Virus that causes cervical cancer most common, government study finds
AP News

CHICAGO - At least one in four teenage girls nationwide has a sexually transmitted disease, or more than 3 million teens, according to the first study of its kind in this age group.

A virus that causes cervical cancer is by far the most common sexually transmitted infection in teen girls aged 14 to 19, while the highest overall prevalence is among black girls — nearly half the blacks studied had at least one STD. That rate compared with 20 percent among both whites and Mexican-American teens, the study from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.

About half of the girls acknowledged ever having sex; among them, the rate was 40 percent. While some teens define sex as only intercourse, other types of intimate behavior including oral sex can spread some infections.

(more…)

The personal medical records of 4,000 NHS patients have been lost by Stockport Primary Care Trust, but health managers have chosen not to inform the individuals involved.

The records were on a USB stick clipped round the neck of an NHS employee when they were lost. They contained the names, dates of birth and details of medical conditions of patients of Stockport Primary Care Trust, as well as their NHS and trust numbers and details of their GPs.

The trust has since informed the Department of Health and GPs about the loss, but news only came to light publicly following a freedom of information request.

Stockport PCT chief executive Richard Popplewell said steps were taken to search for the device by retracing the path of the staff member. But it has not been found.

Popplewell said the loss was an accident rather than any systematic failing in management. He said the security of the information had been considered and the data was being carried personally to avoid having to be sent via email.

Popplewell said a balance had to be drawn between being open with patients and protecting them from unneccesary concern.

Paul Vlissidis, technical director of ethical security testing at IT consultancy NCC Group, said, “With such high levels of vulnerability there is a high chance of becoming a victim of certain threats, and any organisation that holds critical, confidential information about their customers and staff must ensure their networks are secure.

“It is a common mistake of any organisation to assume they have no enemies, but anyone could have been interested in the data they hold.”

The Stockport USB stick loss follows a similar loss at a Nottingham hospital last year. That loss only came to light when a doctor revealed the incident in the British Medical Journal.

Stomach Flu Spread By Contaminated Computer Keyboards

 

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) — The highly contagious norovirus, often called the stomach flu, can be passed from one person to another through contact with commonly shared items such as computer keyboards and computer mice, U.S. health officials report.

The virus, which is common in winter and is the most frequent cause of outbreaks of vomiting and diarrhea in the United States, is often contracted in schools, at work and on cruise ships.

On Thursday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on a norovirus outbreak at a Washington, D.C., elementary school last February in which some of the victims picked up the virus from contaminated computer equipment.

“There is evidence that shared objects and surfaces help transmit disease,” said Dr. Shua Chai, a CDC epidemiologist and co-author of the report, published in the Jan. 4 issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

“This is the first time that we have demonstrated that keyboards and computer mice can be a source of transmission of norovirus,” he added.

Of the 314 students and 66 staffers at the D.C. school, 103 came down with the illness — 79 students and 24 staff members. To find the sources of contamination, samples were taken from various surfaces around the school. In one first-grade classroom, a computer mouse and keyboard tested positive for norovirus, according to the report.

The virus can live on surfaces for several days, Chai said. To prevent infection with the virus, people should wash their hands after using shared objects, and computer keyboards and mice should be disinfected regularly with diluted bleach, he said.

“In addition, people who are ill should stay home for one to three days after they have had their last symptom, because they continue to shed the virus and can still contaminate objects,” Chai added.

One infectious disease expert said norovirus is a common infection, second only to the common cold.

“These outbreaks are extremely common, and they occur in a variety of settings,” said Dr. Pascal James Imperato, distinguished service professor, chairman of the department of preventive medicine and community health, and director of the master of public health program at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, in New York City.

Most outbreaks are food-borne, Imperato said. “A smaller percentage are due to person-to-person contact, and an even smaller proportion are water-borne,” he said. “Outbreaks in schools account for about 12 percent of all the outbreaks.”

Contamination of surfaces such as computer keyboards is fairly common, Imperato added.

Norovirus causes severe vomiting and diarrhea that can last for several days. The virus is usually not serious, and most people get better without treatment. However, it can be life-threatening to infants, older people and those with weakened immune systems.

