East-West Safety Training, Inc.

Dont let the bed bugs bite. Do you remember hearing this as a liitle child. Now you may have to worry about those bed-bugs. Bed bugs are now found in all 50 states. In the last few years there has been an explosion of bed bug cases. After hours of research on the internet. I am posting a link to the one that I feel gives you the most information,Including how to treat your home if you suspect that you have bed bugs.  Please follow the link for more information: http://studenttravel.about.com/od/healthystudentholidays/a/bedbugs_5.htm

August 14, 2010 - Los Angeles, California - Kroger (product distributor) and Contessa Premium Foods, Inc. (product manufacturer) are recalling 24 ounce bags of Kroger brand Meals Made Simple Shrimp Linguini, because it may contain undeclared milk product. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk products run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The Kroger brand Meals Made Simple Shrimp Linguini was distributed to all divisions of Kroger’s retail stores. 

All units of Kroger brand Meals Made Simple Shrimp Linguini (UPC 1111097756) product are impacted by this recall. 

Only one adverse reaction has been reported as associated with this product to date. 

This recall was initiated after Contessa Premium Foods, Inc. discovered that the Kroger brand Meals Made Simple Shrimp Linguini included an ingredient labeled as "Natural Flavors" that may have been constituted using milk or milk byproducts. Subsequent investigation indicates that this ingredient was included in the product at very small amounts but was not otherwise indicated on the allergen warning statement. 

Consumers who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk products and have purchased the 24 ounce bags of Kroger brand Meals Made Simple Shrimp Linguini are urged to either contact Contessa Premium Foods, Inc. at 888-832-8000 Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. 

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – A pair of studies suggests that the common painkiller acetaminophen -- better known as Tylenol in the U.S. -- may be fueling a worldwide increase in asthma.

According to one study out Thursday, acetaminophen could be responsible for as many as four in 10 cases of wheezing and severe asthma in teens.

While no one knows if the drug causes asthma by itself, another report -- published along with the first study -- shows for the first time that many toddlers took acetaminophen before they developed asthma symptoms such as wheezing.

"We have confirmed that acetaminophen use comes first, so a causal link is increasingly likely," said Dr. Alemayehu Amberbir, of Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and the University of Nottingham in the UK.

But large-scale clinical tests are necessary before anyone cleans out their medicine cabinet, stressed Amberbir, whose findings are published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

His team followed more than 1,000 Ethiopian babies over three years. When the toddlers turned one, the researchers asked the mothers if their babies had breathing problems, and how much acetaminophen they had used.

About eight percent of the kids began to wheeze between ages one and three. Those who had been given acetaminophen during their first year -- before they had breathing trouble -- had up to seven times the odds of developing wheezing.

That increase held even after adjusting for fever and coughs, which in principle could have triggered both the wheezing and the use of painkillers.

"What we have is further information and a stronger association between the use of acetaminophen and asthma," said Dr. Dipak Kanabar, who has written guidelines on painkillers, but wasn't involved in the new studies.

But Kanabar, a consultant pediatrician at Evelina Children's Hospital in London, cautioned that parents' recall isn't always accurate, which could have influenced the findings.

"We have to be careful when we give advice to parents to stress that these studies do not mean that giving acetaminophen will necessarily result in their child developing asthma," he said.

But if the link turns out to be real, it could have a major impact on public health, according to another report in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

In that study, based on more than 320,000 teens from 50 countries, 11 percent of the children had breathing trouble -- only slightly more than the percentage of American children who have asthma.

Those teens who took acetaminophen at least once a month -- one third overall, and more than four in 10 Americans -- doubled their odds of wheezing.

They were also more likely to have allergic nasal congestion and the skin condition eczema, Dr. Richard W. Beasley, of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, and colleagues report.

The researchers estimate that acetaminophen could potentially be responsible for up to four in 10 of all asthma symptoms, including severe ones such as waking up gasping for air once a week or more.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary that sells Tylenol, said in a comment their product "has over 50 years of clinical history to support its safety and efficacy."

