Health Highlights: June 9, 2008

The stem cell procedure, previously done only in laboratory animals, was successful, the newspaper reported -- so successful that University of Minnesota bone marrow specialist Dr. John Wagner said, "Maybe we can take one more disorder off the incurable list. It's not often that it feels like you hit a home run in medical research, but this one feels like it."

Nate's older brother Jake, who also has the disorder, was given a bone marrow transplant late last week, and 30 patients will be part of an upcoming clinical trial to continue the research, the Star Tribune reported.

RDEB falls into the category of orphan diseases -- very rare maladies. In this case, the skin disorder affects about 10 people per million.

-----

Tainted Salmonella Tomatoes 'Distributed Throughout the Country'

Salmonella food poisoning from raw tomatoes has spread to 16 states, causing U.S. health officials to speculate that the outbreak might be nationwide, the Associated Press reported.

The infestation first began in Texas and New Mexico in mid-April, the wire service said. The latest statistics from those two states' health departments put the number of cases at 56 in Texas and 55 in New Mexico to raw, uncooked, tomatoes.

And an additional 50 people are suspected to have been poisoned with the Saintpaul strain of salmonella bacterium, the AP said, leading a spokesperson from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to tell the wire service that the rarity of that strain and the number of illnesses "suggest that implicated tomatoes are distributed throughout the country."

At least 23 people have been hospitalized but there have been no deaths among the patients who range in age between 1 and 82, CDC spokesperson Arleen Porcell told the AP.

In addition to Texas and New Mexico, the Saintpaul salmonella infection has been reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, according to the CDC.

Consumers are warned not to buy any raw tomatoes except cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and homegrown tomatoes, the wire service reported.

Salmonella bacteria are usually transmitted to humans when they eat food contaminated with animal feces. Symptoms include fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Most people recover without treatment, but salmonella infection can cause serious health problems or death in infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.

-----

Many Americans Stressed About Money: Survey

Three-quarters of American adults are stressed about money and worried about their financial future, according to a new survey released by the American Psychological Association.

The survey of 2,529 adults, conducted between April 7 and 15, found that more than 50 percent reported that they're experiencing stress over housing costs and 48 percent said job stability is a source of stress, United Press International reported.

In addition, 61 percent said family responsibilities are causing them stress, and 57 percent said they have health-related concerns.

"With higher prices, the rising cost of gas and constant media coverage of the state of the economy, many Americans are stressed about the state of their finances," psychologist Katherine Nordal of the APA said in a prepared statement, UPI reported.

She suggested people "analyze their priorities and figure out new ways to manage your stress, and take control of your finances. Pause but don't panic -- remain calm, stay focused and avoid getting caught up in the doom-and-gloom hype in the media."