Smileband health topics

A new weekly HIV treatment was shown to work in animals in a new study, prompting its manufacturer to begin development of a pill for humans. HIV medications can now keep levels of the virus so low in people with the disease that they are undetectable and cannot be transmitted. 

But traditional therapies require taking many potent drugs, or getting frequent injections, so there has been a recent push in the medical community to develop therapies that need to be taken less frequently and from home. 

Massachusetts-based drug manufacturer Lyndra's most recent test of its treatment found that effective, oral doses of three HIV-fighting compounds could stay in the systems of animals for sustained periods of time, as proof of concept for the drug they are developing. Progress in medications for as well as social awareness and destigmatization of HIV have greatly improved quality of life for those living with it. 

In September of last year, that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that those with undetectable viral loads - or levels of the infection - in their systems are now at 'effectively no risk' of transmitting the disease. 

The announcement was celebrated by the HIV positive community and put a sort of seal of approval on the efficacy of modern treatments. 

But, even as life spans continue to stretch for HIV positive people, the disease remains incurable, requiring a lifetime of treatment. 

Perhaps the biggest advancement in HIV treatment to come to market has been a single pill that combines the three key drug compounds used that combat the virus. 

The oral medication has to be taken every day, however, some studies have suggested that missing even two days of the pill can give the virus a window of opportunity to return to detectable levels. 

It is nearly impossible to accurately monitor how well HIV patients stick to their medication regimens, but a National Institutes of Health study done last year linked adherence to visits to care providers, and estimated that only about 57 percent of those who were diagnosed and connected with a provider kept with up with their appointments, suggesting they may not keep up with their medications either. 

'Because people with HIV require life-long antiretroviral therapy, a long-acting oral option that could be taken at home would make it easier for patients to adhere to their treatment regimen,' said Dr Andrew Bellinger, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Lyndra. 

Smileband health topics

Microsporidiosis is a disease caused by infection with microscopic organisms called microsporidia. Microsporidia are eukaryotic parasites that must live within other host cells in which they can produce infective spores. Microsporidiosis can cause infection of the intestine, lung, kidney, brain, sinuses, muscles, and eyes.

 

Intestinal symptoms that are caused by microsporidia infection include chronic diarrhea, wasting, malabsorption, and gallbladder disease. Symptoms of microsporidiosis primarily occur in people with immune-system deficiency, such as HIV-infected individuals and organ-transplant recipients.

 

Lung symptoms may include cough and difficult, labored breathing.

 

Transmission

Microsporidia spores are released from the stool and urine of infected animals. A number of animals, including insects, birds, and mammals, can serve as reservoirs of infection for microsporidia. These spores are then consumed or inhaled by humans. Isolation Precautions

Standard precautions are recommended in healthcare settings. 

Prevention for Patients
For patients with immune-system deficiency, frequent hand washing and limiting exposure to animals suspected of being infected with microsporidia is recommended.

Smileband health topics

What is Aussie flu?

Every winter there are a few strains circulating and Aussie flu or H3N2 is just one of them. It is an influenza A virus that appears to cause more severe infections in young children and the elderly. 

Most people will recover in about a week and won't need any specific treatment, apart from a bit of bed rest, some paracetamol or ibuprofen and drinking plenty of fluids. 

But for some - the very old, very young or people with pre-existing health conditions such as heart disease - flu can be deadly.

Is Aussie flu worse than other types of flu?

The UK is seeing a mix of flu types circulating including influenza B as well as the H3N2 strain. 

H3N2 is not new. It was around last winter too. 

Any strain of flu, including H3N2, can be dangerous for people who are vulnerable to it. 

Experience from last winter suggests the elderly are a high risk group for H3N2.

Influenza viruses are given different names based on their type - A, B and C. A is usually the most serious while C is usually a milder infection. They can be further subdivided according to the proteins that they carry on their surface. These are called H and N antigens. 

How bad is the situation in the UK?

