Reuters Health News Summary

Cholera kills 33 in Burundi refugee camp in Tanzania

A cholera outbreak at a refugee camp sheltering thousands of Burundian refugees in northwest Tanzania has killed at least 33 people, a Tanzanian regional health official said on Wednesday. "The number of Burundi refugees who have died from the cholera outbreak has now reached 33," Leonard Subi, a medical officer in the nearby town of Kigoma, told Reuters.

Paracetamol/Tylenol in pregnancy may lower testosterone in boys

Pregnant women who take the painkiller paracetamol regularly for long periods may put their unborn sons' testosterone levels at risk, leading to possible reproductive problems later in life, researchers said on Wednesday. In a study using mice with grafts of human tissue, the scientists found that a week's paracetamol treatment led to a sharp fall in the production of testosterone, a hormone that is critical to men's life-long health.

U.S. birth data underscores higher C-section risks, CDC says

U.S. women who give birth by cesarean section are more likely to face medical complications such as unplanned hysterectomies and the need for blood transfusions, according to a large, federal study based on birth certificate data released on Wednesday. Cesarean births also caused more ruptured uteruses and intensive care unit admissions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported, after reviewing data from 3.5 million births in 41 states and Washington, D.C., in 2013.

Indian inspectors order recall of Maggi noodles, say found excess lead

Indian food inspectors have ordered Nestle India to recall a batch of Maggi noodles from shops across the country, saying the product contained dangerous levels of lead. The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh said high lead content was found during routine tests on two dozen packets of instant noodles, manufactured by Nestle in India

Rate of newborn babies in opiate withdrawal on the rise in U.S.

The rate at which infants are suffering withdrawal after being born to mothers on opioid pain killers has increased five-fold since 2000, according to a new U.S. study. "I think the scope of the problem is staggering," said Dr. Stephen Patrick, a neonatologist who led the research. "It really calls into question, are we using these opioid prescriptions too much and should we be using them more appropriately in pregnant women."

South Korea reports first case of MERS virus; patient stable

South Korean health officials on Wednesday confirmed the country's first case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in a patient who recently returned from Bahrain and is in stable condition after being treated for a high fever and cough. The 68-year-old man was in Bahrain from April 18 through to May 3 and was engaged in farming-related business, South Korea's health ministry said in a statement. He returned to South Korea on May 4 through Qatar, it said.

Most Americans still don't use sunscreen

Despite years of public health messages, barely one third of Americans use sunscreen regularly, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Researchers found that sunscreen is most often used by women on the skin of the face, and by people with higher household income.

Hormel Foods says avian flu likely to hurt turkey sales till 2016

Hormel Foods Corp, the maker of Spam lunch meat, said it expected sales at its Jennie-O Turkey Store business to fall about 15 percent in the second half of the year, due to a supply shortfall caused by an avian flu outbreak in the United States. However, shares of the company, which reported a better-than-expected second-quarter profit and reaffirmed its full-year profit forecast, rose 4.6 percent to $58.34 on the New York Stock Exchange.

U.S. aims to crack down on 'novelty' motorcycle helmets

U.S. transportation regulators on Wednesday called for stronger rules for motorcycle helmets, proposing additional safety requirements in an effort to crack down on "novelty" helmets that do not meet federal standards. The Department of Transportation said such uncertified helmets are unsafe and do not protect riders in crashes despite being sold and marketed for use on the road.

J&J to submit at least 10 new drugs for approval by 2019

U.S. healthcare conglomerate Johnson & Johnson said on Wednesday it expects to submit more than 10 new medicines with annual revenue potential of at least $1 billion each to regulators by 2019, and is testing dozens of new uses for existing medicines. J&J said it would file for approval of daratumumab for the blood cancer multiple myeloma in the United States and Europe this year based on mid-stage clinical data.