Pinworm Infection: What You Should Know

The pinworm annually infects 40 million people, about 13 percent of Americans. It's a highly contagious, intestinal worm that measures about 1/4"-1/2" long and exists year-round, especially in warm, moist climates. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), pinworm infestation is twice as common as head lice. Preschoolers and school-age children have the highest rates of infection. Symptoms of PinwormsParents should suspect that their children are infected if they frequently scratch their perianal area, are uncomfortable sitting, have difficulty sleeping, act restless and maybe even experience loss of appetite. How Do You Get Pinworms?Touching or scratching the affected area transfers pinworm eggs to the host's fingers, which can spread them practically anywhere.Confirming InfectionPinworms can frequently be seen in stool or on the skin around the anus. If pinworms are suspected but no worms are seen, transparent adhesive tape or a pinworm paddle (supplied by your health care provider) can be applied to the anal region. The eggs or worms adhere to the sticky side of the tape or the paddle. Bring the tape samples to your doctor, who will have them examined to determine if pinworms are present. The best time to take the samples is one to two hours before the patient arises and uses the bathroom or bathes. Fully TreatablePinworm infection is fully treatable. The best way to eliminate pinworms is to use an over-the-counter pyrantel pamoate-based medication, such as Reese's Pinworm liquid or caplets, which are highly effective at eliminating pinworms--usually with just one dose. Many major drug chains as well as independent pharmacies carry Reese's. Because pinworms are contagious, all family members need to be treated at the same time. Several children can be easily treated with a single package, because dosages are based on each individual's weight. Preventing ReinfestationBecause pinworm eggs may still be present in the house after your family's initial treatment, your family doctor must be consulted to determine the next course of action for complete elimination of pinworms and their eggs. Do not repeat treatment unless directed by a doctor.These simple measures can help prevent reinfestation:• Bathe or shower daily. • Frequently wash and change underwear, sleepwear, toys and bedding. • Wash hands regularly, especially after using the bathroom and before eating.• Discourage nail biting.• Discourage touching or scratching bare anal areas.• Keep your home clean.
By: Stacey Moore
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

There's Still Time To Protect Yourself And Your Kids Against Influenza

If you think it's too late for you and your kids to stave off the discomforts and possible serious complications of the flu, you're in for some good news. While October and November are optimal months for getting vaccinated, receiving the flu vaccine anytime through December and beyond can still be beneficial, as the flu season can last as late as May. "Children count on their parents and guardians for the best possible care, and getting them vaccinated against influenza is the single best way to protect them against this serious illness," says an official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adding that the vaccine is safe, effective and cannot cause the flu.Each year in the United States, on average, more than 20,000 children and tens of thousands of adults are hospitalized due to complications of influenza, and some die from the disease. The CDC recommends that beginning at 6 months of age and up to their fifth birthday, children get a flu vaccine each year. Children under the age of 5, even if they are healthy, are among those at highest risk for flu-related complications such as seizures and ear infections. Deaths may also occur in children, but are less common. Kids of any age with chronic illnesses such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes are particularly vulnerable. The children at highest risk for flu complications are infants under 6 months. These infants are too young to receive the flu vaccine, but their parents, other family members and out-of-home caregivers can help protect them by getting vaccinated. The flu, which can cause symptoms including high fever, headache, cough, nausea, weakness and muscle aches, is contagious and often transmitted through sneezing and coughing. While some people suffer mild symptoms, others are too ill to work or attend school. Children should get age-appropriate vaccines through their local health clinic or pediatrician. Individuals who received the vaccine last year likely won't be protected from this year's influenza because the flu viruses change from year to year, which is why the flu vaccine is updated annually.
By: Stacey Moore
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Why Is My Hair Falling Out?!

