Health Highlights: July 14, 2009

• Stop Routine Use Of Antibiotics in Farm Animals: White House
• Fewer Drunks on U.S. Roads: Survey
• 1918 Flu Pandemic Survivors Immune to Swine Flu: Study
• Congress Won't Finish Health-Care Reform by Summer Recess
• Family Obesity Follows Gender Lines: Study

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Stop Routine Use Of Antibiotics in Farm Animals: White House

In an effort to reduce the spread of dangerous bacteria in humans, the Obama administration wants to ban routine use of antibiotics in farm animals.

Feeding antibiotics to healthy cattle, pigs and chickens in order to encourage rapid growth should be stopped and farmers should no longer be allowed to use antibiotics in farm animals without the supervision of a veterinarian, Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, principal deputy commissioner of food and drugs, said in written testimony to the House Rules Committee.

He said such routine use of antibiotics in farm animals leads to the development of bacteria that are immune to many treatments, The New York Times reported.

The House hearing was held to discuss a proposed measure to ban the use in animals of seven classes of antibiotics important to human health. It would also limit other antibiotics to therapeutic and some preventive uses in animals.

The measure is supported by the American Medical Association but opposed by farm groups, which means the measure is likely to fail. However, supporters hope the measure will be included in legislation to overhaul the U.S. health system, The Times reported.

-----

Fewer Drunks on U.S. Roads: Survey

Tougher laws, tighter enforcement and a shift in social attitudes may be among the reasons why there's been a major decrease in the number of drunk drivers on U.S. roads in the past 30 years, the Associated Press reported.

In 2007, 2.2 percent of drivers had blood-alcohol levels of 0.08 or higher, compared with 7.5 percent in 1973, 5.4 percent in 1986, and 4.3 percent in 1996, says a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration roadside survey.

The new survey also found that the highest number of drunk drivers (4.8 percent) were on the road between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Saturday and that 1.2 percent of drivers were drunk between 10 p.m. to midnight on Friday night, the AP reported.

Researchers conducting the survey of weekend nighttime drivers used breath samples to measure blood alcohol concentrations, and also collected oral fluid and blood samples to check for drugs.

While 16.3 percent of the drivers tested positive for drugs, researchers noted that drugs can remain in a person's system for weeks, which makes it difficult to determine whether the drivers are impaired, the AP reported.

-----

1918 Flu Pandemic Survivors Immune to Swine Flu: Study

Many survivors of the 1918 flu pandemic appear to be immune to the current swine flu, but not to seasonal flu, says a University of Wisconsin researcher.

Yoshihiro Kawaoka also found that swine flu multiplies more severely in the respiratory system than seasonal flu, the Associated Press reported. In tests on mice, ferrets and monkeys, he found that the swine flu is present in greater numbers throughout the respiratory system instead of staying in the head, like common winter flu.

Kawaoka said the findings make him more concerned about the potential threat posed by swine flu, the AP reported.

The research was published Monday in the journal Nature.

-----

Congress Won't Finish Health-Care Reform by Summer Recess

The massive overhaul of the U.S. health-care system will be put on hold when members of Congress leave for their August recess, lawmakers say.

While that's likely to disappoint President Barack Obama, who made health-care reform a key part of his presidential campaign, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said the White House should be pleased with the progress so far. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said "there really is plenty of time," the Associated Press reported.

"Well, we don't expect (a bill) to be signed into law by the August recess. But we expect the House and Senate to have passed bills, yes," said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the AP reported.