Food allergies increasing in US kids, study says

health.yahoo.com — Food allergies in American children seem to be on the rise, now affecting about 3 million kids, according to the first federal study of the problem. But experts said that might be because parents are more aware and quicker to have their kids checked out by a doctor. About 1 in 26 children had food allergies last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday. That's up from 1 in 29 kids in 1997. The 18 percent increase is significant enough to be considered more than a statistical blip, said Amy Branum of the CDC, the study's lead author. read more...

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New HIV infections up 45% in Philippines: official (AFP)

us.rd.yahoo.com — AFP - AIDS-related infections are rising rapidly in the Philippines although the ratio of those afflicted out of the total population remains low, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said Tuesday. read more...

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Health Highlights: Aug. 25, 2008 (HealthDay)

us.rd.yahoo.com — HealthDay - Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay: read more...

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Global AIDS prevention gives short shrift to gays (AP)

us.rd.yahoo.com — AP - Jorge Saavedra's moment of truth came in the middle of an impassioned speech to 5,000 people about the paltry amount of money being spent to stop the spread of AIDS among gay men. read more...

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Only 2,500 Afghans HIV positive but several risks: ministry (AFP)

us.rd.yahoo.com — AFP - Afghanistan has about 2,500 HIV positive cases, a relatively low rate, but a range of factors like growing drug use put the country at risk of the virus spreading, the health ministry said Thursday. read more...

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AIDS victims pay price of Zimbabwe turmoil (AFP)

us.rd.yahoo.com — AFP - HIV-positive widow Lilian Butau sits on a rickety stool on the veranda of her home in Harare's Mbare township, chewing on a small piece of calcium-rich rock, the only thing she has had to eat all day. read more...

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Once-Daily Combo Works for New HIV Patients (HealthDay)

us.rd.yahoo.com — HealthDay - FRIDAY, Aug. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Once-daily treatment with tazanavir/ritonavir (A/R) is as effective as twice-daily treatment with lopinavir/ritonavir (L/R) in HIV patients who are starting antiretroviral treatment for the first time, a European study shows. read more...

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Summer fairs perilous for kids with food allergies

news.yahoo.com — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Fairs, picnics, ball games and other social gatherings can make spring and summer prime time for allergic reactions, warns the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). Dr. Amal H. Assa'ad, associate director of the Division of Allergy & Immunology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and an AAAAI member, told Reuters Health that just the day before she had treated a nut-allergic child who developed a reaction after eating a salad with cashews and banana bread with walnuts at a pot-luck party. "This is a very typical story," said Assa'ad. Parents of children with peanut or tree-nut allergies need to be vigilant about the food the child comes into contact with, and should also carry an Epi-pen with them at all times, she added. Allergens can also lurk in food offered at fairs, festivals and carnivals, Assa'ad noted, and people with nut allergies, as well as allergies to cow's milk or eggs, should avoid these offerings entirely, since it's not possible to know just exactly what is in that funnel cake or corn dog. "The actual chef or whoever prepared the food is not going to be there," she pointed out. Restaurants -- especially those serving Chinese food -- can also be danger zones, Assa'ad said. The AAAAI points out that more and more restaurants are switching to peanut oil and soy oil because neither contains trans fats, but people with peanut or soy allergies may have reactions to these oils. Symptoms of an allergic reaction to food can include a skin rash, vomiting, paleness, coughing and wheezing, according to Assa'ad. However, she added, first-time reactions usually don't occur out of the blue, since children typically have had other allergic symptoms such as eczema. The child may also have other food allergies, or there may be other people in the family with food allergies. While first-time allergic reactions to insect stings do come as a surprise, they usually don't occur in young children, but in older kids and young adults, the allergist said. The most important thing, she added, is to get suspected allergies checked out by a board-certified allergist. "It is best that children or adults be evaluated and know for sure what they are allergic to and what they're not, so that they don't overreact if they really don't have an allergy to something and they don't underreact if they do." read more...

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