Health Headlines - May 7

No Higher Premiums for Women: Health Insurers

American health insurers say they'll stop charging women higher premiums, a move seen as part of the industry's attempts to prevent creation of a government insurance plan that would compete against them.

Currently, many American women are charged more than men in the individual market, but that shouldn't be done any more if all Americans are required to get health coverage, say officials from America's Health Insurance Plans, the Associated Press reported.

The insurance industry's latest concession offer was announced as Congress convened a round-table discussion on covering the uninsured as part of its efforts to overhaul the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system.

Previously, the insurance industry offered to stop charging sick people higher premiums, the AP reported.

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Patient Stable After First U.S. Double Hand Transplant

A 57-year-old Georgia man is recovering after undergoing the United States' first double hand transplant.

Jeff Kepner was stable after a day of surgery that ended Monday night, a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center spokeswoman told the Associated Press.

Kepner lost his hands and feet to a bacterial infection. He's a native of Lancaster, Pa., who now lives in Augusta, Ga.

Eight double hand transplants have been performed in other countries, the AP reported. Last month, French surgeons performed the world's first simultaneous partial face and double hand transplant.

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Once-Weekly Diabetes Drug Submitted for FDA Approval

The once-weekly injectable diabetes drug exenatide LAR has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval, Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Tuesday.

The drug is an extended version of the twice-daily injectable drug Byetta, the Associated Press reported.

Another new diabetes drug, Novo Nordisk's once-daily injection liraglutide, is currently under FDA review.

Both exenatide LAR and liraglutide are in a class of treatments called GLP-1 analogues, which help increase insulin production.

Last year, the FDA issued new safety guidelines for diabetes treatments after concerns were raised about heightened heart attack risk associated with GlaxoSmithKline's Avandia, the AP reported.

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Zinc/Copper Supplements May Not Curb Diarrhea: Study

Even thought they're widely used, zinc and copper supplements may not be an effective way to treat diarrhea, suggest Indian researchers who studied 808 children.

The zinc and copper supplements were no more effective at treating diarrhea in the children than a placebo pill, found the team from the Lata Medical Research Foundation, BBC News reported.

"The expected beneficial effects of zinc supplementation for acute diarrhea were not observed," said lead researcher Dr. Archana Patel. "Therapeutic zinc or zinc and copper supplementation may not have a universal beneficial impact on the duration of acute diarrhea in children."

The findings of this study, published in the journal BMC Medicine, shouldn't discourage the use of these supplements, said Dr. Olivier Fontaine, a diarrhea expert at the World Health Organization.

"Evidence on the efficacy of zinc in the management of diarrhea comes from the results of many clinical trials conducted in hospitals and communities throughout the world over the last 15 to 20 years," Fontaine said, BBC News reported. "Therefore one single negative study cannot dismiss these accumulated evidences that were well reviewed in a couple of meta-analyses."

Diarrhea causes about 4 percent of deaths worldwide.

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Secondhand Smoke Lowers Kids' Antioxidant Levels: Study

Exposure to secondhand smoke appears to lower children's levels of antioxidants, which are believed to help prevent cell damage, says a U.S. study.

Researchers looked at more than 2,000 children, ages 6 to 18 years, and found an association between secondhand smoke exposure and lower levels of antioxidants, United Press International reported.

The higher the children's blood levels of cotinine -- a byproduct of metabolizing tobacco smoke -- the lower their levels of antioxidants. The study was presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting, in Baltimore.

"We don't know enough yet to say that this group of children need supplements to make up for the antioxidants they're losing, but it's always wise to feed children an abundance of fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants and other healthy nutrients," Dr. Karen Wilson, of the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, said in a news release, UPI reported.

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Ranbaxy Announces U.S. Recall of Antibiotic

A U.S.-wide recall of an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections has been announced by India-based drug maker Ranbaxy. The recall of 100-milligram capsules of nitrofurantoin was prompted by manufacturing problems.

"Certain lots of the products were determined to not be in conformity with the approved laboratory specifications," said a statement released by Ranbaxy, which gave no details about the problems, Agence France Presse reported.

"To the best of Ranbaxy's knowledge, the recalled product is unlikely to produce any serious adverse health effects," the company said, but added that there was "a remote possibility that the non-conforming product may increase the incidence" of nausea and vomiting.

Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned imports of more than 30 generic drugs produced by Ranbaxy because of manufacturing problems, AFP reported. Earlier this year, the FDA accused Ranbaxy of falsifying data and test results in approved and pending drug applications.

In 2007, Ranbaxy recalled 73 million tablets of the epilepsy drug gabapentin after it was discovered that impurities in the drug exceeded permissible limits.

Health Tips for May 7

Health Tip: Are You at Risk for Gallstones?

Gallstones occur when fluids in the gallbladder solidify and turn into stones that can trigger severe pain. In some cases, they can lead to surgical removal of the gallbladder.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers this list of common risk factors for gallstones:

• Being female.
• Being of Mexican or American Indian heritage.
• Being diabetic.
• Being older than age 60.
• Being pregnant.
• Taking birth control pills.
• Being overweight.
• Eating a high-cholesterol diet.
• Having recently lost a lot of weight.
• Having a personal or family history of gallstones.

Health Tip: Diabetics and Drinking

If you have diabetes and get insulin shots or take other diabetes medication, you may end up with low blood sugar if you drink alcohol, the American Diabetes Association says.

If your doctor says it's OK for you to have a drink now and then, the association offers these guidelines to help you use alcohol safely:

• Just as with non-diabetics, only moderate drinking -- one drink a day for women, two for men -- is recommended.
• Since alcohol can contribute to low blood sugar, always drink with a meal or on a full stomach.
• If you are watching your weight, know that alcohol is high in calories, and can quickly cause unwanted weight gain.
• Look for drinks to mix with alcohol that are low in sugar or sugar-free, such as a diet soda, tonic, sparkling water or club soda.
• Don't drink alcohol if you have nerve damage or high blood pressure.

Relatives grieve for Texas woman with flu who died

HARLINGEN, Texas – This week should have been a joyous time for Judy Trunnell, a 33-year-old teacher who had just given birth to a healthy baby girl. But the friends and relatives whose cars lined the quiet street in front of her home in a quiet subdivision Tuesday instead were mourning her, the first American citizen with swine flu to die.

Trunnell died after being hospitalized for two weeks. She slipped into a coma, and her baby was delivered by Cesarean section, said a cousin, Mario Zamora.

"She was just a beautiful person, warm at heart. She worked with disabled children as a teacher," Zamora told WMAR-TV in Baltimore. "Those that knew her will always remember her."

Texas health officials stopped short of saying that swine flu caused Trunnell's death. State health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said the teacher had "chronic underlying health conditions" but wouldn't give any details.

Pregnant women should not be alarmed, state health department spokesman Doug McBride said Wednesday.

"There are a number of health conditions that put people in a higher risk group where they are more likely to develop serious complications should they get any type of influenza," McBride said. "Pregnancy is not a chronic condition."

Trunnell died early Tuesday after being hospitalized since April 19, said Leonel Lopez, Cameron County epidemiologist. She was extremely ill when she was hospitalized, said Dr. Joseph McCormick, regional dean of the University of Texas School of Public Health's Brownsville campus.

