Latest news with #MassachusettsDepartmentofPublicHealth
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Four botulism cases linked to cosmetic Botox on South Shore, Mass. public health officials say
State public health officials are investigating four recent botulism cases that are linked to cosmetic Botox injections on the South Shore. In a clinical advisory to health care providers on Thursday, Department of Public Health officials urged providers to 'be alert' for symptoms consistent with botulism occurring after botulinum toxin injections. State officials did not disclose where the four cases were reported on the South Shore. 'These cases highlight the risk of iatrogenic botulism, a rare but serious adverse event resulting from the administration of botulinum toxin products,' the advisory states. 'DPH is advising healthcare providers to be alert for symptoms consistent with botulism occurring after botulinum toxin injections.' Botulinum toxin, known commonly as Botox, is widely used for cosmetic purposes to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. Experts say while generally safe when administered by trained professionals, improper dosing, administration technique, or use of non-FDA-approved products may increase the risk of systemic botulism symptoms. Botulism is the rare and sometimes fatal disease caused by botulinum toxin circulating in the blood and producing effects remotely from the injection site. There may be symptom overlap between the presentation of localized adverse effects from injection of botulinum toxin, especially in the head and neck, and the early symptoms of botulism. 'Healthcare providers should be alert for symptoms consistent with botulism occurring after botulinum toxin injections,' state public health officials said in their advisory. Initial botulism symptoms may include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty breathing, officials said. These symptoms may be followed by a descending, symmetric muscle weakness that progresses over hours to days. State officials said symptoms to watch out for include: Muscle weakness, especially in areas beyond the injection site. Note especially symmetric or bilateral weakness in distinction to localized weakness at or near the injection site, which is expected. Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) Dysarthria (speech difficulties) Ptosis (drooping eyelids) Respiratory difficulty Other cranial nerve palsies Symptoms may develop hours to days post-injection. State officials offered the following guidance for clinicians: Maintain a high index of suspicion for botulism in patients presenting with compatible symptoms following cosmetic Botox or other botulinum toxin injections. Obtain a detailed history of recent botulinum toxin exposure, including the name and location of the injecting provider and any available information about the brand, lot and dose. Report suspected cases immediately to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health by calling 617-983-6800 (24/7) or to the local board of health Coordinate prompt clinical management, including supportive care and consideration of botulinum antitoxin administration when indicated. Early treatment can improve outcomes. Counsel patients who report using or being interested in using botulinum toxin about potential adverse effects. Advise patients to receive injections only from licensed providers who are trained in proper administration of FDA-approved botulinum toxin products, preferably in a licensed or accredited healthcare setting. 'MDPH is actively investigating these cases to identify the source and prevent further incidents,' the advisory states. 'Clinicians are urged to report any suspected cases promptly to facilitate timely public health response.' Anyone with additional information or questions is urged to contact the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at 617-983-6800. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Diners at Cape Cod restaurant may have been exposed to hepatitis A
Anyone who dined at The Red Inn restaurant and hotel in Provincetown between April 30 and May 15 may have been exposed to hepatitis A and should contact their health care provider, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced Saturday. A food service employee who worked at the Commercial Street restaurant during those dates has been confirmed as having a hepatitis A infection, the health department said in a press release. Measures that prevent hepatitis A infections, such as the hepatitis A vaccine are generally only effective at if administered prior to symptoms appearing and within two weeks of exposure to the virus, according to the health department. Early symptoms of hepatitis A include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and jaundice. Hepatitis A infections can vary in severity, with mild cases lasting two weeks or less and more severe cases lasting four weeks or longer, according to the health department. Some infected persons — most often children — may develop such a mild illness that it goes unnoticed, but even mildly ill people can be highly infectious, the health department said. People who show symptoms of hepatitis A infection should consult a health care provider even if their illness is mild. Hepatitis A spreads through exposure to the feces of an infected person, close contact with an infected person or by ingesting food or drinks that have been handled by an infected person, according to the health department. Those who may have been exposed to the virus at The Red Inn are urged to wash their hands thoroughly prior preparing food to avoid further spread of disease. The hepatitis A vaccine has been recommended as part of childhood immunizations since 1991, so people 34 years or younger may have been previously vaccinated, the health department said. Those who may have been exposed at The Red Inn are urged to check their vaccination status with their health care provider. For more information on hepatitis A, call the health department's epidemiology department at 617-983-6800. Westfield Health Bulletin: physician's retirement a reminder of importance of primary care doctors Harvard hit with discrimination lawsuit over mental health policies Billy Joel cancels all future shows after new diagnosis 'exacerbated by recent performances' Read the original article on MassLive.