At any single moment, at least 10 percent of the hair on your scalp is in a resting phase. The hair that is resting will fall out after a period of two to three months, and new hair will begin to grow in its place. The growing phase lasts between two and six years. During this phase, the average growth rate for hair is approximately one centimeter per month. At any single moment, approximately ninety percent of the hair on your scalp is in its growing phase. It is normally for you to shed each day as a part of this cycle, although there are people who experience hair loss at rates much higher than normal. This type of hair loss can affect everyone; men, women and children alike.Excessive hair loss is caused by several factors, including illness or major surgery which cause stress-related temporary hair loss, hormonal problems, an under-active or over-active thyroid, childbirth-related hormones, medications like blood thinners, gout medications, chemotherapy, vitamin A, anti depressants and birth control pills. Infection of certain types can also cause hair loss, including fungal scalp infections in children. Underlying disease like lupus or diabetes may also cause hair loss. It is important to find out the cause of the excessive hair loss, to make sure it is not something that is detrimental to your health as well as your hairstyle.Improper hair care can also cause excessive hair loss. Hairstyles or products that pull on your hair a lot can often cause traction alopecia, but your hair will grow back as long as the scalp has not scarred before the pulling has stopped. Hot oil treatments for hair and the chemicals used in perms may cause hair follicle inflammation which can also result in scalp scarring and sometimes permanent hair loss.Common baldness is the term used to describe male-pattern baldness, or permanent-pattern baldness, the most common cause of loss of hair in men. Men typically inherit the pattern baldness trait, and some can begin to lose their hair at an early age. Hair loss typically results in a receding hair line and baldness on top of the head in male-pattern baldness.
By: Arturo R
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Many U.S. Doctors Involved in Public Issues

Tuesday, November 21, 2006; 12:00 AM
TUESDAY, Nov. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Many American doctors believe it's important to take part in public activities such as political involvement, community participation and collective advocacy, according to a study in the Nov. 22/29 issue of theJournal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers at Harvard University, Boston, and the University of Melbourne in Australia looked at data collected from 1,662 doctors working in general internal medicine, family practice, pediatrics, general surgery, anesthesiology, and cardiology.

More than 90 percent of the doctors regarded public roles as important and about two-thirds were actively involved in such pursuits, the researchers found. More than half the respondents felt that community participation and collective advocacy was very important, and more than one-third felt that political involvement was very important.
Nutrition, immunization, substance abuse, and road safety issues were rated as very important by more doctors than were access-to-care issues, illiteracy or unemployment.
A number of different personal, professional and practice characteristics influence the likelihood that a doctor will take part in public activities, the study found.
"These results indicate a high degree of consensus and previously undocumented willingness of physicians to engage in addressing U.S. public health concerns," the study authors wrote.
More information

There's more on how U.S. doctors are getting involved in public issues at the American Medical Association.
SOURCE: JAMA/Archives journals, news release, Nov. 21, 2006

Allergy Treatment Begins At Home - Living A Healthy Lifestyle.

It is spring time, which is good news to many, but not to all. Yes, the sun is out, it is warming up, and the birds are all around us, singing happily to pass the day away, but all is not well for those who suffer from allergic reactions.If you are an allergy sufferer, spring can be a miserable time of wheezing, sneezing, coughing, and constant discomfort, unless you have the proper allergy treatment. The type of allergy treatment that is right for you depends on a number of factors that your doctor should discuss with you, but many of them take several weeks, to months to work, so you shouldn't delay. You've got to start treating your allergic reactions today.The most common allergy treatment is the antihistamine. Recently, claritin which is one of the most common antihistamines and used to be available only by prescription, has become available over the counter to treat allergies.For many people, this proves to be such an effective allergy treatment that it proves to be all that they need to treat their conditions, but for many more, this is not the case. There are a variety of nasal allergy treatments which can relieve swelling and discomfort in the nose and sinuses, but many of these have side effects. If you suffer from bad allergic reactions, you should consider a more complete allergy treatment.What I recommend is to take several steps, instead of looking for the cure-all allergy treatment. The first thing to do is to make sure that your house is clean. Clean out the refrigerator and check it for mold. Same goes for the bathroom, and any other room which may harbor dirt, dust, or fungus. Remember that the most effective allergy treatment is to prevent the inhalation of allergens in the first place, and that means dusting, washing, vacuuming and sweeping every single day of the week.Of course, this isn't the whole allergy treatment. In addition to cleaning up, you should get a nice HEPA air filter to clean up the air in your rooms, particularly the one you sleep in. This will remove all of the dirt and allergens from the air. Your allergy treatment will probably also include the use of an antihistamine, as well as a decongestant. Finally, you might have to get more severe medication as an allergy treatment. Shots can do wonders to minimize allergic reactions.
By: John Wellington -

