HEALTH - PREDICTing and Preventing the Next Global Pandemic

Preventing the next global pandemic is a priority for many health organizations.

Identifying risks is a critical part of the prevention process, and chances are good that the next major outbreak (like many of the previous) will be the result of a zoonotic disease.

Zoonotic diseases are those that cross species lines, like HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and both Avian and Swine Flu have.

Bubonic plague was another zoonotic disease, and so is malaria, which has been killing humans since 450 AD, and still infects a huge number of people globally.

Because zoonotic diseases are such a significant risk – 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases, and 60% of all human diseases, are zoonotic – responding to the threat is a major concern for global public health.

But how should health organizations, governments, and individuals respond? What methods are most effective at preventing the spread and impact of zoonotic diseases?

The answer is complicated.

One theory is the “dilution effect,” which suggests that biodiversity provides protection.

The underlying hypothesis of this theory is that maintaining a rich diversity of plant and animal species offers a buffer against zoonotic diseases.

It’s a good theory for multiple reasons, including the support it offers to conservation efforts.

If accurate, the dilution effect could be used to support increased focus on conservation and protecting the biodiversity that remains.

But the dilution effect is not a simple one, and some studies have found that increased biodiversity increases some risks while decreasing others.

A recent study found that protecting biodiversity did not have a consistent positive impact on human health, and this is not the ideal result for researchers who had hoped to find something that would clearly benefit both humans and the ecosystem within which we live.

Chelsea Wood, a lead researcher in the study, told Smithsonian Magazine, “I know that conservation provides so many benefits to human society beyond infectious disease transmission, but [with dilution theory] we consistently find a mixed bag, which is not a good outcome for people interested in selling conservation as disease control.”

Despite this “mixed bag” when it comes to the dilution effect, other efforts to address zoonotic disease risk are proving more consistently effective.

USAID PREDICT is a collaboration between University of California at Davis’s One Health Institute and School of Veterinary Medicine, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Metabiota, EcoHealth Alliance and the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Health Program.

The program is now eight years old, and has collected samples from over 56,000 wild animals, trained more than 2,500 government and medical professionals in over 20 countries, and has provided support during 23 outbreaks and 4 wildlife epidemics.

The goal of the program is to monitor ecosystem health in order to recognize and respond to threats before they reach epidemic levels among wildlife, and before the disease can hop across species to infect humans.

And although the dilution effect is a mixed bag, the positive outcomes of the PREDICT program interventions are clear.

The 2014 Ebola outbreak, that ravaged many West African countries, killed more than 11,000 people between 2014 and 2016.

In contrast, that same year, an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo was significantly smaller and more contained, killing only 49 and lasting only three months.

The positive outcome was due to quick government response, enabled by the work that PREDICT had already done in training both medical staff and government officials.

The hope is that the PREDICT program can continue to work with governments and medical professionals globally, offering training and support to respond quickly and effectively to whatever new threats arise.

About Tiffany Sostar

Tiffany is a published academic, an editor with the Editors Association of Canada, an independent scholar and researcher, and a self-care and narrative coach. She is particularly interested in the intersection of technology and identity - how our tools shape our selves and change our stories, and in how the nature of work is changing as we incorporate more technology into our daily lives. 

HEALTH - FDA Targets Illegal Cancer Treatment Claims

It is a violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to market and sell products that claim to prevent, diagnose, treat, mitigate or cure diseases without first demonstrating to the FDA that they are safe and effective for their labeled uses.

This week the FDA sent warning letters to 14 US-based companies illegally selling more than 65 products that fraudulently claim to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure cancer.

The products are being marketed for human and/or pet use and mainly sold through websites and social media.

“Consumers should not use these or similar unproven products because they may be unsafe and could prevent a person from seeking an appropriate and potentially life-saving cancer diagnosis or treatment,” said Douglas W. Stearn, director of the Office of Enforcement and Import Operations in the FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs.

The illegally sold products cited in the warning letters include a variety of product types, such as pills, topical creams, ointments, oils, drops, syrups, teas and diagnostics (such as thermography devices).

The products make illegal, unproven claims regarding preventing, reversing or curing cancer; killing/inhibiting cancer cells or tumors; or other similar anti-cancer claims.