"The well-documented safety profile for acetaminophen makes it the preferred pain reliever for asthma sufferers," the company told Reuters Health in an e-mail. The company said there are no gold-standard clinical trials showing "a causal link between acetaminophen and asthma." However, Kanabar found in his review of the medical literature that ibuprofen -- another painkiller, sometimes sold as Advil -- seemed to trigger less wheezing than acetaminophen. Ibuprofen, however, is not recommended in people with asthma, Kanabar said, and that most doctors favor Tylenol. Aspirin, another common painkiller, is generally discouraged in children because it can cause short-term breathing problems and other rare side effects. According to Kanabar, dropping painkillers entirely is probably a bad idea, and might cause a child to feel worse and drink less liquid, which could slow recovery. So which painkiller should a parent choose if their child has a headache or a fever -- Tylenol or ibuprofen? At this point, said Kanabar, "you could go for either." SOURCE: http://link.reuters.com/sej74n American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, online August 13, 2010. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100813/hl_nm/us_tylenol_allergies

million cribs from seven companies were recalled Thursday amid concerns that babies can suffocate, become trapped or fall from the cribs. Most of the cribs were drop-sides, which have a

side rail that moves up and down so parents can lift children from them more easily. That movable side, however, can malfunction or detach from the crib, creating a dangerous gap where babies' heads can become trapped, leading to suffocation or strangulation.

The companies involved in the recall were

Evenflo, Delta Enterprises Corp., Child Craft, Jardine Enterprises, LaJobi, Million Dollar Baby and Simmons Juvenile Products Inc.

No deaths were associated with the cribs, but there were reports of at least 16 entrapments of infants. In one case, a child was found unconscious and later hospitalized.

In the announcement from the

Consumer Product Safety Commission, all seven companies recalled drop-side cribs. Delta and Child Craft also acknowledged problems with fixed-side cribs.

Drop-sides have increasingly come under scrutiny, with several warnings from the CPSC in the last year that the cribs can be deadly. CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum has pledged to ban their manufacture and sale by year's end.

"This new recall announcement is part of a larger effort by CPSC to clean up the marketplace from many of these unsafe cribs," said Tenenbaum. "Most of these recalled cribs have dangerous drop-sides, while the Delta crib can pose a danger to babies if the mattress support is installed incorrectly."

CPSC urged parents to stop using the cribs and contact the manufacturers for repair kits to immobilize the drop-side or information to make the cribs more secure.

The recalls involved about:

-750,000

Jenny Lind drop-side cribs distributed by Evenflo Inc.

-747,000 Delta drop-side cribs. Delta is also urging parents to check all fixed and drop-side cribs that use wooden stabilizer bars to support the mattress. The company says the bars can be installed upside down, causing the mattress platform to collapse. CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson said Delta "was not cooperative with providing the full number of units involved in the mattress support assembly problem."

-306,000 Bonavita, Babi Italia and ISSI drop-side cribs manufactured by LaJobi Inc.

-130,000 Jardine drop-side cribs imported by

Toys R Us.

-156,000 Million Dollar Baby drop-side cribs.

-50,000 Simmons drop-side cribs.

-40,000 to 50,000 Child Craft brand stationary-side cribs and an unknown number of Child Craft brand drop-sides. Child Craft ceased operations last summer and sold its name to Foundations Worldwide Inc., which did not manufacture or sell any of the recalled cribs but will offer rebates for some of them.

With Thursday's recall, 9 million drop-side cribs have been recalled in the past five years. Drop-sides have been blamed in the deaths of at least 32

infants and toddlers since 2000. The cribs are suspected in another 14 infant fatalities during that time.

Congress is also concerned about the cribs. Legislation has been introduced by

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., to outlaw the sale and manufacture of drop-sides. A similar bill has been introduced in the House by Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley, also of New York. Drop-side cribs have been around for decades, but consumer advocates say they are not as sturdy as those of the past. Older cribs had metal rods that guided the drop-side up and down. Many newer cribs have plastic tracking guides for the drop-side that critics say are more prone to breaking. The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, which represents over 90 percent of the crib industry, urges parents not to use cribs with loose or missing parts. It also says consumers should not use a crib that is older than 10 years because it may not comply with current standards. ____ Online: Consumer Product Safety Commission: http://www.cpsc.gov Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association: http://www.jpma.org

Contact:
Technical Support: 
Tel: 1-877-453-4507, 1-203-453-4507
Media Inquiries:
Ray Valek,
Tel: 708-352-8695
ray@defibtech.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 03, 2010 - Guilford, CT – Defibtech, LLC, is initiating a voluntary recall of 5,418 DBP-2800 Battery Packs used in the Lifeline AED® and ReviveR AEDTM (semi-automatic external defibrillators). This recall affects all DBP- 2800 Battery Packs shipped prior to June 4, 2007. In rare instances, when the AED is used with an affected battery pack, the AED may falsely detect an error condition during charging for a shock, then cancel charge and not provide therapy. Defibtech determined the need for this recall after learning of four reports from end users of this malfunction during patient use.

