Minister wants end to animal testing

31 July 2014 Last updated at 10:20 By Brian Wheeler Political reporter

The minister in charge of regulating animal experiments in the UK has said he wants to see an end to all testing.

Lib Dem MP Norman Baker - a longstanding anti-vivisection campaigner - said a ban on animal testing "would not happen tomorrow".

But he claimed the government was moving in the right direction.

The coalition is committed to reducing the number of live animal experiments - but animal rights campaigners say they have broken that promise.

Mr Baker, who as crime prevention minister at the Home Office has responsibility for regulating the use of animals in science, said he was trying to persuade the industry to accept the economic case for ending tests.

"I am firmly of the belief it is not simply a moral issue but that we as a nation can get a strategic advantage from this - something that will be good for the economy," Mr Baker told BBC News.

"I have been encouraging the industry to come up with alternatives to animal testing."

'Privacy clause'

The scientific community says research on live animals is vital to understanding disease and has resulted in new vaccines and also treatments for cancer, Parkinson's disease, asthma and HIV - but opponents say it is cruel and pointless, as alternative research methods are available.

Mr Baker has also promised legislation before the next election to increase transparency - potentially giving the public the chance to obtain details about what happens to animals in laboratories.

At the moment, the Home Office blocks requests for data on research contracts and the justification for using live animals as the issue is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.

Researchers are protected by a "privacy clause" in Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Mr Baker has carried out a review of the Section 24 following a high profile campaign by the National Anti-Vivisection Society and celebrities including Joanna Lumley and Eddie Izzard.

In a statement, Mr Baker said: "The coalition government is committed to enhancing openness and transparency about the use of animals in scientific research to improve public understanding of this work. It is also a personal priority of mine.

"The consultation on Section 24 of the Animals in Science Act has now concluded and we are currently analysing responses in preparation for pursuing potential legislative change."

The number of experiments on animals in the UK increased by 52% between 1995 and 2013, according to official statistics.

Latest figure show show 4.12 million procedures were carried out with animals in 2013, a rise of 0.3% on the previous year.

'Suffer and die'

There was a 6% increase in breeding genetically modified animals and a 5% decrease in other procedures.

Mice, fish and rats were the most commonly used species in 2013, with 3.08 million procedures carried out on them.

There was an increase in testing of guinea pigs (+13,602); sheep (+2,919); rabbits (+1,233); pigs (+350); gerbils (+279); monkeys (+216) and reptiles (+183).

But there was a fall in experiments on birds (-13,259); amphibians (-3,338); cattle (-1,167); goats (-969) and hamsters (-354).

British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection chief executive Michelle Thew said: 'We continue to be disappointed that the government has failed to deliver on its 2010 pledge to reduce animal experiments and to end the use of animals to test household products.

"Millions of animals continue to suffer and die in our laboratories.

"The UK should be leading the way in reducing animal testing, yet we remain one of the world's largest users of animals in experiments and the numbers continue to rise.

"We have, however, been encouraged by recent statements from Home Office Minister, Norman Baker, that increased transparency regarding animal experiments will be dealt with within this Parliament."

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'Tape measure test' call on diabetes

31 July 2014 Last updated at 00:32 By James Gallagher Health editor, BBC News website

People are being urged to whip out the tape measure to assess their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Public Health England said there was a "very high risk" of diabetes with waistlines over 40in (102cm) in men or 35in (88cm) in women.

It warned that the disease could "cripple" the NHS, 10% of whose budget was already spent on it.

The charity Diabetes UK said the country was facing a "devastating" type 2 diabetes epidemic.

Type 2 diabetes is an inability to control blood sugar levels that has dire consequences for health.

It increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes, is the leading cause of blindness in people of working age, damages blood vessels and nerves and results in 100 foot amputations each week in the UK.

If someone has type 2 diabetes at the age of 50, they can expect to die six years earlier than someone without the disease.

How fat?

Obesity is the biggest risk factor driving the disease.

Public Health England (PHE) says men with a 40in (102cm) waist are five times more likely to get type 2 diabetes than those with a slimmer waistline.

Women were at three times greater risk once they reached 35in (88cm).

The PHE report also warns men with a 37-40in waistline (94-102cm) or women at 31-35in (80-88cm) may not be in the most dangerous group, but still faced a "higher risk" of the disease.

Dr Alison Tedstone, the chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said obesity was now so prevalent "we don't even recognise it".

She urged people to "keep an eye on your waist measurement" as losing weight was "the biggest thing you can do" to combat the disease.

Earlier this month, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence said people with type 2 diabetes should have weight loss surgery.

However, many people mistakenly think their trouser size counts as their waistline, conveniently forgetting about a bothersome beer belly.

Dr Tedstone told the BBC: "People get it wrong, particularly men.

"They measure their waist under their bellies, saying they haven't got fatter because their trouser size is the same, forgetting they're wearing their trousers lower and lower.

"So the tip is to measure across the belly button."

'Unsustainable'

A different form of diabetes - type 1 - is caused by the body's own immune system rebelling and destroying the cells needed to control blood sugar.

About 3.2 million people have been diagnosed with some form of diabetes in the UK and that figure is projected to reach five million by 2025.

The NHS already spends a 10th of its budget on the diseases.

"That's a huge amount of money and that could possibly double over the next few years, and that could cripple the NHS," said Dr Tedstone.

Baroness Barbara Young, the chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: "With many millions of people in the UK now at high risk of type 2 diabetes, this is an epidemic that looks likely to get even worse, and if this happens then the impact on the nation's health would be devastating and the increase in costs to the NHS would be unsustainable."

She said the government needed to intervene.

"It needs to urgently consider making healthy food more accessible through taxation, other financial measures and more robust regulation of the food industry," she said.

Prof Jonathan Valabhji, the national clinical director for obesity and diabetes for NHS England, said: "We are seeing huge increases in type 2 diabetes because of the rising rates of obesity, and we clearly need a concerted effort on the prevention, early diagnosis and management of diabetes to slow its significant impact not only on individual lives but also on the NHS."

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S Leone declares Ebola emergency

31 July 2014 Last updated at 14:39

Sierra Leone's president has declared a public health emergency to curb the deadly Ebola outbreak.

Ernest Bai Koroma said the epicentres of the outbreak in the east would be quarantined and asked the security forces to enforce the measures.

The UN says 729 people in West Africa have died of Ebola since February - 233 of them in Sierra Leone.

This includes Dr Sheik Umar Khan who led Sierra Leone's fight against the virus. His funeral is on Thursday.

Ebola is spread through human contact with an infected person's bodily fluids.

Initial flu-like symptoms can lead to external haemorrhaging from areas like eyes and gums, and internal bleeding which can lead to organ failure.

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Ebola explained in 60 seconds

Airport screening

As part of the new measures to contain the viral haemorrhagic fever, travellers at airports will have to wash their hands with disinfectant and have their temperatures checked, President Koroma said in a statement.

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Liberian information minister Lewis Brown: Ebola "attacking way of life"

All deaths must also be reported to the authorities before burial, he said.

His measures - to remain in place for between 60 and 90 days - follow tough anti-Ebola policies introduced this week in neighbouring Liberia, where schools have been closed and some communities are to be quarantined.

Both President Koroma and his Liberian counterpart Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have cancelled visits to Washington for the US-Africa summit next week because of the crisis.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia is to begin screening all passengers arriving from West Africa and Kenya has stepped up surveillance at all ports of entry.