Trunnell taught in the Mercedes Independent School District about 15 miles west of her hometown of Harlingen, a city of about 63,000 near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Mercedes school Superintendent Walter Watson said he was told early Tuesday that Trunnell died after being taken off life support.

"It brings tears to my eyes to my eyes to know she won't be with our children or hers," he said.

"You just don't replace people like that," Watson said.

When students were told Tuesday that Trunnell would not be coming back, some of the older students had questions, said Travis Elementary Principal Pearl Guerrero. Some wanted to know about her baby. Others wanted to know about her 4-year-old daughter whom some had met.

"She was a young lady who had everything to live for," Guerrero said. "She was excited to have a new baby. She had so many things to look forward to and now she's gone."

Trunnell was first seen by a physician April 14. Doctors knew she had flu but did not know what kind, Lopez said. The area is undergoing a Type A influenza epidemic and swine flu is one variety of that, he said. She was confirmed to have swine flu shortly before she died, he said.

U.S. health officials on Tuesday withdrew their recommendation that schools with suspected swine flu cases shut down for two weeks. Mercedes school district officials said the district would close its schools until Monday.

The only other swine flu death in the U.S. was that of a Mexico City toddler who also had other health problems and had been visiting relatives in Brownsville, near Harlingen. He died last week at a Houston children's hospital.

There have been 29 other confirmed swine flu deaths, all in Mexico. Hundreds of cases of the disease have been confirmed in several countries, but mostly in Mexico and the U.S.

Health Headlines - May 6

Ranbaxy Announces U.S. Recall of Antibiotic

A U.S.-wide recall of an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections has been announced by India-based drug maker Ranbaxy. The recall of 100-milligram capsules of nitrofurantoin was prompted by manufacturing problems.

"Certain lots of the products were determined to not be in conformity with the approved laboratory specifications," said a statement released by Ranbaxy, which gave no details about the problems, Agence France Presse reported.

"To the best of Ranbaxy's knowledge, the recalled product is unlikely to produce any serious adverse health effects," the company said, but added that there was "a remote possibility that the non-conforming product may increase the incidence" of nausea and vomiting.

Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned imports of more than 30 generic drugs produced by Ranbaxy because of manufacturing problems, AFP reported. Earlier this year, the FDA accused Ranbaxy of falsifying data and test results in approved and pending drug applications.

In 2007, Ranbaxy recalled 73 million tablets of the epilepsy drug gabapentin after it was discovered that impurities in the drug exceeded permissible limits.

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Fathers' Mental Health Affects Children: Study

Psychiatric and behavioral problems are more common in children whose fathers have mental health disorders, say U.K. researchers who reviewed available scientific evidence. Boys in particular are at increased risk if their fathers have depression or are alcoholics.

The University of Oxford researchers said too much focus has been placed on mothers' mental health issues, while the influence of fathers' mental health has been "underemphasized," BBC News reported.

This review shows that fathers have more impact than previously believed, and more research is needed to determine how their psychiatric disorders affect children's development, Professor Paul Ramchandani and colleagues wrote in The Lancet.

"Fathers are more involved in child rearing in countries including the U.K. than they used to be," he said, BBC News reported. "In years gone by, if fathers were depressed and distant, it may not have made much of an impact. We now need a more general understanding of what effects psychiatric problems in fathers can have on children."

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Seattle Company Recalls Salads

Two salad products made by Pasta & Co. of Seattle, Wash., are being recalled because they may be contaminated with salmonella, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Chinese Vermicelli Salad and Pot Sticker Salad were made using chili oil that was recalled by Union International Food Co. due to possible salmonella contamination. The salads were sold at Pasta & Co. stores in the Seattle area. Consumers who bought the salads can return them to any of the company's stores.

No known illnesses have been reported in connection with the salad products, the FDA said.

Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in healthy people. In elderly or frail people, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

Health Tips for May 6

Health Tip: Help Your Child Cope With Diabetes

Diabetes will change a child's life, and the lives of close family members.

The American Diabetes Association offers these suggestions to help your child cope with his or her condition:

• Learn as much as you can about diabetes -- together.
• Encourage your child to disclose the condition to family members and close friends, whenever the time feels right.
• Promote your child's participation in managing his or her own diabetes care.
• Have your child speak with other children who have diabetes.
• Talk together about what emotions your child is dealing with. Allow both positive and negative comments, but assure your child that everything will be OK.
• Don't let diabetes take over your child's life. Encourage participation in sports, hobbies and other activities.
• Acknowledge that habits and behaviors may change over the years to better manage diabetes.
• Help your child learn how to deal with stress.

Health Tip: Your Diabetes Health-Care Team

If you have diabetes, you need more than just a primary care doctor to help manage your health.

The American Diabetes Association says other specialists also should be considered as part of a diabetic's medical team. They include:

• An endocrinologist, or a primary care physician with significant experience in treating diabetes.
• A registered nurse trained in diabetes care, who can help with day-to-day diabetes management concerns.
• A registered dietitian, who can help you decide your daily diet and help you learn how food affects your blood sugar.
• An eye doctor, who can check your eyes regularly for diabetes-related complications.
• A podiatrist, who regularly examines your feet.
• A dentist, who checks regularly for gum disease and other oral problems.
• An exercise physiologist, who teaches you how exercise can help control diabetes and prevent complications.
• A therapist or social worker, who can help you deal with the emotional aspects of having diabetes.

Health Headlines - May 5

Ranbaxy Announces U.S. Recall of Antibiotic

A U.S.-wide recall of an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections has been announced by India-based drug maker Ranbaxy. The recall of 100-milligram capsules of nitrofurantoin was prompted by manufacturing problems.

"Certain lots of the products were determined to not be in conformity with the approved laboratory specifications," said a statement released by Ranbaxy, which gave no details about the problems, Agence France Presse reported.

"To the best of Ranbaxy's knowledge, the recalled product is unlikely to produce any serious adverse health effects," the company said, but added that there was "a remote possibility that the non-conforming product may increase the incidence" of nausea and vomiting.

Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned imports of more than 30 generic drugs produced by Ranbaxy because of manufacturing problems, AFPreported. Earlier this year, the FDA accused Ranbaxy of falsifying data and test results in approved and pending drug applications.

In 2007, Ranbaxy recalled 73 million tablets of the epilepsy drug gabapentin after it was discovered that impurities in the drug exceeded permissible limits.

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Fathers' Mental Health Affects Children: Study

Psychiatric and behavioral problems are more common in children whose fathers have mental health disorders, say U.K. researchers who reviewed available scientific evidence. Boys in particular are at increased risk if their fathers have depression or are alcoholics.

The University of Oxford researchers said too much focus has been placed on mothers' mental health issues, while the influence of fathers' mental health has been "underemphasized," BBC News reported.

This review shows that fathers have more impact than previously believed, and more research is needed to determine how their psychiatric disorders affect children's development, Professor Paul Ramchandani and colleagues wrote in The Lancet.

"Fathers are more involved in child rearing in countries including the U.K. than they used to be," he said, BBC News reported. "In years gone by, if fathers were depressed and distant, it may not have made much of an impact. We now need a more general understanding of what effects psychiatric problems in fathers can have on children."

