MCG Health, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation and a health care provider, has presented a study recently warning the golf lovers to be cautious as pollen has attacked the south again.

Looking at the situation, they have already predicted that pine pollen will blanket the area in yellow, including the greens, about a week before the prestigious Masters Tournament. The people prone to allergy have already started experiencing the symptoms. Fortunately pine is a weak allergen however soon late-blooming trees and new grass would release more powerful pollen, which could be dangerous to the golf spectators.

Dr. William Dolen, an Allergist and Immunologist for MCGHealth, and a past President of the ‘American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology ‘specially warns the visitors form up North to be more careful as they are more prone to allergy due to its still being cold there. Since they have yet not confronted any seasonal changes as the people have already in South, they might not think to bring any anti allergens.

continue reading Pollen Attacks South, Doctor Warns the Golf Lovers

Washington- Influenza virus coats itself with a fatty substance, which gets hard and protects the virus in colder temperatures and this coating melts in the respiratory tract. This allows the virus to infect the cells, U.S. researchers said on Sunday.

The researchers from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) found out that influenza viruses coat themselves with a fatty protein namely hemagglutinin. This coat hardens and protects them at low temperatures. The researchers used a kind of imaging known as nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) to examine the outer cover of the flu viruses.

Joshua Zimmerberg of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) said, “The protective coat melts in the respiratory tract, like an M&M in your mouth”.

“Only in this liquid stage, the virus is capable of entering and infecting a cell”, said Joshua Zimmerberg, who led the study, published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology. The researchers believe that this finding could explain why winter is flu season.

continue reading Why Winter Is Always the Flu Season

Officials in Northeastern Bangladesh are reporting that a new outbreak of bird flu has killed 500 birds in the Moulavibazar district. Salehuddin Khan, the Bangladesh director of livestock stated, “After the confirmation of bird flu, authorities culled nearly 800 chickens, ducks and birds in a one-kilometer area around the affected farm.”

Since the first phase of the outbreak occurred in March of last year, authorities have had to cull more than 300,000 birds. The deadly H5N1 virus has now spread to 71 farms located in over 22 districts.

Poultry farms are a booming business in Bangladesh and account for $750 million in income every year. Authorities are concerned that the virus may jump to humans, since nearly 4 million Bangladeshi’s work with poultry. So far, there have been no reports of human cases.

Indonesia is still struggling to deal with their own outbreak of bird flu. 117 people have been hospitalized with the virus and 94 people have died. Nearby China reported that a man who was hospitalized for bird flu reportedly contracted it from his son who died of the disease in November.

continue reading Bird Flu Hits Bangladesh

Key Points:

1. Introduction
2. What Causes Sneezing?
3. What is Photic Sneeze Reflex?
4. Are Sneezes Infectious?
5. Should You Stifle Your Sneezes?
6. Treatments for Conditions that Cause Sneezing
7. Good Sneezing Practices

Introduction

All human beings have sneezing in common. Whether you are a loud sneezer or try to muffle it, there are times when you just can’t help but sneeze. For some, sneezing can be a real problem, particularly if they suffer from photic sneeze reflex. Whether your sneezes are caused by allergies or some other reason, sneezes can be embarrassing. They always seem to sneak up on you when you least expect them. Let’s take a look at what causes people to sneeze and how you can treat any conditions that may cause sneezing.

What Causes Sneezing?

There are several reasons that people sneeze. Infrequent sneezes are usually the by-product of small particles that get past your nose hair and irritate the sensitive lining of your nose. You may notice a slight burning or tingling right before or after this type of sneeze.

When the particle or particles reach this sensitive area of your nose, histamines are triggered and are released into your system. This is what makes you feel as though you have a burning sensation in your nose. This signals your body that it needs to sneeze to expel the particles that are irritating your nose. You may not believe it, but your nose isn’t the only body part involved in a sneeze. The entire response to an allergen or particle involves your chest, face and throat muscles as well as your lungs.

continue reading Sneezing - Causes, Treatments and good Sneezing Practices