Who Is Right: Medical Doctors Or Natural Health Promoters? Part 1

Have you noticed that there is often a sharp divide in between the allopathic health community and the naturopathic health community? In other words, the Medical Doctors and the Natural Health Professionals often seem to disagree fundamentally. But which is right?Perhaps it is not so much of an issue of being right as it is an issue of roles and expertise. Perhaps it is not that Medical Doctors are bad or that natural health solutions are a hoax. Perhaps they should work together!In the part one of this report, we'll discuss the medical side of the issue: Pros and cons. Then we'll do the same for the natural side, then wrap the discussion up.The downside of the allopathic approach to healthOne of the biggest problems with the medical approach to health is side effects. Quite simply, there are no pharmaceutical drugs that do not have undesirable side effects. Some have fewer side effects, some have more. Some side effects are very serious, others are not. But all drugs have side effects.Another bad aspect to allopathic health is that it generally is designed to artificially and often superficially correct the problem, but not deal with the root issue. For example, when you take cold medicine, it does nothing for your cold - it just suppresses the symptoms so that you don't notice the cold symptoms as much.So for me, the biggest problems with using pharmaceuticals is that they are toxic, can be dangerous, and often do not address the root health issue.On the plus side, the Medical approach excels in crisis situations. For example, if I were in a car accident and were in critical condition, I would not go see a nutritionist. I would go to the hospital, where they could forcefully intervene and hopefully save my life.
By: Adam Thompson -

Who Is Right: Medical Doctors Or Natural Health Promoters? Part 2

While the allopathic approach to health certainly has it's share of faults, the natural health approach is not perfect either.Probably the biggest issue the natural health community faces is the issue of quality and truth. In other words, what really works, and what doesn't? You sometimes have to dig through a lot of dirt to find the gold, as the proverb says.Often times a particular nutrient, plant, or source may be helpful, but the end product is not. One study showed that some antioxidant products actually had an oxidative effect. Why? Because the company producing them had not properly researched, developed, and tested their products.The greatest strength of the natural approach is that it generally works with your body, instead of against it or in spite of it, like the medical approach does. There are exceptions to this, though. Many herbs are really just natural drugs, so you should be careful with them.But nutritional supplements, for example, work with your body to strengthen, build up, and equip your body to protect, defend and restore your health naturally, with no side effects. The flip side of the coin is of course that nutrition takes time to do it's job. In critical cases, something more abrupt is needed - perhaps something the medical community has to offer.That leads us to the conclusion: perhaps the solution is for natural and medical health practices to work together to create an even healthier you.What if you were to use improved nutrition, nutritional supplements and other natural methods to naturally improve your health, but still use "conventional" medical approaches when needed? The key is to balance the cost and the benefits. Is not feeling your cold symptoms worth the potential side effects and long term health damage that you could get from using cold medication? On the other hand, if you have an infection, is running the risk of a serious infection or running the risk of damage from antibiotics worse?Get the facts, balance the issues, and use natural and medical approaches together for the best of health!

Who Is Right: Medical Doctors Or Natural Health Promoters? Part 2

While the allopathic approach to health certainly has it's share of faults, the natural health approach is not perfect either.Probably the biggest issue the natural health community faces is the issue of quality and truth. In other words, what really works, and what doesn't? You sometimes have to dig through a lot of dirt to find the gold, as the proverb says.Often times a particular nutrient, plant, or source may be helpful, but the end product is not. One study showed that some antioxidant products actually had an oxidative effect. Why? Because the company producing them had not properly researched, developed, and tested their products.The greatest strength of the natural approach is that it generally works with your body, instead of against it or in spite of it, like the medical approach does. There are exceptions to this, though. Many herbs are really just natural drugs, so you should be careful with them.But nutritional supplements, for example, work with your body to strengthen, build up, and equip your body to protect, defend and restore your health naturally, with no side effects. The flip side of the coin is of course that nutrition takes time to do it's job. In critical cases, something more abrupt is needed - perhaps something the medical community has to offer.That leads us to the conclusion: perhaps the solution is for natural and medical health practices to work together to create an even healthier you.What if you were to use improved nutrition, nutritional supplements and other natural methods to naturally improve your health, but still use "conventional" medical approaches when needed? The key is to balance the cost and the benefits. Is not feeling your cold symptoms worth the potential side effects and long term health damage that you could get from using cold medication? On the other hand, if you have an infection, is running the risk of a serious infection or running the risk of damage from antibiotics worse?Get the facts, balance the issues, and use natural and medical approaches together for the best of health!

