Health Library

Test Your Home for Radon: EPA TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Americans should test their homes for a naturally occurring radioactive gas called radon, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says. "Many people don't realize that radon is the second cause of lung cancer after smoking," EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said in an agency news release. "The good news is radon exposure is preventable. Testing and fixing for radon will save thousands of lives, prevent burdensome health care costs,...

Therapy Dogs Help Cancer Patients Cope With Tough Treatments TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- People undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for cancer may get an emotional lift from man's best friend, a new study suggests. The study, of patients with head and neck cancers, is among the first to scientifically test the effects of therapy dogs -- trained and certified pooches brought in to ease human anxiety, whether it's from trauma, injury or illness. To dog lovers, it may be a no-brainer that ...

Too Much Sitting Can Be Deadly -- Even if You Exercise, Review Finds MONDAY, Jan. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Regular exercise doesn't erase the higher risk of serious illness or premature death that comes from sitting too much each day, a new review reveals. Combing through 47 prior studies, Canadian researchers found that prolonged daily sitting was linked to significantly higher odds of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and dying. And even if study participants exercised regularly, the accumulated evi...

TV Alcohol Ads Tied to Problem Drinking for Teens, Study Finds MONDAY, Jan. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- A new study finds a link between the number of TV ads for alcohol a teen views, and their odds for problem drinking. Higher "familiarity" with booze ads "was associated with the subsequent onset of drinking across a range of outcomes of varying severity among adolescents and young adults," wrote a team led by Dr. Susanne Tanski of Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Their...

Those With Autism May Have Unique Brain Connections, Study Shows MONDAY, Jan. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- People with autism may have brain connections that are uniquely their own, a new study suggests. Previous research has found either over- or under-synchronization between different areas of the brains of people with autism, when compared to those without the disorder. The authors of the new study said those apparently conflicting findings may reflect the fact that each person with autism might have...

Take Steps to Avoid Winter Falls SATURDAY, Jan. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Falls are a major cause of injuries during the winter, but there are steps you can take to help stay on your feet, an expert says. "Many falls can be successfully avoided or the impact minimized by applying a few basic strategies," Mike Ross, an exercise physiologist with the Loyola University Health System, in Maywood, Ill., said in a university news release. His suggestions: Check the traction of your shoes and boots. Better ...

Therapists Must Ease Patients' Fear When Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Study WEDNESDAY, Jan. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Easing fears that exercise may worsen symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome is crucial in efforts to prevent disability in people with the condition, a new study says. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complex condition, characterized by overwhelming fatigue that is not improved by bed rest, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Treatments are aimed at red...

Tuning In to Music May Ease Kids' Post-Op Pain, Study Finds TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Going through a surgery often means post-operative pain for children, but listening to their favorite music might help ease their discomfort, a new study finds. One expert wasn't surprised by the finding. "It is well known that distraction is a powerful force in easing pain, and music certainly provides an excellent distraction," said Dr. Ron Marino, associate chair of pediatrics at Winthrop-University...

The Mind May Be a Muscle Booster MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- The mind can play a key role in maintaining muscle strength in limbs that are placed in a cast for a prolonged period of time, a new study suggests. The researchers said mental imagery might help reduce the muscle loss associated with this type of immobilization. Although skeletal muscle is a well-known factor that controls strength, researchers at Ohio University's Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute investigated how...

Terrorism Fears May Shorten Your Life, Study Finds TUESDAY, Dec. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term fear of terrorists may damage your heart and increase your risk for an early death, a new study from Israel suggests. Conducted by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the study involved 17,300 Israelis. In Israel, the threat of war and terrorism has been a part of life for more than 60 years. "We wanted to test whether fear of terrorism can predict an increase in pulse rate and increa...

