A new salmonella outbreak is emerging, this time linked to pepper products made by Union International Food Company (UIFC). The company is recalling several varieties of its white and black pepper, as well as other spices as a precaution.

KTVN in Nevada is reporting that health officials have warned consumers to avoid eating ground white pepper that was processed, packaged, and/or distributed by Union International Food Company (UIFC) in Union City, California. According to KCRA in California, the warning was later expanded to include white and black pepper products from the company’s Union City facility in near San Francisco. More California Company Recalls Spices Implicated in Salmonella Outbreak

Oliver Twist dvd Potentially defective digoxin tablets have been recalled by generic drug maker Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Ltd. According to the recall notice, the tablets may differ in size and therefore could contain too much or too little of the drug’s active ingredient. The recall applies to all tablets of Caraco brand Digoxin, USP, 0.125 mg, and Digoxin, USP, 0.25 mg, distributed prior to March 31, 2009, which are not expired and are within the expiration date of September, 2011.

Digoxin is a drug used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. According to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), it has a narrow therapeutic index and the existence of a higher than labeled dose may pose a risk of digoxin toxicity in patients with renal failure. Digoxin toxicity can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, cardiac instability, and bradycardia. Death can also result from excessive digoxin intake.

A lower than labeled dose may pose a risk of lack of efficacy potentially resulting in cardiac instability.

The digoxin recall includes tablets with the following NDC codes:

Digoxin Tablets, USP, 0.125 mg
57664-437-88 (100-count)
57664-437-18 (1000-count)

Digoxin Tablets, USP, 0.25 mg
57664-441-88 (100-count)
57664-441-18 (1000-count)

Caraco Digoxin 0.125 mg is a scored round biconvex yellow tablet imprinted with “437”. Caraco Digoxin 0.25 mg is a scored round biconvex white tablet imprinted with “441”. Patients with these tablets should return them to their pharmacy or place of purchase.

Retailers who have this product should return the product to their place of purchase. Retailers can call Caraco customer service at (800) 818-4555, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST, for instructions on how to return the affected product or for any other inquiries related to this action.

Patients using Caraco’s digoxin tablets, USP, 0.125 mg or 0.25 mg, who have medical questions should contact their healthcare provider for additional instructions or guidance.

Other defective digoxin tablets have been recalled recently. Last April, Actavis Totowa recalled oversized Digitek tablets. The FDA deemed the Digitek recall a Class I recall, meaning that the defective Digitek tablets could cause serious health problems or death.

According to a report issued by the Center for Public Integrity in December, there were 667 deaths reported to the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System that involved Digitek between April 1 and June 30, 2007. The group also found that the FDA had received just one reported death attributed to Digitek in the three month period prior to the April Digitek recall.

What is believed to be the first such lawsuit has been filed in connection with the historic outbreak of the rare E. coli O111 Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot on dvd strain that originated at the Country Cottage restaurant in Locust Grove, Oklahoma, reports the Associated Press (AP). Jim and Donna Crafton filed the lawsuit against the Country Cottage. The couple said they dined at Country Cottage on August 25 and that Donna “suffered severe physical harm and extreme mental suffering from eating the food, reported the AP.

The outbreak was the largest in history of E. coli strain O111 and resulted in the death of one man, 314 illness, and scores of hospitalizations.

Country Cottage, which is a buffet-style restaurant in business for over 22 years, has had 88 health department violations since 2004 that range from improper food storage to improper food temperatures. Cross contamination violations occurred in 2005 and 2006, according to health department reports. This type of contamination can take place when, for instance, a meat product is placed near a product such as eggs. Cross contamination was originally suspected; however, an OSDH (Oklahoma State Department of Health) official said that because investigators were never able to identify a specific food source, they believe a staff member who handled many foods at the restaurant might have been infected and spread the contamination. The origin of the outbreak remains unknown, said the AP.

During an August 23 surprise inspection, nine health code violations were identified. Despite this, Country Cottage remained open on August 24, the day the one related death occurred. Also, internal documents revealed that State Health Department officials allowed Country Cottage to remain open temporarily—despite confirming six of eight initial food poisoning victims had eaten its food.