In New York City, an outbreak of norovirus has been ongoing since November. Some 500 infected people have been showing up each day at emergency rooms around the city, health department officials said.

“The best way to stop the spread of norovirus is to wash your hands regularly with soap and stay home from work or school if you are sick,” Dr. Sharon Balter, director of enteric disease for the New York City Health Department’s Bureau of Communicable Disease, said in a prepared statement. “Norovirus is common at this time of year and is not serious for most people, but it is important to take these steps to keep others from getting sick.”

Imperato agreed. “Hand-washing remains the foundation of preventing the spread of norovirus,” he said.
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter
Thu Jan 3, 5:03 PM ET

Unauthorised laptop software causes security breach at Pfizer

Pfizer has admitted that the identities of 17,000 current and former employees were compromised when an employee’s spouse installed unauthorised file-sharing software on a company laptop where the data was stored.

Pfizer attorney Bernard Nash said in a letter (.pdf) to attorneys general in states where affected employees live that names and Social Security numbers were exposed and that the pharmaceutical company will offer them a free year of credit monitoring.

“This software allowed outsiders access to a number of files that included the names and Social Security numbers of the affected employees.” Nash said in the letter. “Based on Pfizer’s thorough investigation to this point, it appears that the affected employees can be grouped into two categories — approximately 15,700 who actually had their data accessed and copied, and approximately 1,250 who may have had their data accessed and copied.”

Nash’s letter included copies of notices being sent to employees.

“Our investigation revealed that certain files containing your data were accessed and copied,” the letter to those exposed said. “Based on our investigation to date, we have no reason to believe that any other personally identifiable information was exposed. Also, because the laptop was being used to access the Internet outside the Pfizer network environment, there are no associated risks to any other data systems maintained by Pfizer. We apologise for this incident and sincerely regret any inconvenience that these events and responding to this notice may cause you.”

The company recommended employees call 866-274-3891 to get the credit monitoring services.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (305 Pfizer employees in Connecticut) has asked Pfizer to provide details on whatever security policies were in place before the breach, as well as information about when the breach was discovered and how Pfizer responded. Blumenthal also wants the company to explain how it was able to determine which information was actually exposed. The company has until June 22 to answer those questions.

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(CNN) — Eight cases of bird flu among people have been confirmed in Pakistan, the first such cases in the country, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

 

Customers look at chickens at a street stall in Rawalpindi , Pakistan , on Tuesday.

The cases of H5N1 avian influenza were confirmed in Pakistan ’s remote North-West Frontier province , WHO spokesman Greg Hartl told CNN in a telephone interview.

One patient died, six recovered and one remained under medical supervision in the cities of Abbotabad and Mansehra, he said.

Patients were taken to medical facilities after presenting with the flu-like symptoms typical of avian flu. Health officials believe that another person’s death was likely caused by bird flu, but has not been confirmed.

Some of the deaths occurred within a single family, raising concern — but no proof — that the disease may have spread through human-to-human contact, said officials, who called for further analysis.

“We would be remiss if we didn’t investigate further, ” said Hartl from the WHO headquarters in Geneva . “Our concern is that once this virus remains in the animal population, it mutates into a more transmissible form. And the more they (the viruses) stay in the animal population, then we have a panic situation.”

Special Report

 

• Bird flu: What you need to know

• Interactive: What is influenza?

• Health Library

• Latest news on bird flu

• Special report

Public health officials worry that, should the virus gain the ability to transmit easily among humans, a pandemic could occur. Given that the disease is often fatal, the impact could be catastrophic, they contend.

Hartl praised Pakistan ’s Ministry of Health for investigating the outbreak in hospitals in remote areas.

Though this marks Pakistan’s first outbreak of bird flu among people, several outbreaks of H5N1 influenza have occurred among poultry in Pakistan, and it spread to the country’s wild birds earlier this year, the WHO said.

Some cases among birds have been reported in the capital city of Islamabad , but most have been reported in Pakistan ’s “poultry belt” in the North-West Frontier province .

In another part of Asia, Indonesia ’s Ministry of Health announced Tuesday the death of a 47-year-old man from Banten Province , who died December 13.

Of the 115 confirmed cases in Indonesia , 93 have been fatal, according to WHO.