In a statement, Ethiopian Airlines said ground and on-board staff would have also been sensitised on how to handle suspected cases of the virus.

However, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Thursday that it was not recommending any travel restrictions or border closures after consulting the World Health Organization, according to Reuters.

Any risks would be low in the rare event of an Ebola sufferer travelling by air, it adds.

Earlier this week, two airlines - Asky, a regional carrier, and Nigeria's Arik Air - suspended flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone Ebola doctor: "National hero"

Sheik Umar Khan, 39, was a leading doctor specialising in viral haemorrhagic fever who died after contracting Ebola while treating patients. When it was announced that he had been infected, the health minister called him a "national hero" for his tireless work.

"He'd become a real figurehead for the Ebola response so there's a sense of deep sadness in what's a very small community here in Freetown," his colleague Dr Oliver Johnson said.

"When the news first broke that he was sick, I think it added to fears amongst the many doctors and nurses about treating Ebola patients. People thought, if even Dr Khan can get sick, then any of us can get sick."

Profile: Dr Sheik Umar Khan

The outbreak - the world's deadliest to date - was first reported in Guinea in February. It then spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone, and a person who travelled from Liberia to Nigeria died of the virus shortly after arriving in Lagos last week.

Ebola kills up to 90% of those infected, but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment.

President Koroma said that in Sierra Leone there had been more than 130 survivors of the disease.

"This is why it is very necessary to get those with the virus to treatment centres not only to prevent others from contracting the virus, but also increasing their own chances of survival," he said.

Ebola virus disease (EVD)

• Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
• Fatality rate can reach 90%
• Incubation period is two to 21 days
• There is no vaccine or cure
• Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
• Fruit bats are considered to be virus' natural host

Profile: Dr Sheik Umar Khan

Are you in West Africa? Do you have family or friends there who are affected by the outbreak? You can send your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'Ebola Outbreak'.

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More than five-a-day 'no effect'

30 July 2014 Last updated at 00:05 By Helen Briggs Health editor, BBC News website

New research backs the five-a-day target for fruit and vegetables, but suggests eating more may have no added benefits.

An analysis of 16 worldwide studies suggested that for every portion of fruit and vegetables consumed, there was a lower risk of premature death.

But after five portions a day, there was no further impact, researchers report in The BMJ.

There have been calls to up the quota to seven-a-day, to prolong lives.

Current NHS guidance is to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Most people manage about four.

Continue reading the main story

Most people do not eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, so the message for the public is still to eat more fruit and veg"

End Quote Dr Oyinlola Oyebode University College London

The new analysis looked at 16 studies in the US, Asia and Europe involving more than 833,000 people, of whom about 56,000 died during the follow-up period.

Researchers in the US and China found eating more fruit and vegetables was linked with a lower risk of dying from any cause, particularly from cardiovascular disease.

The average risk of death fell by about 5% for every extra serving of fruit and vegetables, up to five servings a day, but not beyond.

"This analysis provides further evidence that a higher consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, particularly cardiovascular mortality," said the team, led by Prof Frank Hu, of Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston, US.

"There was a threshold around five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, after which the risk of all cause mortality did not reduce further."

Seven-a-day?

There have been calls to increase the quota of fruit and vegetables beyond five.

A previous study in England found eating seven or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day was healthier than the minimum five currently recommended and could prolong lives.

But lead researcher Dr Oyinlola Oyebode, of University College London, said both studies showed eating more fruit and veg was associated with lower risk of early death.

"This study suggests not much additional effect over five portions, although there was possibly a greater effect in the groups eating five to seven, and seven plus portions in our study," she told the BBC.

"Most people do not eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, so the message for the public is still to eat more fruit and veg."

Five a day facts

• The five-a-day message is based on advice from the World Health Organization

• It highlights the health benefits of eating five 80g (3oz) portions of fruit and vegetables every day

• The five portions should include a variety of fruit and vegetables

• Most fruits and veg count towards five a day

• The government says it can include fresh, frozen, canned, dried or pure juices

• Potatoes and cassava don't count because they mainly contribute starch to the diet

Commenting on the study, Victoria Taylor, senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Although our five-a-day message is well established, worryingly 70% of adults are still not meeting this target.

"Just remember that every extra portion you eat towards your five-a-day could help you keep your heart healthy."

Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said: "The majority of people in England are not eating enough fruit and vegetables with the latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) data from 2008 to 2012 showing that only 30% of adults and 41% of older adults met the five-a-day recommendation.

"Eating a healthy, balanced diet that is high in fruit, vegetables and fibre and low in saturated fat, sugar and salt, alongside being more active, will help you to maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers."

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Ebola virus threatens UK - Hammond

30 July 2014 Last updated at 12:19

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UK Foreign Secretary: "Ebola is something we need to respond to."

The Ebola virus, which has killed more than 670 people in West Africa, poses a threat to the UK, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has told the BBC.

He chaired an emergency Cobra meeting on the issue on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Hammond said no Britons had been affected so far and there were no cases in the UK, but the government was viewing the outbreak very seriously.

Earlier this month Public Health England issued an alert to UK doctors to be aware of Ebola's symptoms.

Several West African airlines have now stopped flying to Liberia and Sierra Leone amid concerns about the spread of the disease to those countries from Guinea.

The move by airlines comes after an infected American man of Liberian descent was found to have flown from Liberia to Nigeria last week. He developed symptoms during the flight.

Analysis

By Helen Briggs, Health Editor, BBC News website

Doctors have been told to remain vigilant for possible cases of Ebola "imported" to the UK.

The medical director of Public Health England said it was "unlikely but not impossible" that travellers infected in West Africa could develop symptoms on their return. According to Dr Ben Neuman, a virologist at Reading University, the chance of the virus spreading in the UK was "very, very small".

He said border staff are already trained to deal with illnesses of this kind, and anyone showing signs of fever from an outbreak area would be stopped, quarantined and treated in containment facilities if the infection were confirmed.

He said the virus itself is "delicate and inefficient - you have to pick it up from bodily fluids". But he said it was sensible to be prepared, given the situation in West Africa.

'Managing risk'

Mr Hammond told BBC News the government was "absolutely focused" on tackling the threat posed by the Ebola virus, including looking at "whether there are precautions we need to take - either in the UK or to protect our nationals in the area abroad".

"At the moment we don't think any British nationals [abroad] are affected and we are fairly confident there are no cases in the UK," he said.

"But it is a threat, it is something we need to respond to and we will be doing so through the Cobra mechanism."

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Dr Paul Cosford from Public Health England says the risk is low in the UK

A Public Health England spokeswoman said the alert sent to UK doctors on 1 July had advised them to be aware of the symptoms of Ebola, especially in people who had recently returned from the region.

"Individuals who have sudden onset of symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat and general malaise within 21 days of visiting affected areas should receive rapid medical attention, and be asked about potential risk factors and their recent travel," it said.

It also reminded doctors that there has never been an Ebola outbreak in Europe.

Issuing national medical alerts was a very common event, the spokeswoman added.

Neither the World Health Organization or the UK Foreign Office are recommending any travel restrictions to Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone.

The Department of Health said a man had been tested for Ebola in Birmingham but tests for the virus had proved negative.

A spokeswoman said protecting the public from infectious diseases was a priority and that the UK leads the world in this field.

"We are well-prepared to identify and deal with any potential cases of Ebola, though there has never been a case in this country," she said.

"Any patients with suspected symptoms can be diagnosed within 24 hours and they would also be isolated at a dedicated unit to keep the public safe. Our specialist staff are also working with the World Health Organisation to help tackle the outbreak in Africa."