The Health Department first publicly cited Country Cottage as a possible link in the outbreak on August 25, saying in a release that “a large number of persons who became ill” had eaten there. The investigation ultimately revealed that every person who became ill in the E. coli O111 outbreak had eaten food prepared by Country Cottage.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia describes “shiga-producing” (shiga is a type of toxin) E. coli infections—such as strain O111—as diarrheagenic bacteria termed “enterohemorrhagic E. coli” that are similar in path to that of the better known E. coli O157:H7. This means that these serious and sometimes deadly infections can cause symptoms that range from mild diarrhea to more profound watery or bloody diarrhea with severe abdominal cramping. E. coli O111 can also result in the very serious hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). In the United States annually, these serious types of E. coli outbreaks sicken approximately 110,000 people and cause about 90 deaths, says the CDC.

Country Cottage closed for some time at the height of the outbreak. The restaurant had to take a variety of steps in order to be allowed to reopen, such as participating in food safety classes, said Channel 8 in an earlier report. The restaurant also had to replace all of its hand washing sinks and was required to disconnect a water well. The health department found bacteria in that well during its investigation, reported Channel 8.

MRSA The Road to El Dorado the movie —Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus—has long been known to be passed via health care workers and equipment and is best known for its ability to fight off the effects of a growing array of antibiotics. Now, Science Daily reports that a preventative measure as simple as regular hand washing by hospital staff and visitors had significant positive effects on stemming the spread of the deadly super bug versus patient isolation.

Dr. Peter Wilson from University College Hospital, London just spoke at the Society for General Microbiology meeting in Harrogate and discussed a yearlong study that took place in two hospital intensive care units (ICUs). The study looked at a six-month period in the middle of the year in which MRSA patients were not isolated, said Science Daily, versus MRSA cross infection rates when patients were moved. The patients were tested for MRSA weekly, with hand hygiene by staff and visitors audited and urged, said Science Daily, which noted that there was no evidence of increased MRSA transmission when patients were not moved and that moving seriously-ill MRSA patients can be dangerous and also involves extra hygiene measures.

In 2005—the last year when such figures are available—about 94,000 Americans developed MRSA with most of them infected in healthcare facilities. Previously limited to hospital and nursing home patients, MRSA is now striking and killing in communities. MRSA now has two main strains, the traditional, hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA), which, said EfluxMedia in an earlier report, is more dangerous due to its overwhelming antibiotic resistance; community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) originates from strain ST8:USA300 and, while more potent, is a bit easier to treat, often not needing antibiotic therapy. Science Daily explained that MRSA are Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that are resistant to the meticillin class of antibiotics.

“If a patient carrying MRSA is critically ill, moving them to a single room is less of a priority than clinical care,” said Dr Wilson, quoted Science Daily. “If the criteria are strictly applied, compliance with hand hygiene practices on intensive care units is less than on a general ward because of the very high number of contacts per hour. Another study is needed in a general ward where a high level of compliance with hand hygiene is easier to achieve,” Dr. Wilson added.

MRSA is carried on the skin or in the nose and can affect others with carriers exhibiting no symptoms. MRSA can be dangerous if it reaches the bloodstream or organs, but with early and proper diagnosis—when there is a small eruption on the skin and before MRSA reaches the bloodstream—the infection is easily treated with general-purpose antibiotics, the sore is bandaged and kept clean, and the infection is cured. There is no down time and patients can resume activities with no risk of falling ill or contaminating others. Without treatment or with incorrect diagnosis and treatment, the infection spreads rapidly and can lead to respiratory failure and surgeries, attacking vital organs like the lungs and heart. Survivors are not always returned to their pre-MRSA condition, losing limbs, hearing, and full use of damaged organs.

Arthur Nadel

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has been given 30 days to find a new attorney. According to CNBC, the accused Ponzi schemer was granted the 30-day continuance after a federal judge refused to allow him access to some of his frozen assets so that he could pay his criminal attorneys.

Nadel owed the Florida law firm that had been representing him in his criminal case more than $93,000. Earlier this month, the firm had asked U.S. District Judge Richard Lazzara to unfreeze $250,000 worth of Nadel’s assets to pay his current and future legal bills. In return, the firm had offered to represent him for a “deeply discounted” rate. The firm had hinted that it would drop Nadel as a client if the assets were not released.

But Judge Lazzara refused, saying that doing so would be a “gross abuse of my discretion.” If necessary, Lazzara said, Nadel could be represented by court-appointed counsel.