Hospital admissions and GP visits for influenza have seen a sharp rise going into 2018, but are still comparable to the previous winter and are nowhere near as high as in 2008-09 when the swine flu pandemic hit the UK. 

Professor Paul Cosford, Medical Director, Public Health England said: "As we would expect at this time of year, flu levels have increased this week. Our data shows that more people are visiting GPs with flu symptoms and we are seeing more people admitted to hospitals with the flu. The vaccine is the best defence we have against the spread of flu and it isn't too late to get vaccinated."

What about the flu jab?

The vaccine is designed to protect against the type of flu circulating in any given season. 

Every year, the World Health Organization reviews the global situation and recommends which flu strains should go into the vaccine to be manufactured for the following season. 

This year's flu jab is designed to protect against H3N2 as well as some other strains.

How effective is it?

Vaccination is the best protection we have against flu.

But flu is unpredictable. Flu viruses constantly mutate and change, so it is a moving target to fight. 

Public Health England says typical effectiveness of the flu vaccine is 40-60%, which means that for every 100 people vaccinated, between 40 and 60 will be protected.

At risk people are advised to have annual flu jabs because flu strains can change from year to year, plus protection from the flu vaccine may wane after about six months.

Adults aged over 65, pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions are advised to get a free flu jab.

A flu nasal spray is available free to young children, who are thought to be the main spreaders of flu.

Why doesn't it stop all strains?

In general, current flu vaccines tend to work better against influenza B and influenza A/H1N1 viruses than H3N2, according to US experts at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

And it's already known that flu vaccines may work less well in elderly people because they have weaker immune systems.

Dr Richard Pebody, from Public Health England, said: "This season's flu vaccine should be providing reasonable protection, similar to last winter. Last year the vaccine did not give quite as good protection for the elderly for H3N2. 

"That's something that we are watching closely to see if it is an issue this winter."

How the vaccines are made might also determine their effectiveness, according to research.

Flu vaccines used in the UK and in many other parts of the world are currently grown in chicken eggs and this process can be tricky.

Smileband general news

A police commissioner has accused paedophile vigilante hunters of undermining investigations as a 39-year-old was caught by three different groups. Mark Cardwell, from Darlington, who has been handed an 18-month prison term after admitting charges of attempted grooming, had been taken in by fake profiles created by three different vigilante groups.

Following his conviction Durham's Police, Crime and Victims' Commissioner Ron Hogg said he felt there 'wasn't a place for vigilante groups in policing...as too many times they can undermine police inquiries'.

There are currently around 75 paedophile vigilante groups in existence.   

Cardwell thought he was engaging in explicit messages via an app with different girls, one of them aged just 12.

But he was in fact speaking to adult members of three different vigilant groups: Dark Light, Net Justice and Hunters 24/7.

The 39-year-old boasted how he had a van with a double bed and encouraged one of the 'girls' to lie to her parents about having a sleepover with friends so they could meet.

Cardwell told one of the 'girls': 'I can teach you all sorts.'

The members of one of the groups eventually confronted him at his home and alerted members of his family, leading to his arrest by police.

Robin Turton, for the prosecution, told Teesside Crown Court that conversations between Cardwell and the 'girls' would start innocuously, before he started asking questions such as whether they were wearing a bra and for their breast size.

Cardwell would then request naked pictures, as well as sending them, and encouraged the girls to commit sex acts. Mr Turton said Cardwell, who also pleaded guilty to attempting to engage a child in sexual activity, arranged to meet one of the girls at a supermarket but never went through with it.

When he was arrested Cardwell told police he was in 'self-destruct mode' and claimed to have no sexual interest in children.

His barrister Chris Baker said he had not fully come to terms with his motivation for wanting to contact children aged under 16.

He said Cardwell suffered from depression, low self-esteem and alcohol problems.

Mr Baker said: 'It is clear that as a result of these groups he has lost his partner, his house, his job and his good name...and he has only himself to blame. The judge, Recorder Amanda Rippon said she was familiar with vigilante groups, but added: 'I didn't know there were so many.'

This led Mr Baker to remark: 'I think they call it a cottage industry.'  

