China confirms another human bird flu case

BEIJING (Reuters) - Health authorities in the southern China province of Jiangxi have confirmed a new case of a person infected by the H7N9 strain of avian influenza, state news agency Xinhua said late on Saturday.

Grandparents who help care for grandchildren live longer than other seniors

(Reuters Health) – - Grandparents who help out occasionally with childcare or provide support to others in their community tend to live longer than seniors who do not care for other people, according to a study from Berlin, Germany.

Violence spreads like a contagious infection among friends

(Reuters Health) - - Adolescents who engaged in violent activities were more likely to have friends – and friends of friends – who had been violent, a new study shows.

Obama to meet lawmakers in attempt to protect health law: Politico

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama plans to meet on Wednesday with Democratic lawmakers in Congress to discuss how to protect his signature healthcare law from Republican efforts to dismantle it, Politico reported on Friday.

Risks are serious when parents don’t cut small fruits for children

(Reuters Health) – Children under age 5 could choke on grapes and similarly-shaped foods, and parents should cut them in half or quarters to reduce the risk, Scottish doctors say.

Bulgaria to cull more poultry as bird flu outbreak spreads

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria will cull more ducks and chickens in the southern Plovdiv region and has banned fishing in lakes and wetlands inhabited by wild migrating birds, the food safety agency said on Friday, as it struggles to contain a bird flu outbreak.

More work lies ahead to fight Zika, other threats: CDC chief

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A year ago, the mosquito-borne Zika virus was only beginning to reveal itself as a threat to pregnant women and their unborn babies.

Dietary magnesium tied to lower risk of heart disease and diabetes

(Reuters Health) - A diet rich in magnesium – found in foods like leafy greens, fish, nuts and whole grains – may help lower the risk of chronic health problems like heart disease and diabetes, a research review suggests.

Growth hormone deficiency drug from OPKO and Pfizer fails study

(Reuters) - OPKO Health Inc said on Friday its experimental drug for growth hormone deficiency did not provide a statistically significant benefit over a placebo in a late-stage study.

Exclusive: CDC considers lowering threshold level for lead exposure

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering lowering its threshold for elevated childhood blood lead levels by 30 percent, a shift that could help health practitioners identify more children afflicted by the heavy metal.

China bird flu has not spread, no impact on poultry market: government

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Ministry of Agriculture said on Friday the recent outbreaks of bird flu have been handled in a "timely and effective" manner without spreading and have not affected chicken products or prices.

Shanghai confirms new human case of H7N9 bird flu - Xinhua

BEIJING (Reuters) - Shanghai's health authority has confirmed a new human case of infection by the H7N9 strain of avian influenza, the state-owned news agency Xinhua said on Friday.

Hong Kong confirms 2nd human bird flu infection this winter

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong authorities on Friday confirmed the city's second case of human bird flu infection this winter, five days after the death of a first patient who contracted the same H7N9 strain of the disease.