Thomas Cook, Embattled blood testing firm and lot more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Thomas Cook says it found e-Coli in Egypt hotel where Britons died

British tour operator Thomas Cook said it had found a high level of e-coli and staphylococcus bacteria at the hotel in Egypt where two holidaymakers died last month. The company said the poor hygiene standards it had discovered in independent tests were the likely cause of a rise in illness amongst its guests at the hotel, but they did not shed any light on the still unexplained deaths of John Cooper and his wife Susan Cooper.

Soldiers who attempt suicide often have no history of mental health issues

More than one-third of U.S. Army soldiers who attempt suicide don't have a history of mental health problems, a recent study suggests. Attempted suicides have become more common among enlisted soldiers since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, researchers note in JAMA Psychiatry. While a history of mental illness has long been linked to an increased risk of suicide among military service members and civilians alike, less is known about the risk among soldiers who haven't been diagnosed with psychiatric disorders.

Embattled blood-testing firm Theranos to dissolve: WSJ

Theranos Inc, the once-celebrated Silicon Valley blood-testing firm, is about to dissolve itself months after top executives were indicted for defrauding investors, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The move follows a failed attempt by Theranos to sell itself, during which it reached out to more than 80 potential buyers through Jefferies Group, the Journal reported, citing an email to shareholders from Chief Executive David Taylor.

Walking tied to lower risk of heart failure in older women

Older women who exercise may be less likely to develop heart failure, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined data on 137,303 postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 79 (average age, 63). More than one third had high blood pressure, but few had other risk factors for heart disease like diabetes or a current smoking habit.

Severe delivery complications on the rise among U.S. pregnant women

An increasing proportion of U.S. women are experiencing serious and potentially life-threatening complications while giving birth, government researchers report. Between 2006 and 2015, rates of severe complications rose by 45 percent overall, according to a report released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP).

UK deal makes Novartis cancer cell therapy available to kids

Health authorities in England have agreed with Swiss drugmaker Novartis to fast-track access to its expensive CAR-T cell therapy Kymriah and make it available to children and young people with aggressive leukemia when other drugs have failed. NHS England said on Wednesday that cash to pay for Kymriah would come from the Cancer Drugs Fund, which was set up to fast-track access to promising new cancer treatments.

U.S. judge blocks Texas fetal tissue burial laws

A federal judge blocked Texas laws requiring the burial or cremation of aborted fetal tissue, saying in a decision on Wednesday the measures placed substantial and unconstitutional obstacles in the path of a woman's right to choose an abortion. U.S. District Judge David Ezra in Austin, Texas, issued a permanent injunction preventing the measures from going into effect.

Nurse practitioners could be poised to fill the primary care gap

With the U.S. lurching toward a severe shortage of primary care physicians, nurse practitioners may be poised to fill the void - but only if more can be convinced to live in underserved areas and laws in some states loosen up, a new study suggests. Researchers found that in California, where shortages of primary care physicians are starting to be felt, nurse practitioners more often reside in counties where there are already plenty of doctors, according to the report in Health Affairs.

Eleven aboard a flight from Dubai hospitalized in apparent flu outbreak

Eleven people on an Emirates airline flight were taken to a New York City hospital suffering flu-like symptoms on Wednesday after scores of passengers and crew complained of feeling sick during a 14-hour trip from the Middle East, officials said. Laboratory tests on respiratory samples from the patients have yet to confirm the illness, but their histories and symptoms - fever, cough, and vomiting - indicate influenza, said Dr. Oxiris Barbot, New York City's acting health commissioner.

Toxic metals tied to increased heart disease risk

People with heavy exposure to arsenic, lead, cadmium or copper may be more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, a review of existing studies suggests. While these elements occur naturally in the earth's crust, certain metals can also appear at unsafe levels in drinking water, food, and air as a result of agricultural and industrial practices, mining, and smoking, the research team notes in The BMJ. Copper and lead, for example, can seep into drinking water from corroded pipes, while arsenic and cadmium can accumulate in groundwater due to runoff from factories and crop irrigation systems and are also found in cigarette smoke.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)