HEALTH

Vaccination programs against H1N1 swine flu are under way in the United States, China and Australia and will begin soon in parts of Europe.

The World Health Organization issued the following guidelines on Saturday about ways to prevent and fight flu, especially in poor areas where medical facilities may lack staff, beds and drugs:

Here are some facts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about how swine flu spreads in humans:

American squeamishness about talking about sex has helped keep common sexually transmitted infections far too common, especially among vulnerable teens, U.S. researchers reported Monday.

Confirmed cases of H1N1 swine flu infection in Germany have more than doubled in the past week, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases said.

U.S. health regulators requested information from nearly 30 makers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages on why they believe their products are safe.

Flu infections may be peaking in some parts of the northern hemisphere, but are still spreading fast in others, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

Heart attack patients in need of emergency procedures were less likely to suffer further serious cardiovascular events, including death, when given AstraZeneca's experimental Brilinta blood clot preventer than those who used Plavix, according to a study presented on Sunday.

People of Japanese and European descent who have mutant versions of five genes may be at higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease, two large teams of researchers have found.

The second generation allergy drug desloratadine (brand name Clarinex) significantly reduces both the runny nose and congestion of seasonal and persistent allergic rhinitis, a study shows.

An analysis of 19 studies provides additional evidence of increased asthma risk in children and adults given acetaminophen.

Cataract surgery does not appear to worsen the course of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a progressive loss of vision due to deterioration of nerve tissue in the retina, a new study shows.

More than just a bad bout of stomach flu, some food-borne illnesses can cause long-term consequences, especially for young people, a report released on Thursday has found.

Antiviral medicines can prevent severe H1N1 flu and should be given to pregnant women, very young children and people with underlying medical problems who fall ill, a World Health Organisation official said on Thursday.

Efforts to help smokers kick the habit have stalled in the United States, with hardly any recent change in smoking rates, federal researchers reported on Thursday.

Production of H1N1 swine flu vaccine at two U.S. facilities is working optimally with output on the rise, the chief executive of Sanofi-Aventis said on Tuesday.

In a study of Danish women who had surgery for breast cancer, nearly half still reported pain 2 to 3 years later, according to a report in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association.

Cancer patients who took drugs to cut the risk of anemia were twice as likely to develop blood clots in the lungs or legs as other patients, a decade-long study of more than 55,000 cancer patients has found.

When Desiree Rosado's daughter got the flu last month, she took a week off without pay; just an hour after finally returning to work Rosado had to leave again to take her feverish son home.

The state of US emergency departments has been called a growing national crisis, and a report out today shows the situation is only getting worse.

Africa faces a surge in cancer deaths unless action is taken in the next decade to stem rising smoking levels in a continent where anti-tobacco laws remain rare, U.S. scientists said Wednesday.

Extreme temperatures and heavy air pollution boost heart attack risk, according to a major new study.

Older people with stronger muscles are at reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared to their weaker peers, a new study shows.

Women with dense breasts who have had lumpectomies for breast cancer are at a higher risk of a recurrence, according to a new study.

A potentially devastating outbreak ofswine flu among the Yanomami Indians in Venezuela's Amazon rain forest appears to be contained for now after a rapid medical response in the remote zone.

Americans infected by the H1N1 flu virus would be guaranteed paid sick leave under emergency legislation U.S. Senator Chris Dodd plans to unveil on Tuesday in response to the swine flu pandemic.

The popular blood-thinner Plavix prevents heart attacks and strokes in both women and men, but the benefits differ slightly by gender, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

After a landmark win in the House of Representatives, President Barack Obama's push for healthcare reform faces a difficult path in the Senate amid divisions in his own Democratic Party on how to proceed.

Overuse of antibiotics in Europe is building widespread resistance and threatening to halt vital medical treatments such as hip replacements, intensive care for premature babies and cancer therapies, health experts say.