Let’s Talk About Herbs And Their Uses.

There is a great tradition in different customs around the world to use herbs, for their taste in cooking and their healing properties for the mind and body. The monks and nuns in nearly England were amongst the first people in the West to study about herbs. They experimented with the herbals in their gardens and soon became experts in providing the proper treatment.It's important when learning about the usage of herbs for medicinal purposes, to decide the correct dosage and to make sure of the cleanliness of the herb. Many people who don't know about herbs think that they are completely safe because they grow naturally. It’s not true, as herbs can have side effects just as much as medicine can if not managed properly.If you are not sure about herbs, try to find out and go to an experienced herbal practitioner. This is mostly important if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or receiving treatment by medicine. Taking both an herbal treatment and a medicine can double up the components and overflow the body too much.The use of herbs and their effects are well known. Many medical experts from conventional backgrounds are starting to give herbal medicine more respect as they study more about herbs. The Chinese have already had herbal medicine as part of their daily treatment for a very long time. Different sicknesses have their own treatment solutions because many herbs duplicate from each other.Aloe Vera is a multi purpose herb, treating many sickness including arthritis, spots, growth, and allergic reactions. Lavender can also help with arthritis. Nigella Sativa (Black Cumin) is another herb that is used for a variety of patients, treating infections, stomach pain and pulmonary infections. St. John's Wort (one of the most dangerous herbs in wrong doses) has been tested in medical tests for the treatment of mild to moderate levels of sadness. Results showed that the herb performed well than a placebo.A lot of people suffer from acute sleeplessness but don't want to take sleeping medicine. In studies about herbs, it's been found that Valerian root is a good option and doesn't cause sleepiness in the morning. General tiredness can be helped by periwinkle or dandelion. Periwinkle can also ease the symptoms of the menopause, as can fennel.Many gardeners get a lot of happiness from growing an herb garden, providing wonderful smell and taste for the pot. A stock of mint, basil, oregano, wise thyme and parsley will give you the basic supply needed for most dishes. Add some rosemary and chives and you're well set up. You'll have fun when learning all about herbs and their uses in the kitchen whether you follow advice in cooking books or do some experimenting of your own.
By: James L. Paleta -

How To Listen To Your Body – The Vital Basics Of Biofeedback

Biofeedback is using the power of the mind to improve health. Through biofeedback, health is improved without the use of medication. The ability to use mind power in this way has been demonstrated in numerous scientific research studies. In fact, research has shown that biofeedback helps control or remedy approximately 150 different medical conditions, such as hot flashes, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, Reynard’s disease, headaches, incontinence, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, epilepsy, and side-effects of chemotherapy, such as vomiting and nausea.Biofeedback involves teaching the body to control involuntary responses, such as blood pressure, brain activity, heart rate, and muscle tension. Through these techniques, a person can treat both physical and mental health problems. Biofeedback can also help prevent health problems and provide the practitioner with overall improved health and a greater sense of well-being. Through the use of biofeedback, a person can potentially eliminate the need to use medication. Similarly, biofeedback can help treat illnesses that have been unresponsive to medication.A person can be trained in biofeedback with the help of a therapist specially trained in the field. Generally, a session for training in biofeedback takes 30 to 60 minutes. During one of these sessions, the therapist places electrical sensors on different parts of the body in order to monitor the way the body responds to stress. These responses, such as muscle contractions, will trigger a response with the equipment being used for monitoring, such as a beeping sound. In this way, the person being trained in biofeedback can begin to make associations between the body’s responses with the way the body is functioning.During a therapy session, the person being trained in biofeedback attempts to adjust his body’s responses. The person receives continual feedback from the equipment being used. If the body continues to react in an adverse fashion, the beeping number of beeping sounds might increase. This means the problem is getting worse. If the beeping decreases, the problem is getting better. In this way, the person learns what activities help reduce the problem and what activities aggravate it.After understanding how the body reacts negatively, you can learn about biofeedback and how you can make the body have positive changes. Biofeedback will enable you to teach your self how to relax specific muscles. Eventually, the person learns how to make these changes without the assistance of a therapist.There are many different types of machine used to help in the biofeedback process. An Electromyogram (EMG) uses sensors or electrodes to measure tension in muscles. This is especially helpful in learning how to control grinding of teeth and to relax muscles, particularly in the head, back, and neck. It can also help with illnesses that become worse in stressful situations, such as ulcers and asthma. By using an EMG, the person learns to recognize these feelings early and is then able to control the feelings of tension immediately.Using sensors to monitor temperature can also be helpful. Often, body temperatures drop when under stress. Therefore, a low temperature indicates a need to begin performing relaxation techniques. This type of biofeedback is especially helpful for people with Reynard’s disease or who suffer from migraines.Other sensors can be used to measure sweat glad activity. This is called Galvanic Skin response training. Excessive perspiration can be a sign of anxiety. Understanding this form of biofeedback and how the body reacts can help control anxiety, as well as phobias and stuttering.An Electroencephalogram (EEG) can also be used in biofeedback training. The EEG is capable of monitoring brain waves. These brain waves are connected to a variety of mental states, including relaxation, wakefulness, and calmness.A qualified biofeedback therapist can be found by contacting the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (BCIA). The BCIA can provide names of certified therapists in specific areas of the United States.Biofeedback has also been used to help treat stroke victims who have lost movement in their muscles. In addition, psychologists use biofeedback to help east anxious clients and many specialists use biofeedback to help patients learn to deal with pain. Cardiac arrhythmias, high and low blood pressure, epilepsy, and digestive system disorders have also been successfully treated with biofeedback.Biofeedback has been repeatedly shown to work, though most patients can’t really explain how it works for them or what exactly they are doing to control certain involuntary body functions. But, this is in-line with what biofeedback is truly all about, being able to understand one’s own body in a unique way no one else can.
By: James Calvin -
Are Allergies and Asthma Taking the FUN OUT OF LIFE? Who Else Wants To Learn One Simple Way To Totally Eliminate Asthma And Allergy Attacks, ALL Without Using Drugs And Inhalers Now...

