Irvin warns Georgians to protect structures against termite infestation after recent flooding

Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin alerts Georgians that they need to “consider options” in preventing future termite infestations as a result of recent flooding in the northern part of the state.

“Structures in Georgia are particularly vulnerable to termite attack and it is important to be protected,” says Irvin, whose department license structural pest control operators.

The recent rainfall -- and subsequent flooding -- have saturated soils and damaged homes and businesses that will require major rebuilding. Irvin says now is a good time to review or re-establish termite control measures that may have been disturbed by the flooding.
Irvin says home and business owners should always seek professional help when dealing with termites.

“A licensed pest management professional can best answer the question ‘Is my home or business still protected against termites?’” Irvin says. “If you have a liquid termiticide barrier treatment or termite monitoring/baiting programs (to protect your structure), it is essential that the pest control company determine if the barrier or stations have been disturbed by heavy rains or flooding.”

Re-treatment of termiticide or re-installation of a baiting program may be required.

Irvin says a trained structural pest control professional will be able to look for soil erosion and ascertain if soil has been carried away by the rains and flood and deposited away from a foundation or next to it. If there is a shifting of soil away from a foundation, it may be probable that termite re-treatment will be necessary.

Irvin says re-treatment may also be needed if there is movement of adjacent attached slabs such as patios, porches, driveways and sidewalks or a foundation.

“The disturbance of the liquid barrier treatment or termite monitoring system is an unfortunate occurrence, and is neither the fault of the homeowner, business owner, or the pest control company,” the commissioner says. “A property owner needs to review their termite control contract to see who is responsible for the reestablishment of the termite protection. This can be found in the terms and conditions of the contract.”

Irvin advises home and business owners to be cautious, in addition to using and seeking the advice only of licensed professional pest control companies.

“If a company is not licensed in Georgia, it is illegal for them to practice termite control work, and your property will not be professionally protected,” Irvin says. “If you are in doubt, call Structural Pest Control, Georgia Department of Agriculture at (404) 656-3641.” You can also verify a company’s operator’s license at http://www.kellysolutions.com/ga/structural/

“Being inadequately protected is a gamble that you should not entertain,” Irvin says. “You want to be 100-percent certain that you don’t have a termite problem because if you guess wrong, it could cost you tens of thousands of dollars. Here, an ounce of prevention is the best course.”

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Georgia Ranks Fourth in the Number of Untreated HIV Patients in the United States

/PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that despite being the ninth largest state, Georgia ranks fourth in the number of untreated HIV patients in the United States.

"HIV prevalence is linked to ethnic/racial demographics as well as to urban/rural variations -- Georgia's larger than average black population drives Georgia's high prevalence of HIV," stated Jason LaBonte, Ph.D., vice president of new product development at Decision Resources. "Our epidemiologic model predicts that eight out of 1,000 people in Georgia have the disease versus the national average of five out of 1,000."

The new analytics tool entitled PatientFinder: HIV estimates that this high prevalence is compounded by Georgia's lower than average treatment rate for the disease (ranked 28th in the United States) which leaves a large number of HIV patients without drug therapy. Despite the abundance of untreated patients, however, Georgia remains a difficult target for pharmaceutical companies wishing to grow their patient base. Only 82 percent of the state's population has prescription drug insurance, which ranks 37th in the U.S.

Why Pharmaceutical Companies Need this Information

With the type of information included in PatientFinder, pharmaceutical organizations can identify the local markets that offer the greatest opportunity for their branded drug. Companies can identify markets that are underserved and determine if they should increase direct-to-consumer advertising, work with the local managed care organizations to increase awareness of the disease and benefits of their drug or align sales representatives to maximize market potential.

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Ty Pennington Focuses on ADHD in Atlanta

Ty Pennington, host of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition™, returned to his hometown of Atlanta for a press conference today focusing on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Pennington, who has ADHD and is outspoken about how it has affected his life, will partner with Shire, the ‘ADHD Support Company,’ to recognize the nationwide launch of VYVANSE, a treatment recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults with ADHD. In addition, he announced plans with Shire to give back to the Atlanta community that nurtured his artistic talents through the “Daily Successes with ADHD” scholarship to benefit an adult with ADHD in the creative field.

Although ADHD can affect people of all ages, the core symptoms of the disorder (inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity) may manifest differently in adults than in children. Children with ADHD often have difficulty focusing, are easily distracted, have trouble staying still and frequently are unable to control their impulsive behavior. In adults, hyperactivity may manifest as inner restlessness. Inattention may present as a lack of focus and organization, and an inability to finish tasks. These symptoms have an effect on multiple aspects of life, for example, at work, school, or in social relationships.

Although there is no “cure” for ADHD, there are accepted treatments that specifically target its symptoms. The most common standard treatments include educational approaches, psychological or behavioral modification, and medication.

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FDA Funds Emory-Led Critical Care Lung Research at Grady Hospital

A new study funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is underway by Emory physicians at Grady Memorial Hospital to find an effective treatment for patients with acute lung injury.

Lead study investigator Greg S. Martin, MD, says despite less than 200,000 reported cases each year, "acute lung injury is not an uncommon disease for critically ill patients. Every published study notes that between 10 and 25 percent of critically ill patients have this disease, and it's something we see frequently in the ICU." Martin is assistant professor of medicine (pulmonary, allergy and critical care medicine) in Emory University School of Medicine,

Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are inflammatory disorders of the lung most commonly caused by sepsis, pneumonia, trauma and/or aspiration.