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Seattle Company Recalls Salads

Two salad products made by Pasta & Co. of Seattle, Wash., are being recalled because they may be contaminated with salmonella, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Chinese Vermicelli Salad and Pot Sticker Salad were made using chili oil that was recalled by Union International Food Co. due to possible salmonella contamination. The salads were sold at Pasta & Co. stores in the Seattle area. Consumers who bought the salads can return them to any of the company's stores.

No known illnesses have been reported in connection with the salad products, the FDA said.

Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in healthy people. In elderly or frail people, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

Health Tips for May 5

Health Tip: Pack a First-Aid Kit When Traveling

You don't want a minor injury or medical problem to derail your travel plans. So be sure to make room for a first-aid kit with some basic essentials, especially if you're traveling internationally.

The University of Virginia Health System offers this list of items to take with you on your next trip:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
• Antihistamine, motion sickness, cold and cough, and anti-diarrhea medications.
• Bandages in different shapes and sizes, as well as gauze pads, tape and an elastic bandage.
• Tweezers, scissors and safety pins.
• Antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, hydrocortisone cream and bug spray.
• A pair of rubber gloves and a thermometer.
• A chemical cold pack for burns or sprains.
• A bottle of sunscreen.

Health Tip: Caring for a Deep Cut

If you or someone else has gotten a deep cut, it's important to stay calm and administer first aid.

The American College of Emergency Physicians offers these suggestions for treating a deep cut:

• Hold a clean cloth or bandage against the wound, and apply steady pressure.
• At the same time, hold the injured area above your heart (unless a limb is broken).
• If your bandage becomes soaked, leave it there and apply a fresh bandage on top of the old one.
• Try to gently rinse the cut with tap water only -- no antiseptics or soap.
• If after five minutes the cut continues to bleed, if the cut is very deep or wide, if it's located on the head, or otherwise looks serious, seek immediate medical attention.

Some fear flu rebound as Mexico seeks 'normalcy'

MEXICO CITY – Mexico announced a return to "normalcy" on Monday, preparing to reopen businesses and schools even as the virus sickened more than 1,200 people in 20 countries. World health officials said the global epidemic is still in its early stages, and that apandemic could be declared in the days to come. But Mexico's president said it was waning at its epicenter, justifying Wednesday's end to a five-day nationwide shutdown he credits for reducing the spread of the new virus.

Already, streets in the capital seemed more lively, with more vehicles and fewer people wearing face masks. Some cafes even reopened ahead of time. President Felipe Calderon said universities and high schools will reopen on Thursday, and younger schoolchildren should report back to school on May 11.

"The school schedule will resume with the guarantee that our educational institutions are in adequate hygienic condition," promised Calderon, who called on parents to join educators in a "collective" cleansing and inspection of schools nationwide.

"This is about going back to normalcy but with everyone taking better care," Calderon said.

Parents and teachers will turn away children who appear sick. The government is spending $15 million for detergent, bleach and soap to clean buildings, in a country where 12 percent of the nearly 250,000 schools — about 30,000 — lack running water or bathrooms.

Mexico canceled its biggest celebration of the Cinco de Mayo holiday Tuesday, a re-enactment of the May 5, 1862 victory over French forces in the central state of Puebla. Other holiday events also were canceled.

And experts inside Mexico's swine flu crisis center warned that the virus remains active throughout Mexico and could bounce back once millions return to work and school. It also may get worse north of the border.

"The bottom line is that there hasn't been time for the severe illnesses to perhaps show up in the U.S. yet," Marc-Alain Widdowson, a medical epidemiologist from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told The Associated Press.

Experts in the U.S. also urged caution, even as a New York City school reopened Monday after a spring break trip to Mexico led to as many as 1,000 people being sickened.

"We are by no means out of the woods," said Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the CDC.

Health Secretary Jose Cordova insisted that swine flu infections are trending downward after 27 deaths at the center of the epidemic. He said those infected appear to pass it on to an average 1.4 other people, near the normal flu rate of around 1.3.

Cordova said soccer stadiums and concert halls could reopen — if fans are kept 2 meters apart.

But other experts said the known cases are almost certainly only a fraction of what's out there, meaning more illnesses could surface once crowds gather again in Mexico.

"It's clear that it's just about everywhere in Mexico. I think now there is considerable person-to-person transmission," Widdowson said. And now that the virus is taking off in the U.S., chances of severe cases could rise as well.

"We've seen in many of the cases in Mexico, there's been sometimes five to seven days of being mildly ill with increasing respiratory distress and then being hospitalized, and then spending five days or a week in hospital, so that's a timeline of two weeks," he said.

As of Monday, Mexico had 802 confirmed cases, and U.S. case grew to at least 300 in 36 states. Globally, the virus has reached more than 1,276 people in 20 countries — still in its early stages, to the World Health Organization.

The WHO was studying whether to raise the pandemic alert to 6, its highest level, which would mean a global outbreak has begun. WHO uses the term pandemic to refer to geographic spread rather than severity.Pandemics aren't necessarily deadly. The past two pandemics — in 1957 and 1968 — were relatively mild.

"We do not know how long we will have until we move to Phase 6," WHO Director-General Margaret Chansaid. "We are not there yet. The criteria will be met when we see in another region outside North America, showing very clear evidence of community-level transmission."

The Southern Hemisphere is particularly at risk. While Africa still hasn't reported any swine flu infections andNew Zealand is the only country south of the equator with confirmed cases, winter is only weeks away. Experts worry that typical winter flus could combine with swine flu, creating a new strain that is more contagious or dangerous.

Still, the U.N. health agency urged governments to avoid unproven actions to contain the disease, including group quarantines of travelers from Mexico and bans on pork imports.

"Let me make a strong plea to countries to refrain from introducing measures that are economically and socially disruptive, yet have no scientific justification and bring no clear public health benefit," Chan said in a video message to the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Calderon said other governments have treated his citizens unfairly, and that punishing nations that report outbreaks sets a bad precedent for future flu control efforts. "If they weaken us economically or in other ways, Mexico will be able to focus much less attention and funds on this problem," Calderon said.

Mexico's Economy Secretary, Gerardo Ruiz, said Mexico will bring the issue to the World Trade Organizationif other countries don't drop restrictive measures.

Beijing denied that it is discriminating by quarantining Mexicans and any other passengers who came in close contact with them, even those who don't show symptoms.

Among the passengers stuck in Chinese hotels was Briton Mark Moore, who urged China to lift the quarantine.

"The government is trying to show the world they are strong in organizing this," the 37-year-old director of a Singapore-based company said in a phone interview. "I need to be in Singapore now. I have loads of things to do."

A group of 25 Canadian university students and a professor also were quarantined in China over swine flu fears, said University of Montreal spokeswoman Sophie Langlois. The group does not have any symptoms, Langlois said.

China, Argentina and Cuba are among the nations banning regular flights to and from Mexico, marooning passengers at both ends. Mexico and China both sent chartered flights to each other's countries to collect their citizens. Argentina also charted a flight to bring Argentines home.

And in a goodwill measure, China sent Mexico the final batch in a $5 million humanitarian assistance package consisting of masks, gloves, disinfectants, infrared thermal scanners and other items.

In Tokyo, 37 passengers and two flight attendants on a flight from Los Angeles were detained in a hotel after Japanese officials suspected one traveler of having swine flu.

They were released about 10 hours later when the passenger, a Japanese woman coming back from Las Vegas, tested negative for swine flu, American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith said.

