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CDC counts 383 salmonella cases from tomatoes
The toll of the U.S. salmonella outbreak continues to rise; tomatoes from sections of Mexico and Florida remain the main suspects as the source of the outbreak
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Good results in tests for BioNeutral's anti-anthrax technology
New Jersey company uses its Ygiene formulation to kill anthrax spores on contact; formulation killed all anthrax spores exposed to the formulation in as little fifteen seconds
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Investing in biodefense companies, II
Billions of dollars are being spent on finding vaccines and treatments for possible bioterror attacks; investment analyst says that these billions of dollars in government spending notwithstanding, when considering an investment in a company doing R&D in the bioterror field, you should consider its non-terror-related biotechnology efforts, and the quality of its management team
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Universal biosensor would detect disease, bioterror attack, pollution
A consortium of U.K. research institutions, in collaboration with a Chinese University, work on developing a universal biosensor which would help in many types of detection — from home diagnosis of disease to chemical plant monitoring, anti-bioterrorism, and pandemic outbreak
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New mercury detector developed
University of Massachusetts researcher develops new mercury detector which detects minute quantities of mercury even in the presence of other metals
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Why it takes so long to trace a bad tomato
Tomatoes do not carry bar codes, so it is difficult to trace the source of the recent tomato-borne salmonella outbreak; tomatoes coming from Mexico and parts of Florida are prime suspects
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New bird flu vaccine looks promising
Baxter’s cell-based vaccine appears to work better than more traditional egg-based ones; tests show promise at low doses
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Making U.S. food safe, I: FDA not moving fast enough
The recent outbreak of tomatoe-borne salmonella poisoning moved legislators to charge that the FDA has not made good on its promise last year to make food safer for U.S. consumers
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Making U.S. food safe, II: Tracing the sources of bad food
The United States lacks a system for effective tacking and tracing of food supplies as they are distributed throughout the country; one expert says that “Right now the technology [for tracking food] exists, but it’s not being used widely because companies aren’t required to use them”
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Background: More on tomato-borne salmonella
Recent census of produce outbreaks between 1996 and 2007 counted no fewer than 33 epidemics from Salmonella-contaminated fruits and vegetables; in five of them, tomatoes were the culprit
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FDA warns of tomatoe-bornes almonellosis
The Food and Drug Administration warns U.S consumers, restaurants of salmonella poisioning causes by three types oftomatoes; 145 cases reported, with 23 requiring hospitalization
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New method to treat deadly water-polluting fish disease
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) has caused massive declines in population among fish species, ranging from walleyes to salmon, in all of the Great Lakes except Superior; new water treatment method could help keep a deadly fish disease out of Lake Superior
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Tom Daschle calls for greater U.S.-U.K. bioterror cooperation
Daschle: “The threat of bioterrorism will increase exponentially because biological agents used to carry out such attacks will continue to become more accessible and more technologically advanced”
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Investing in biodefense companies
Billions of dollars are pouring into biodefense vaccines and treatments; do companies engaged in developing such vaccines and treatment offer attractive investment opportunities? The answer is a qualified “Yes” to this specific question — but a more resounding “Yes” when these companies’ other research and development endeavors are taken into consideration
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India to test anthrax vaccine
India is worried about bioterror attacks by Islamic extremists; it starts testing the potency of U.S.-manufactured vaccine; initially enough doses will be stored to protect military personnel
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More headlines
The long view
Ransomware Attacks: Death Threats, Endangered Patients and Millions of Dollars in Damages
A ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, a company that processes 15 billion health care transactions annually and deals with 1 in 3 patient records in the United States, is continuing to cause massive disruptions nearly three weeks later. The incident, which started on February 21, has been called the “most significant cyberattack on the U.S. health care system” by the American Hospital Association. It is just the latest example of an increasing trend.