Companies receiving the warning letters are:

• AIE Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
• Amazing Sour Sop Inc.
• BioStar Technology International, LLC
• Caudill Seed & Warehouse Inc.
• DoctorVicks.com
• Everything Herbs
• Hawk Doc Natural Salve, LLC
• Healing Within Products & Services Inc.
• LifeVantage Corporation
• Nature’s Treasure Inc.
• Oxygen Health Services, LLC
• Sunstone Inc.
• The Vibrant Health Store, LLC dba Dr. Christopher’s Herbs
• The Vitamin C Foundation

It is important to consult with a veterinarian or physician before using any products for health care treatment.

The FDA encourages health care professionals and consumers to report adverse reactions associated with these or similar products to the agency’s MedWatch program.

HEALTH - The Pet Effect Shares the Science of Pets and People

A growing body of evidence shows just how good pets are for people.

Zoetis, a founder of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), has launched the Pet Effect Campaign to share scientific evidence and research about this unique relationship between people and animals.

Anyone trying to convince their family or significant other to get a pet can visit their website where it’s easy to find detailed information about how pets have a positive impact on heart attack survival, allergy prevention, depression, blood pressure, autism and more.

Of course, researchers and writers will also find this website very valuable with its quick links to a variety of studies.

The Pet Effect will also share the message and the science that shows how veterinary medicine is an essential component of health for pets and people.

While the site is lighthearted, the information is scientific and impacts community health.

“Zoetis partnered with HABRI to bring veterinarians, pet owners and the general public The Pet Effect, a multi-faceted, educational campaign to promote a growing body of scientific research that shows how important the human-animal bond is for human health,” Mike McFarland, Group Director Companion Animal Marketing at Zoetis, says on their site.

“The purpose of the Pet Effect is to raise awareness and encourage conversation about why pets make us healthier and happier, and how veterinarians — the professionals who help keep pets healthy – are also key contributors to human health and public health.”

Resources on the website include posters, videos, infographics, brochures and flyers.

HEALTH - Globalization and Disease: It's Always the Rats on the Ship

Wherever humans travel, we bring diseases with us and then leave them behind as parting gifts, often carrying new diseases back home in trade.

European colonizers infamously brought smallpox and other deadly diseases around the world with them (sometimes even using germs intentionally during warfare).

Europe itself was ravaged by the bubonic plague when humans provided transport to rodents and fleas from Asia, and that disease had a long history of hitching a ride with human travelers.

Asia and the Middle East had suffered multiple outbreaks before it arrived in Europe.

The global spread of disease has not stopped, despite efforts to mitigate the risk.

Air travel has introduced a new method of disease transport and mosquitoes on international flights have brought malaria to previously uninfected countries.

But just because airplanes provide a new way for diseases to spread doesn’t mean ships have lost their relevance when it comes to the global migration of diseases.

Rat lungworm disease is caused by a parasitic worm that, when introduced to humans, invades the human brain.

It is spread primarily through rats that travel on cargo ships.

Once in the brain, the parasite causes bleeding, swelling, and even death. ­­­­The worm is carried by rats, and also found in slugs and snails.

The disease was first recorded in humans in Taiwan in 1944, and it has been present in Asia and the Caribbean since then.

Recently, though, it’s become endemic in the United States, showing up in Hawai’i, California, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, and along the Gulf Coast.

A 2013 study found that the geographical distribution of the disease had changed significantly over the course of a few decades.

There have been nine confirmed cases of rat lungworm disease in Hawai’i in 2017, as of April 12. There are also four suspected cases being explored currently.

These numbers may be low, though, because in other parts of the United States where the disease is present but less common, doctors may not be watching for it.

And, even if they were watching, there is no simple blood test.

Rat lungworm disease is not an epidemic, and may not become one in the near future.

Humans are not ­the target of the parasite, and when a human is infected it is just as catastrophic for the worm as it is for the human – there is not currently a way for the worm to get back out of the brain once it crosses the blood-brain barrier, and the parasite dies inside the human.

However, rat lungworm disease has proven itself to be highly adaptable, and a 2015 study found that the parasite was able to find new viable hosts that allow it to spread to new geographical locations.

Although Hawai’i has seen a significant spike in infections among humans, the numbers remain low.

However, the fact that the disease is continuing to spread and is proving to be persistent even in areas thought to lack a suitable environment for the parasite, is concerning.

Even if rat lungworm disease isn’t the next catastrophic epidemic, something will be.