Under the continuance, prosecutors will have until April 29 to either get a guilty plea from Nadel, or to get an indictment. The continuance will allow Nadel to find new representation while allowing the new legal team to “review certain pre-indictment discovery.”

Arthur Nadel was president of Scoop Management Inc., which managed six private investment funds. He disappeared on January 14, a day before he was to deliver a $50 million payout to investors. He left his family a purported suicide note, but it was always suspected that Nadel was alive and on the run.

Nadel turned himself in to the FBI in Tampa two weeks later. His was charged with one count each of securities fraud and wire fraud, and his case was moved to federal court in Manhattan. Nadel is in jail, having been unable to meet the conditions of a $5 million bond. If convicted, Nadel could face a maximum of 20 years in prison on each charge.

Nadel’s fraud is estimated to have cost his investors as much as $397 million.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) just announced that damaged roads are being resurfaced, river dredging continues, and word should be released soon regarding to where the massive mountain of coal fly ash that spilled on December 22 will be moved, reports KnoxNews. The TVA spill dumped 5.4 million cubic yards of coal sludge in Tennessee’s Emory and Clinch rivers and 300 acres surrounding its Kingston plant in Eastern Tennessee.

Volunteer TV/WVLT reported that over 100 residents attended last night’s status update, the second since the spill occurred. According to KnoxNews, among other initiatives, the TVA is preparing a policy in which independent medical professionals will meet with those who filed health claims. KnoxNews also reported that TVA announced it dredged over 7,500 cubic yards of ash from the Emory River since mid-March, with work extending three additional hours daily, effective immediately. More TVA Claims Water Near Fly Ash Spill Safe for Recreation, Tests Disagree

Criminal charges were dismissed yesterday against several orthopedic device makers because they have fulfilled the terms of deferred prosecution agreements they reached with U.S. prosecutors a year and half ago. According to Dow Jones News Wire, Zimmer Holdings Inc., Johnson & Johnson unit DePuy, Smith & Nephew PLC and Biomet Inc. had all been accused of violating federal anti-kick back laws.

According to Bloomberg News, the four companies supply 95 percent of hips and knees used annually in 700,000 replacement surgeries in the U.S. Prosecutors had accused the four firms of handing out excessive consulting agreements, lavish trips and other perks to reward surgeons who used their products. Investigators said physicians performed little or no consulting work, other than to exclusively use the products of whatever company was paying them, and also failed to disclose the relationships with the hospitals where they performed surgery, or to their patients. More Kickback Charges Against Orthopedic Device Makers Dropped

Yamaha Motor Corp. USA is recalling 120,000 dangerous Rhino off-road vehicles. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), the defective Yamaha Rhino vehicles have been linked to 46 deaths.

Yamaha has announced a free repair program to address safety issues with all Rhino 450, 660 and 700 models. Owners of the deadly Yamaha Rhino are being warned not to use them until the repairs are made.

According to the CPSC

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, it has investigated more than 50 incidents involving 46 driver and passenger deaths in these two Rhino models. More than two-thirds of the cases involved rollovers and many involved unbelted occupants. Of the rollover-related deaths and hundreds of reported injuries, some of which were serious, many appear to involve turns at relatively low speeds and on level terrain, the CPSC said.

The 450, 660 and 700 model Yamaha Rhinos have been distributed nationwide since Fall 2003. Some units have been equipped by Yamaha with half doors and additional passenger handholds, either before or after sale.

According to the CPSC, Yamaha’s repair includes the installation of a spacer on the rear wheels as well as the removal of the rear anti-sway bar to help reduce the chance of rollover and improve vehicle handling, and continued installation of half doors and additional passenger handholds where these features have not been previously installed to help keep occupants’ arms and legs inside the vehicle during a rollover and reduce injuries. The company is also extending a free helmet offer to owners of the affected Yamaha Rhinos.

Once these repairs have been made to their vehicles, the CPSC is urging Rhino users to always wear their helmet and seatbelt and follow the safety instructions and warnings in the on-product labels, owner’s manuals and other safety materials. The Rhino is only recommended for operators 16 and older with a valid driver’s license. All passengers must be tall enough to place both feet on the floorboard with their back against the seat back.

