Pulse on Health by Jeff Hansel

Here's the latest for doctors from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC's own words:

Clinicians
Clinicians should consider the possibility of swine influenza virus infections in patients presenting with febrile respiratory illness.
If swine flu is suspected, clinicians should obtain a respiratory swab for swine influenza testing and place it in a refrigerator (not a freezer). Once collected, the clinician should contact their state or local health department to facilitate transport and timely diagnosis at a state public health laboratory.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Minnesota H1N1 case confirmed - brings U.S. total to 92

The Minnesota Department of Health says the CDC has confirmed a case of H1N1 influenza in Cold Spring, Minnesota, the state's first confirmed case.

Here's the information in the Health Department's own words:

Illness of Minnesota resident confirmed by CDC as new influenza strain
Testing by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed that the illness of a Minnesota resident was caused by the H1N1 novel influenza virus.
A lab specimen was submitted to CDC for testing after preliminary tests by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) identified the patient’s illness as a “probable” infection with the new influenza strain.
Additional testing by CDC was needed to determine if the patient had the unusual new strain of influenza.
The person who became ill with the unusual virus has ties to Rocori Middle School in Cold Spring. Both the middle school and St. Boniface Elementary, which shares some facilities with the middle school, have been closed since the illness was identified by MDH as probable H1N1 flu on Tuesday night.
According to information currently available on the CDC Web site, 91 laboratory confirmed cases of the illness have occurred to date in the U.S., in addition to the case just confirmed in Minnesota. There has been one death in the U.S. from the new flu strain.
As public health agencies across the nation continue to focus their efforts on containing the new virus, MDH officials are reminding people that we all have a role to play in limiting the spread of illnesses like H1N1 flu. They are reminding people that you can protect yourself from influenza and other respiratory diseases by staying home if you’re sick, covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze, washing your hands thoroughly and frequently, and limiting your contact with people who you think might be sick.
Watching your own health can also protect you. If you have traveled within the past week to Mexico or other areas where H1N1 novel influenza is circulating, and you develop fever along with other flu symptoms, call your health care provider. Tell them about your symptoms and travel history. For more information on novel influenza please visit the MDH Web site at www.health.state.mn.us or contact your health care provider.
Members of the public with questions about the current international outbreak of H1N1 influenza can call the MDH hotline between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at 1-800-657-3903. Stearns County has also opened a hotline for local residents. The number is 320-650-5802 and it is answered from, 6 a.m. – 8 p.m.

-MDH-

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Minnesota H1N1 influenza hotline

The Minnesota Department of Health reported tonight that it has opened a Minnesota H1N1 novel influenza virus hotline.  If you think you have symptoms of North American influenza, or swine flu as many still call it — or if you have general questions — you can call from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

1-800-657-3903

The phone number is normally open Monday through Friday.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

New developments in potential pandemic

CNN is reporting that all "nonessential" businesses in Mexico have been ordered to close from May 1 through May 5.  This is a good reminder that if you have needs (food, beverages, tissues, prescription medicine, medical supplies) that now is the time to stock up — before the H1N1 influenza becomes widespread in the U.S.

Mexico is taking an extreme "social distancing" stance to try to keep people apart from each other for a period of time to lessen the spread of North American flu.  

The same type of thing could occur in the U.S. — and in Minnesota — if swine flu becomes widespread.  If a full-fledged pandemic occurs, you need to be prepared to function on your own for a while, hopefully better than people were able after Hurricane Katrina.  Health officials hope you'll have taken their warnings and prepared ahead of time.  

Already, 74 schools nationwide with confirmed cases have closed in the U.S., CNN.com reports. Thirty more closed out of an abundance of caution, meaning 104 schools total have closed in the U.S.

Also, the Minnesota Department of Health says tonight that test results from a sample sent by airplane from Minnesota at the order of Gov. Tim Pawlenty have not come back from the CDC yet.  Schools in Cold Spring, Minnesota were closed after a probable case was identified.  But state health officials need confirmation from the CDC before declaring it's a confirmed case.  

Here's more from the Health Department, in its own words:

No results from CDC yet on probable H1N1 novel influenza case in Minnesota
Rocori Middle School and St. Boniface Elementary School will remain closed
As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has not been notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the final test results on the probable case of H1N1 novel influenza in an individual connected with Rocori Middle School in Cold Spring, Minn. Testing by CDC is needed to confirm if the individual had the unusual new strain of influenza that has made people sick in Mexico and eight other countries, including 10 states in the U.S.

Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Sanne Magnan conferred with Rocori School District Superintendent Scott Staska and St. Boniface Principal Sister Sharon Waldoch late today. Out of an abundance of caution, they agreed to keep both schools closed until the test results from the CDC are known. 