Climate change, deforestation, global travel, economic instability and the ensuing civil unrest, and changes to funding from wealthy countries for health initiatives in impoverished countries are all contributing to a perfect storm for a global health crisis.

The next article in this series will examine these factors in more detail.

 About Tiffany Sostar

Tiffany is a published academic, an editor with the Editors Association of Canada, an independent scholar and researcher, and a self-care and narrative coach. She is particularly interested in the intersection of technology and identity - how our tools shape our selves and change our stories, and in how the nature of work is changing as we incorporate more technology into our daily lives. 

RESEARCH - Cats Test Positive for Harmful Chemicals Found in House Dust

A Swedish study has confirmed that high levels of brominated flame retardants measured in cats are from the dust in homes.

The study is part of an ongoing project called MiSSE (Mixture Assessment of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds).

The project aims to identify and evaluate the mix of endocrine disruptors in indoor environments.

The study showed that cats are exposed to chemicals found in electronics and furniture - chemicals that become dust and can adversely affect health.

The results are very interesting because small children, notorious for putting everything in their mouths, are exposed to these chemicals as well.

“The brominated flame retardants that have been measured in cats are known endocrine disruptors. It’s particularly serious when small children ingest these substances because exposure during the development can have consequences later in life, such as thyroid disease”, says Jana Weiss at the Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University.

In a previous study, the researchers demonstrated that brominated flame retardants were found in higher concentrations in the blood of cats that had developed feline hyperthyroidism compared to healthy cats.

Brominated flame retardants are added to textiles, furniture and electronic equipment to prevent the material from igniting.

Many have been found to be health hazards and banned, however they are very persistent and can leach from products for many years after they have been produced.

Researchers took blood samples from cats and gathered dust in the children's room, the adults' bedroom and the living room.

The samples were analyzed and the chemicals found were not only those that are currently in use, but also some that have been banned for decades.

To avoid exposure researchers recommend:

• Clean regularly to remove dust
• When buying new textiles, furniture, electronics, etc., choose ecologically certified or environmentally friendly products
• When buying a new product, ask the retailer or manufacturer about the chemicals used in the manufacturing process.

HEALTH - Experts Predicting Risky Year for Lyme Disease in NE United States

With spring just around the corner, veterinarians and ecologists are beginning to warn about ticks and Lyme disease.

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has declared March National Tick Awareness Month.

According to their press release, many people don't know one very important fact about ticks: they don't mind cold weather.

In most parts of Canada, tick activity begins when the snow starts to melt and, depending on the tick species, can continue well into late fall.

For example, black-legged ticks that can transmit Lyme disease start looking for animals to feed on when it’s 4°C outside.

“National Tick Awareness Month is a rare opportunity for us to educate and empower pet owners, so we can work together to help prevent the spread of tick-borne diseases that can affect the health of pets and people,” said Dr. Troy Bourque, CVMA President.

Felicia Keesing, an ecologist at Bard College and Rick Ostfeld, an ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York, are predicting 2017 will be a particularly risky year for Lyme in the Northeast United States.

Why?

Because the Hudson River Valley experienced a mouse plague in 2016 with an overwhelming number of the critters.

Having studied Lyme disease for more than 20 years, Keesing and Ostfeld have developed a system to predict how many cases there will be a year in advance by counting the mice the year before.

They have found that mice are very good at transmitting Lyme and are responsible for infecting the majority of ticks carrying Lyme in the Northeast.

"An individual mouse might have 50, 60, even 100 ticks covering its ears and face," Ostfeld told NPR.

There was an increase in ticks and Lyme disease in 2016, and it appears that may be the case again this year.

Ticks and their carriers, like mice, live in wooded or bushy areas with high grass or leaf litter.

To reduce the chances that a tick will transmit disease to you or your pets the CDC recommends the following:

• Check your pets for ticks daily, especially after they spend time outdoors.
• If you find a tick on your dog, remove it right away.
• Ask your veterinarian to conduct a tick check at each exam.
• Talk to your veterinarian about tickborne diseases in your area.
• Reduce tick habitat in your yard.
• Talk with your veterinarian about using tick preventives on your pet.

You can find more information about preventing tick bites on the CDC website.

HEALTH - Fentanyl Crisis Impacting People and Animals Around the World

(fentanylsafety.com)

The opioid crisis in North America is taking lives.

