Screwed-up coughing fit
ANTWERP — Four years ago Belgian Etienne Verhees had a metal plate installed on his neck after breaking two vertebrae falling off a ladder. Last week he coughed up four screws that held the plate in place. Mr Verhees's doctors told local paper, Gazet Van Antwerpen, that the screws had drifted out of place because of an infection Mr Verhees suffered following a second operation.

The prince of CAM
LONDON — On October 13 Charles, Prince of Wales, delivered a speech for the Foundation for Integrated Health during which he informed his audience of 120 GPs that he's been proven right about alternative medicine. The noted dilettante and heir to the British throne waxed nostalgic about a time when he "rather bravely" advocated alternative therapies for a sceptical physician audience, back in 1982. In Britain, he trumpeted, now "more than 50% of GPs are making complementary healthcare available to patients in some form or other."

Gay fungi spawn deadly yeast
DURHAM, NC — The same-sex debate has hit the world of fungal research. In news that won't help convince social conservatives of the sanctity of gay marriage, Duke University researchers have discovered that same-sex couplings between two relatively harmless yeasts can beget one very unwelcome strain. The researchers, writing in Nature published online October 9th, say they've pinpointed the origins of an outbreak of the fungus C gattii that has infected 100 people on Vancouver Island since 1999. They think this particular strain is the result of same sex mating, and that the infectious agent is spread through airborne spores produced during coupling. C gattii invades the central nervous system and causes headaches, coughing and night sweats. It's usually found in tropical areas and can occasionally be fatal.

Lesbians make good parents
BOSTON — Gay parents aren't anywhere near as dangerous as gay fungi according to a study presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics conference earlier this month. The research shows that kids raised by gay parents have normal self-esteem and actually showed those with lesbian parents were less aggressive, more nurturing towards peers, more tolerant and more likely to play with toys made for both sexes. The data was gleaned from 15 disparate studies looking at the possible effects gay parents have on kids.

Supersize my family
Little Rock — Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar are certainly doing their bit to ensure the survival of the species. On October 11, the happy couple celebrated the birth of little Johanna, their 16th child. They were overjoyed that it was a girl, as their last six kids — eight years' worth — had all been boys. Ms Duggar, 39, says she and her husband love children and have already started thinking about their next bundle of joy. Mr Duggar, a former state representative, supports the large brood by selling real estate, but he has his sights set on the US Senate. Johanna Duggar's birth will be aired on the Discovery Channel on May 18, 2006.

Legionnaires' lingers on
OTTAWA — It took a while, but scientists finally figured out what was killing residents of the Seven Oaks Home for the Aged in Toronto: Legionnaires' disease. This airborne disease infected over 100 people and took 17 lives during this outbreak which began in late September. Two more cases were announced on October 12. It's believed these latest victims caught the bug by walking too close to the Seven Oaks' outdoor vents or nearby construction site where a water main was being repaired. Legionnaires' disease is not communicable person-to-person, and Toronto's medical officer of health, Dr David McKeown, issued a statement stressing, "there is no risk to the general community."

Pacifiers may prevent SIDS
CHARLOTTESVILLE — A study to be published in the November issue of has found a 61% reduction in the risk of SIDS when a pacifier is used. The study authors aren't sure how pacifiers protect tots, but still, they argue it's clear that the potential benefit far outweighs the risks. Previous research has indicated that pacifiers could lead to dental difficulties, heightened risk of ear infection, and problems breastfeeding — but these new findings were convincing enough to prompt the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to recommend use of the suckers in their updated SIDS guidelines.

 

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