The Minnesota Department of Health also announced today that it has established an H1N1 novel influenza hotline for the general public. Phones will be answered from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 1-800-657-3903. 

The lab specimen was submitted to the CDC early this morning to be tested for the H1N1 novel influenza virus, also referred to as swine flu. The individual is expected to make a full recovery and did not require hospitalization.

MDH is characterizing the case as “probable” – meaning that the MDH lab has confirmed the virus as type A influenza, but the strain cannot be identified using lab tests available to MDH. 

The individual was linked with Rocori Middle School in Cold Spring, which shares some facilities with St. Boniface Elementary. Although any risk to students or staff is regarded as low, the two schools were closed voluntarily by local officials after consulting with state health officials. 

At least 91 laboratory confirmed cases of the illness have now been reported in the U.S., most of them in New York, California and Texas. The disease is responsible for the death of a toddler in Texas. 

MDH officials are reminding people that they have a role in controlling the spread of infections like influenza. Stay home if you’re sick, cover your cough, wash your hands frequently and limit your contact with people who you think might be sick. 

If you have traveled within the past week to Mexico or other areas where H1N1 novel influenza is circulating, and you develop fever along with other flu symptoms, call your health care provider. Tell them about your symptoms and travel history. 

For more information on novel influenza please visit the MDH website at www.health.state.mn.us or contact your healthcare provider.
-MDH-

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

World Health Organization declares stage 5 pandemic alert

The World Health Organization has raised its alert level to 5, meaning a pandemic is imminent.  We're working to get local reaction.  Mayo Clinic says its got too large a queue of callers and might not have time to respond.  Olmsted County Public Health officials are all in a meeting and unavailable.  State officials have been contacted and have responded quickly in the past — but haven't responded yet today (4/29/09).

Olmsted County Public Health's Kari Etrheim wrote via e-mail right at 5 p.m. to say she plans to call in about an hour.  Public Health is in the midst of preparations for the potential pandemic, in addition to handling its normal duties of providing health education, school nursing and public health nurses to the Federal Medical Center, for example.

Mayo Clinic spokesman Adam Brase said shortly after 5 p.m. that he will try to connect us with an infectious disease specialist Thursday morning or get answers to our questions via e-mail.  Mayo is understandably swamped with calls from the media.  Also, we have to keep in mind that physicians have patients and still need to take care of them, in addition to being the official spokespersons.  If this turns into a full-blown pandemic, we'll need to keep in mind that the health-care system will likely be running at full capacity, making it difficult for health providers to get away long enough to provide updates about care.

I must point out that it shows a level of dedication when health organizations, private and public, will stay after hours, take e-mails and arrange responses for the public.  That's reassuring.  I remain concerned, though about some of the glitches in communication we've seen already.  I am hopeful that those glitches will get worked out as we move forward (if this becomes a full-fledged pandemic).  One example?  I was referred to four different people at one organization before the last one told me there would be no comment.

My hope is that we'll find a way to avoid that scenario so we can get needed information to the public on a regular basis.  Watch MSNBC video about the Level 5 announcement from the World Health Organization.

6:03 p.m. - Kari Etrheim with Olmsted County Public Health sent a note that she's still on the road, but that she'll send us a response yet tonight, with more to follow in the morning.  

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Marine tests positive for H1N1

A Marine on the U.S. West Coast has tested positive for the H1N1 influenza virus, CNN.com is reporting.  The short article by Barbara Starr and Larry Shaughnessy says the California Marine and three military family members in San Diego were confirmed as positive for the virus by the Department of Defense and local health officials.

"As a precaution, the military is instituting a travel ban to Mexico for non-essential personnel," the article says.  This reminds me of a book I read this past year about pandemic influenza.  It said every worldwide pandemic has happened during wartime.  The 1918 pandemic that killed millions around the world is thought to have begun in a military camp in the central U.S., but it became known as the Spanish influenza when it first came to public attention after affecting the royal family in Spain.

If members of the military become infected, especially those who are traveling home or oversees, it will be tough to contain the spread of the illness.  Of special note, federal officials believe infected individuals spread virus for a full day before they develop symptoms.  

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Medical marijuana bill passes a Senate committee

The Minnesota medical marijuana bill passed the Senate Committee of the Whole today, says advocacy group "Minnesotans for Compassionate Care."