MP questions decision to bring back silicone gel breast implants

Members of the House of Commons standing committee on health have called on Health Canada officials to explain why silicone breast implants are being allowed back on the market.
Bloc Quebecois MP and committee member Nicole Demers fears the decision was based on flawed reasoning.
The decision was based on 60,000 pages of studies, but the studies came from the manufacturers of the implants, Demers said.
A public interest group in the U.S. has called for a criminal investigation into a whistleblower's allegations that a silicone-breast implant maker withheld safety information from U.S. regulators. "There have been some very serious allegations about the companies in the United States," Demers told CBC Newsworld on Tuesday.
"Some inquiries are being made as we speak into allegations that Inamed and Mentor have made false declarations in front of the FDA. So if they have done it in front of the FDA, I wouldn't be surprised if they did the same in front of Health Canada."
Demers said she is also concerned that Health Canada's expert committee was loaded with people with a direct conflict of interest.

The standing committee also wants to see all of the research that the expert panel used to make its decision and to check a full list of researchers who were consulted.
Plastic surgeons say the newest silicone breast implants have a stronger, thicker wall that is more durable than those of older-generation implants that leaked. The implants are also designed to have the consistency of gummy bears so they stick to themselves instead of leaking into the body.
But Demers said she's heard from young women who've had their implants burst inside them.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2006/11/21/breast-implants.html

Health rating depends on neighbourhood: report

Your neighbourhood may help determine how healthy you are, according to a new report that suggests affluence and accessibility are key factors.
The report, released on Tuesday by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, looked at how people in urban areas rated their health.
There were not only substantial differences between cities, but also between neighbourhoods within the same city.
The percentage of people in various cities who ranked their health as excellent or very good were:
Calgary, 67 per cent.
Halifax, 63 per cent.
Vancouver, 59 per cent.
Montreal, 58 per cent.
Toronto, 56 per cent.
"Canada's life expectancy is among the best in the world, but not everyone has the same chances for a long life," said Jennifer Zelmer, vice-president of research and analysis at CIHI.
"Differences between regions of Canada — or even between neighbourhoods within a city — can be as large as differences between countries."