Tablets and E-readers May Disrupt Your Sleep MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- People who receive a tablet or e-book reader for the holidays might wind up spending some sleepless nights because of their new gadget. That's because the light emitted by a tablet like an iPad can disrupt sleep if the device is used in the hours before bedtime, according to a new Harvard study. People who read before bed using an iPad or similar "e-reader" device felt less sleepy and took longer to fall asleep than w...

Texas Infant Dies of Legionnaires' Disease After 'Water Birth' WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A new report on a Texas infant who died from Legionnaires' disease after being born in a whirlpool tub highlights the potential dangers of having a "water birth." It's not clear if the baby was infected with the respiratory illness via the well water in the tub where the infant was born, according to the report. Still, Texas health officials have since warned midwives statewide about the risks of ...

Timing of First Period Tied to Women's Later Heart Risk: Study MONDAY, Dec. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The timing of a woman's first period may be linked to her later risk of heart disease, British researchers report. In a study of more than 1 million women, those who had their first period at age 10 or younger, or at age 17 or older, appeared to have a higher risk of heart disease, stroke and complications from high blood pressure. Women who had their first periods at age 10 or earlier were 27 percen...

The Pill Remains Most Common Method of Birth Control, U.S. Report Shows THURSDAY, Dec. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The pill remains one of the most popular methods of birth control for women, along with female sterilization and condoms, a new report shows. Among the two-thirds of women aged 15 to 44 who used birth control between 2011 and 2013, approximately 16 percent used the pill. Female sterilization, where women have their fallopian tubes closed or blocked, was used by 15.5 percent of women, while...

Technology Helps Manage Diabetes: FDA MONDAY, Dec. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Technology can ease some of the burden of managing diabetes, possibly getting blood sugar levels within safe ranges more often, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. People with diabetes don't make or use the hormone insulin properly. Insulin is needed to convert glucose from food into energy. Insulin pumps are devices that deliver a steady flow of insulin, even while you sleep. The pump is about the size of a pager and...

Too Much TV Time May Lower Survival Odds After Colon Cancer, Study Suggests MONDAY, Dec. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Watching too much television may lower your chances of survival after colon cancer, new research suggests. "The take-away message from our study is that both minimizing TV viewing, to less than two hours per day, and increasing exercise, to four-plus hours per week, were associated with lower mortality risk among colorectal cancer survivors," explained study author Hannah Arem, a postdoct...

 

Text Messages Remind People to Take Medications FRIDAY, Dec. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Text reminders improve the chances that patients will stick with their medication regimen, a new study finds. About one-third of people don't take their medications as prescribed, either because they forget or because they're uncertain about the benefits or potential harms of the drugs, according to the researchers. "An important and overlooked problem in medicine is the failure to take prescribed medication. The re...

Time Spent in the OR May Be Linked to Blood Clots, Study Shows WEDNESDAY, Dec. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Longer surgery times may increase a patient's risk of dangerous blood clots, a new study suggests. Blood clots are associated with more than 500,000 hospitalizations and 100,000 deaths a year, according to background information in the study. Researchers analyzed data from more than 1.4 million people who had surgery under general anesthesia at 315 U.S. hospitals between 2005 and 2011. Of those pat...

Too Few Prostate Cancer Patients Get Bone-Strengthening Meds: Study TUESDAY, Dec. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Many men on hormone therapy for prostate cancer aren't getting bone-strengthening drugs they may need, new Canadian research contends. Hormone therapy, which suppresses male hormones called androgens, helps stop cancer cells from growing. But one consequence of the treatment is weakening of the bones, which can lead to fractures. To reduce this risk, men can be given oral bisphosphonates, such a...

The Salk Polio Vaccine: 'Greatest Public Health Experiment in History' Part two of a two-part series TUESDAY, Dec. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A nationwide trial of an experimental vaccine using school children as virtual guinea pigs would be unthinkable in the United States today. But that's exactly what happened in 1954 when frantic American parents -- looking for anything that could beat back the horror of polio -- offered up more than 1.8 million children to serve as test subjects. They included 600...