Here are the organization's comments, in its own words:

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA -- Legislation to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest and jail took a major step forward today, passing the Minnesota Senate's Committee of the Whole by a vote of 36 to 28, setting up a vote for final passage in the Senate later this week. Supporters are increasingly confident of success in the House, where a companion measure has already passed three committees.
     "Today's vote was gratifying but not surprising, given the overwhelming public support and the growing weight of scientific evidence in favor of medical marijuana," said bill sponsor Sen. Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing). "Members of both houses are hearing loud and clear from voters that there is simply no reason to use Minnesota police resources to arrest and prosecute seriously ill patients for following their doctors' advice."
     Joni Whiting of Jordan, a disabled Vietnam veteran who testified in favor of the bill before the Senate Health, Housing and Family Security Committee, hailed the vote. Whiting's daughter found relief from marijuana for the nausea and pain caused by chemotherapy treatment for the melanoma that eventually killed her. "I am thrilled by this vote, and by the possibility that no other family will have to break the law in order to help a loved one who is desperately ill," Whiting said. "Marijuana allowed my daughter to eat and also helped ease her pain. Helping her in her last days was worth risking prison for, but no family should ever have to face a choice like that."
     Today's vote is seen as building momentum for the companion medical marijuana bill that will be considered shortly in the House. Passage would make Minnesota the 14th state to protect medical marijuana patients. The newest medical marijuana law, passed by Michigan voters in November with 63 percent of the vote, took full effect earlier this month. Medical marijuana legislation is also moving forward in several other states, including New Hampshire, Illinois and New Jersey.
     Organizations that have recognized marijuana's medical uses include the American College of Physicians, American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, American Academy of HIV Medicine and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, among others. The Obama administration has declared a policy of non-interference with state medical marijuana laws.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Mayo Clinic: Most elderly have sleep disorders

Mayo Clinic neurologist Dr. Bradley Boeve reported with colleagues at the American Academy of Neurology meeting in Seattle, Washington Tuesday that 59 percent of people ages 70 to 89 had at least one sleep disorder — other than insomnia.

Most common?  Sleep-related leg cramps.  A total of 892 people were studied through surveys of their sleeping partners.  

Researchers found that:

• 17.6 percent of study participants had obstructive sleep apnea where breathing stops periodically during sleep.  Men were four times as likely to have sleep apnea than women.

• 17.4 percent had involuntary movement of arms or legs during sleep.

• 9 percent of those studied exhibited a rapid-eye-movement sleep disorder called "REM behavior disorder" or RBD.  During RBD, "sleepers appear to act out their dreams."  Men were twice as likely as women to have recurrent RBD episodes.  RBD also increased with age, and was more common in people age 80 or older who had either declining cognitive impairment or dementia.  Boeve said people who experience RBD often hit or kick bed partners because the sleepers dream they're being chased by snakes, lions, thieves or other villains. 

• 8 percent experienced restless legs syndrome, the irresistible urge to move the legs because of discomfort. 

• 0.2 percent walked in their sleep.

 

"Perhaps the biggest surprise of the study is the high frequency of probable RBD in these participants," Boeve said in a statement from the clinic. The only other study on the prevalence of RBD in the general population showed a level of 0.5 percent, he said.  But in the Mayo study, the frequency was 9 percent.

The presence of RBD suggests an increased likelihood of eventually developing Parkinson's disease or Lewy body dementia.  Medications don't exist yet to prevent those conditions, Boeve said in an interview from Seattle.  But he said the study shows that, once those medications are developed, RBD could provide an early warning system for patients.

 

Researchers plan smaller sleep studies to validate their results, measuring body and eye 

The researchers hope to follow up these results with a validation study using a polysomnogram or (sleep study), which measures eye, leg, and other movements and records breathing and brain activity.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Area biotech project hopes to blaze trail — archive story (Elk Run)

Area biotech project hopes to blaze trail
Wed Apr 29 00:00:00 GMT 2009 page B3 story by jeff hansel categorized as Local News

By Jeff Hansel

jhansel@postbulletin.com

PINE ISLAND — Drive along the U.S. 52 corridor from Pine Island to Rochester and take a look at the empty land.

You might even spot some of the elk for which the Elk Run biotechnology project is named.

But can venture capitalist G. Steven Burrill succeed in his venture to transform the fields into a new addition to the Pine Island community? Will he indeed construct biotech laboratories? Will his venture-capital fund attract biotech companies and researchers with great, marketable ideas?

Community leaders in Pine Island believe that they have a formula for planned growth that will one day convert that land and produce a world-class biotechnology park, vibrant activity for young families, retail development and housing centers where retirees will thrive through a variety of arts, entertainment and sports activities.

Still, in terms of previous biotech developments, there’s not one that’s been successfully created essentially in the midst of cornfields before.