In Vancouver, there was a 15 percentage point gap between neighbourhoods for the adults and youth who rated their health as excellent or very good in 2003, and the same was true in Montreal.
Neighbourhoods were divided by income, education level, where residents lived alone, housed recent immigrants or single parents.
People who lived in neighbourhoods with higher income and education levels were more likely to be physically active during their leisure time, were less likely to smoke and more likely to report excellent or very good health.
Canadians who lived in neighbourhoods that were more pedestrian friendly tended to be more physically active, and children who lived in places with more safe and accessible play spaces were less likely to be overweight, Zelmer said.
Suburbs, where people often drive to work, had higher rates of overweight and obesity than downtown areas, where residents may be more likely to walk, bike or use public transit.
Immigrants tended to report better health, and areas with higher levels of newcomers also reported lower injury rates, perhaps because cities, where immigrants often head to, have more pedestrian walkways, Zelmer suggested.
The findings suggest planners should promote active living, and measures such as changes to building codes may make a difference, Zelmer said. For example, the death rate from fires fell 75 per cent after smoke alarms were required.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2006/11/21/cities-health.html

Patients received killer dose of unlicensed nerve toxin

Patients who came down with botulism poisoning after being injected in the face with an unlicensed cosmetic product received up to 40 times the estimated lethal dose for humans, a new study says.
The four patients were hospitalized in November 2004. Fortunately, they were given enough anti-toxin to save their lives. Botulism is a rare paralytic illness caused by the toxins of the spore-forming bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Because it can cause such serious problems as slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and paralysis, it must be treated early. In severe cases, the paralysis can restrict breathing, requiring a ventilator.
Medicinal uses of weakened forms of the toxin include smoothing facial wrinkles.
A nearly two-year investigation by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control found the effects of the injections received by the four patients were long lasting, with one patient staying on a mechanical ventilator for 171 days.
All four are still feeling the effects today, Dr. Daniel Chertow of the CDC in Atlanta and his colleagues report in Wednesday's issue of the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association).
The patients were given botulism toxin A that was clearly labelled for research purposes only.

Patients who came down with botulism poisoning after being injected in the face with an unlicensed cosmetic product received up to 40 times the estimated lethal dose for humans, a new study says.
The four patients were hospitalized in November 2004. Fortunately, they were given enough anti-toxin to save their lives. Botulism is a rare paralytic illness caused by the toxins of the spore-forming bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Because it can cause such serious problems as slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and paralysis, it must be treated early. In severe cases, the paralysis can restrict breathing, requiring a ventilator.
Medicinal uses of weakened forms of the toxin include smoothing facial wrinkles.
A nearly two-year investigation by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control found the effects of the injections received by the four patients were long lasting, with one patient staying on a mechanical ventilator for 171 days.
All four are still feeling the effects today, Dr. Daniel Chertow of the CDC in Atlanta and his colleagues report in Wednesday's issue of the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association).
The patients were given botulism toxin A that was clearly labelled for research purposes only.

Use only licensed products: authors
"Physicians and patients must be aware of the hazards associated with illegitimate use of unlicensed botulinum toxin products. Only licensed products should be used clinically," the study's authors wrote.
"Entities inappropriately marketing, selling, or using unlicensed botulinum toxin products should be sought and subjected to full criminal and civil penalties."
A doctor in Florida was sentenced to three years in jail for using an unapproved drug in relation to the cases of the four patients.
A 100-microgram vial of the toxin that was given to the patients had enough botulism in it to kill more than 14,000 people.

source: http://www.cbc.ca/

U.S. hospital pulls off quintuple kidney transplant

It took 12 surgeons, six operating rooms and five donors to pull it off, but five desperate strangers simultaneously received new organs in what hospital officials are describing as the world's first quintuple kidney transplant.
All five recipients — three men and two women — were doing fine, as were the five organ donors, all women, Eric Vohr, a spokesman at the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center in Baltimore, Md., said Monday. The 10 participants came from Ontario, Maine, Maryland, West Virginia, Florida and California.

Several triple transplants have been done at Johns Hopkins, but hospital officials said the five simultaneous transplants performed last Tuesday were a first.
Four of the sick patients had approached Johns Hopkins with a relative who was willing to donate a kidney but was an incompatible donor. The fifth patient had been on a waiting list for a kidney from a dead person.
Together, those nine people and an "altruistic donor" — someone willing to give a kidney to anyone who needed it — had enough matched kidneys among them to pull off a complex, five-way swap.
Dr. Robert Montgomery, director of Hopkins' transplant centre and head of the transplant team, pronounced the swap "a demonstration to the rest of the country that this is what's possible when people work together."

