The GE Foundation has awarded $1.6 million to global health nonprofit Jhpiego to develop low-cost technologies to treat women and children in developing countries.

The money will support a two-year collaboration between Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins, and the Johns Hopkins Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design (JHU-CBID), which is located in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

The collaboration will focus on a program centered on maternal and child health. The program includes early-stage innovation of products, field-testing and introduction to the market.

An example of such a technology is the ePartogram, a “smart” device now in development that automates the manual charting of labor and delivery information. The device helps monitor a woman in labor and recognize complications early. The technology will undergo feasibility testing for safety, acceptability and effectiveness with GE Foundation support.

The GE Foundation will also support the Global Health Innovation Fellowship Program, a collaboration between Jhpiego and CBID that fosters the development of young engineers who are interested in global health technology innovation.

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Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, is expected to lead a panel on disaster preparedness today at Johns Hopkins as part of the university’s speakers series.

The free public event will run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and bring together other public health officials to discuss how planning for, and responding to, disease outbreaks has changed in today’s wired and technologically mobile society, according to Hopkins.

Officials said the topic was chosen partially because of the popularity of the film “Contagion,” a Hollywood version of a global disease outbreak.

Also part of the discussion will involve the real H1N1 flu outbreak in 2009, multi-drug resistant TB from 2007 and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, in 2002-2003.

Also on the panel will be:

+Katherine Clegg Smith, a sociologist with expertise in how people respond during an outbreak to news and social media
+Jonathan Links, a Johns Hopkins medical physicist, and Baltimore City's pandemic and influenza planning advisor
+Joshua Epstein, an expert in social and behavioral computer modeling of disease outbreaks and their spread
+Dr. Khalil Ghanem, an internist and infectious disease specialist
+Atul Nakhasi, first-year Johns Hopkins medical student and chairperson of the Speaker series
+Dr. Tom Quinn, an infectious disease specialist and expert in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/AIDS, as well as director of Johns Hopkins' Center for Global Health, and event moderator

The event will take place in the Anne and Mike Armstrong Medical Education Building at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1600 McElderry St., in Baltimore. Parking is available in the nearby McElderry Street Garage. Here is a campus map.

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Excessive drinking is giving the nation a big hangover – cost reached $223.5 billion in 2006 from lost work productivity, health care, car crashes and law enforcement.

That’s $1.90 a drink, according to a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC said excessive alcohol consumption also is responsible for an average of 79,000 death and 2.3 million years of potential life lost in the United States.

Excessive drinking is defined as 4 or more drinks at a time for women and 5 or more for men.
The study didn’t take costs due to pain and suffering into account in the study.

“This research captures the reality that binge drinking means binge spending, not just for the person who drinks but for families, communities, and society,” said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, CDC director, in a statement. “There are substantial costs to all of us in health care, the workplace, and criminal justice systems. Responsible individual behavior combined with the effective policies can decrease unhealthy drinking, reduce health care and other costs, and increase productivity.”

The data came from several sources including the Alcohol-Related Disease Impact Application, the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol-Related Conditions and the National Survery on Durg Use and Health. Most of the costs for 2006, the latest year data was available, were paid by government and the drinkers and their families.

To see the study, click here. For more information on preventing alcohol abuse, click here.

AFP/Getty photo

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Maryland hospitals have reduced potentially deadly bloodstream infections by 37 percent in the latest 12-month reporting period, according to the latest state data.

The infections are preventable through proper insertion and care. And the Maryland Health Care Commission began tracking those that occur in central lines recently to shine light on the problem. The hospitals self report but the state is among 11 that audit the numbers to verify their accuracy.

Last October was the first reporting period (for July 2009 to June 2010) and acute care hospitals reported 424 such infections in adult intensive care units and 48 in neonatal units. This year, the number dropped to 262 infections in adult units and 34 in neonatal units.

Four hospitals have lower infection rates that the national average: Suburban, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, St. Agnes, and Johns Hopkins. Thirty nine hospitals have rates not significantly different from the national average.

“Reducing these preventable healthcare-associated infections will improve patient care outcomes and save health care dollars,” Marilyn Moon, chair of the health care commission, said in a statement. “The progress that Maryland hospitals have made in reducing infections in ICUs is quite encouraging. The commission hopes that hospitals are able to expand their prevention initiatives to all units within their respective facilities to eliminate preventable infections hospital-wide.”

Maryland Health Care Commission's Hospital Guide can be found here.

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is little flu going around right now – making it a good time to get a flu shot.

In its first “FluView” report of the 2011-2012  season, the CDC says the vaccine is well matched to the flu virus that is expect to become more widespread in coming weeks.

“It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the body’s immune response to fully kick in,” said Dr. Joe Bresee, chief of CDC’s Influenza Epidemiology and Prevention Branch, in a statement. “It’s best to get vaccinated before activity begins so that you’ll be protected once flu season starts in your community.”

