A key ingredient in garlic is 100 times more powerful than two popular antibiotics at fighting a leading cause of food poisoning, scientists have found. Tests discovered that the compound, diallyl sulphide, can easily breach a slimy protective biofilm employed by the bug to make it harder to destroy. Not only is it a lot more powerful than antibiotics erythromycin and ciprofloxacin, it also takes a fraction of the time to work. The discovery, published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, could open the door to new treatments for raw and processed meats, and food preparation surfaces,...

Handwashing helped slash rates of infection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and C. difficile in hospitals, British researchers have found. After the “Cleanyourhands” campaign rolled out at hospitals in England and Wales between 2004 and 2008, infection rates for the antibiotic-resistant strains fell. The bacterial infections claim thousands of lives a year in Europe, Canada and the U.S., according to the World Health Organization. As part of the campaign, alcohol hand rub was provided at bedsides, posters were distributed to remind healthcare workers to clean their...

Technology similar to chips in cell phone cameras helps patients see light and shapes after years of total blindness After being blind for more than 20 years, Chris James is regaining the gift of sight thanks to a computer chip implanted at the back of his eye. The 54-year-old is the first British patient to be fitted with the new chip, which is similar to those found in cell phone cameras, Sky News reported. The treatment was developed for people who, like James, suffer from retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disease that destroys the retina over time. The chip, developed by German company Retina...

About 20 percent of teens having sex reported using no method of birth control at all, a level that has remained about the same since 1995 More US teenagers are postponing sex than in 1995, and hormonal contraceptive use is up among those who are sexually active, said US health authorities on Thursday. However, disparities in safe sex practices remain, with white teenagers more likely to regularly use contraception than African-Americans or Hispanics, said the report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data came from the National Survey of Family Growth collected for 1995, 2002,...

Increased attention is being brought to mental health issues in the workplace, due in part to the annual health care cost of mental disorders in Canada, which are estimated at $51 billion. One third of that can be attributed to productivity losses. Common mental health problems in the workplace include depression, anxiety and adjustment disorders, all of which are associated with decreased work performance and productivity, interpersonal conflicts, increased absenteeism, sick leave and disability. Being away from work on sick leave often compounds the psychological distress because of a reduced...

Yesterday, there was another national news report about someone having a heart attack while eating at the Heart Attack Grill and while I understand the juicy and ironic lure of the story, I have to ask, is the Heart Attack Grill really the problem? I’m quite certain heart attacks at restaurants aren’t unique to burger joints. I’m actually kind of fond of the Heart Attack Grill, because unlike virtually every other restaurant around, at least they’re up front about the risks of regularly visiting. Yet I’m guessing the calories in their flatliner fries and their triple...

Teams of scientists working independently have for the first time identified several gene mutations that they agree sharply increase the chances that a child will develop autism. They have found further evidence that the risk increases with the age of the parents, particularly in fathers over age 35. The gene mutations are extremely rare and together account for a tiny fraction of autism cases — in these studies, only a handful of children. Experts said the new research gave scientists something they had not had: a clear strategy for building some understanding of the disease’s biological...

New research showing one in 88 U.S. children have autism spectrum disorders is focusing national attention on the need for earlier diagnosis and treatment, especially in rural and minority communities. Figures released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a 23% increase in autism spectrum cases from 2006 to 2008, and 78% increase since 2002. The largest increases in autism prevalence were found among black and Hispanic children, who have lagged behind whites in previous counts. Numbers are higher for boys, with one in 54 8-year-olds now considered to have autism, Asperger’s...

A genetic discovery could help explain why flu makes some people seriously ill or kills them, while others seem able to bat it away with little more than a few aches, coughs and sneezes. In a study published in the journal Nature on Sunday, British and American researchers said they had found for the first time a human gene that influences how people respond to flu infections, making some people more susceptible than others. The finding helps explain why during the 2009/2010 pandemic of H1N1 or “swine flu”, the vast majority of people infected had only mild symptoms, while others –...

Federal government says triclosan harmful to environment, but affect on human health uncertain The federal government is set to declare a bacteria killer found in many endocrine sys-tem, mouthwashes and anti-bacterial soaps as toxic to the environment, a move which could see the use of the chemical curtailed sharply. Health Canada has been probing the effects of triclosan on the body’s endocrine sys-tem and whether the antibacterial agent contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance. Environment Canada has been studying the effect of the widely used chemical on the environment. The...