The BBC's Norman Smith said the Department for International Development was setting aside about £2m to provide medical staff and public information in West Africa in an attempt to contain the disease there.

Earlier, the government's chief scientific adviser Sir Mark Walport told the Daily Telegraph that emerging infectious diseases were a "global grand challenge".

"We were lucky with Sars. But we have to do the best horizon scanning," he said.

At the scene

Tulip Mazumdar, Gueckadou, Guinea

This is the final resting place of the latest victim of Ebola: a four-month-old baby boy called Faya.

He caught the virus from his mother, who died a few weeks earlier. His is the 20th anonymous grave in this dark and lonely clearing.

"I was there with him just before he died," says Adele Millimouno, a Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) nurse recruited from a nearby village.

"I had been feeding him milk. I stepped away, just for a short break, but then I was called back and he was dead. I was totally devastated."

Ebola voices: Fighting the deadly virus in Guinea

Why Ebola is so dangerous

Early treatment

Elsewhere, Dr Brian McCloskey, director of global health at Public Health England, said the outbreak was "clearly not yet under control" in West Africa.

He added: "The risk to UK travellers and people working in [affected countries] of contracting Ebola is very low but we have alerted UK medical practitioners about the situation in West Africa and requested they remain vigilant for unexplained illness in those who have visited the affected area."

BBC global health correspondent Tulip Mazumdar said the West African outbreak had been going on for four months.

In that time local people had been looking after the sick and carrying out burials, which could actually help to spread the virus, she said.

Ebola kills up to 90% of those infected, but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment.

The outbreak - the world's deadliest to date - was first reported in Guinea in February. It then spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Ebola virus disease (EVD)

• Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
• Fatality rate can reach 90%
• Incubation period is two to 21 days
• There is no vaccine or cure
• Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
• Fruit bats are considered to be virus' natural host

Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? Are you in West Africa or do you have family there? You can send your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using 'ebola' in the subject.

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England records rise in dementia

30 July 2014 Last updated at 13:21 By Helen Briggs Health editor, BBC News website

The number of people in England diagnosed with dementia has risen by 62% over seven years.

In 2013-14, 344,000 people received a diagnosis - up from 213,000 in 2006-07, when statistics were first collected.

The provisional figures also suggest an 8% rise in the number of recorded dementia cases since 2012-13.

The rise could be due to a number of factors, including an ageing population and improved diagnosis, the Health and Social Care Information Centre said.

Continue reading the main story

These latest figures further underline the urgent need for better treatments to help the hundreds of thousands of people who are affected by this devastating condition"

End Quote Hilary Evans Alzheimer's Research UK

Half of people living with dementia were still not registered as having the condition, said George Mcnamara, of the Alzheimer's Society.

"With an ageing population and more people developing the condition, diagnosing dementia must remain a priority," he added.

Hilary Evans, of Alzheimer's Research UK, said the figures gave some idea of the scale of the challenge in England.

"This report does not set out to investigate the reasons for the rising figures, but it's likely that recent moves to improve dementia diagnosis rates, along with an ageing population, will have contributed to this increase," she said.

The Health and Social Care Information Centre said the data would be used in planning services.

"We are all aware of the challenges facing our ageing population, and these figures will be vital for those planning and monitoring the effectiveness of dementia treatments and services," said chairman Kingsley Manning.

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Pause NHS privatisation - Labour

29 July 2014 Last updated at 01:13 By James Gallagher Health editor, BBC News website

Labour has called for the NHS in England to stop privatising services until after the general election.

In a speech, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said "privatisation is being forced through at pace and scale".

He said voters needed a "proper debate" about the future of the NHS.

The government called this "pure political posturing" from a party with a record of privatisation when it was in power.

Labour argues the restructuring of the NHS, which came into force in 2013, led to privatisation by the back door.

This includes plans for the biggest outsourcing deal in NHS history which could see cancer care across Staffordshire privatised as part of a £1.2bn contract.

Consent

The Department of Health said that since 2010 a further 1.3% of the NHS budget was being spent in the private sector, with the total standing at about 6%.

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Andy Burnham says 'NHS is based on people, not profits'

In his speech, Mr Burnham said: "Commissioners have been ordered to put all services out to the market, NHS spending on private and other providers has gone through the £10bn barrier for the first time.

"When did the British public ever give their consent for this?

"It is indefensible for the character of the country's most valued institution to be changed in this way without the public being given a say."

Mr Burnham has written to the boss of NHS England, Simon Stevens, to call for a pause in privatisation unless patient safety or service is at risk.

However, NHS England said most funding decisions were now being made by groups of GPs, who were given the purse-strings in the NHS reforms.

'Posturing'

A government spokesman said Mr Burnham was playing politics and pointed to his record of privatisation while he was health secretary in the last Labour government.

"Use of the private sector by the NHS doubled in the last four years of Labour, a far bigger increase than under this government.

"Andy Burnham himself signed off the privatisation of Hinchingbrooke Hospital during Labour's final year so it is pure political posturing to try to interfere with doctors making the best clinical judgements for patients."

Matt Tee, chief operating officer of the NHS Confederation, which represents NHS Trusts, said the argument should be about what is right for patients.

He said: "Our members are very clear that there are plenty of things which keep them awake at night, but contracting is rarely cited as one of them."

Dr Steve Kell, one of the chairs of the group NHS Clinical Commissioners, said: "I am quite clear that no clinical commissioning group [CCG] has a privatisation agenda."

"CCGs are independent statutory bodies with a clear focus to improve services for our patients - to stop clinical commissioners from signing contracts where a local need has been identified will leave gaps in local clinical services putting patients at risk."

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'Brain hub predicts negative events'

29 July 2014 Last updated at 01:40 By Smitha Mundasad Health reporter, BBC News

Scientists say a part of the brain, smaller than a pea, triggers the instinctive feeling that something bad is about to happen.

Writing in the journal PNAS, they suggest the habenula plays a key role in how humans predict, learn from and respond to nasty experiences.

And they question whether hyperactivity in this area is responsible for the pessimism seen in depression.

They are now investigating whether the structure is involved in the condition.

Continue reading the main story

"Everything that moves needs a system like this - to tell us not to stroke the tiger or go down a dark alley"

End Quote Dr Jonathan Rosier University College London

Money or shock

Animal studies have shown that the habenula fires up when subjects expect or experience adverse events, But in humans this tiny structure (less than 3mm in diameter) has proved difficult to see on scans.

Inventing a technique to pinpoint the area, scientists at University College London put 23 people though MRI scanners to monitor their brain activity.

Participants were shown a range of abstract pictures. A few seconds later, the images were linked to either punishment (painful electric shocks), reward (money) or neutral responses.

For some images, a punishment or reward followed each time but for others this varied - leaving people uncertain whether they were going to feel pain or not.

And when people saw pictures associated with shocks the habenula lit up.

And the more certain they were a picture was going to result in a punishment, the stronger and faster the activity in this area.

Scientists suggests the habenula is involved in helping people learn when it is best to stay away from something and may also signal just how bad a nasty event is likely to be.

Depressive symptoms

Dr Jonathan Roiser, a lead author on the paper from University College London, told the BBC:

"Everything that moves needs a system like this - to tell us not to stroke the tiger or go down a dark alley.

"It is likely the habenula is a key neural hub allowing us to anticipate such events."

This area of the brain has been seen to be overactive in animal experiments on depression.