Durham's Police, Crime and Victims' Commissioner Ron Hogg said: 'Obviously I'm grateful for the evidence which has led to a conviction in this case, but I don't think there's really a place for vigilante groups in policing.

'Too many times they can undermine police enquiries. I know that the public feel confident to submit evidence to the police so that they can do their job thoroughly and professionally.'

His comments come as new figures revealed by MailOnline found nearly half of paedophiles found guilty of grooming a child online before trying to meet them for sex are let off jail by 'lenient' judges.

Durham Police said it did not wish to comment. 

Other forces have raised concerns about paedophile vigilante groups. 

Last September in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, a man aged in his 50s was confronted at his home by the Silent Justice group and footage of the incident was published online.

Smileband general news

A man sent to a secure hospital for killing a mother of two told doctors he had to sacrifice her to save his own family, a court has heard.

Marcin Porczynski admitted stabbing Nicola Cross, 37, to death in September 2015 in Hemel Hempstead.

Mrs Cross's husband Danny had told St Albans Crown Court he heard his wife's screams over the phone as Porczynski broke into their home and attacked her.

Porczynski, 24, will serve an indefinite spell at a psychiatric unit. Porczynski, of Claymore Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, had admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The court heard he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the attack and had been hearing voices for up to two years before the killing.

He broke into Mrs Cross's home while she was on the telephone to her husband who was working away in Hull. She was stabbed 10 times.

Porczynski arrived in the UK to work in early 2015. He told doctors he believed he had to kill Mrs Cross or his family in Poland would be killed. 

Judge Andrew Bright QC ordered that Porczynski should be detained at Rampton Secure Hospital in Nottinghamshire under a hospital order with a restriction without limit of time. Judge Bright told Porczynski: "As you were breaking in, Nicola Cross was on the phone to her husband Daniel.

"She told him that she had heard a noise and that he should hold on while she went to investigate. 

"By then you had gone to the kitchen and taken one of the knives from a knife block. 

"Although Nicola Cross tried to reason with you and heroically did her best to protect herself and her two young children from you, she was completely defenceless against the vicious knife attack you launched upon her."

In a victim statement to the court, Mr Cross said: "I will never forgive myself for not being there to protect her." 

Smileband health topics

Chloe Christopher, 17, from Cwmaman in south Wales, died after collapsing in front of her terrified family with the illness.

Her mother Michelle said hearing the words 'Mam, I'm frightened, I don't feel very well' will haunt her forever.

She had to perform CPR on her daughter after she suffered a cardiac arrest.

The distraught mother has spoken about what happened on New Year's Eve in 2014 to help others learn to recognise the signs of the deadly infection.

It was thought that Aberdare Community School student Chloe was suffering a chest infection at the time.

She was a little lethargic with some aches and pains, but it seemed nothing to worry about.

In a new film produced by the Welsh Ambulance Service, Ms Christopher said: 'It was Christmas week and Chloe seemed to have what we thought was a cold or maybe the start of a chest infection.

'She spent one evening with one of her closest friends laughing and joking and looking forward to New Year's Eve celebrations, as they were going to a fancy dress party.

'They were both together as Chloe rapidly deteriorated. It was so sudden; one minute laughing and joking, the next she said she felt unwell and a bit scared.

'She then collapsed in front of us. Hearing the words 'Mam, I'm frightened, I don't feel very well' will stay with me forever.

'I phoned for the emergency services immediately and even though we didn't know what was happening, we knew it was serious. 'Chloe suffered a cardiac arrest in front of us, and having to try and perform CPR on your own daughter was indescribable.

'The emergency staff were amazing, and tried their utmost to save Chloe but to no avail. Sepsis occurs when the body's response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs, and it can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and death, especially if not recognised early.

Ms Christopher said: 'The first time we heard of sepsis was at Chloe's inquestfive months later.

'We heard that Chloe had signs of a urine infection which turned to sepsis, led to multi-organ failure and then cardiac arrest.

