Comparison Levitra Viagra

The sequencing of nearly 100 full genomes from three successive epidemics of flesh-eating bacteria have given scientists the first clear picture of the biological events that contribute to deadly epidemics of severe infection.

The approach can be used to track and help prevent major epidemics in the future, the American and Canadian researchers said.

“The extensive full-genome data provide us with new clues about the bacteria’s ability to take advantage of vulnerabilities in the person who has contracted the bacteria,” Dr. James M. Musser, co-director of the Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston and the study’s senior author, said in a hospital news release.

“With this type of unique molecular portrait of the bacterial pathogen, we can more effectively develop drugs to prevent the spread of epidemics and construct novel diagnostic and treatment strategies,” Musser explained.

A study co-author, Dr. Donald Low, chief microbiologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, said in the news release that “until now it has been a mystery why sometimes we see two opposing types of infection in patients who appear to have the same strain of flesh-eating bacteria.”

“In some cases, patients suffer from a devastating infection of tissue and muscle requiring extensive surgery, and other patients present with a skin infection readily treated with antibiotics,” Low said. “Now, we understand in part why this happens.”

The study were published online Jan. 25 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Harsh cleaning chemicals and wooden toilet seats — especially those with varnishes and paints — may be among the reasons why U.S. cases of toilet seat-related skin irritations among children appear to be increasing, researchers say.

Children can develop toilet seat dermatitis after repeated exposure to residue from harsh cleaning chemicals or after several uses of a wooden seat, said Dr. Bernard Cohen, director of pediatric dermatology at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, and colleagues.

The researchers analyzed five cases of toilet seat dermatitis among children in India and the United States, and report their findings in the February issue of the journal Pediatrics.

“Toilet seat dermatitis is one of those legendary conditions described in medical textbooks and seen in underdeveloped countries, but one that younger pediatricians have not come across in their daily practice,” Cohen said in a Johns Hopkins news release. “If our small analysis is any indication of what’s happening, we need to make sure the condition is on every pediatrician’s radar.”

The study found that missed and delayed diagnoses occurred in every case before a doctor made the correct diagnosis.

Any time a pediatrician sees a child with skin irritation around the buttocks or upper thighs, they should ask about toilet seats and cleansers used at home and at school, Cohen said.

Most cases of toilet seat dermatitis are mild and easy to treat with topical steroids. However, if not treated properly, the inflammation can persist and spread, causing painful and itchy skin eruptions and unnecessary discomfort for children and parents. Skin that’s persistently irritated is vulnerable to bacteria and may lead to more serious infections that require treatment with oral antibiotics.

Cohen and his colleagues offered tips on how to prevent toilet seat dermatitis:
Use paper toilet seat covers in public restrooms.
Replace wooden toilet seats with plastic ones.
Clean toilet seats and bowls daily.
Don’t use harsh cleansers, which often contain skin-irritating chemicals. Instead, use rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, which is effective and gentler on the skin.

SOURCE: Johns Hopkins Children’s Center

Skiers and snowboarders need to understand that they’re at risk for potentially serious injuries if they don’t take proper safety precautions, advises a trauma injury expert.

“Due to the nature of these sports, many of the injuries that skiers and snowboarders suffer are serious and require immediate medical attention,” orthotraumatologist Dr. Wade Smith, vice chairman of orthopedics for the Geisinger Health System, said in a news release.

Each winter, between 30 and 60 skiers and snowboarders die on U.S. slopes.

Head injuries are the most serious threat, as evidenced by the deaths of several celebrities, including Natasha Richardson and Sonny Bono. Taking a hill too fast or failing to pay attention to their surroundings can leave skiers and snowboarders susceptible to violent falls or collisions that can result in severe head and/or neck injuries.

Smith said skiers and snowboarders need to be mindful of others on the slopes, watch for patches of ice or rocks, and should never attempt a hill too fast or too steep for their ability. He also recommended that skiers and snowboarders of all ages wear a helmet.

Knee injuries are the most common type of injury suffered by skiers and snowboarders, accounting for 25 percent to 40 percent of all injuries.

“Knee injuries are often very painful and can require surgery and extensive rehab,” Smith said. “A torn meniscus, for example, a common ski injury, can result in sharp pain and occasionally arthroscopic surgery. A torn ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] requires arthroscopic surgery, rehab and physical therapy that can last from four months to more than one year.”

Keeping your knees bent while skiing and snowboarding can help reduce stress on the knees, and falling when you lose your balance, instead of trying to fight the fall, can help prevent knee injury, Smith said.

Fractures are another common injury suffered by skiers and snowboarders.

SOURCE: Geisinger Health System