Toddlers Hurt in Falls Often Not Warned About Climbing on Furniture MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Toddlers who wound up in the emergency room after falls at home were more likely to have parents who did not use safety gates or teach their kids not to climb onto kitchen counters or furniture, a new study finds. In the United States, 1 million children are treated in the ER each year for injuries related to falls in the home, the researchers noted. Most of these falls involve chairs, beds, baby...

Testosterone May Not Deliver Victory for Athletes, Study Found MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Higher levels of testosterone during competition do not improve athletes' chances of victory, a new study finds. "Many people in the scientific literature and in popular culture link testosterone increases to winning," Kathleen Casto, a graduate student in psychology at Emory University in Atlanta, said in a university news release. "In this study, however, we found an increase in testosterone during ...

The Man in the Iron Lung MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Paul Alexander's most impressive accomplishment is something most people never think about. He taught himself how to breathe. Alexander, 67, is a victim of the worst that polio had to offer children in the late 1940s and early 1950s. At the age of 6, he was completely paralyzed by the disease, his lungs stopped working, and he was literally thrown into an iron lung. Alexander has been in that iron lung for 61 years because he remains almo...

The Salk Polio Vaccine: A Medical Miracle Turns 60 Part one of a two-part series MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Most American parents today can't fathom the horror that summers brought during the first half of the 20th century. Summer meant polio season, and whole communities waited in dread for an outbreak to strike. Ordinary life all but ground to a halt in cities and towns where polio went on its rampage, crippling or killing scores of children. Movie theaters, bowling alleys, swimming pool...

Too Few Seniors Check Their Medical Records Online FRIDAY, Nov. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Too few American seniors go online to check their health records, a new study suggests. Many doctors offer patients online access to certain parts of their electronic medical records, including immunization records, lab results, safe and correct use of medications and reminders for visits and screenings. However, this study suggests that older Americans are being left behind when it comes to the benefits of elec...

Turkey Fryer Mishaps Can Cause Serious Burns THURSDAY, Nov. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Celebration can quickly turn to tragedy if popular turkey fryers are misused on Thanksgiving Day, experts say. Over the last decade, more than 141 serious fires and hot-oil burns have occurred while people were using turkey fryers, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. "I have actually cared for a patient who tried to deep fry the turkey indoors, which absolutely should not be done in any circums...

Too Few Americans Undergo Dementia Screening WEDNESDAY, Nov. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- More than half of Americans with dementia have never undergone screening of their thinking and memory skills, a new study suggests. As reported online Nov. 26 in Neurology , "approximately 1.8 million Americans over the age of 70 with dementia have never had an evaluation of their cognitive [mental] abilities," study author Dr. Vikas Kotagal, of the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, said in a journ...

Teens Given Anxiety, Sleep Meds May Be at Risk for Drug Abuse TUESDAY, Nov. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Teens prescribed anti-anxiety or sleep medications are much more likely to abuse those drugs than other teens, a new study warns. The findings show the need to conduct substance abuse assessments on teenagers before prescribing these drugs to them, the researchers said. "Prescribers and parents don't realize the abuse potential," said lead researcher Carol Boyd, a professor at the University of Michi...

Treating Irregular Heartbeat With Digoxin May Come With Risks FRIDAY, Nov. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The widely used heart drug digoxin is associated with increased risk of death and hospitalization among patients who have the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation but no evidence of heart failure, a new study finds. Atrial fibrillation is a common form of irregular heartbeat that has been linked to a rise in risk for stroke among older Americans. Digoxin has been used for more than a century to h...

Testosterone Plays Minor Role in Older Women's Sex Lives, Study Finds THURSDAY, Nov. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- While levels of testosterone and other reproductive hormones have some effect on menopausal women's sex lives, their emotional health and quality of their relationships have a stronger influence, according to a new study. Testosterone is the main sex hormone in men. But, women's ovaries also naturally produce small amounts of the hormone, the researchers noted. The researchers analyzed data ...