The company has identified recommendations for the end customer to follow until the battery pack has been corrected, which allows the battery pack to remain in service. A copy of these recommendations is being mailed to all affected customers. This customer notification, as well as instructions on determining whether a battery pack is affected, can also be found on the www.defibtech.com/batteryFA1 web page. For additional information regarding this recall, please refer to the above referenced web page, contact your distributor, or contact Defibtech at techsupport@defibtech.com, 1-877-453-4507 or 1- 203-453-4507. 

Defibtech will provide customers with a free battery pack update card to address this issue for all affected battery packs. The correction to the battery pack will be able to be performed at the location where the battery pack is deployed using any DDU-100 series AED and a Defibtech supplied battery pack update card. The battery pack update is expected to be available within the next two weeks. 

The DBP-2800 battery packs affected by this recall have been distributed globally to fire departments, EMS, health clubs, schools, and other organizations. The affected battery packs are used in AEDs which can be identified by the words "Lifeline AED®" and "ReviveR AEDTM" on the front of the device. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that this action is a Class I recall. Any adverse reactions experienced with the use of this product and/or quality problems should also be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Program by phone at 1-800- FDA-1088, or on the MedWatch website at www.fda.gov/medwatch2. 
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm214859.htm

Recall -- Firm Press Release  

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

 

Mcneil Consumer Healthcare Recalls Four Product Lots of Benadryl® Allergy Ultratab™ Tablets, 100 Count, and One Product Lot of Extra Strength Tylenol® Rapid Release Gels, 50 Count  

Contact:
Bonnie Jacobs
215-273-8994
Marc Boston
215-273-7649

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Fort Washington, PA - June 15, 2010 - McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., is recalling five product lots as an addition to the list of products included in the company’s January 15th, 2010 product recall. The additional lots involved are four product lots of BENADRYL® ALLERGY ULTRATAB™ TABLETS, 100 count, sold in the U.S.; and one product lot of EXTRA STRENGTH TYLENOL® Rapid Release Gels, 50 count sold in the U.S., Trinidad and Tobago, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico (FULL RECALLED PRODUCT LIST BELOW). This recall is a follow-up to the product recall that McNeil Consumer Healthcare announced on January 15th, 2010 and is being taken because the products were inadvertently omitted from the initial recall action. McNeil Consumer Healthcare identified the omission and informed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of its decision to add these product lots to the recall list. All these products were produced before the January 15th, 2010 recall. Since January, McNeil Consumer Healthcare has continued to analyze and evaluate 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA) and has shared that information with the FDA. This further analysis confirms that the risk of serious adverse medical events is remote. This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the FDA.

BENADRYL® ALLERGY ULTRATAB™ TABLETS is sold over-the-counter and is indicated for the relief of allergy associated symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat, and itchy and watery eyes. EXTRA STRENGTH TYLENOL® Rapid Release Gels is sold over-the-counter and is indicated for the temporary reduction of fever and for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains due to headache, muscular aches, backache, minor arthritis pain, the common cold, toothache, pre-menstrual and menstrual cramps, and flu.

The January 15th, 2010 recall was initiated as a result of consumer complaints of a musty or moldy odor that has since been linked to the presence of trace amounts of a chemical called 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA). After a thorough investigation, it was determined that the source of TBA was the result of a breakdown of a chemical that is applied to wood used to build wooden pallets that transport and store product packaging materials.

Consumers who purchased product from the lots included in this recall should stop using the product and contact McNeil Consumer Healthcare for instructions on a refund or replacement. For these instructions or information regarding how to return or dispose of the product, consumers should log on to the internet at www.mcneilproductrecall.com1 or call 1-888-222-6036 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time). Requests for reimbursement can be made at www.mcneilproductrecall.com2. Consumers who have medical concerns or questions should contact their healthcare provider.

Any adverse reactions may also be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Program by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, HF-2, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787, or on the MedWatch website at http:www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch/default.htm.

The product lot numbers for the recalled products can be found on the side of the bottle label.