The latest figures from Mexico suggest the virus may be less lethal and infectious than originally feared. Only 38 percent of suspected cases have turned out to be swine flu, and no new deaths have been reported since April 29. But Cordova acknowledged that about 100 early deaths in which swine flu was suspected may never be confirmed because mucous or tissue samples were not collected.

Widdowson, of the CDC, said it's too early to say the outbreak is waning in Mexico, but the signs of progress are clear.

"What we have not seen in Mexico City is a huge, runaway epidemic, and I think that's totally clear. The hospital capacity has not been exceeded. So there hasn't been anything like the kind of picture that people might expect from a severe flu," he said. "I think that gives us optimism."

Good hygiene can be a challenge in Mexico's crowded schools — a problem illustrated by 10-year-old Carolina Arteaga, who wandered with a plastic cup in downtown Mexico City Monday, begging money from people outside gleaming office towers. She had no surgical mask and no gloves as she eagerly rubbed a few coins together with grubby fingers.

"I forgot it at home," the fourth-grader said when asked why she didn't have her mask.

Carolina will soon be returning to school and says she knows to wash her hands frequently. But because she needs to collect money to help her mother buy food, such instructions probably won't be carried out.

Health Headlines - May 4

Seattle Company Recalls Salads

Two salad products made by Pasta & Co. of Seattle, Wash., are being recalled because they may be contaminated with salmonella, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Chinese Vermicelli Salad and Pot Sticker Salad were made using chili oil that was recalled by Union International Food Co. due to possible salmonella contamination. The salads were sold at Pasta & Co. stores in the Seattle area. Consumers who bought the salads can return them to any of the company's stores.

No known illnesses have been reported in connection with the salad products, the FDA said.

Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in healthy people. In elderly or frail people, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

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Jardine Cribs Recalled Due to Breaking Slats

The third U.S. recall of Jardine cribs in a year involves about 96,000 cribs with slats that can break, leaving a gap that poses an entrapment or strangulation hazard, the Associated Press reports.

The recall, announced Thursday, comes after the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission received 31 reports of broken slats and two reports of infants getting trapped. Ten of the incidents involved children breaking the slats from inside the crib, the AP reported.

The recalled cribs were sold online and at Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, KidsWorld and Geoffrey stores across the United States between September 2005 and April 2009. Consumers who bought the cribs can receive a full credit by calling Jardine at 800-646-4106.

The company recalled about 320,000 cribs in June 2008, and another 56,450 in January, the AP reported.

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Lithium in Drinking Water Reduces Suicides: Study

Tap water that contains lithium may cut the risk of suicide, according to a Japanese study that looked at people in the prefecture of Oita.

Areas in the prefecture with the highest levels of lithium in drinking water had much lower rates of suicide than other areas, said the researchers from the universities of Oita and Hiroshima, BBC news reported.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, warrant further research, but the study authors did not suggest that lithium should be added to drinking water.

Lithium is used to treat certain mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder.

"However, lithium also has significant and unpleasant side effects in higher doses and can be toxic," Sophie Corlett, external relations director at the mental health charity Mind in the U.K., told BBC News. "Any suggestion that it should be added, even in tiny amounts, to drinking water should be treated with caution and researched very thoroughly."

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Baby Boomers With Disabilities a Growing Concern: Report

Over the next 20 years, aging Baby Boomers are expected to cause large increases in the number of U.S. adults with disabilities, says a new study that calls for expansion of programs to prevent and manage obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco use and other causes of disability.

In 2005, 21.8 percent of U.S. adults (47.5 million) reported a disability, an increase of 3.4 percent since 1999, the study said. Arthritis and rheumatism, back or spine problems, and heart trouble were the top three most common causes of disability.

Women have a higher rate of disability than men (24.4 percent vs. 19.1 percent). The study also found that disability rates increase with age, doubling with each successive age group (18-44, 11 percent; 45-64, 23.9 percent; 65 and older, 51.8 percent).

Currently, about as many Baby Boomers (45-64) are affected by disability as older adults. This suggests that the demands placed on the health care and public health systems by Baby Boomers will increase as they age into higher risk groups, the researchers said.

The study appears in the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health Tips for May 4

Health Tip: Depression Among Seniors

Depression affects more than 6 million people aged 65 or older in the United States, but only about 10 percent of them are treated, the Cleveland Clinic says.

The clinic offers this list of risk factors for depression in seniors:

• Living alone without much social interaction.
• Having persistent pain or illness.
• Being overly afraid of dying.
• Having a family history or personal history of depression or suicide attempts.
• Having had a recent bereavement, such as the death of a close family member.
• Having problems with drugs or alcohol.
• Taking certain medications, alone or combined with other medications.
• Problems with body image after a surgery or major illness, such as cancer or heart disease.

Health Tip: Depression Among Teens

With all of the physical, emotional and hormonal changes in their lives, some teens are especially prone to depression.

Here are factors that could trigger depression in teens, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

• Undergoing a particularly stressful event, such as the death of a family member or parental divorce.
• Being physically or sexually abused as a child.
• Having a lack of social skills.
• Having a chronic illness.
• Living with another family member who suffers from depression.

New swine flu cases in Europe, US, Latin America

MEXICO CITY – The swine flu epidemic spread deeper into the United States, Europe and Latin America — and in Canada, back to pigs — even as Mexico's health chief hinted Sunday it may soon be time to reopen businesses and schools in the nation where the outbreak likely began.

The virus spread to Colombia in the first confirmed case in South America, worrisome because flu season is about to begin in the Southern Hemisphere. More cases were confirmed in Europe and North America; health officials said at least 999 people have been sickened worldwide.

Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said swine flu is spreading just as easily as regular winter flu.

"The good news is when we look at this virus right now, we're not seeing some of the things in the virus that have been associated in the past with more severe flu," Besser said. "That's encouraging, but it doesn't mean we're out of the woods yet."

On Sunday, health officials raised the number of confirmed U.S. swine flu cases to 244 in 34 states. The new number, up from 160 on Saturday, reflects streamlining in federal procedures and the results of tests by states, which have only recently begun confirming cases, said Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC.

Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said late Sunday that the virus that has killed 22 people in Mexico, raising the toll from 19. The last confirmed death occurred on April 29, he said.

Cordova added that the virus had sickened at least 568 and apparently peaked in Mexico between April 23 and April 28. A drastic nationwide shutdown appears to have helped prevent the outbreak from becoming more serious, he said.

"The evolution of the epidemic is now in its declining phase," Cordova said.

He said officials would decide Monday whether to extend the shutdown or allow schools and businesses to reopen on Wednesday.

Pablo Kuri, an epidemiologist advising Cordova, told The Associated Press on Sunday that tests have confirmed a swine flu death in Mexico City on April 11, two days earlier than what had been believed to be the first death.

Kuri also said there have been no deaths among health care workers treating swine flu patients in Mexico, an indication that the virus may not be as contagious or virulent as initially feared.

The closed events made for a surreal Sunday in Mexico, as parishioners celebrated Mass via television, camera operators were the only ones in stadium bleachers and parks, museums, restaurants, theaters and other attractions were closed.

Sunday also marked the official start of campaigning for July 5 congressional elections — but all public campaigning was banned to prevent gatherings where the virus could spread.