Type 1 Diabetes Lowered Survival in Study WEDNESDAY, Nov. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- People with type 1 diabetes faced a much higher risk of dying over the course of a 14-year study than people without the disease, Swedish researchers report. The good news was that the closer someone with type 1 diabetes got to their blood sugar goals (glycemic control), the lower the risk of dying. The bad news was that even those with the best blood sugar management still had roughly double the risk of dying from an...

Trans Fats May Sap Your Memory TUESDAY, Nov. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The trans fats found in your favorite junk foods aren't just clogging your arteries: New research shows they might also be messing with your memory. Young and middle-aged men who ate large amounts of trans fats exhibited a significantly reduced ability to recall words during a memory test, according to findings to be presented Tuesday at the American Heart Association's annual meeting in Chicago. Men with the most trans fats in th...

Trust Is Key to Curbing West Africa Ebola Outbreak, Study Finds MONDAY, Nov. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Gaining peoples' trust is key to efforts by health workers to rein in the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, a new study suggests. The study found that a lack of trust among the affected people of Guinea was a major reason the Ebola outbreak got out of control early on. Distrust led people to ignore medical advice, resulting in the rapid spread of the disease, said a team led by Timothy Robertson of the...

Two Generic Versions of ADHD Drug Not as Effective: FDA FRIDAY, Nov. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Two generic versions of the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder drug Concerta may not work as effectively as the brand-name product does, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday. The agency analyzed available data and conducted laboratory tests on the two generic versions of Concerta (methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets) made by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and Kudco Irel...

Talking to Friend While Driving? May Be Safer When They See the Road, Too THURSDAY, Nov. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Experts have long warned that cellphone conversations are an enemy to safe driving. And while a new study finds that drivers do best when they don't talk and simply focus on the road, if they must talk, it's better if the person they are talking to has his or her eyes on the road, too. That could mean either sitting in the passenger seat or via a specially designed videophone, the study ...

Trials of Experimental Ebola Therapies to Begin THURSDAY, Nov. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Trials of therapies that might prove effective against Ebola will begin in December in West Africa, the epicenter of the worst Ebola outbreak ever, health officials said Thursday. The therapies will include two antiviral drugs -- one from the United States and one from Japan. They have been approved for certain uses -- the Japanese drug is given to treat influenza, for instance -- but they haven't been tested as ...

Time to Enroll, or Re-Enroll, in an 'Obamacare' Health Plan WEDNESDAY, Nov. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The "Obamacare" marketplaces are now gearing up for a new challenge: persuading Americans who slogged through last year's troubled open enrollment to renew their coverage. This year's enrollment period kicks off Nov. 15. Current enrollees will have until Dec. 15 to pick a plan and update their financial information if they want coverage under a different plan come Jan. 1. If they don't meet that dead...

Three-Quarters of Young Baseball Players Have Arm Pain TUESDAY, Nov. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Arm pain is common among young baseball players, a new study shows. But despite the pain, many young people are urged to keep playing, the researchers added. The findings suggest that closer monitoring of young baseball players is needed to prevent overuse injuries. "Both nationally and internationally, we're witnessing a troubling increase of elbow and shoulder injuries in young baseball players," study le...

Think You're Allergic to Penicillin? Maybe Not FRIDAY, Nov. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Many Americans may check the box "allergic to penicillin" on medical forms, but new research suggests that most of them are mistaken. Follow-up testing revealed that most people who believed they were allergic to penicillin were actually not allergic to the antibiotic, according to two new studies. In one study, 94 percent of 384 people who believed they were allergic to penicillin tested negative for penicillin alle...

The Golden Years Don't Glitter for All THURSDAY, Nov. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- People in high-income English-speaking countries tend to grow more satisfied with their lives as they age, but that's not the case in many other nations, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed data gathered from people around the world and found that life satisfaction tends to fall during middle age and rise in older age among people in the United States and other high-income English-speaking countries. However, people in...