'Since Chloe's passing, it's been my passion to raise awareness and to help educate the public on the signs of sepsis.'

The family has raised £1,100 for the Sepsis Trust since Chloe's death with a series of fundraising events in their local community.

It is estimated that sepsis kills around 44,000 people a year, which is bigger than breast, bowel and prostate cancer put together.

Ms Christopher added: 'If caught early, sepsis can be treatable, so they keymessage is education, knowledge and awareness and to just ask "could this be sepsis?"

'By doing this, it helps keep our beautiful Chloe's memory alive, hoping that maybe we can save a family going through what we have.'

The Welsh Ambulance Service is calling on people to seek help immediately if they suspect the signs of sepsis.

Andy Swinburn, Assistant Director of Paramedicine, said: 'Sepsis is a serious condition that can initially look like flu, gastroenteritis or a chest infection.

'If you develop slurred speech or confusion, extreme shivering or muscle pain, severe breathlessness, mottled skin or you have trouble passing urine, it could be sepsis and you must seek medical help immediately - it could mean the difference between life and death.'

For more information about sepsis, visit the UK Sepsis Trust website. 

Smileband health topics

Pertussis (whooping cough) can cause serious illness in babies, children, teens, and adults. Symptoms of pertussis usually develop within 5 to 10 days after you are exposed. Sometimes pertussis symptoms do not develop for as long as 3 weeks.

Early Symptoms

The disease usually starts with cold-like symptoms and maybe a mild cough or fever. In babies, the cough can be minimal or not even there. Babies may have a symptom known as “apnea.” Apnea is a pause in the child’s breathing pattern. Pertussis is most dangerous for babies. About half of babies younger than 1 year who get the disease need care in the hospital.  Early symptoms can last for 1 to 2 weeks and usually include:

• Runny nose
• Low-grade fever (generally minimal throughout the course of the disease)
• Mild, occasional cough
• Apnea – a pause in breathing (in babies)

Pertussis in its early stages appears to be nothing more than the common cold. Therefore, healthcare professionals often do not suspect or diagnose it until the more severe symptoms appear.

Later-stage Symptoms

After 1 to 2 weeks and as the disease progresses, the traditional symptoms of pertussis may appear and include:

• Paroxysms (fits) of many, rapid coughs followed by a high-pitched “whoop” sound
• Vomiting (throwing up) during or after coughing fits
• Exhaustion (very tired) after coughing fits.  Isolation Precautions
  Standard and droplet precautions are recommended for 5 days after initiation of therapy or until 3 weeks after cough onset.
  Prevention for Patients
  Vaccination is the best prevention method.   Trap vaccine is recommended for pregnant women during their third trimester to help protect the infant. Also, it is recommended for anyone who will be caring for the infant to also have a Tdap vaccine.
  Public Health Actions
  Untreated individuals should be excluded from school or childcare for 3 weeks following the onset of a cough and treated individuals should be excluded until 5 days of antibiotic treatment is completed. 
  Public health will conduct an epidemiological investigation on a case or suspect case.

Smileband health topics

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis (pronounced en- doh – mee – tree – oh – sis) is the name given to the condition where cells like the ones in the lining of the womb (uterus) are found elsewhere in the body.

Each month these cells react in the same way to those in the womb, building up and then breaking down and bleeding. Unlike the cells in the womb that leave the body as a period, this blood has no way to escape. 

It is a chronic and debilitating condition that causes painful or heavy periods. It may also lead to infertility, fatigue and bowel and bladder problems. Around 1.5 million women in the UK are currently living with the condition. Endometriosis can affect all women and girls of a childbearing age, regardless of race or ethnicity. 'Despite the pain I am doing all I can to help other women suffering with this crippling condition. 

Every month a woman’s body goes through hormonal changes. Hormones are naturally released which cause the lining of the womb to increase in preparation for a fertilized egg.  If pregnancy does not occur, this lining will break down and bleed – this is then released from the body as a period. 