Gabriela Cuevas Barron of the conservative National Action Party giddily claimed she was launching Mexico's first virtual campaign, promising in a Webcast to work for a cleaner and safer Mexico City — for now, through Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Meanwhile, the leftist Democratic Revolution Party was already up with a Facebook page for its candidates.

The United States said it had sent 100,000 protection kits worth $1 million to Mexico for use by first responders. The kits include respiratory masks, protective goggles and overalls. In all, the U.S. has sent $16 million in aid to Mexico since the emergency began, the U.S. Embassy said.

Officials in New Mexico announced Sunday that 14 schools in four towns were being closed for at least a week after the state's first swine flu case was confirmed, and the New Mexico Activities Association suspended all athletic and activity programs until further notice at member schools across the state.

In Arizona, all 10 public schools in the border city of Nogales canceled classes this week after a student tested positive for swine flu.

California officials, meanwhile, suspended all visitations at prisons pending results of tests on an ill inmate at Centinela State Prison.

In the Canadian province of Alberta, officials quarantined about 220 pigs that became infected from a worker who had recently returned from Mexico. It was the first documented case of the H1N1 virus being passed from a human to another species. Canada stressed that pigs often get the flu and there's no danger in eating pork.

Egypt has ordered all pigs in the country slaughtered as a precaution, sparking riots Sunday by pig farmers who threw stones at police.

According to tallies by the CDC, World Health Organization and governments, there were 101 confirmed cases of swine flu in Canada; 40 in Spain; 18 in Britain; eight in Germany; four in New Zealand; two each in Italy, France, Israel, and South Korea; one each in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Hong Kong, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Fear spread in other parts of the globe, much of it directed at Mexican nationals or those who have traveled to Mexico.

China quarantined more than 70 Mexican travelers in hospitals and hotels there, and Mexicans on arriving flights were being taken into isolation, said Mexico's ambassador, Jorge Guajardo. Even the Mexican consul in Guangzhou was briefly held after returning from a vacation in Cambodia, Guajardo said.

"In many cases we have gotten reports that they were being quarantined for the sole fact that they had a Mexican passport, whether or not they came from Mexico, whether or not they had been in Mexico, whether or not they had been in contact with someone else from Mexico," Guajardo said.

Hong Kong isolated 350 people in a hotel after a Mexican traveler there was determined to have the swine flu.

In Trinidad, crew aboard a Mexican tanker had been isolated since Friday at the Point Lisas Port. The Ministry of Health said Sunday they were tested and cleared of any flu infection and that the vessel was expected to be released.

Health officials around the world cautioned that despite encouraging signs, swine flu still poses a very real threat.

"Most experts would agree that the current outbreak that we are experiencing is mild to moderate in severity," Dr. Jon Andrus of the Pan American Health Organization said in a teleconference from Washington. "That is not to say that things cannot change very rapidly and very dramatically."

Under one scenario, the virus could peter out now, only to roar back in the fall when flu seasons begins. That's why health officials are watching the Southern Hemisphere so closely.

"Certainly, maybe, this current round of activity has peaked, but we are only 10 days into this outbreak," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told reporters in Switzerland. "I think we would want to wait a while before making a definitive decision."

Health Headlines - May 3

Seattle Company Recalls Salads

Two salad products made by Pasta & Co. of Seattle, Wash., are being recalled because they may be contaminated with salmonella, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Chinese Vermicelli Salad and Pot Sticker Salad were made using chili oil that was recalled by Union International Food Co. due to possible salmonella contamination. The salads were sold at Pasta & Co. stores in the Seattle area. Consumers who bought the salads can return them to any of the company's stores.

No known illnesses have been reported in connection with the salad products, the FDA said.

Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in healthy people. In elderly or frail people, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

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Jardine Cribs Recalled Due to Breaking Slats

The third U.S. recall of Jardine cribs in a year involves about 96,000 cribs with slats that can break, leaving a gap that poses an entrapment or strangulation hazard, the Associated Press reports.

The recall, announced Thursday, comes after the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission received 31 reports of broken slats and two reports of infants getting trapped. Ten of the incidents involved children breaking the slats from inside the crib, the AP reported.

The recalled cribs were sold online and at Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, KidsWorld and Geoffrey stores across the United States between September 2005 and April 2009. Consumers who bought the cribs can receive a full credit by calling Jardine at 800-646-4106.

The company recalled about 320,000 cribs in June 2008, and another 56,450 in January, the AP reported.

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Lithium in Drinking Water Reduces Suicides: Study

Tap water that contains lithium may cut the risk of suicide, according to a Japanese study that looked at people in the prefecture of Oita.

Areas in the prefecture with the highest levels of lithium in drinking water had much lower rates of suicide than other areas, said the researchers from the universities of Oita and Hiroshima, BBC news reported.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, warrant further research, but the study authors did not suggest that lithium should be added to drinking water.

Lithium is used to treat certain mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder.

"However, lithium also has significant and unpleasant side effects in higher doses and can be toxic," Sophie Corlett, external relations director at the mental health charity Mind in the U.K., told BBC News. "Any suggestion that it should be added, even in tiny amounts, to drinking water should be treated with caution and researched very thoroughly."

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Baby Boomers With Disabilities a Growing Concern: Report

Over the next 20 years, aging Baby Boomers are expected to cause large increases in the number of U.S. adults with disabilities, says a new study that calls for expansion of programs to prevent and manage obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco use and other causes of disability.

In 2005, 21.8 percent of U.S. adults (47.5 million) reported a disability, an increase of 3.4 percent since 1999, the study said. Arthritis and rheumatism, back or spine problems, and heart trouble were the top three most common causes of disability.

Women have a higher rate of disability than men (24.4 percent vs. 19.1 percent). The study also found that disability rates increase with age, doubling with each successive age group (18-44, 11 percent; 45-64, 23.9 percent; 65 and older, 51.8 percent).

Currently, about as many Baby Boomers (45-64) are affected by disability as older adults. This suggests that the demands placed on the health care and public health systems by Baby Boomers will increase as they age into higher risk groups, the researchers said.

The study appears in the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health Tips for May 3

Health Tip: The Importance of Good Posture

Posture is important in everything you do. Bad posture can lead to back pain, and even make you feel more tired than usual.

The American Physical Therapy Association offers these guidelines to help you maintain good posture:

• When standing, your body should be vertically aligned, with a straight spine and head, and a straight line from your ankles to your knees, hips, shoulders and ears.
• Keep your shoulders and hips level, and knees facing straight ahead when you walk or stand.
• There should be a slight inward curve to your lower back when standing.
• Stand with your abdomen flat.
• When you sit, use the back of the chair for support, and keep your feet on the floor.
• Sit up straight, with your head up. Don't lean forward.

Health Tip: Save Your Back at Work

After a long day at work, your back may be chock full of aches and pains from standing on your feet or sitting at a desk.

The University of Maryland Medical Center offers these suggestions to help alleviate back pain while you're at work:

• Pay attention to your posture, whether you're standing or sitting. Make sure your ears, shoulders and hips all line up.
• Avoid standing for long periods. If you must stand, use a stool and alternate resting each foot on it.
• Wear comfortable, cushioned shoes without heels if you walk a lot.
• Choose a straight-backed, adjustable chair with armrests and a swivel seat for your desk chair.
• Prop your feet up below your desk, so your knees are elevated above your hips.
• Roll up a towel or place a pillow at your lower back while sitting at your desk.

