pump module recall involves model 8100—formerly known as Medley Pump module—shipped prior to September 27th. Cardinal notified customers by registered letter, posted the letter on their Web site, and set up a dedicated call center and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been advised of the faulty Alaris Pump module.

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Last summer’s Con Edison Steam Pipe Explosion in New York City was the result of shoddy repairs performed by the utility company.  A clump of sealant probably caused the deadly July 18th steam pipe explosion in midtown Manhattan, Consolidated Edison, said. 

Con Ed spokesman Michael Clendenin said Wednesday that the clog came from epoxy resin injected into the pipe four months before the blast.  The epoxy sealed a flange, or seam, connecting two segments of steel pipe and some epoxy got into a valve, leading to a buildup of pressure that ruptured the pipe.  The condition, known as “water hammer,” can result when water condenses in a closed section of pipe; the sudden mix of hot steam and cool water can make pressure surge.  The findings drew a scathing response Thursday from City Councilman and Con Ed critic Eric Gioia, who noted the utility pointed at the city as potentially responsible for the blast.

In October Con Ed blamed city sewers, pipes and drains for leaking cold water onto the hot steam pipe and filed a $25 million notice of claim—the first step toward a lawsuit—against the city.  “They’ll do anything they can to deflect blame and avoid taking responsibility,” Gioia said.  “But now this report shows that Con Ed’s poor maintenance contributed to this deadly explosion.”  There have been over a dozen steam pipe explosions in the city in the last 20 years.

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Last Wednesday’s fatal Jacksonville Plant Explosion at T2 Laboratories might have been caused by problems with a chemical mix.   Reports have surfaced that investigators looking into the T2 Laboratories explosion have said that something went wrong while octane booster was being mixed at the Jacksonville, Florida chemical plant.

The explosion at T2 Laboratories occurred 1:30 p.m. on December 19.  Witnesses to the Jacksonville plant explosion reported seeing a bright flash followed by a tremendous explosion. The explosion was massive enough to blow open doors at a hotel several miles away, and shattered the windows of buildings nearby. Flames and a plume of smoke formed by the T2 Laboratories explosion shot at least 20 feet into the air, and could be seen for miles around.  The blast was so violent that safety officers were inspecting earthquake-like damage to surrounding businesses to see if and when they will be allowed to reopen.

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A Phoenix, Arizona surgeon faces a disciplinary hearing for medical malpractice after taking a picture of a patient’s tattooed genitals during an operation. And if taking the photograph wasn’t enough, the surgeon showed the picture to other doctors. Mayo Clinic Hospital administrators said Dr. Adam Hansen, chief resident of general surgery, admitted shooting the photo with his cell phone on December 11th. The tattoo on strip club owner Sean Dubowik’s penis reads: “Hot Rod.” Dubowik, who had undergone a gallbladder operation, said he learned of the photo Monday when the Mayo Clinic called him, saying “I got a strange call after my surgery from a doctor who said there was a problem. He said Hansen was on the phone and would explain.” Dubowik, 27, said Hansen told him he took the picture while inserting a catheter into his penis. A member of the surgical staff made an anonymous call about the photo to The Arizona Republic on Monday. “He told me he didn’t want me to read about it in the newspaper first,” Dubowik said.

Hansen wasn’t available for comment Tuesday and has been placed on administrative leave and could face a range of punishments from probation to dismissal. “Patient privacy is a serious matter and photographing someone in this manner without a good reason is something we will investigate down to the last detail,” said Dr. Joseph Sirven, education director for Mayo Clinic Arizona; the hospital’s parent organization based in Scottsdale.

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