Compiled by Eun Sil Kang

Amoeba-infected lakes kill six

by CHRIS KHAN

Associated Press

Even though encounters with amoebas are extraordinarily rare, it has killed six boys and young men this year. The spike in cases has health officials concerned, and they are predicting more cases in the future.

“This is definitely something we need to track,” said Michael Beach, a specialist in recreational waterborne illnesses for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This is a heat-loving amoeba. As water temperatures go up, it does better,” Beach said. “In future decades, as temperatures rise, we’d expect to see more cases.”

According to the CDC, the amoeba Naegleria fowleri killed 23 people in the United States, from 1995 to 2004. This year health officials noticed a spike with six cases—three in Florida, two in Texas and one in Arizona.

Though infections tend to be found in southern states, Naegleria lives almost everywhere in lakes, hot springs, even dirty swimming pools, grazing off algae and bacteria in the sediment.

Beach said people become infected when they wade through shallow water and stir up the bottom. If someone allows water to shoot up the nose, the amoeba can latch onto the olfactory nerve.

The amoeba destroys tissue as it makes its way up into the brain, where it continues the damage, “basically feeding on the brain cells,” Beach said.

People who are infected tend to complain of a stiff neck, headaches and fevers. In the later stages, they’ll show signs of brain damage such as hallucinations and behavioral changes, he said.

Once infected, most people have little chance of survival.

“Usually, from initial exposure it’s fatal within two weeks,” Beach said.

Researchers still have much to learn about Naegleria. They don’t know why children are more likely to be infected, and boys are more often victims than girls.

Lake Havasu, a popular man-made lake on the Colorado River between Arizona and California, is one location where amoebas have been found. Officials in the town of Lake Havasu City are discussing whether to take action. “Some folks think we should be putting up signs. Some people think we should close the lake,” city spokesman Charlie Cassens said.

Beach cautioned that people shouldn’t panic about the dangers of the brain-eating bug. Cases are still extremely rare considering the number of people swimming in lakes. The easiest way to prevent infection, Beach said, is to use nose clips when swimming or diving in fresh water.

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For more information about Naegleria, visit the CDC’s Web site.

Company recalls E.coli-infected beef

REUTERS

Topps Meat Company LLC has expanded its recall to include 21.7 million pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria, the Elizabeth, N.J.-based company said on Saturday.

The beef has a “sell by date” or “best if used by date” between Sept. 25, 2007, and Sept. 25, 2008. All recalled products will have a U.S. Department of Agriculture establishment number of EST 9748, which is located on the back panel of the package and/or in the USDA legend.

On Tuesday, the company announced a recall of 331,582 pounds of frozen ground beef products.

Products affected by this expanded recall were distributed to retail grocery stores and food service institutions throughout the United States. Topps said it believes that the vast majority of the recalled product has been consumed.

E. coli can cause potentially fatal complications and symptoms include stomach cramps and diarrhea.

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iPhone updates causing security flaws

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Apple Inc. has issued a software update that creates problems for iPhones modified to work with a cellular carrier other than AT&T Inc. and disables at least some unofficial programs installed on other iPhone handsets.

Apple warned that the iPhone update — which adds access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store and fixes some security flaws — could permanently disable phones running programs that untether phones from its exclusive partner’s network.

Several gadget enthusiast Web sites like Gizmodo and Engadget indicated certain modified phones no longer worked after they installed Thursday’s software update. In some cases, the phones worked, but only with the original SIM card that ties the phone to AT&T.

Installing Apple’s latest iPhone update is optional.

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