The ABCs of Successful Classroom Design WEDNESDAY, Nov. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Classroom design can have a major impact on student achievement, a new study says. "For students to learn to their full potential, the classroom environment must be of minimum structural quality and contain cues signaling that all students are valued learners," the study authors wrote. Two of the most important features are lighting and temperature, according to the researchers who reviewed the latest scientific evidence...

Typical ADHD Care Leaves Room for Improvement, Study Finds MONDAY, Nov. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Many pediatricians provide inadequate care for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), relying too heavily on drugs and failing to thoroughly assess kids' symptoms, a new study reports. Nearly one-third of pediatricians who diagnose children with ADHD do not consult the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , a necessary step in determining if the kids meet the crite...

Tips for Safe Trick-or-Treating SATURDAY, Oct. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Arriving home safe and sound is one of the best Halloween treats of all. To that end, be sure that costumes and goody bags have reflective strips that improve visibility to drivers, said Dr. Sampson Davis, an emergency medicine doctor at Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in Secaucus, N.J. Trick-or-treaters should also carry a flashlight, and costumes should be flame-resistant, Davis said. He offers these others tips: If you pl...

Teens Who Dine With Their Families May Be Slimmer Adults FRIDAY, Oct. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For those teens who try to avoid spending time with their parents and siblings, new research suggests that sitting down for family meals might help them stay slim as adults. Despite everyone's busy schedules, researchers found that just one or two gatherings around the kitchen table each week were well worth the effort. "There are numerous distractions that could keep families from having family meals. How...

Teen Conflicts Spill Over to Other Areas of Their Lives THURSDAY, Oct. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Teens' conflicts at home increase the risk of problems at school for up to two days, according to a new study. The research also found that the reverse is true: school problems can create issues at home. Additionally, the study found that bad mood and mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety are important factors in what's referred to as "spillover effect." Problems that can spill over betwee...

Taking a 'Selfie' May Help With Dermatology Care, Study Shows WEDNESDAY, Oct. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- While in-office visits may still be best, taking a photo of a skin lesion and sending it to your dermatologist for analysis may be a valuable piece of eczema care, a new study finds. "This study shows something interesting -- patients' eczema improved regardless whether they saw the doctor for follow-up in the office or communicated online," said one expert not connected to the study, Dr Gary Golde...

Tire Company Sets Standard for Ebola Care in Liberia: CDC TUESDAY, Oct. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Measures taken by Firestone officials at the company's rubber tree plantation in Ebola-ravaged Liberia may have limited the spread of the disease there and could prove effective elsewhere, researchers report. The Firestone Natural Rubber Co. provides health services to about 80,000 employees, retirees, their families and residents of nearby densely populated communities. Between Aug. 1 and Sept. 23, ther...

Teen Sisters Develop Ways to Measure Lung, Heart Damage TUESDAY, Oct. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Two sisters in high school have developed ways to measure lung and heart damage. Ilina and Medha Krishen use electronic stethoscopes, which electronically amplify body sounds, to listen for sounds of trouble in breathing patterns or heartbeats. Ilina, a senior at Port Huron Northern High School in Michigan, wanted to find a way to detect early lung damage in people exposed to harmful air pollutants. Using ...

Tall, Heavy 1-Year-Olds May Be at Risk for Obesity Later, Study Finds TUESDAY, Oct. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Infants who quickly add weight and length may be showing a genetic propensity for obesity as toddlers, a new study suggests. In adults, certain genes have been linked to increased body fat, but the same genes in infants promote proportionate gains in fat and lean muscle, the researchers said. At 1 year, kids with these genes may be heavier and taller. By ages 2 and 3, however, these genes wer...