Sheila Thornton, 63, of Edgewood, Md., said she felt "just joy, joy, it's almost inexplicable," after she learned she would receive a kidney from Sandra Loevner, 63, of Sarasota, Fla.
"That really hit home," Thornton said of receiving a lifesaving gift from a stranger. "How do you thank somebody?"
The altruistic donor, Honore Rothstein of Martinsburg, W.Va., decided to donate a kidney after losing her husband to a brain hemorrhage and her daughter to an overdose. She did not know any of the donors or recipients.
"I'm thrilled I'm giving to somebody," Rothstein said, sitting next to Kristine Jantzi, 40, of Bangor, Me., who received her kidney. "Her mom couldn't give to her, and I couldn't save my daughter."
Calls for kidney-swap programs
The operations — which involved six operating rooms, 12 surgeons, 11 anesthesiologists and 18 nurses — took place over 10 hours.
Annie Moore, a spokeswoman for the United Network for Organ Sharing, the nonprofit organization that co-ordinates U.S. organ transplants, said she wasn't aware of any other quintuple kidney transplants. Triple transplants are the biggest that have been performed up to now, and paired transplants are more common, Moore said.
Most kidney transplants use organs taken from cadavers, but doctors prefer organs from live donors because the success rates are higher.
In a live-donor practice used increasingly in the U.S. over the past few years, a patient who needs a kidney is matched up with a compatible stranger if the patient lines up a friend or relative willing to donate an organ to a stranger, too.
A man in Montreal who needs a kidney transplant is trying to force a hospital to allow him to get the organ from a stranger. In a pilot project in Vancouver, surgeons performed two kidney transplants from volunteer, anonymous donors. Each hospital in Canada that performs transplants decides its own eligibility requirements for living donors.
There have been calls for national kidney-swap programs in Canada and the U.S. to help ease the shortage of transplant organs and cut costs by getting people off dialysis.
Live-donor kidney swaps present ethical problems for some institutions since laws prohibit receiving something of value in exchange for an organ. Some institutions feel multiple arrangements come uncomfortably close to quid pro quo, Montgomery said. He called for a clarification of the U.S. law.

source: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2006/11/20/kidney-transplants.html

Severe Amnesia 'Wipes Slate Clean'

Severe Amnesia 'Wipes Slate Clean'


Oct. 24, 2006 — Imagine opening your eyes to see a sea of strangers.
You're unable to remember your own name, how you got to where you are, or even the taste of your favorite food.
For six weeks, this was Jeff Ingram's world.
Though Ingram, previously known as "Al" and "Amnesia Man," still cannot recall any details about his former life, he no longer faces the fog of memory alone.
"I want my past. I want who I was. Or who I am," Ingram said.
On Monday, the unemployed machinist reunited with his fiancee in Olympia, Wash., to the relief of his friends and family.
"I thought I lost him forever," said Doreen Tompkins, Ingram's mother.
More Disorienting Than Traditional Amnesia
Ingram's case isn't just run-of-the-mill amnesia.
It's what doctors call a "dissociative fugue state," a condition in which the brain literally wipes the slate clean.
"It often occurs suddenly. They end up in another town, rather confused, and when people ask them about their past or their identity, they don't know who they are. They can't give a name," said Dr. Daniel Brown, associate clinical professor at Harvard Medical School.
Unlike amnesia, with dissociative fugue state, all sense of self is completely forgotten.
"With amnesia, a person will say, 'I don't remember these six years of my life,' but they still know who they are. With dissociative fugue, the person would say, 'I don't remember anything about my life, and I don't remember who I am anymore,'" Brown said.
Experts say two out of every 1,000 Americans experience this profound type of memory loss.
That small group includes Sean McNulty, who vanished into a fugue state on his wedding day.
He showed up three days later at a motel, disoriented and bug-bitten.

"I said, 'Do you know your name?' And he said, 'No.' And I said, 'Do you remember who I am? ' And he just shook his head," said his wife, Amy McNulty.
Everything in Sean's world — including his wife, Amy — was completely unfamiliar.
Almost a year after he disappeared, suddenly, without warning, his life snapped back into place.
"Everything just started to come back to me," he said.
According to Brown, this isn't unusual, though the process may take some time.
"The good news is that although these cases may be unusual, over time they tend to resolve themselves," he said. "It may take months. It may take a couple years."

source: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2602298&page=2