And in one human case-study, providing deep brain stimulation (electrical current) to this area helped reduce depressive symptoms.

Prof Catherine Harmer, at the University of Oxford, who was not involved in the research, said: "This is an important piece of work and has the potential to have great significance in depression.

"If this area is involved in this illness, it may help explain why people suffering from major depression show an over-sensitivity to punishments and are less likely to respond to rewards."

Scientists are now working with people with depression to investigate any differences in brain activity in this area.

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Liberia bans football over Ebola

29 July 2014 Last updated at 13:11

Liberia has suspended all football activities in an effort to control the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

There was a risk of infection because football is a contact sport, the football association said.

The number of people killed by the virus in West Africa has now reached 672, the WHO says.

Ebola kills up to 90% of those infected, but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment.

It spreads through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids.

This is the deadliest outbreak ever, with the first case reported in Guinea in February. It then spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Lift restrictions

Last week, Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, reported its first case - that of Liberian government employee Patrick Sawyer who was visiting the main city, Lagos.

All officials who had direct or indirect contact with Mr Sawyer, 40, had been placed under "observatory surveillance" by health authorities, Liberia's finance ministry said.

It had also limited to four the number of people who can be in a lift at the same time, the ministry added.

Mr Sawyer was a senior official in the ministry, and died in Lagos five days after arriving in the city.

Nigerian authorities have so far identified 59 people who came into contact with Mr Sawyer and have tested 20, Lagos State Health Commissioner Jide Idris is quoted by the Associated Press (AP) news agency as saying.

Ebola since 1976

The city's First Consultants Hospital, where Mr Sawyer was treated, has been temporary shut down, Reuters news agency reports.

"The private hospital was demobilised and the primary source of infection eliminated. The decontamination process in all the affected areas has commenced," it quotes Mr Idris as saying.

In a statement, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that 1,201 Ebola cases had been reported in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Of the 672 deaths, the highest number was in Guinea with 319, followed by Liberia with 249 and Sierra Leone with 224, it said.

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The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the world's largest

"Between 21 and 23 July, 96 new cases and seven deaths were reported from Liberia and Sierra Leone. In Guinea, 12 new cases and five deaths were reported during the same period," the WHO added.

The BBC's Jonathan Paye Layleh in Liberia's capital, Monrovia, says that public awareness campaigns around Ebola have been stepped following the death at the weekend of renowned Liberian doctor Samuel Brisbane.

Liberia's ex-football star George Weah has joined the campaign to create greater awareness.

"If one person gets affected, 100 persons will get affected, if 100 persons get affected, one million people will get affected," Mr Weah said.

Many people are worried about the outbreak, and fewer people are going to restaurants and entertainment centres, our reporter says.

Most border crossings in Liberia have been closed to contain the outbreak and affected communities are being quarantined.

Ebola virus disease (EVD)

• Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
• Fatality rate can reach 90%
• Incubation period is two to 21 days
• There is no vaccine or cure
• Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
• Fruit bats are considered to be virus' natural host

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Blood donors 'pass on hepatitis E'

28 July 2014 Last updated at 03:04

Around 1,200 people each year are infected with the hepatitis E virus (HEV) through donated blood in England, a large study shows.

Most people will not notice any symptoms, although it can cause liver damage and be fatal in some cases.

The study in the Lancet medical journal showed one in 3,000 blood donations was contaminated.

Hepatitis E tends to be mild but can be a problem particularly for pregnant women.

A group of researchers from Public Health England analysed 225,000 blood donations in the south-east of England to estimate the scale of the national problem.

Prof Richard Tedder, from Public Health England, said: "[The] infections are widespread in the English population, including blood donors.

"Although rarely causing any acute illness, hepatitis E infections may become persistent in immunosuppressed patients, putting them at risk of future chronic liver disease, and a policy is needed to identify these persistently infected patients and provide them with appropriate antiviral treatment.

"However, our study indicates that the overall burden of harm resulting from transfusion-transmitted HEV is slight."

He said there was no immediate need to screen donated blood.

However, Prof Jean-Michel Pawlotsky, from the Universite Paris-Est in France, said that stance was "surprising".

"The potential clinical results of blood-borne HEV infection should not be downplayed, in particular, the risk of serious complications and death exists.

"I believe that systematic screening of blood components for markers of hepatitis E infection should be implemented."

Lorna Williamson, the medical director for NHS Blood and Transplant said: "These study findings contribute to our overall understanding of hepatitis E and are an important part of the research that helps NHSBT to make blood transfusions as safe as possible for the patients who need them.

"The majority of patients followed up have now cleared the HEV infection and any remaining patients are being followed up.

"We now expect the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO), which advises UK ministers and health departments, to review the study results."

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Six seconds 'can transform health'

27 July 2014 Last updated at 00:46 By James Gallagher Health editor, BBC News website

Short six-second bursts of vigorous exercise have the potential to transform the health of elderly people, say researchers in Scotland.

A pilot study involving 12 pensioners showed going all-out in very short bursts, reduced blood pressure and improved general fitness over time.

The team at Abertay University believe it could help avert the "astronomical" costs of ill health in elderly people.

Experts said the study emphasised the benefits of exercise at any age.

High Intensity Training (HIT) has attracted a lot of attention for promising some of the same benefits as conventional exercise but in a much shorter time.

Instead of a comfortable half-hour jog or a few miles on the bike, HIT involves pushing yourself to your limits for a short period of time.

The team in Scotland say they were conducting the first trials in older people.

Get a sweat on

A group of pensioners came into the lab twice a week for six weeks and went hell for leather on an exercise bike for six seconds.

They would allow their heart rate to recover and then go for it again, eventually building up to one minute of exercise by the end of the trial.

"They were not exceptionally fast, but for someone of that age they were," researcher Dr John Babraj said.

The results, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, showed participants had reduced their blood pressure by 9%, increased their ability to get oxygen to their muscles and found day-to-day activities like getting out of a chair or walking the dog easier.

Dr Babraj told the BBC the benefits could be huge: "We've got an ageing population and if we don't encourage them to be active, the economic burden of that is going to be astronomical.

"A lot of diseases are associated with sedentary behaviour - like cardiovascular disease and diabetes - but if we can keep people active and functioning then we can reduce the risk.

"Also on the social side, they are less likely to be socially active and will interact with people more."

More than 10 million people in the UK are over 65 and that figure is set to rise.

Dr Babraj says older people struggle to exercise as many are full-time carers, but argues High Intensity Training would be easier to fit in.

He said people could try it at home, but should see their doctor first to ensure there were no underlying health issues.

"Then the easiest way to do it yourself is to run up a hill, the steeper the hill, the harder it's going to be, give it everything you've got for six seconds."

Safe?

There is an argument that short and strenuous exercise may be safer than conventional exercise.

A higher heart rate and blood pressure caused by exercise can be a trigger for heart attacks and stroke.

Dr Babraj said running for a long time "puts a greater strain on the heart overall" even if it is worked harder in the short-term in High Intensity Training.

Larger trials are now planned.

Dr Adam Gordon, a consultant and honorary secretary of the British Geriatrics Society, told the BBC: "This is a brilliant, fantastic piece of work challenging assumptions about what the right type of exercise is in old age, but I'd encourage them to investigate the benefits in even older and even more frail people.

"The broad message is that you're never too old, too frail, too ill to benefit from exercise, as long as it's carefully chosen.

"We know even into your 80s and 90s there's a benefit from developing a very slight sweat by exercising on multiple occasions per week."