"These disorders can elicit an immune response that creates such an exaggerated amount of inflammation that the lung becomes injured," says Martin. "When the lung becomes injured it doesn’t work properly and gas exchange doesn’t occur normally. People with this severe form of lung injury end up on a respirator and there is no real treatment."

Previous clinical trials have shown that combination colloid and diuretic therapy greatly improves oxygenation and fluid balance in ALI/ARDS patients without compromising their cardiovascular stability.

In this study, Martin and his team will follow 60 patients, comparing two drug combinations that have not previously been assessed. In a randomized, double-blind, controlled design, 30 patients will receive continuous infusion furosemide with 5 percent albumin and 30 patients will receive 6 percent hetastarch. The treatment will last for five days and patients will be assessed during and afterwards for improvements in lung function and dependence on the mechanical respirator.

Martin says these specific drug combinations were chosen because they are very complementary. Studying their interactions will give researchers a better understanding of the biochemistry and physiology of the disease.

“These drugs should help to resorb some of the excess fluid in the lung from ALI/ARDS as well as improve some of the inflammation and other stress that the body withstands, and thus improve gas exchange from the lung," he says. "If we’re right about some of the preliminary data, this treatment could reduce the length of time on the ventilator."

In ALI the lung is injured and develops a thick fluid that accumulates in the lungs and causes swelling or edema. Current strategies attempt to remove that edema or block the inflammation that causes the edema.

Treatment includes mechanical ventilation, supportive care and treatment of underlying causes, but Martin notes, “Studies of ALI or ARDS over the past 30 years have all failed to find anything that is directly effective. At Emory we’ve been working for a number of years on strategies that help prevent the accumulation of edema to start with and affect the way fluid might be removed more quickly."

According to Martin, the mortality rate for patients with ALI and ARDS is approximately 40 percent. Those who survive usually are on a ventilator for several weeks, often resulting in severe consequences, including weakness, brain impairment and reduced quality of life.

“ALI is a relatively common condition in the ICU for which there is no treatment," says Martin. "We’re hoping to find something that will get people off the ventilator sooner and perhaps improve their outcome. Unfortunately, individuals must be critically ill to be eligible for this study – they cannot volunteer on their own. However, it is important for people to know that Emory University and Grady Memorial Hospital are working hard on something that really can make a difference for these patients.”

Martin treats patients in both pulmonary and critical care medicine at Grady Memorial Hospital, Emory Crawford Long Hospital and Emory University Hospital. He also trains fellows in pulmonary and critical care medicine and directs the Medical and Coronary Intensive Care Units at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Emory Winship Named Blue Distinction Center for Complex and Rare Cancers

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa) has named the Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University as a Blue Distinction Center for Complex and Rare Cancers, focusing on complex inpatient and surgical care. Emory Winship is the only facility in the metropolitan Atlanta area to earn this designation.

Blue Distinction is awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare. Building on the successful results of earlier programs focused on cardiac care, bariatric surgery and transplants, the program was recently expanded to include the designation of 85 Blue Distinction Centers for Complex and Rare Cancers.

"We are honored to be recognized as a Blue Distinction Center by Blue Cross and Blue Shield," says Charles Staley, MD, director of surgical oncology at Emory Winship and Holland M. Ware Professor of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine. "This designation is a confirmation of the hard work and dedication to research and patient care that is exhibited every day by our faculty, nursing and administrative staff. We are very proud of this designation."

Blue Cross and Blue Shield assesses facilities on evaluation, treatment planning, complex inpatient care and major surgical treatments; all delivered by teams with distinguished expertise and subspecialty training for complex and rare cancers. The program focuses on the following 13 cancers, which cumulatively account for approximately 15 percent of new cancer cases annually:

• acute leukemia (inpatient, non-surgical)
• bladder cancer
• bone cancer
• brain cancer -- primary
• esophageal cancer
• gastric cancer
• head and neck cancers
• liver cancer
• ocular melanoma
• pancreatic cancer
• rectal cancer
• soft tissue sarcomas
• thyroid cancer -- medullary or anaplastic

The evidence-based selection criteria used to evaluate facilities were developed in strategic collaboration with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and with input from a panel of expert clinicians. To be designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Complex and Rare Cancers, Emory Winship met selection criteria including:

• exceeds volume threshold for annual surgical cases treated
• utilization of multidisciplinary team input for treatment planning, including sub-specialty trained teams
• participation in ongoing quality management and improvement programs for cancer care
• commitment to using clinical data registries and participating in relevant clinical research

"We commend the facilities that have been designated for treating complex and rare cancers," says Monye Connolly, president, BCBSGa. "Blue Distinction promotes the consistent practice of evidence-based medicine. The Blues are committed to working collaboratively with physicians and hospitals to raise the overall quality of healthcare in our nation. We understand that to deliver true patient-centered care, Blue Distinction Centers often need to coordinate care following a complex surgery or primary inpatient stay with patients' local physicians."

BCBSGa recognizes that the majority of patients' multidisciplinary treatment may be best accomplished by integrating the expertise available in a Blue Distinction Center with locally available treatment resources, especially for outpatient chemotherapy and radiotherapy, based on individual circumstances and patient preference. Optimal support of a patient's comprehensive cancer care needs may be achieved by coordination of care between the patient and their family, local physicians, the Blue Distinction Center and BCBSGa. For more information on additional criteria used for the designation visit www.BCBS.com.

For more information about complex and rare cancer care at Emory Winship call 404-778-1900 or visit www.cancer.emory.edu or www.emoryhealthcare.org. For more information about Blue Distinction Centers, visit www.BCBSGa.com.