Mexico swine flu death toll jumps to 19

MEXICO CITY – Mexico reported three new deaths from the swine flu epidemic Saturday and urged citizens not to let their guard down against a virus that has killed 19 in people in Mexico and is spreading across Asia and Europe.

Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said Mexico's confirmed swine flu cases jumped to 473, including the 19 deaths. The previous death toll in Mexico was 16. A Mexican toddler also died in Texas days ago, for a worldwide total of 20.

Mexico's last confirmed swine flu death occurred Wednesday, Cordova said. However, he said there were 11 cases of people suspected to have died from the virus in the last 24 hours. The alarming news came after the epidemic's toll in Mexico appeared to be leveling off.

Cases outside Mexico suggested the new swine flu strain is weaker than feared, but governments moved quickly anyway to ban flights and prepare quarantine plans. Experts warned the virus could mutate and come back with a vengeance.

In the first known reported case of the new, mutated virus infecting another species, pigs in the province of Alberta have become infected and are under quarantine. They apparently got the virus from a Canadian farm worker who recently visited Mexico and got sick with swine flu, Canadian officials said Saturday.

They told a press conference in Ottawa that the pigs do not pose a food safety risk, adding that the traveler recovered from the swine flu and the pigs are "well on their way to recovery." The outbreak occurred on a single farm, where about 10 percent of 2,200 pigs showed a fever and loss of appetite. No pigs have died from the virus, officials said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it's too early to declare victory.

The World Health Organization also decided against a full pandemic alert, but that doesn't mean people can relax, said Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO's global alert and response director.

"These viruses mutate, these viruses change, these viruses can further reassort with other genetic material, with other viruses," he said. "So it would be imprudent at this point to take too much reassurance" from the small number of deaths.

"We have seen times where things appear to be getting better and then get worse again," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, the U.S. agency's interim science and public health deputy director. "I think in Mexico we may be holding our breath for some time."

The global caseload was nearing 800 and growing — the vast majority in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. Costa Rica reported its first confirmed swine flu case — the first in Latin America outside Mexico.

Swine flu cases have been confirmed in 18 countries so far — including Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region — and experts believe the actual spread is much wider than the numbers suggest.

U.S. President Barack Obama urged caution Saturday.

"This is a new strain of the flu virus, and because we haven't developed an immunity to it, it has more potential to cause us harm," Obama said. Later, he spoke with Mexican President Felipe Calderon for about 20 minutes to share information.

What started as a swine flu outbreak more than a week ago in Mexico quickly ballooned to a global health threat, with the WHO declaring a pandemic was imminent. Now public health officials are having to carefully calibrate their statements. Push the message too far, and they could lose credibility if the virus fizzles out. But if they back off and it suddenly surges, the consequences could be much more dire.

Some Mexicans have criticized their government for reacting too slowly to the outbreak at first, and now for overreacting in ordering a five-day, nationwide shutdown of all nonessential government and private business. Responding to the attacks, Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said: "It's absurd to think that Mexico was putting on a show. I think it's preferable, at a certain moment, to take advanced measures and succeed in containing the problem than to not take them and ask, 'Why didn't we take them?'"

However, Cordova said hospitals are now handling fewer patients with swine flu symptoms, a sign that the disease is presently not very contagious. Mexican investigators who visited 280 relatives of victims found only four had the virus.

But experts said there is much they don't know about the outbreak in Mexico. A multinational team of virus sleuths are trying to piece together the epidemiological puzzle.

Cordova said 12 of the dead were between 21 and 40 — unusual ages for people to die of the flu because they tend to have stronger immune systems.

Three of the dead were children: a 9-year-old girl, a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy, said Pablo Kuri, an epidemiologist and adviser to Cordova. Four were older than 60.

Although most of the dead were from Mexico City, they came from different neighborhoods in the metropolis of 20 million people, Kuri said. One common factor may be that they sought treatment too late — an average of seven days before seeing a doctor. For those who recovered, the average wait was three days, said Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez, deputy director of Mexico's Intelligence Unit for Health Emergencies.

Many of the sick around the world were people who had visited Mexico, including 13 of Britain's 15 cases.

South Korea reported Asia's second confirmed case — a woman just back from Mexico — and other governments prepared to quarantine airline passengers, eager to show how they have learned from the deadly SARS epidemic in 2003, when Hong Kong was criticized for imposing quarantines too slowly.

China suspended all direct flights from Mexico and sealed 305 people inside a Hong Kong hotel where an infected Mexican tourist stayed. Health workers in white bodysuits patrolled the lobby where the 25-year-old Mexican stayed before he became Asia's first confirmed case late Friday.

Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa complained that China had isolated several Mexicans without reason — and urged Mexicans not to travel to China until the situation was resolved.

"These are discriminatory measures," she said.

Health Headlines - May 2

Seattle Company Recalls Salads

Two salad products made by Pasta & Co. of Seattle, Wash., are being recalled because they may be contaminated with salmonella, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Chinese Vermicelli Salad and Pot Sticker Salad were made using chili oil that was recalled by Union International Food Co. due to possible salmonella contamination. The salads were sold at Pasta & Co. stores in the Seattle area. Consumers who bought the salads can return them to any of the company's stores.

No known illnesses have been reported in connection with the salad products, the FDA said.

Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in healthy people. In elderly or frail people, young children, and those with weakened immune systems, salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

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Jardine Cribs Recalled Due to Breaking Slats

The third U.S. recall of Jardine cribs in a year involves about 96,000 cribs with slats that can break, leaving a gap that poses an entrapment or strangulation hazard, the Associated Press reports.

The recall, announced Thursday, comes after the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission received 31 reports of broken slats and two reports of infants getting trapped. Ten of the incidents involved children breaking the slats from inside the crib, the AP reported.

The recalled cribs were sold online and at Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, KidsWorld and Geoffrey stores across the United States between September 2005 and April 2009. Consumers who bought the cribs can receive a full credit by calling Jardine at 800-646-4106.

The company recalled about 320,000 cribs in June 2008, and another 56,450 in January, the AP reported.

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Lithium in Drinking Water Reduces Suicides: Study

Tap water that contains lithium may cut the risk of suicide, according to a Japanese study that looked at people in the prefecture of Oita.

Areas in the prefecture with the highest levels of lithium in drinking water had much lower rates of suicide than other areas, said the researchers from the universities of Oita and Hiroshima, BBC news reported.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, warrant further research, but the study authors did not suggest that lithium should be added to drinking water.

Lithium is used to treat certain mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder.

"However, lithium also has significant and unpleasant side effects in higher doses and can be toxic," Sophie Corlett, external relations director at the mental health charity Mind in the U.K., told BBC News. "Any suggestion that it should be added, even in tiny amounts, to drinking water should be treated with caution and researched very thoroughly."

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Baby Boomers With Disabilities a Growing Concern: Report

Over the next 20 years, aging Baby Boomers are expected to cause large increases in the number of U.S. adults with disabilities, says a new study that calls for expansion of programs to prevent and manage obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco use and other causes of disability.

In 2005, 21.8 percent of U.S. adults (47.5 million) reported a disability, an increase of 3.4 percent since 1999, the study said. Arthritis and rheumatism, back or spine problems, and heart trouble were the top three most common causes of disability.