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Liberia shuts borders to curb Ebola

28 July 2014 Last updated at 12:12

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Ebola has no vaccine and no cure as Emily Thomas reports.

Most border crossings in Liberia have been closed and communities hit by an Ebola outbreak face quarantine to try to halt the spread of the virus.

Screening centres are also being set up at the few major entry points that will remain open, such as the main airport.

Meanwhile, Nigeria largest's airline, Arik Air, has suspended all flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone after a man with Ebola flew to Nigeria last week.

The virus has killed at least 660 people in West Africa since February.

The outbreak began in southern Guinea and spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. It is the world's deadliest so far.

Nigeria has put all its entry points on red alert after confirming that a Liberian man died of Ebola after arriving at Lagos airport on Tuesday.

Ebola since 1976

Latest WHO update on West Africa outbreak

Ebola kills up to 90% of those infected, but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment.

It spreads through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids.

Arik Air said it took the decision to halt flights as a precautionary measure.

"We feel especially compelled to take the business decision to immediately suspend flight services into the two Ebola affected countries due to our interest in the well-being of Nigerians," the airline, which operates routes across West Africa, said in a statement.

"We humbly suggest that as a first step, all inbound flights into Nigeria which originate from any of the Ebola affected countries, be immediately suspended," it added.

In a statement on Sunday night, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said the special Ebola task force she was heading would ensure that "communities that are seriously affected will be quarantined and travels in and out of such communities restricted".

The BBC's Jonathan Paye-Layleh in the capital, Monrovia, says her new orders include strict observation at the international airport of all outgoing and incoming passengers, who are now liable for inspection and testing.

All government facilities and public places are to install public access for washing of hands and all hotels, restaurants, and film centres are to play five-minute information clips on Ebola awareness and prevention.

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The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the world's largest

Over the weekend prominent Liberian doctor Samuel Brisbane died after a three-week battle with the virus.

President Johnson Sirleaf urged people to co-operate with health workers and Ebola awareness campaigners.

Last month she warned that anyone caught hiding suspected Ebola patients would be prosecuted.

Experts say the disease creates fear within communities and sick people are often stigmatised.

Liberian Senator Peter Coleman, a doctor and former health minister, told the BBC authorities needed to approach religious leaders to spread the message about Ebola as "people don't seem to believe anything the government now says".

Ebola virus disease (EVD)

• Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
• Fatality rate can reach 90%
• Incubation period is two to 21 days
• There is no vaccine or cure
• Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
• Fruit bats are considered to be virus' natural host

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Six seconds 'can transform health'

27 July 2014 Last updated at 00:46 By James Gallagher Health editor, BBC News website

Short six-second bursts of vigorous exercise have the potential to transform the health of elderly people, say researchers in Scotland.

A pilot study involving 12 pensioners showed going all-out in very short bursts, reduced blood pressure and improved general fitness over time.

The team at Abertay University believe it could help avert the "astronomical" costs of ill health in elderly people.

Experts said the study emphasised the benefits of exercise at any age.

High Intensity Training (HIT) has attracted a lot of attention for promising some of the same benefits as conventional exercise but in a much shorter time.

Instead of a comfortable half-hour jog or a few miles on the bike, HIT involves pushing yourself to your limits for a short period of time.

The team in Scotland say they were conducting the first trials in older people.

Get a sweat on

A group of pensioners came into the lab twice a week for six weeks and went hell for leather on an exercise bike for six seconds.

They would allow their heart rate to recover and then go for it again, eventually building up to one minute of exercise by the end of the trial.

"They were not exceptionally fast, but for someone of that age they were," researcher Dr John Babraj said.

The results, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, showed participants had reduced their blood pressure by 9%, increased their ability to get oxygen to their muscles and found day-to-day activities like getting out of a chair or walking the dog easier.

Dr Babraj told the BBC the benefits could be huge: "We've got an ageing population and if we don't encourage them to be active, the economic burden of that is going to be astronomical.

"A lot of diseases are associated with sedentary behaviour - like cardiovascular disease and diabetes - but if we can keep people active and functioning then we can reduce the risk.

"Also on the social side, they are less likely to be socially active and will interact with people more."

More than 10 million people in the UK are over 65 and that figure is set to rise.

Dr Babraj says older people struggle to exercise as many are full-time carers, but argues High Intensity Training would be easier to fit in.

He said people could try it at home, but should see their doctor first to ensure there were no underlying health issues.

"Then the easiest way to do it yourself is to run up a hill, the steeper the hill, the harder it's going to be, give it everything you've got for six seconds."

Safe?

There is an argument that short and strenuous exercise may be safer than conventional exercise.

A higher heart rate and blood pressure caused by exercise can be a trigger for heart attacks and stroke.

Dr Babraj said running for a long time "puts a greater strain on the heart overall" even if it is worked harder in the short-term in High Intensity Training.

Larger trials are now planned.

Dr Adam Gordon, a consultant and honorary secretary of the British Geriatrics Society, told the BBC: "This is a brilliant, fantastic piece of work challenging assumptions about what the right type of exercise is in old age, but I'd encourage them to investigate the benefits in even older and even more frail people.

"The broad message is that you're never too old, too frail, too ill to benefit from exercise, as long as it's carefully chosen.

"We know even into your 80s and 90s there's a benefit from developing a very slight sweat by exercising on multiple occasions per week."

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Cancer blood test moves step closer

26 July 2014 Last updated at 12:12 By Dominic Hughes Health correspondent, BBC News

A British team of researchers has developed what might be a simple blood test that can detect all cancers.

Scientists from the University of Bradford have so far used their technique on three types of cancer with promising results.

It is hoped that in time the test could prevent costly and invasive procedures such as colonoscopies and biopsies.

But researchers say it is still very early days and much more work is needed.

Blood tests have been used before to detect different types of cancer, but the Bradford team hopes to develop a universal test for all cancers.

The technique involves subjecting white blood cells to ultraviolet light which damages the cells' DNA.

Continue reading the main story

We found that people with cancer have DNA which is more easily damaged by ultraviolet light than other people"

End Quote Prof Diana Anderson University of Bradford School of Life Sciences

So far tests on the blood of melanoma, colon and lung cancer patients have shown the DNA is more easily damaged compared with healthy volunteers.

Those patients with pre-cancerous conditions showed an intermediate level of damage.

The researchers believe the results would not be affected by illnesses such as colds or flu that may affect the immune system.

Their work is published in the FASEB Journal.

'Stressed'

Prof Diana Anderson, from the University of Bradford's School of Life Sciences, who led the research said: "White blood cells are part of the body's natural defence system.

"We know that they are under stress when they are fighting cancer or other diseases, so I wondered whether anything measureable could be seen if we put them under further stress with UVA light.

"We found that people with cancer have DNA which is more easily damaged by ultraviolet light than other people, so the test shows the sensitivity to damage of all the DNA - the genome - in a cell.

"These are early results completed on three different types of cancer and we accept that more research needs to be done; but these results so far are remarkable."

That view is backed by Cancer Research UK, which emphasised the research was at a very early stage.

Dr Anthea Martin, Cancer Research UK's science information manager, said: "Diagnosing cancer earlier is key to improving the chances of survival, but any new technique must be thoroughly trialled to make sure it is reliable and accurate.

"Although this small study is interesting, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about this test and much bigger studies are needed to prove whether it could be useful for diagnosing cancer on a wider scale."

However, Professor Shirley Hodgson, a professor of cancer genetics, at St George's, University of London, was more sceptical about the University of Bradford study.

