Infectious Awareables eBorne Newsletter
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September 2008
www.iAwareables.com
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Dear friends and colleagues,
 Fall is in the air, when it can
find room,. . . time to gear up for
another traditional
season of festivityness and frazzle.
Pumpkins, turkeys, reindeer - elections,
standard time, tax planning - ahhh, the
yearly home stretch. Glass half-empty or
full, you can count on IA to supply needed
viral-ity to the season(s). Be sure to check
with us first for those looming and
purposeful gifts - with a grin.
Happy
Goblins!
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1. CHANGE YOU CAN WEAR
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CTYLIN' WITH CLIMATE CHANGE
As you may have noticed, both the donkeys and
the elephants are promising to bring us
"change" in November. Well, here's change
you can wrap yourself in, along with some
upwardly mobile graphs, greenhouse gases and
adriftin' polar bears. Working with the
Purdue Climate Change Research Center, we
created a ménage of climate change cutouts.
Of course, no colors but Purdue Boilermaker
gold and black would do, although we did
manage to sneak in a touch of electric blue
for sizzle. Need a gift for some
environmentally short-circuited pals? IA
Climate Change neckties are guaranteed to
help them chill. . .and maybe even control
their urge to hug.
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2. ANATOMY OF A DESIGN
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Ever wonder how we create our designs?
Assuming you have a life, probably not. But
just in case, take a
thermostatically-controlled look at the
elements of the aforementioned CC design:
 The
Keeling Curve, a graphic representation of
increasing atmospheric CO2 since 1958.
 Molecules
of greenhouse gases: Nitrous Oxide, Methane,
CO2 - or. . .
just another summer in Los
Angeles.
 Polar
Bear, a recent Endangered Species graduate,
on thin ice. Tho it does seem like 25,000
are plenty.
Put 'em all together,
splash some wearable colors, and voila - a
design to make your
polar cap melt!
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3. WEST NILE RESURGENCE
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RISK IN SO. CALIFORNIA HIGHEST SINCE 2004. HOW'S YOUR 'HOOD?
The number of confirmed cases of West Nile
virus in So. California as of August 1, has
risen nearly five times when compared to the
past three years. 39 cases have been
confirmed, 70% of which have contracted the
more serious form of the virus, West Nile
neuroinvasive disease. Humans and animals
contract WNV from bites of infected
mosquitos, which contract it by feeding on
infected birds.
Care to venture a guess as to a major cause
of the increased rates of infection? Holy
Foreclosure! Talk about ripples. . .so many
abandoned swimming pools, so many new
breeding grounds for the bizzy buzzers. Who
(not WHO) would have guessed! You may want to
survey the abandoned homes situation in your
environs, especially those with a swimming
pool.
"We know
West Nile is endemic," said an
Orange County epidemiologist. "It's here to
stay."
And
speaking of WNV, check out our
dramatically updated West Nile scarf design.
This one will bite you for sure.
West
Nile Scarf
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4. LATEST STUDY ON SPREAD OF HIV
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SPREADING FASTER IN U.S. THAN THOUGHT
A recent, highly detailed study by the
Centers for Disease Control reveals that the
number of new HIV infections in 2006 reached
56,300, 40% more than previous estimate of
40,000. The study was unique in that it was
performed using new technology enabling
researchers to distinguish between new and
older infections. The study also revealed a
"disproportionate impact on gay and bisexual
men and on blacks and Latinos." HIV is not
going away; it's simply continuing to seek
fertile, susceptible demographics.
In a more local snapshot, studies show that
New Yorkers are contracting HIV at three
times the national rate, according to the
N.Y. City health department. In 2006, 72 of
every 100,000 New Yorkers contracted HIV,
compared with the national average of 23.
4800 people were confirmed with the infection
in New York, 2006. New York is considered
the epicenter of the
U.S. HIV/AIDS epidemic, with about 100,000
citizens believed to be infected.
In keeping with our tradition, IA will donate
50% of all HIV sales through the end of 2008
to AIDS research and education.
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5. PUNISH HOSPITALS FOR INFECTIONS?
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WATCH FOR THE NEXT WAVE OF CLASS ACTION SUITS
Starting in October, Medicare will stop
reimbursing hospitals for treatment of certain
"nosocomial" infections considered "never
events," including certain bloodstream,
urinary tract and post surgical infections.
Based on an assumption that these cases can
be prevented absolutely by meticulous
hospital regimens, these new regulations will
put increased pressure on facilities and
their staffs to tighten their infection
control and prevention procedures. This can
only be a good thing.
However, in the pursuit of that zero
tolerance goal, what about newly evolved
germs, as was the case with MRSA, resistant
TB, Hep C, and Legionnaire's? What new and
opportunistic strains are yet unknown today,
but sure to surface tomorrow? What of the
fact that a large percentage of incoming
patients bring their infections along with
them upon entry to the facility? And will
Drs. be increasingly hesitant to do surgeries
where risks are perceived greater than the
rewards (survival, reimbursement)?
It will be interesting to see how these two
competing realities play out. In the
meantime, keep a watchful eye on this
percolating crisis in healthcare.
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6. JUST IN! "Be Safe" Boxers and Caps
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The California Family Health Council (CFHC)
wants to know! These new products (watch for
more info, next month's newsletter), were
created from a graffiti-style design by a
talented inner-city youth. Great awareness
tools - comfy, cutting edge (in a good way)
accessories. Slip into a pair of these
boxers, you might never take them off! Boxers
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Caps
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7. JOHN M. LEEDOM M.D., 1933 - 2008
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"ON THE FOREFRONT IN BATTLING AIDS AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE"
Dr. John Leedom was a friend of ours. We met
nearly 10 years ago, very early in our
business evolution at a health care
conference, and as recently as last year,
maintained a mutual interest and respect. He
was an enthusiastic supporter of our mission,
always interested in our new designs and our
progress. Dr. Leedom served as chief of the
division of infectious diseases at Los
Angeles County -USC Medical center from 1975
- 2002, concentrating much of his efforts on
stopping spread of antibiotic resistant
bacteria, and beginning in the early '80s, in
battling HIV and AIDS. He became director of
the Multidisciplinary AIDS Clinic and AIDS
Service in 1985, and led efforts to test many
of the drugs used to treat the disease. He
retired to the seaside community of
Oceanside, California in 2002, but still
attended professional meetings, and always
made a point to stop at our booth to bring us
up to date, spread a little of his wry humor
- and to continue his encouragement.
Low key, soft-spoken, always a gentleman - we
will miss John Leedom, and pay tribute here
to a distinguished professional who truly
made a difference.
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8. MEETINGS, 2008
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ASM American Society for Microbiology;
Boston, MA; June 2 -4. This was BIG! A
record-breaking meeting for IA.
APHA American Public Health Association; San
Diego, CA; Oct 25-29. Finally, a meeting
where there is no WEATHER!
We'll expect to see you there - or else!
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ENJOY
THOSE FALLING LEAVES AND CHANGING COLORS.
ACTUALLY, NOT MUCH FALLS OUT HERE IN
CALIFORNIA (IS BROWN REALLY A COLOR?).
HOPING YOUR PUMPKINS ARE WELL-LIT, ASSUMING
THEY DON'T DRIVE. . .
Awareably yours,
RPF
Roger P. Freeman, D.D.S. and the IA Team
Copyright 2008 Infectious Awareables, Inc.
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Email:
roger@iawareables.com
Phone:
818.990.6264
Web: www.iawareables.com |
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