“There aren’t a whole lot of precedents, and I really can’t think of anything similar to that," said John Taylor, vice president of research for the National Venture Capital Association, based in Arlington, Va.

Austin, Texas, did succeed through an academic-public-private effort to create something from scratch with an infusion of venture capital mixed with university technology, Taylor said. But there’s not been an empty stretch of land transformed into a burgeoning community with a build-it-and-they-will-come philosophy.

“If the theory is to build a good place to live — a good place to work — that will attract people, that’s certainly an interesting formula," Taylor said.

Does Burrill have what it takes to make the formula work? His portfolio looks good, Taylor said, naming five companies that went public under Burrill’s tutelage. But Taylor offered a note of caution.

“It looks like they’ve had a few companies go public, and it looks like a number of these have been acquired," he said. When that happens, it’s often not clear whether it was a “fire sale" or a success.

Often, when something of this scale occurs, it happens in a place where the infrastructure already exists — someplace like Silicon Valley, Taylor said.

But he noted that Burrill has been keeping some very good company over the years.

“The firms that they most-often co-invest with are all top-drawer firms. … When I look through the companies they have invested in, it looks like they are about two-thirds biotech and most of the rest of it is medical and health, so most of their investments are life-science-based," Taylor said.

That means Burrill & Company has significant experience in this field.

How will locals know if Burrill is succeeding?

“Generally, the tough part, any time you’re trying to get something going that requires talent … is convincing the venture investors that the talent is there — and the company can grow to be something significant (right) where it is," Taylor said.

In other words, if top people from the West Coast relocate to southeastern Minnesota, Burrill has clinched the deal.

“I would say that would be the litmus test — attracting the talent, especially the management talent," Taylor said. A rule of thumb, he said, is that a venture capitalist has to be able to get to the investment within two hours.

That means investors in Chicago would be ripe for the picking.

“The money will find the deals. The question, then: Is the money comfortable leaving the deals where the deals are?" Taylor said.

For more information, go to Postbulletin.com/weblinks.

Weblinks:

• National Venture Capital Association

http://www.nvca.org/

• Burrill & Company

http://www.burrillandco.com/

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

1st case of H1N1 influenza in Minnesota - in the state's own words

Here's the press release from the Governor's office this morning about the first probable case of H1N1 influenza in Minnesota, in the state's own words:

GOVERNOR PAWLENTY AND STATE OFFICIALS RESPOND TO FIRST PROBABLE H1N1 INFLUENZA CASE IN 

MINNESOTA

~ Governor had specimen flown to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention overnight ~
 

Saint Paul

 – A lab specimen from a 

Minnesota

 influenza patient has been submitted to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be tested for the H1N1 novel influenza virus,also referred to as swine flu.
 
The individual is expected to make a full recovery and did not require hospitalization.
 
“We expected to have cases of the H1N1 virus in Minnesota
 and we have plans and preparations in place to respond appropriately and aggressively,” Governor Pawlenty said.  “This is certainly cause for concern,
but not panic.” 
 
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is characterizing the case as “probable” – meaning that the MDH lab has confirmed the virus as type A influenza, but the strain cannot be identified using lab tests available to MDH.
 
The individual was linked with 

Rocori Middle School in Cold Spring. Both Rocori Middle School and St. Boniface Elementary, which share some facilities with Rocori Middle School, are closed today.

Although any risk to students or staff is regarded as low, the two schools were closed out of “an abundance of caution,” officials said.  The schools were closed voluntarily by local officials after consultant with state health officials.   
 
Additional testing by CDC will be needed to determine if the individual had the unusual new strain of influenza that has made people sick in Mexico
 and six other countries, including five different states in the U.S. Results are expected from CDC within 24 hours.
 
At least 64 laboratory confirmed cases of the illness have now been reported in the 

U.S., most of them in New York, California and Texas.

“Like other state and local public health agencies across the country,
 we have been doing aggressive surveillance for this illness,” said Dr. Ruth Lynfield, Minnesota State Epidemiologist. “We will continue to work closely with partners to characterize the outbreak.
 
In the U.S. infections caused by this virus appear to be behaving much like regular seasonal influenza,” Dr. Lynfield said. “Like seasonal flu, we know it still has the potential to cause severe illness or even death. We will provide new information as we learn more.”
 
MDH officials are reminding people that they have a role in controlling the spread of infections like influenza. Stay home if you’re sick,
 cover your cough, wash your hands frequently and limit your contact with people who you think might be sick.
 
If you have traveled within the past week to Mexico or other areas where H1N1 novel influenza is circulating, and you develop fever along with other flu symptoms,
call your health care provider. Tell them about your symptoms and travel history.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904