"Overall, this is a small study with very significant limitations," she said. "We cannot derive from this study an indication that the comet assay test [the technique used in the Bradford study] can detect cancer, and certainly not all cancers.

"A much bigger experiment, including better-controlled groups of patients, is needed before we can determine how useful the test could be in cancer diagnosis."

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Sierra Leone Ebola escapee dies

27 July 2014 Last updated at 03:39

A Sierra Leone woman who fled hospital after testing positive for the Ebola virus has died after turning herself in, health officials have told the BBC.

Her family had forcibly removed her from a public hospital on Thursday.

Saudatu Koroma's is the first case of Ebola to be confirmed in the country's capital Freetown, where there are no facilities to treat the virus.

Since February, more than 660 people have died of Ebola in West Africa - the world's deadliest outbreak to date.

Nigeria has put all its entry points on red alert after confirming the death there of a Liberian man who was carrying the highly contagious virus.

The man died after arriving at Lagos airport on Tuesday, in the first Ebola case in Africa's most populous country.

The outbreak began in southern Guinea and spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Reports on Saturday said that a prominent Liberian doctor, Samuel Brisbane, had died after a three-week battle with the virus.

And later it emerged that a US doctor working with Ebola patients, Kent Brantly, was being treated for the virus in a hospital in the capital Monrovia.

Street protest

The virus, which kills up to 90% of those infected, spreads through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids.

Patients have a better chance of survival if they receive treatment early.

Ms Koroma was the first registered Ebola case in the capital Freetown.

Both she and her parents - who are suspected of having the virus - had been taken to Ebola treatment centres in the east of the country, health ministry spokesman Sidi Yahya Tunis told the BBC.

Ebola virus disease (EVD)

• Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
• Fatality rate can reach 90%
• Incubation period is two to 21 days
• There is no vaccine or cure
• Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
• Fruit bats are considered to be the natural host of the virus

The woman had been one of dozens of people who tested positive but were unaccounted for, the BBC's Umaru Fofana reports from the capital, Freetown.

Her case highlights Sierra Leone's lack of preparedness in responding to the outbreak, our correspondent says, with no laboratory or treatment centre in Freetown.

The Ebola cases in Sierra Leone are centred in the country's eastern districts of Kenema and Kailahun, just over the border from the Guekedou region of Guinea where the outbreak started.

Police said thousands of people joined a street protest in Kenema on Friday over the government's handling of the outbreak.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the doctor leading Sierra Leone's fight against Ebola was being treated for the virus.

On Thursday, the World Health Organization said that 219 people had died of Ebola in Sierra Leone.

Meanwhile, in Nigeria, the health minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said that all other passengers on board the flight with the infected man had been traced and were being monitored.

The patient had "avoided contact with the general public" between the airport and the hospital, he said.

"All ports of entry to Nigeria, including airports, sea ports and land borders have been placed on red alert," he added.

WHO: West Africa Ebola outbreak figures as of 24 July

• Guinea - 314 deaths, 415 cases
• Liberia - 127 deaths, 224 cases
• Sierra Leone - 219 deaths, 454 cases

WHO update

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Cancer blood test moves step closer

26 July 2014 Last updated at 12:12 By Dominic Hughes Health correspondent, BBC News

A British team of researchers has developed what might be a simple blood test that can detect all cancers.

Scientists from the University of Bradford have so far used their technique on three types of cancer with promising results.

It is hoped that in time the test could prevent costly and invasive procedures such as colonoscopies and biopsies.

But researchers say it is still very early days and much more work is needed.

Blood tests have been used before to detect different types of cancer, but the Bradford team hopes to develop a universal test for all cancers.

The technique involves subjecting white blood cells to ultraviolet light which damages the cells' DNA.

Continue reading the main story

We found that people with cancer have DNA which is more easily damaged by ultraviolet light than other people"

End Quote Prof Diana Anderson University of Bradford School of Life Sciences

So far tests on the blood of melanoma, colon and lung cancer patients have shown the DNA is more easily damaged compared with healthy volunteers.

Those patients with pre-cancerous conditions showed an intermediate level of damage.

The researchers believe the results would not be affected by illnesses such as colds or flu that may affect the immune system.

Their work is published in the FASEB Journal.

'Stressed'

Prof Diana Anderson, from the University of Bradford's School of Life Sciences, who led the research said: "White blood cells are part of the body's natural defence system.

"We know that they are under stress when they are fighting cancer or other diseases, so I wondered whether anything measureable could be seen if we put them under further stress with UVA light.

"We found that people with cancer have DNA which is more easily damaged by ultraviolet light than other people, so the test shows the sensitivity to damage of all the DNA - the genome - in a cell.

"These are early results completed on three different types of cancer and we accept that more research needs to be done; but these results so far are remarkable."

That view is backed by Cancer Research UK, which emphasised the research was at a very early stage.

Dr Anthea Martin, Cancer Research UK's science information manager, said: "Diagnosing cancer earlier is key to improving the chances of survival, but any new technique must be thoroughly trialled to make sure it is reliable and accurate.

"Although this small study is interesting, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about this test and much bigger studies are needed to prove whether it could be useful for diagnosing cancer on a wider scale."

However, Professor Shirley Hodgson, a professor of cancer genetics, at St George's, University of London, was more sceptical about the University of Bradford study.

"Overall, this is a small study with very significant limitations," she said. "We cannot derive from this study an indication that the comet assay test [the technique used in the Bradford study] can detect cancer, and certainly not all cancers.

"A much bigger experiment, including better-controlled groups of patients, is needed before we can determine how useful the test could be in cancer diagnosis."

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'New virus' discovered in human gut

26 July 2014 Last updated at 01:14 By Smitha Mundasad Health reporter, BBC News

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown virus living in the human gut, according to a study in Nature Communications.

Exploring genetic material found in intestinal samples, the international team uncovered the CrAssphage virus.

They say the virus could influence the behaviour of some of the most common bacteria in our gut.

Experts say these types of viruses, called bacteriophages, have been shown to play a role in chronic diseases.

Continue reading the main story

The fact it has flown under the radar for so long is very strange"

End Quote Prof Robert Edwards San Diego State University

Led by a team at San Diego State University in the USA, scientists scoured genetic information stored in three large international databases.

They stumbled upon a piece of DNA, some 100,000 letters long, present in more than half of all samples from the gut.

'Novel virus'

And while cross-checking its identity in global directories they realised it had never been described before.

Prof Robert Edwards, lead author, said: "It is not unusual to go looking for a novel virus and find one.

"But it's very unusual to find one that so many people have in common.

"The fact it has flown under the radar for so long is very strange."

Researchers say the virus has the genetic fingerprint of a bacteriophage - a type of virus known to infect bacteria.

Phages may work to control the behaviour of bacteria they infect - some make it easier for bacteria to inhabit in their environments while others allow bacteria to become more potent.

Dr Edwards said: "In some way phages are like wolves in the wild, surrounded by hares and deer.

"They are critical components of our gut ecosystems, helping control the growth of bacterial populations and allowing a diversity of species."

According to the team, CrAssphage infects one of the most common types of bacteria in our guts.

'Powerful tools'

They are now trying to grow the virus in a laboratory. And they say the next step would be to work out exactly how the virus affects our gut bacteria.

Dr Martha Clokie, at the University of Leicester, who was not involved in the research, told the BBC: "What is exciting here is the scientists have produced new techniques and powerful tools to help identify previously unknown viruses.