Traffic Pollution May Be a Risk While Pregnant TUESDAY, Oct. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Children of mothers exposed to high levels of traffic air pollution during pregnancy may be at increased risk for lung damage, according to a new study. Researchers tested the lung function of 620 children in Spain when they were 4 years old. Their mothers' exposure to the traffic air pollutants nitrogen dioxide and benzene during the second trimester of pregnancy was also assessed. Compared to children born to mot...

Two-Pronged Program Looks Best for Helping Smokers Quit FRIDAY, Oct. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A combination of counseling and medication greatly increases smokers' chances of quitting, according to new research. The study included 1,560 adult smokers in England who made at least one attempt to quit over six months. About 45 percent used no aids to help them quit, while about 5 percent used prescription medication (nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion or varenicline) in combination with behavioral...

Tonsillectomy Complications May Be More Likely in Poor, Minority Kids FRIDAY, Oct. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Black and Hispanic children, and those from poor families, are at increased risk for complications after tonsil removal surgery, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 80,000 children who underwent tonsillectomies in California, Florida, Iowa and New York in 2010 and 2011. Within two weeks after surgery, about 8 percent of the children saw a doctor for complications such as b...

Teens Still Sending Naked Pictures Via Cellphone THURSDAY, Oct. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A large number of American teens continue to send and receive sexual images on their cellphones -- a practice dubbed sexting, according to a new study. Researchers surveyed more than 1,100 undergraduate college students about their experiences with sexting in high school. Nearly 20 percent said they had sent a nude photo of themselves to another person via cellphone, and 38 percent had received such a photo, acc...

Texas Health Care Worker With Ebola Took Commercial Flight on Monday: CDC WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The second nurse at a Dallas hospital to be diagnosed with Ebola flew on a domestic, commercial airline flight on Monday evening -- less than 24 hours before she reported symptoms to hospital staff, federal health officials said Wednesday. Health officials said the risk is low that Amber Joy Vinson, 26, exposed her fellow passengers to Ebola during Frontier Airlines flight 1143 from Cle...

Texas Health Care Worker With Ebola Took Commercial Flight on Monday: CDC WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The second health care worker at a Dallas hospital to be diagnosed with Ebola flew on a domestic, commercial airline flight on Monday evening -- less than 24 hours before she reported symptoms to hospital staff, federal health officials said Wednesday. In a statement released Wednesday morning, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that nurse Amber Joy Vinson, 26 -- c...

Teen Girls May Face Greater Risk of Depression WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Teen girls have more relationship-related stress than boys, which puts them at greater risk for depression, a new study finds. Nearly 400 white and black American teens underwent an assessment for depression and then had three follow-up assessments at about seven-month intervals. Girls tended to have more depressive symptoms during the follow-up than boys. Boys' depressive symptoms seemed to decrease during follo...

Texas Hospital Worker Tests Positive for Ebola SUNDAY, Oct. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A health care worker who helped treat the Liberian man who died of Ebola in a Dallas hospital last week has tested positive for the virus, public health officials reported Sunday. "We don't know what occurred in the care of the original patient in Dallas, but at some point there was a breach in protocol, and that breach in protocol resulted in this infection," Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Diseas...

Texas Health Care Worker Tests Positive for Ebola in Preliminary Check SUNDAY, Oct. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A health care worker who helped treat the Liberian man who died of Ebola in a Dallas hospital last week has tested positive for the virus, Texas health officials reported early Sunday morning. If confirmed, this would be the first case of Ebola infection on American soil. The Liberian man, Thomas Eric Duncan, contracted Ebola in his home country before flying to Dallas in September to see rel...

Those Little Gas Spills When You Fill Up May Harm the Environment FRIDAY, Oct. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Routine small fuel spills at gas stations could cause long-term harm to communities as the gas leaks into the soil and groundwater, a new study suggests. "Gas station owners have worked very hard to prevent gasoline from leaking out of underground storage tanks," said study leader Markus Hilpert, a senior scientist in the department of environmental health sciences at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg S...