The first UK’s paired kidney swap has taken place, Roma Horrell, 57, from Cambridgeshire, and a man from Lothian, Scotland, received kidneys from each other’s partners .The operations took place on July 4 2007 at the Edinburgh royal infirmary and Addenbrooke’s hospital in Cambridge.

Children who are at risk for developing type 1 diabetes may be able to reduce their risk by consuming omega-3 fatty acids in their diet, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Colorado at Denver, the University of Florida, and Roche Molecular Systems.

Omega-3 fatty acids could reduce type 1 diabetes risk : Health.

A treatment abandoned by the NHS 30 years ago could be brought back to fight the allergy epidemic.

Immunotherapy involves repeated doses of bee or wasp venom, grass pollen or extract of dust mite to build up tolerance.

How bee venom could be used to fight UK’s allergy epidemic | the Daily Mail.

According to a study by German researchers,fake acupuncture works nearly as well as the real thing for the low back pain, and either kind performs much better than the normal usual care.

The strain of Bluetongue virus detected in one cow near Ipswich, Suffolk has been identified as Serotype 8. This is the strain found in Belgium, France Germany, Luxembourg and Netherlands since August 2006.

This is not a confirmed outbreak unless further investigation demonstrates that disease is circulating, and this could take days or weeks to assess. The premises where Bluetongue was detected remains under restrictions, and epidemiological investigations are being carried out to assess the situation. Continue Reading

A trial of a vaccine designed to control AIDS has been halted after numerous participants became infected with HIV, the virus that causes the disease.

Health Highlights: Sept. 22, 2007 – washingtonpost.com.

Bluetongue is a mysterious disease, with no suitable vaccine, but there are still reasons for optimism for British farmers, despite the case at a Suffolk farm.

BBC NEWS | UK | The rise of bluetongue disease.

The state Health Department on Thursday confirmed five new human cases of West Nile virus in Do̱a Ana County, setting a new record for the number of cases in a year since the virus was introduced to the state. Las Cruces Sun-News РCounty sets new record with 13 West Nile cases

To a degree some may find hard to swallow, science is proving the old adage “you are what you eat.”By Dr. Sanjay Gupta
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent

If we are what we eat, Americans are corn and soy – CNN.com.

Men have a source of potentially life-saving stem cells between their legs.

A team of American researchers has found a way to easily identify stem cells in the testicles of adult mice that can be coaxed to turn into brain cells, muscle cells, heart cells, blood cells and even blood vessels.

globeandmail.com: Using testicles to fix the brain, heart and blood.

From bedbugs to toxic moths, the number of pests in UK homes is on the rise. Why is this, and what can be done to curb their populations?

BBC NEWS | Magazine | Itching to get at you.

Being fluent in two languages may help to keep the brain sharper for longer, a study suggests.

BBC NEWS | Health | Being bilingual ‘protects brain’.

China’s southern city of Guangzhou has destroyed 153,320 domestic fowls in the wake of an outbreak of bird flu, local authorities said on Tuesday.

People’s Daily Online – Guangzhou destroys 150,000 poultry in response to bird flu outbreak.

A village in southern Peru has been struck by a mysterious illness after a meteorite crashed to the earth around midday Saturday, an official with the local health department said.

FOXNews.com – Meteorite Crash Causes ‘Mystery Illness’ in Peru – Health News | Current Health News | Medical News.

Canadians should search their refrigerators and destroy a certain type of Dole pre-packaged lettuce after the country’s food regulator discovered it may be contaminated with harmful E. coli bacteria.The affected Dole brand lettuce blend is sold in 227-gram packages, coded UPC 0 71430 01038 9 and lot code A24924B, with a best-before date of Sept. 19.

Scientists may have discovered the cause of a devastating syndrome in honeybees that has destroyed 50% to 90% of hives in the USA — posing enormous problems for crops that depend on them to reproduce.

Virus linked to destruction of honeybee hives – USATODAY.com.