For additional information, contact Yamaha at 800-962-7926 anytime, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.yamaha-motor.com

We have long been reporting about the dangers associated with the Yamaha Rhino. The CPSC decided to investigate the Yamaha Rhino last November because of the high number of accident and death reports involving the vehicle, as wells as the high number of product liability suits – at least 200 – filed by people who claim they were injured by the Rhino.

While off-road vehicles are involved in hundreds of accidents every year, critics say the Yamaha Rhino is even more likely to be involved in deadly rollover accidents. They charge that the Yamaha Rhino is top heavy, and it has tires that are extremely narrow. These design defects make it far more likely that the Yamaha Rhino will tip and rollover while going through a turn, even when the vehicle is traveling at a slow speed and is on a flat surface. Furthermore, the Yamaha Rhino is designed in such a way that passengers’ legs are unprotected in the event of a rollover accident.

Victims of Yamaha Rhino rollover accidents usually experience broken or crushed legs, ankles or feet. In some cases, victims have been permanently disabled, and have had limbs amputated following a Yamaha Rhino rollover accident. When Yamaha Rhino rollover accidents involve children, the results are often fatal.

Unfortunately, the CPSC has not set safety standards for vehicles like the Rhino, which it classifies as a utility terrain vehicle, or UTV. Another class of off-roaders, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), are subject to safety standards. Vehicles like the Rhino aren’t classified as ATV because of design differences such as having a steering wheel, in contrast to the ATVs’ handlebars. But neither are vehicles such as the Rhino subject to the much-tougher standards for cars.

Consumers nationwide are being warned to avoid pistachios and pistachio-containing products. According to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) pistachios made by the nation’s second largest producer – Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc – may be tainted with salmonella. The California-based company is recalling 1 million pounds of the nuts.

According to the FDA, this pistachio recall is in no way related to the Peanut Corp. of America (PCA) salmonella outbreak that we have been following for the past several months. No illnesses have yet been linked to salmonella-tainted pistachios, but federal regulators are investigating several suspected cases. More Pistachios Named in Latest Salmonella Scare

About 320,000 Electrolux Cordless Stick Vacuums have been recalled by Electrolux Home Care Products Inc., of Bloomington, Illinois. The Electrolux Cordless Stick Vacuum’s battery can expand and burst, which poses a risk of injury to the user and bystanders, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

(CPSC) just announced.

Electrolux Home Care Products has received 34 reports of incidents in the United States involving damage to the vacuum and surrounding property. There have been two reports of minor injuries, including swollen hands and irritation to the eyes from contact with battery powder.

In response, Electrolux Home Care Products is recalling its Ergorapido, Pronto, and Precision 2-in-1 cordless stick vacuums with a detachable hand vacuum and free-standing charger. Units involved in the recall have 9.6-volts printed on a serial plate on the underside of the handheld unit, and the following serial numbers: 074000001 through 085100001 and 74000001 through 85100001. The recalled Electrolux 2-in-1 cordless stick vacuums were manufactured in China.

The following models/model names are involved in the recall:

* EL1000A: Pronto
* EL1000B: Pronto
* EL1000BX: Pronto
* EL1000BZ: Pronto
* PE1000B: Precision
* EL1005A: Ergorapido
* EL1006A: Ergorapido

The recalled Electrolux Vacuums were sold at major and independent retailers nationwide from November 2007 through March 2009 and retailed for about $100.

The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately unplug and stop using the recalled vacuums and contact Electrolux for a free replacement of the handheld portion of the recalled vacuum, which contains the batteries. Electrolux Home Care Products can be reached toll-free at 1-800-932-1778 between 8:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday and 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Central Time Saturday and Sunday. Consumers can also visit the firm’s Website at www.stickvacrecall.com.

Meanwhile, Canadian media is reporting that a woman there received third-degree burns to her left palm after the vacuum’s battery burst. According to CBC News in Canada, the woman’s physicians told her it could take up to one year for her to recover from her injuries. CBC News said that the force of the explosion was so strong it changed the shape of the ring the woman was wearing and embedded a piece of the vacuum into the wall. CBC News reported that, in Canada, the recalled Electrolux vacuums were sold at Costco, Canadian Tire, the Bay, and Sears stores. There have been five incidents of damage to vacuums and property in Canada.