Synthetic opioids like carfentanil, W-18, and especially fentanyl, are showing up in greater numbers by the year, and causing deaths not only among individuals who use the drugs, but also among law enforcement officers and K-9 unit dogs.

The number of fatal fentanyl overdoses in the US jumped 79% between 2012 and 2014, and in eight American states - Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Ohio, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland and North Carolina – the fatal overdose rate jumped 174% between 2013 and 2014.

And the opioid crisis isn’t slowing down.

Estonia, a small country with one of the strongest economies in the European Union, has been dealing with a fentanyl crisis for years.

In 2002, there were 105 drug overdose fatalities, and 90 percent of those were fentanyl.

The synthetic drug filled a gap in the drug supply caused by the Taliban’s ban on opium and the resulting scarcity of heroin on the streets.

Although Estonia’s economy was, and is, one of the strongest in Europe, the issue of fentanyl addiction remains stubbornly entrenched.

HIV rates and Hep-C rates are significantly higher than the European average because most users take fentanyl intravenously.

Fentanyl causes more overdoses than the heroin that it replaced in Estonia, and causes more overdoses than unadulterated heroin in North America.

The drug is deadlier, and the DEA has warned that exposure to even a small amount of the powdered form can cause major health issues.

But the opioid crisis is much bigger than fentanyl.

In Estonia, the problem started with a generation of young citizens who struggled to keep up with a rapidly changing economic context.

They lacked social supports, they lacked jobs, and they lacked hope.

It fits with what the latest research reveals about drug use and addiction – in situations of social deprivation, drug use prevails.

Estonia offers a glimpse into what the future may hold for a generation of North American youth, struggling with similarly rapid change and shrinking social supports.

But it doesn’t have to go that way.

Harm reduction is a proven method for reducing overdose fatalities, and creating rich social supports will help everyone in the community – users and non-users alike.

Portugal is another European country that offers insight into responding to an opioid crisis.

Rather than cracking down, as many governments do, Portugal decriminalized drug use.

14 years later, they have the second-lowest overdose rate in the European Union.

Despite the fact that their economy is struggling, their investment in healthcare and reducing stigma around drug use has proven effective.

Is the same progress possible with fentanyl?

Canada is already looking into opening safe injection sites, which are a step in the direction that brought success to Portugal.

In the meantime, law enforcement officers will continue to try and stem the flow of fentanyl from illegal labs onto the streets, and to help affected users.

The next article in this two-part series will look at how agencies and officers in Canada are approaching the problem, and working to keep citizens, their own colleagues and their canine partners safe.

About Tiffany Sostar

Tiffany is a published academic, an editor with the Editors Association of Canada, an independent scholar and researcher, and a self-care and narrative coach. She is particularly interested in the intersection of technology and identity - how our tools shape our selves and change our stories, and in how the nature of work is changing as we incorporate more technology into our daily lives.

HEALTH - Elephant Protein Destroys Cancer Cells

Utah researchers say a protein discovered in elephants appears to attack and destroy cancer cells found in humans.

(Dr. Schiffman, by August Miller)

Dr. Joshua Schiffman, Medical Director of the High Risk Pediatric Cancer Clinic at Huntsman Cancer Institute, hypothesized several years ago the reason elephants rarely get cancer is because they have more, and slightly different, p53 protein than other mammals.

Elephants have 40 copies of p53 and almost no cancer, whereas humans only have 2 copies with 50% lifetime risk for cancer.

His team began working with elephant blood, but researchers have since developed a synthetic form of p53 and are injecting that into human cancer cells in petri dishes.

"What we've found is that the cancer cells are all dying very quickly when they're exposed to this elephant cancer protein," Schiffman told KSL.com.

It is quickly destroying the cells in the seven cancers, including lung, breast and bone, they have tested it on so far.

Schiffman is now working with Avi Schroeder, an assistant chemical engineering professor at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, to manufacture the protein in nanoparticles to begin preclinical testing.

Nanoparticles will enable them to deliver the protein directly to the tumour site.

His team is already developing a test for mice and hope to test it on pet dogs with cancer as well.

Human testing will follow, something Schiffman hopes will occur within three years.

While this is not a cure for cancer, the early results are promising and researchers say it’s working better than they imagined.

Watching the p53 destroy cancer cells for the first time was "probably one of the most thrilling experiences I've ever had as my career in medicine," Schiffman said.

The Hunstman Institute will need to raise millions of dollars to complete the animal and then human trials.