Women have a higher rate of disability than men (24.4 percent vs. 19.1 percent). The study also found that disability rates increase with age, doubling with each successive age group (18-44, 11 percent; 45-64, 23.9 percent; 65 and older, 51.8 percent).

Currently, about as many Baby Boomers (45-64) are affected by disability as older adults. This suggests that the demands placed on the health care and public health systems by Baby Boomers will increase as they age into higher risk groups, the researchers said.

The study appears in the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health Tips for May 2

Health Tip: Benefitting From Adult Day Care

Some seniors become lonely staying home alone all day, particularly if they can no longer drive. And for older people with memory or physical problems, staying home alone can be unsafe.

That's when adult day care may come in.

Rotary International offers this list of adult day care's potential benefits:

• It's a safe, supervised place to be.
• It includes enjoyable activities and an opportunity to learn new things.
• It may allow participants to become mentally and physically healthier.
• It promotes a feeling of staying independent.
• It affords an opportunity to socialize, make friends and get support from other seniors.
• It includes regular, healthier meals and snacks.

Health Tip: When Seniors Have Trouble Sleeping

Sleep disturbances -- including trouble getting to sleep or waking frequently throughout the night -- are common in elderly people.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers this list of common reasons for sleep problems in older people:

• Increased need to urinate.
• Pain, particularly from arthritis.
• Depression.
• Neurological problems.
• Alzheimer's disease.
• Side effects of taking certain medications.
• Alcohol use.
• Not getting enough exercise.
• Consuming too much caffeine.

Swine flu may be less potent than first feared

The swine flu outbreak that has alarmed the world for a week now appears less ominous, with the virus showing little staying power in the hardest-hit cities and scientists suggesting it lacks the genetic fortitude of past killer bugs. President Barack Obama even voiced hope Friday that it may turn out to be no more harmful than the average seasonal flu.

In New York City, which has the most confirmed swine flu cases in the U.S. with 49, swine flu has not spread far beyond cases linked to one Catholic school. In Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak, very few relatives of flu victims seem to have caught it.

A flu expert said he sees no reason to believe the virus is particularly lethal. And a federal scientist said the germ's genetic makeup lacks some traits seen in the deadly 1918 flu pandemic strain and the more recent killer bird flu.

Still, it was too soon to be certain what the swine flu virus will do. Experts say the only wise course is to prepare for the worst. But in a world that's been rattled by the specter of a global pandemic, glimmers of hope were more than welcome Friday.

"It may turn out that H1N1 runs its course like ordinary flus, in which case we will have prepared and we won't need all these preparations," Obama said, using the flu's scientific name.

The president stressed the government was still taking the virus very seriously, adding that even if this round turns out to be mild, the bug could return in a deadlier form during the next flu season.

New York officials said after a week of monitoring the disease that the city's outbreak gives little sign of spreading beyond a few pockets or getting more dangerous.

All but two of the city's confirmed cases so far involve people associated with the high school where the local outbreak began and where several students had recently returned from Mexico.

More than 1,000 students, parents and faculty there reported flu symptoms over just a few days last month. But since then, only a handful of new infections have been reported — only eight students since last Sunday.

Almost everyone who became ill before then are either recovering or already well. The school, which was closed this past week, is scheduled to reopen Monday. No new confirmed cases were identified in the city on Friday, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the outbreak in New York had so far proved to be "a relatively minor annoyance."

In Mexico, where swine flu has killed at least 15 people and the confirmed case count has surpassed 300, the health secretary said few of the relatives of 86 suspected swine flu patients had caught the virus. Only four of the 219 relatives surveyed turned up as probable cases.

As recently as Wednesday, Mexican authorities said there were 168 suspected swine flu deaths in the country and almost 2,500 suspected cases. The officials have stopped updating that number and say those totals may have even been inflated.

Mexico shut down all but essential government services and private businesses Friday, the start of a five-day shutdown that includes a holiday weekend. Authorities there will use the break to determine whether emergency measures can be eased.

In the Mexican capital, there were no reports of deaths overnight — the first time that has happened since the emergency was declared a week ago, said Mayor Marcelo Ebrard.

"This isn't to say we are lowering our guard or we think we no longer have problems," Ebrard said. "But we're moving in the right direction."

The U.S. case count rose to 155 on Friday, based on federal and state counts, although state laboratory operators believe the number is higher because they are not testing all suspected cases.

Worldwide, the total confirmed cases neared 600, although that number is also believed to be much larger. Besides the U.S. and Mexico, the virus has been detected in Canada, New Zealand, China, Israel and eight European nations.

There were still plenty of signs Friday of worldwide concern.

China decided to suspend flights from Mexico to Shanghai because of a case of swine flu confirmed in a flight from Mexico, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

And in Hong Kong, hundreds of hotel guests and workers were quarantined after a tourist from Mexico tested positive for swine flu, Asia's first confirmed case.

Evoking the 2003 SARS outbreak, workers in protective suits and masks wiped down tables, floors and windows. Guests at the hotel waved to photographers from their windows.

Scientists looking closely at the H1N1 virus itself have found some encouraging news, said Nancy Cox, flu chief at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its genetic makeup doesn't show specific traits that showed up in the 1918 pandemic virus, which killed about 40 million to 50 million people worldwide.

"However, we know that there is a great deal that we do not understand about the virulence of the 1918 virus or other influenza viruses" that caused serious illnesses, Cox said. "So we are continuing to learn."

She told The Associated Press that the swine flu virus also lacked genetic traits associated with the virulence of the bird flu virus, which grabbed headlines a few years ago and has killed 250 people, mostly in Asia.

Researchers will get a better idea of how dangerous this virus is over the next week to 10 days, said Peter Palese, a leading flu researcher with Mount Sinai Medical School in New York.

So far in the United States, he said, the virus appears to look and behave like the garden-variety flus that strike every winter. "There is no real reason to believe this is a more serious strain," he said.

Palese said many adults probably have immune systems primed to handle the virus because it is so similar to another common flu strain.

As for why the illness has predominantly affected children and teenagers in New York, Palese said older people probably have more antibodies from exposure to similar types of flu that help them fight off infection.

"The virus is so close," he said.

In the United States, most of the people with swine flu have been treated at home. Only nine people are known to have ended up in the hospital, though officials suspect there are more.

In Mexico, officials have voiced optimism for two days that the worst may be over. But Dr. Scott F. Dowell of the CDC said it's hard to know whether the outbreak is easing up in Mexico. "They're still seeing plenty of cases," Dowell said.

He said outbreaks in any given area might be relatively brief, so that they may seem to be ending in some areas that had a lot of illness a few weeks ago. But cases are occurring elsewhere, and national numbers in Mexico are not abating, he said.

A top Mexican medical officer questioned the World Health Organization's handling of the early signs of the swine flu scare, suggesting Thursday that a regional arm of the WHO had taken too long to notify WHO headquarters of about a unusually late rash of flu cases in Mexico.

The regional agency, however, provided a timeline to the AP suggesting it was Mexico that failed to respond to its request to alert other nations to the first hints of the outbreak.

The Mexican official, chief epidemiologist Dr. Miguel Angel Lezana, backtracked Friday, telling Radio Formula: "There was no delay by the Mexican authorities, nor was there any by the World Health Organization."