"And thinking longer term, we know bacteria can play an important role in chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.

"If we can pin down these viral controllers, we could perhaps one day use them to modify any harmful bacteria, rendering them less powerful."

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Nigeria 'on red alert' over Ebola

26 July 2014 Last updated at 11:27

Nigeria says it has put all entries into the country on red alert after confirming the death of a Liberian man who was carrying the Ebola virus.

The man died after arriving at Lagos airport on Tuesday, in the first Ebola case in Africa's most populous country.

Surveillance has been stepped up at all "airports, seaports and land borders", says Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu.

Since February, more than 660 people have died of Ebola in West Africa - the world's deadliest outbreak to date.

It began in southern Guinea and spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone.

'Contact avoided'

The Liberian man collapsed on arrival in Lagos last Sunday. He was taken from the airport to hospital, where he was put in quarantine.

Officials have identified the 40-year-old man as an employee of the Liberian government.

Mr Chukwu confirmed that the other passengers on board the flight had been traced and were being monitored.

The patient had "avoided contact with the general public" between the airport and the hospital, he said.

Health specialists have been deployed at all entry points into the country, he added.

The virus, which kills up to 90% of those infected, spreads through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids.

Patients have a better chance of survival if they receive treatment early.

Ebola virus disease (EVD)

• Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
• Fatality rate can reach 90%
• Incubation period is two to 21 days
• There is no vaccine or cure
• Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
• Fruit bats are considered to be the natural host of the virus

The red alert in Nigeria comes as Sierra Leone launches a hunt for a woman infected with Ebola, who was forcibly removed from hospital by her relatives.

The 32-year-old, who is the first registered Ebola case in the capital Freetown, was described by national radio as a "risk to all".

The Ebola cases in Sierra Leone are centred in the country's eastern districts of Kenema and Kailahun, just over the border from the Guekedou region of Guinea where the outbreak started.

Police said thousands of people joined a street protest in Kenema on Friday over the government's handling of the outbreak.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the doctor leading Sierra Leone's fight against Ebola was being treated for the virus.

On Thursday, the World Health Organization said that 219 people had died of Ebola in Sierra Leone.

WHO: West Africa Ebola outbreak figures as of 24 July

• Guinea - 314 deaths, 415 cases
• Liberia - 127 deaths, 224 cases
• Sierra Leone - 219 deaths, 454 cases

WHO update

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Bedtime light 'may stop cancer drug'

25 July 2014 Last updated at 08:40 By James Gallagher Health editor, BBC News website

Even low levels of light in bedrooms may stop breast cancer drugs from working, US researchers have warned.

Animal tests showed light, equivalent to that from street lamps, could lead to tumours becoming resistant to the widely used drug Tamoxifen.

The study, published in the journal Cancer Research, showed the light affected sleep hormones, which in turn altered cancer cell function.

UK experts said it was an intriguing finding, but not proven in people.

Tamoxifen has transformed the treatment of breast cancer by extending lives and increasing survival times.

It stops the female hormone oestrogen fuelling the growth of tumours although the cancerous cells may eventually become resistant to the drug.

Light

Researchers at the Tulane University School of Medicine investigated the role of the body clock in Tamoxifen resistance.

They focused their research on the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, which normally begins to rise in the evening and continues through the night, before falling away as dawn approaches.

However, light in the evening - such as from a smartphone, tablet or artificial lights - can lower melatonin levels.

Rats, with human breast cancer and treated with Tamoxifen, were left to sleep in a completely dark cage or one that had dim light.

The scientists showed that in dim light, melatonin levels were lower, the tumours were bigger and were resistant to Tamoxifen.

A second set of tests showed that giving those mice melatonin supplements kept Tamoxifen working and resulted in smaller tumours.

Dr Steven Hill told the BBC News website: "I'm not advocating people buy melatonin over the counter, there's not enough evidence.

"But they could make sure they sleep in a room that is completely dark or they could wear eye-masks to let night-time melatonin rise and take Tamoxifen right before going to bed, that would be the easiest way to see if it works."

Some studies have suggested that melatonin may improve cancer treatments.

It has been suggested that the hormone calms down cancer cells, which are working on overdrive, to slow down the processes needed to develop resistance.

Dr Hill wants to move the research into human breast tissue.

Evening tech

He did add a warning about using technology, which tends to produce blue light wavelengths that disrupt melatonin production, in the run-up to bedtime.

"If you get seven hours sleep at night, but use an iPad or computer or watch TV then those blue wavelengths are suppressing melatonin production for anywhere from an hour to an hour and half.

"So instead of seven hours of melatonin, you're getting six or five and a half."

Dr Samuel Godfrey, from the charity Cancer Research UK, said: "The link between developing drug-resistant breast cancer and sleeping in dim light is an intriguing one, but it's important that we remember this link was found after studying a small number of rats implanted with breast cancer cells, not humans.

"More research in people is needed before we know whether the same mechanisms are at work in people."

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One-shot cancer therapy gets NHS nod

25 July 2014 Last updated at 09:00 By James Gallagher Health editor, BBC News website

A pioneering breast cancer treatment that replaces weeks of radiotherapy with a single, targeted shot is set to be offered on the NHS.

The dose of radiation is delivered from inside the breast, once a tumour has been removed in surgery.

It would benefit up to 36,000 people and should also save the NHS money.

Draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said it would improve patients' quality of life.

The technique, called intra-operative radiation, is suitable only for patients who have caught their cancer early.

Currently, those patients would have surgery to remove the tumour. They would then face at least another 15 trips to hospital for radiotherapy to kill any remaining cancerous cells.

One shot wonder

Intra-operative radiation is performed during surgery.

Once the tumour is removed, a probe is inserted into the breast and delivers radiation to the exact site of the cancer for about half an hour.

Tests on more than 2,000 people suggest the technique has a similar level of effectiveness as conventional radiotherapy.

However, as the technique has been developed recently, there is no long-term data available.

As well as avoiding the inconvenience of regular hospital trips, the single dose should avoid potential damage to organs such as the heart, lung, and oesophagus - which is a risk during radiation to the whole breast.

NICE said the pros and cons should be made clear to patients.

Prof Carole Longson, director of health technology evaluation at NICE, said: "Because it is still relatively new, it is only right to recommend its use in a carefully controlled way.

"This will ensure patients are fully aware of the risks and benefits before choosing which treatment to have and allow doctors to gather more information about the treatment."

A typical radiotherapy department will spend around 30% of its time dealing with breast cancer.

Previous estimates have suggested a shift to intra-operative radiation could free up resources and save the NHS £15m a year.

But the equipment is expensive to start with - each probe would cost about £500,000.

Prof Jeffrey Tobias, who has pioneered the technique at University College London Hospitals, told the BBC:"We're lagging behind, we're out of step, it's a great pity.

"In Germany there are 60 centres capable of doing this, in the UK there are six.

"So for us this is fantastic news because it will stimulate the uptake of something that started here."

If approved, the guidelines would be introduced in England towards the end of the year. Wales and Northern Ireland tend to follow NICE guidelines at a later date, while Scotland considers treatments separately.

Play it safe

Breakthrough Breast Cancer senior policy officer Sally Greenbrook said patients who needed radiotherapy were "travelling to and from hospital every day, five days a week for three weeks".

"That's hugely inconvenient - it's disruptive to their lives, its disruptive to their families lives," she told the BBC.

"This [the new treatment] means they can get on with rest of their treatment much quicker, they can get on with the rest of their lives much quicker."