Bresee said more vaccine than ever has been delivered already this year – 110 million doses, available in doctors offices, retail stores, public clinics and elsewhere. Up to 173 million doses are expected to be delivered this season.

The CDC generally recommends that everyone 6 months or older get an annual vaccine.
Officials will be monitoring influenza activity, so we’ll know soon enough when the masses are becoming sick. The CDC says the flu causes anywhere from 3,000 to 49,000 deaths a year.

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The number of teenage boys who use condoms the first time they have sex has grown in recent years, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report of males aged 15-19 showed that eight of 10 now use condoms, an increase of 9 percent from 2002 to 2010. About 16 percent used a condom in combination with the female’s hormonal method, up 6 percent from 2002.

Overall, the number of teens using contraceptives for their first sexual encounter in general hasn’t budged much since 2002, with 78 percent of females and 85 percent of males using some method.

The report, called ”Teenagers in the United States: Sexual Activity, Contraceptive Use, and Childbearing, 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth,” from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, also found that from 2006-2010 about 43 percent of female teens and 42 percent of male teens had intercourse at least once.

Females were also using more injectable hormonal contraception and patches.

There were some racial disparities: Black males had the highest percentage with sexual experience and Hispanic males had the highest percentage not using contraceptives.

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Despite increased attention, health disparities persist in the state, according to public health officials who met this year for eighth year in a row to discuss remedies.

This year’s conference focused on promoting diversity in the workforce and brought the comments of many of the state’s healthcare leaders from government agencies, the legislature and advocacy and provider groups.

It was co-sponsored by the University of Maryland School of Public Health and the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions and hosted by the state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities.

“All Marylanders deserve the best possible care and the opportunity to improve their quality of life, which is why it is unacceptable that many health disparities persist among racial and ethnic communities in our state,” said Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown, who is the governor’s point person on health care, in a statement. “To address these disparities and ensure every community has access to high quality health care, we must improve diversity in the health care workforce and encourage more providers to work in underserved communities.”

Brown is heading up a workgroup on disparities, which promises more to come.

For more information on the conference, go to www.dhmh.maryland.gov/hd.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week that 55 people have been infected with Listeria from cantaloupe, in 14 states including Maryland.

The outbreaks began in August and have been traced back to Jensen Farms in Granada, Colo., which has issued a voluntary recall of its Rocky Ford-brand of cantaloupes.

The CDC new recommends that people, especially those at high risk for listeriosis such as seniors, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women not eat these cantaloupes – or cantaloupes that could be from this farm if people are unsure.

Officials say to throw away the cantalouope, whether it was at room temperature or refrigerated.

Foodborne illnesses remain a problem in the United States, with 1,034 foodborne illness outbreaks in 2008, according to data recently released by the CDC. The outbreaks included with 23,152 cases of illness, 1,276 hospitalizations and 22 deaths.

Salmonella was responsible for the most deaths with 13, followed by Listeria and E. coli, which were each responsible for 3 each.

The person apparently infected in Maryland by the cantaloupe, lived in Central Maryland and had eaten the melon prior to becoming ill and died in August, prior to the recall, according to the state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. An investigation continues.

To avoid food poisoning, officials recommend:
+Washing hands, cutting boards, utensils, and countertops.
+Separating raw meat, poultry and seafood separate from ready-to-eat foods.
+Using a food thermometer to ensure that foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature: 145°F for whole meats (allowing the meat to rest for 3 minutes before carving or consuming); 160°F for ground meats; and 165°F for all poultry.
+Keeping your refrigerator below 40°F, and refrigerating food that will spoil.
+Reporting suspected illness from food to your local health department.
+Not preparing food for others if you have diarrhea or have been vomiting.
+Being especially careful when preparing food for children, pregnant women, those in poor health and older adults.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene got high marks from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for its ability to handle a public health emergency.

The state health agency scored 96 out of 100 in its 2010 evaluation, up from 67 in 2008.

The CDC said the state has shown progress in its ability to quickly and accurately identify infectious agents and notify the authorities. It’s shown it has expanded ability to receive, store and distribute antibiotics, antivirals and other critical medical equipment and supplies. It also showed it can respond to requests for assistance and mobilize personnel.

The state said it’s planned and prepared for emergencies and disasters with local health departments and others across the state by buying equipment, hiring and training personnel and conducting exercises.

“Emergency preparedness is essential to keep our residents and communities safe and secure,” said Gov. Martin O‟Malley, in a statement. “This score underlines that Maryland continues to be a national leader in its readiness to respond to any public health emergency or disaster.”

To see the CDC state-by-state report on preparedness, click here. For more information on state efforts, click on dhmh.maryland.gov and go to the “Emergency Preparedness‟ tab.

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