In the U.S., Obama said efforts were focused on identifying people who have the flu, getting medical help to the right places and providing clear advice to state and local officials and the public.

The president also said the U.S. government is working to produce a vaccine down the road, developing clear guidelines for school closings and trying to ensure businesses cooperate with workers who run out of sick leave.

He pointed out that regular seasonal flus kill about 36,000 people in the United States in an average year and send 200,000 to the hospital.

FDA says dieters should stop using Hydroxycut now

WASHINGTON – Government health officials warned dieters and body builders Friday to immediately stop using Hydroxycut, a widely sold supplement linked to cases of serious liver damage and at least one death.

The Food and Drug Administration said the company that makes the dietary supplement has agreed to recall 14 Hydroxycut products. Available in grocery stores and pharmacies, Hydroxycut is advertised as made from natural ingredients. At least 9 million packages were sold last year, the FDA said.

Dr. Linda Katz of the FDA's food and nutrition division said the agency has received 23 reports of liver problems, including the death of a 19-year-old boy living in the Southwest. The teenager died in 2007, and the death was reported to the FDA this March.

Other patients experienced symptoms ranging from jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, to liver failure. One received a transplant and another was placed on a list to await a new liver. The patients were otherwise healthy and their symptoms began after they started using Hydroxycut.

Iovate Health Sciences, which makes the diet pills, said it agreed to the recall out of "an abundance of caution." The company is based in Canada and its U.S. distributor is headquartered near Buffalo, N.Y.

"While this is a small number of reports relative to the many millions of people who have used Hydroxycut products over the years, out of an abundance of caution and because consumer safety is our top priority, we are voluntarily recalling these Hydroxycut-branded products," the company said in a statement on its Web site. Consumers can get a refund by returning the pills to the store they purchased them from, the company said.

Dietary supplements aren't as tightly regulated by the government as medications. Manufacturers don't need to prove to the FDA that their products are safe and effective before they can sell them to consumers.

But regulators monitor aftermarket reports for signs of trouble, and in recent years companies have been put under stricter requirements to alert the FDA when they learn of problems. In 2004, the government banned ephedra, an ingredient in many supplements, linked to heart attacks and strokes.

Katz said it has taken so long to get a handle on the Hydroxycut problem because the cases of liver damage were rare and the FDA has no authority to review supplements before they're marketed. "Part of the problem is that the FDA looks at dietary supplements from a post-market perspective, and an isolated incident is often difficult to follow," she said.

The FDA relies on voluntary reports to detect such problems, and many cases are never reported, officials acknowledge.

Health officials said they have been unable to determine which Hydroxycut ingredients are potentially toxic, partially because the formulation has changed several times.

Public health researcher Ano Lobb, who has studied Hydroxycut and other dietary supplements for Consumer Reports, said the problem may be an ingredient called hydroxycitric acid. Derived from a tropical fruit, it's been linked to liver problems in at least one medical journal study. Lobb said it's likely that other supplements containing the same ingredient remain on the market.

"You really have to be careful about dietary supplements, especially weight-loss pills," said Lobb. "People believe that the FDA has verified that these products are at least safe and effective, and that's really not the case. When you see fantastic claims — that's generally what they are."

Health Headlines - May 1

CDC Sued Over Handling of TB Case

Claiming U.S. health officials invaded his privacy, the Atlanta lawyer at the center of an international tuberculosis scare in 2007 is suing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Associated Press reported.

Andrew Speaker says CDC officials gave him clearance to travel overseas, even though they knew he was infected with TB, and told him he could begin treatment when he returned home. But when he arrived at his destination, doctors told Speaker he had a severe form of TB and urged him to go home.

In the lawsuit filed in federal court in Atlanta on Tuesday, Speaker says CDC officials approved his travel plans and then put the blame on him when he had to return to the United States. The lawsuit charges that the CDC damaged Speaker's reputation and made him the target of death threats, the AP reported.

The lawsuit accuses the CDC of "unlawfully and unnecessarily" revealing Speaker's private medical history and other sensitive information, and claims the stress of the situation caused the break-up of Speaker and his new wife. Speaker is seeking unspecified damages and court fees.

The CDC declined to comment on the lawsuit, the AP reported.

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Libimax Sexual Supplements Recalled

The male sexual supplement Libimax is being recalled due to safety concerns about one of its ingredients, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The product contains tadalafil, which can interact with nitrates found in prescription drugs taken by people with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease. The FDA said the interaction between tadalafil and nitrates can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels, United Press International reported.

The Libimax label doesn't state that it contains tadalafil and doesn't warn that certain people should not use the product. Consumers who've bought Libimax should stop using it and contact their doctor if they've experienced any problems they believe may be related to the product, the FDA said.

The recalled supplement is sold as a single capsule individual pack or in 10-capsule and 20-capsule plastic bottles in retail stores in California, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas, UPI reported.

For more information, consumers can contact the Nature & Health Co., of Brea, Calif., at 714-257-1800.

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Taking Aspirin May Reduce Adults' Cancer Risk: Study

People who take aspirin in their 40s may reduce their risk of cancer later in life, suggest Cancer Research UK experts who reviewed scientific studies.

Pre-cancerous lesions tend to start developing when people are in their mid-40s, said lead researcher Professor Jack Cuzick, BBC News reported. Aspirin blocks the effects of proteins that can trigger inflammation and which are found at high levels in several types of cancer. So, taking aspirin in your mid-40s may prevent that damage from progressing to full-blown cancer.

But the researchers, whose study was published in The Lancet Oncology, emphasized that much more research needs to be done before any recommendations about the regular use of aspirin for cancer prevention can be made.

"Future research and more clinical trials are needed to better identify those people who are at high risk of developing cancers and at low risk of side effects, who will benefit most from aspirin treatment," Cuzick said, BBC News reported.

Dr. Lesley Walker, Cancer Research UK's director of cancer information, agreed. "It's too soon to recommend that people take aspirin to try and stop cancer developing because of the side effects. "It's important that any decision to take aspirin regularly is only made in consultation with a (doctor)."

Health Tips for May 1

Health Tip: Allow Yourself to Grieve

While you're grieving because of a major life change or loss, you need time to cope.

Rotary International offers these suggestions to help manage grieving:

• Accept your loss, and deal with your feelings. Ignoring your emotions may lead to emotional and physical problems later.
• Be creative in expressing your emotions. Try writing in a journal, writing a letter or creating a photo album or scrapbook.
• Stay physically healthy with a good diet, plenty of sleep and regular exercise.
• Avoid using drugs and alcohol to deal with grief.
• Allow yourself to grieve on your own schedule. Express whatever emotions you feel -- cry, laugh or just be sad.
• Know that grief may re-emerge at certain times, such as on birthdays or holidays. Don't let it surprise you, and try to prepare for it as much as you can.

Health Tip: When Seniors Have Trouble Sleeping

Sleep disturbances -- including trouble getting to sleep or waking frequently throughout the night -- are common in elderly people.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers this list of common reasons for sleep problems in older people:

• Increased need to urinate.
• Pain, particularly from arthritis.
• Depression.
• Neurological problems.
• Alzheimer's disease.
• Side effects of taking certain medications.
• Alcohol use.
• Not getting enough exercise.
• Consuming too much caffeine.