FULL RECALLED PRODUCT LIST:

Product Name Product Form Lot Number NDC Number UPC Code BENADRYL Allergy ULTRATAB Tablets 100 count Ultratab Tablet AJA008, ADA194, ABA022, ABA264 50580-226-10 312547170338 EXTRA STRENGTH Tylenol Rapid Release Gels 50 count Rapid Release Gelcap ASA202 50580-488-50 300450488503

Texas Firm Recalls Three Varieties of "SpaghettiOs" With Meatballs That May Be Underprocessed Recall Release CLASS I RECALL FSIS-RC-035-2010 HEALTH RISK: HIGH

Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Atiya Khan

WASHINGTON, June 17, 2010 - Campbell Soup Supply Company, LLC, a Paris, Texas, establishment is recalling approximately 15,000,000 pounds of "SpaghettiOs with Meatballs" canned products due to possible under-processing, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels]

• 14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" with Meatballs, bearing the identifying product code "U5" on the bottom of the can.
• 14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" A to Z with Meatballs, bearing the identifying product code "4N" on the bottom of the can.
• 14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" Fun Shapes with Meatballs (Cars), bearing the identifying product code "KS" on the bottom of the can.

The products subject to recall bear the establishment number "EST 4K," as well as a "Use By" date between June 2010 and December 2011 ink-jetted on the bottom of each can. These products were manufactured between December 2008 and June 2010 and distributed to retail establishments nationwide. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on FSIS' website at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/
Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp.

The problem was discovered through a routine warehouse inspection by the company and its subsequent investigation. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses from consumption of these products.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

Consumer questions regarding the recall should be directed to Campbell's Hotline at (866) 495-3774; media inquiries should be directed to the company's Director of Corporate Communications, Anthony Sanzio at (856) 968-4390.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_035_2010_Release/index.asp

Lyme’s Disease  

 

A few weeks back I began to feel really tired and had swollen joints.  After a few days I noticed a bull’s eye located on my body. At the urging of friends I went to an urgent care where blood was obtained and  I was diagnosed with Lyme’s Disease.

 

Lyme’s disease is spread by deer ticks, who carry the bacteria  “spirochete” in the stomachs.  Once a tick bites the host , the bacteria is transmitted through its saliva into the host. 

Signs and Symptoms

From the area where the tick bites its host, you may notice an expanding red rash that is often associated with flu like symptoms.  If not caught in time it can produce abnormalities in the joints, heart and nervous system.  

In the early stages of the illness, within days or weeks, the skin around the bite may develop a bulls eye appearance. A secondary rash  may develop, but is not always present.  The bulls eye is often accompanied by general fatigue, muscle and joint stiffness, swollen glands (lymph nodes) and headaches. 

While a simple blood test is needed to diagnose the patient with Lyme’s Disease, most physicians will start their patients on antibiotics  if more than one symptoms appears.   Blood test can take up to two weeks to be completed and can give a false- positive result.  

 

If you suspect that you have been bitten by a tick and are experiencing  any of the above symptoms, please see your doctor immediately.  The earlier they diagnose and treat the disease, he less damage it will do to your system.   

On March 8, 2010 the United Sates saw its first fatality when a child was accidently left in the car. Between 1998-2009, 445 children died of heat stroke after being left in the car. 

A child’s body temperature heats up 3-5 times faster than and adults.  A child who is left unattended in a car has no way of protecting themselves against the heat.   When a child is left in an unattended vehicle it will only take minutes for a child to be at risk for death or serious, permanent injury.

Statistics from 1998-2005 showed that 30% of the kids who died in a vehicle did so by entering into an unlocked vehicle, where they became trapped and were overcome by heat.  50%  were left or forgotten by a caring adult who became distracted when the left the vehicle.

Below are some steps that you can take to keep this from happening:

1)    Call 911 if you see an unattended child in a car.

2)    Never leave a child unattended in the care not even for 1 minute.

3)    Set your calendar or phone to send you a reminder, “Did you drop Johnny off at school today?”

4)    Place whatever you need to take with you next to the car seat.

5)    Have a plan with your child care provider to call  if you do not arrive when expected.

6)    Keep keys and remote entry out of children reach.

7)    Lock all vehicles at all times.

8)    Check cars and trunks first if a child goes missing.

9)    NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNATTENDED IN A CAR.

While the above seems like simple rules , we all can use a reminder when it comes to the lives of our most precious  possessions, our Kids.