Emma Greenwood, Cancer Research UK's head of policy, said: "This could be good news for breast cancer patients.

"Giving radiotherapy in a single dose at the time of surgery potentially offers a huge benefit, especially if it means fewer visits to hospital.

"It's essential that those who receive this radiotherapy are followed up for a long period of time to ensure the single dose is as at least as effective as the standard treatment.

"Radiotherapy is already a very effective treatment, and this technique could offer another valuable option for treating early breast cancer."

Have you suffered from breast cancer? What do you think about this new treatment? You can send us your views and experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "Breast cancer".

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S Leone hunts seized Ebola patient

25 July 2014 Last updated at 13:55

A hunt has been launched in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, for a woman with Ebola who was forcibly removed from hospital by her relatives.

Radio stations around the country are appealing for help to find the 32-year-old who is being described as a "risk to all".

She is the first Freetown resident to have tested positive for the virus.

Since February, 660 people have died of Ebola in three West African states - the world deadliest outbreak to date.

It began in eastern Guinea and has since spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Meanwhile, Nigerian health officials say a Liberian man admitted to a hospital in Lagos, who had been kept under quarantine, has died of suspected Ebola.

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the world's largest

The virus kills up to 90% of those infected but if patients receive early treatment, they have a better chance of survival.

It spreads through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids.

WHO: Latest West Africa Ebola outbreak figures

• Guinea - 314 deaths, 415 cases
• Liberia - 127 deaths, 224 cases
• Sierra Leone - 219 deaths, 454 cases

Sidi Yahya Tunis, a spokesperson for Sierra Leone's ministry of health, said the King Harman Road Hospital was stormed by the Ebola patient's family on Thursday.

The BBC's Umaru Fofona in Freetown said the woman, who is an apprentice hairdresser, is a resident of the densely populated area of Wellington in the east of the city.

The Ebola cases in Sierra Leone are centred in the country's eastern districts of Kenema and Kailahun, just over the border from the Guekedou region of Guinea where the outbreak started.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the doctor leading Sierra Leone's fight against Ebola was being treated for the virus.

Our reporter says medical staff in the country are angry with the government for its handling of the outbreak.

But they have called off a planned demonstration in Kenema town due to take place on Friday at the request of security agencies.

Nurses at Kenema hospital - which treats all Ebola cases in the district - went on strike for a day on Monday after three of their colleagues died of suspected Ebola.

On Thursday, the World Health Organization said that of the 660 deadly Ebola cases, 219 people had died in Sierra Leone.

Ebola virus disease (EVD)

• Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
• Fatality rate can reach 90%
• Incubation period is two to 21 days
• There is no vaccine or cure
• Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
• Fruit bats are considered to be the natural host of the virus

In pictures: Battling Ebola in West Africa

Why Ebola is so dangerous

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Paracetamol for back pain questioned

24 July 2014 Last updated at 00:55 By Smitha Mundasad Health reporter, BBC News

Paracetamol used to treat acute lower back pain is no better than a dummy pill, research in the Lancet suggests.

The largest trial to date suggests the drug does not improve recovery time or provide greater pain relief than a placebo.

The study questions whether paracetamol should remain a first-choice drug on most national guidelines.

But experts caution anyone considering a change of medication should seek medical advice.

Continue reading the main story

Paracetamol does not work for every type of pain, nor does it work for every person"

End Quote Dr Andrew Moore Churchill Hospital, Oxford

About 26 million people suffer from lower back pain each year in the UK, and it remains a leading cause of disability worldwide.

Sleep quality

Researchers studied more than 1,650 people across several primary care centres in Australia, who had experienced back pain for six weeks or less.

• A third received regular doses of paracetamol
• A third took the drug as needed
• A third were given a dummy pill (placebo) for one month

Paracetamol did not reduce the intensity of the pain, nor did it improve sleep quality. And scientists found there was no difference in recovery time for all three groups - an average of 17 days.

Lead author Dr Christopher Williams, from the University of Sydney, said: "The results suggest we need to reconsider the universal recommendation to provide paracetamol as a first-line treatment."

'Remain active'

The researchers say the mechanisms behind lower back pain may differ to those in pain felt in other conditions such as headaches, toothaches and post-surgery discomfort - where there is evidence that paracetamol can provide relief.

And as people in the trial recovered more quickly than those in some previous studies, they suggest the advice and reassurance provided during their trial may be more effective than medication.

Dr Andrew Moore, a senior researcher at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford, who was not involved in the research, told the BBC: "Paracetamol does not work for every type of pain, nor does it work for every person.

"There has been evidence emerging for some time that paracetamol does not benefit most people with chronic back pain for example.

"And I'm willing to bet in 10 years' time national guidelines will have changed."

However, the researchers were unsure what to recommend instead due the side-effects of some anti-inflammatory pain killers and say people should discuss their options with their doctor.

Prof Roger Knaggs of the British Pain Society, told the BBC: "Despite how common paracetamol use is, this is a question that hasn't been studied in such a rigorous way before.

"For people who feel no benefit, there are alternative strategies. They should speak to their pharmacists or doctors and discuss any side-effects of other medication."

Prof Christine Lin, an author on the study, said: "Other ways to ease back pain include remaining as active as possible and avoiding bed rest."

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Fewer young smokers and drinkers

24 July 2014 Last updated at 12:26

Smoking, drinking and drug use among secondary school pupils have more than halved over the past 10 years, figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre suggest (HSCIC).

Between 2003 and 2013, regular smoking fell from 9% to 3% of 11- to 15-year-olds. Regular alcohol drinking dropped from 25% to 9%.

The number of pupils who said they had taken illegal drugs also halved.

The HSCIC based its figures on a survey of more than 5,000 pupils in England.

Young people at 174 schools were questioned in the autumn term of 2013.

Health charity Ash said smoking in children had fallen to a record low.

Continue reading the main story

We need to keep monitoring use of electronic cigarettes in young people"

End Quote Deborah Arnott ASH chief executive

Good behaviour

The results show that the rates of school pupils drinking, smoking and taking illegal drugs are continuing to decline.

Drug use among pupils has stayed stable at 6% for the last few years, but is still half the level it was in 2003.

In the 2003 survey, one in four school pupils said they had drunk alcohol in the past week. In 2013, the figure was one in 10.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity Ash, said smoking levels among 15-year-olds were now well below the government target of 12%.

She said action taken by the government to ban tobacco advertising, put larger health warnings on packs and make all enclosed public places smoke-free had made a difference.

"But more needs to be done and plain standardised tobacco packs are the obvious next step," she said.

Unfounded fears

Fears that electronic cigarettes could become a gateway into smoking for young people have not materialised so far, she added.

"We need to keep monitoring use in young people, and make sure advertising and promotion of electronic cigarettes doesn't glamorise their use."

The percentage of pupils who said they smoked at least one cigarette a week in 2003 fell by two-thirds, to 3% in 2013.

Also, over the past decade, the proportion of young people who said they had tried smoking halved from 42% in 2003 to 22% in 2013 - the lowest level since the survey began in 1982.

When pupils were asked what activities were acceptable at their age, they said using illegal drugs was the least acceptable.

Only one in 20 agreed it was acceptable to take cannabis once a week, whereas one in four said it was acceptable to drink alcohol once a week.

Kingsley Manning, chairman of the HSCIC, said the report provided encouraging evidence that fewer young people are regularly smoking, drinking or using drugs.

"Our report will be of great interest to services for young people, policy leaders and those working in public health."

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