In endometriosis, cells like the ones in the lining of the womb grow elsewhere in the body. These cells react to the menstrual cycle each month and also bleed. However, there is no way for this blood to leave the body. This can cause inflammation, pain and the formation of scar tissue.

Endometriosis can have a significant impact on a woman’s life in a number of ways, including:

• Chronic pain
• Fatigue/lack of energy
• Depression/isolation
• Problems with a couple’s sex life/relationships
• An inability to conceive
• Difficulty in fulfilling work and social commitments

Smileband general news

Shots were fired at the car of a German-Turkish soccer player who was an outspoken critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prosecutors have said. Several shots were apparently fired at 28-year-old Deniz Naki's car on the A4 highway near the west German city of Aachen late on Sunday. No one was hurt.

Prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident on suspicion of attempted homicide. Naki currently plays for Amed SK, a club in Turkey's majority-Kurdish southeast.

The player, who is visiting his family in Germany, told German daily Die Welt that he believes he was targeted because of his political role in Turkey.

Naki was given an 18-month suspended sentence last year in Turkey on accusations of terrorist propaganda for the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, Die Welt reported.

He told Die Welt newspaper he assumed the shots were fired by a Turkish agent or someone else who opposed his views.

'I could have died,' Naki told the newspaper. 'It was so close. I was scared to death.' He said the shots were fired from a black station wagon that was diagonally behind him, and two bullets struck his car.

Naki, who said he frequently received menacing messages on social media, vowed not to let the shooting incident stop him from speaking out against the Turkish government. He said he had not received any specific threats in recent weeks. Naki, a former national youth soccer player for Germany, now plays for a Kurdish team in Turkey.

Katja Schlenkermann-Pitts, a senior prosecutor in Aachen, said authorities were investigating the incident as an attempted homicide, but said her office could not confirm Naki's concerns. She said prosecutors were looking 'in all directions.'

The Interior Ministry had no information on the case, spokesman Johannes Dimroth told a regular government news conference. He said he had no doubt that Naki's statements would be addressed by prosecutors as part of the investigation.

The incident occurred around 11pm on the A4 highway near the town of Dueren, where Naki grew up, as he was returning home after visiting a friend.

It comes as the German and Turkish foreign ministers are trying to improve difficult relations following Ankara's crackdown after an abortive coup attempt in 2016 and the arrests of German citizens in Turkey.

Smileband general news

Oprah Winfrey used her inspirational Golden Globes speech to invoke the name of an African-American woman who died last week, decades after her horrific kidnap and gang rape by white men in 1944 was ignored by police. Recy Taylor's fight for justice in Alabama encapsulated the racial divide in the Jim Crow South and became a lightning rod for civil rights struggles around America.

She died aged 97 on December 29,  73 years after an all-white, all-male jury refused to indict her six white attackers - despite their admission of guilt to authorities. They have never been charged. Then, aged just 24, the married woman was walking home from church with two friends when a car carrying seven men approached.

The men kidnapped her at gunpoint, before driving to a grove of pine trees at the side of a deserted road.

There, at least six of the teenage boys made the mother-of-one undress and took turns in raping her. Once they were finished they left her blindfolded at the side of the road miles from her home in Abbeville, Alabama.

Told she would be killed if she went to the police, brave Taylor put her faith in the justice system and identified the men but none were ever prosecuted. Two grand juries failed to indict any of her attackers, causing uproar in the black community who fought for justice in a system infected with institutionalized racism.  

Six years before her death, and 67 years after she became the center of a civil rights struggle, the Alabama state government apologized to her for 'its failure to prosecute her attackers.'

She was 'raped and left blindfolded by the side of the road, coming home from church,' Winfrey told the Golden Globes audience, on the day that, ironically, would have been Recy's 98th birthday. 

'They threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone,' Winfrey went on. 

'She lived, as we all have lived, too many years in a culture broken by the brutally powerful men,' she added. 

Speaking to a room intent on challenging systemic sexism and abuse within their own industry, Recy's assault galvanized black people across the country, sowing the seeds for the Civil Rights movement that would come.