CBS News
24-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Provincetown restaurant customers potentially exposed to hepatitis A, health officials warn
Health officials are warning customers who dined at The Red Inn in Provincetown to get checked for hepatitis A due to a potential exposure from a worker at the restaurant. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said that anyone who ate at the restaurant between April 30 and May 15 should talk to their doctor as soon as possible. The employee, who tested positive, could've exposed customers between those dates. If you think you were exposed to hepatitis A, your doctor may be able to provide a preventative treatment if you are within two weeks of being exposed and haven't developed symptoms. Preventive treatment includes the hepatitis A immune globulin and vaccine. Anyone aged 34 years or younger may have been vaccinated for the disease. Symptoms of hepatitis A These are the symptoms to look out for, according to health officials: Fever Fatigue Nausea and loss of appetite Vomiting Diarrhea Jaundice Symptoms typically can clear within two weeks, but severe cases can last anywhere from four to six weeks or longer. Anyone who is infected is highly contagious and can easily spread through food and drinks as well as close contact. It is recommended that if you have hepatitis A, you should vigorously wash your hands, wrists, between fingers, and under fingernails before handling any food and after using the bathroom.
CBS News
19-03-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Tick season officially arrives in Massachusetts. Here's how to keep you and your pets safe
As the weather warms up, pet owners in Massachusetts are being reminded that tick season is officially here. Dr. Dylan Grayson, a veterinarian at Boston Veterinary Clinic in Brookline, said he's seeing an uptick in calls from concerned pet owners. "This time of year is the time that we get more calls about, 'Oh, I found a tick on my dog in the first place,'" said Grayson. Ticks are most active when the temperature rises above 40 degrees, according to Grayson. He said the solution to avoiding tick infestations on your pets is simple. He recommends a regular routine of flea, heartworm, and tick prevention treatments for all dogs and cats. In New England, tick-borne diseases are more prevalent than in many other parts of the country, mainly due to the region's unique ecosystem. Ticks don't fly but attach themselves to animals or humans as they pass by. "New England is really tick disease central, so keeping a close eye on everything's really important," said Grayson. Pet owners should be on the lookout for symptoms of tick-borne diseases, including fatigue and joint pain. It is also important to remember that ticks can also affect humans and spread illnesses like Lyme Disease. Officials advise avoiding wooded areas with high grass and leaf litter. They also recommend always checking yourself and children after an extended amount of time outdoors and making sure you wear long sleeves and pants. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health recommends people contact their doctor if they're bitten by a tick and develop a rash and other symptoms like a fever, headache or sore muscles.
Boston Globe
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Springfield, the ‘asthma capital' of the US, has improved. Now cuts to federal funding threaten those gains.
Now it's at risk of losing at least $19 million in federal dollars it was set to receive this year to double down on some of those efforts, as the Trump administration targets climate-related federal grant funding and anything related to so-called environmental justice communities. Advertisement The funding, city officials said, was slated to be used for programs that would improve indoor air quality, which is vital for helping asthmatic residents. But a whiplash of decisions this year has left the money in an on-again, off-again limbo. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Tina Quagliato Sullivan, a deputy development officer with the city, confirmed the federal grant Springfield received was frozen this week, which is the third time the money has been put on hold this year. Still, she said there's hope the city will get the funding because they have 'not received a termination notice' from the Environmental Protection Agency yet. On Tuesday, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin said he terminated $20 billion in federal grants issued under the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act, citing concerns of 'programmatic fraud, waste and abuse, and misalignments with the agency's priorities.' 'The only way we can reduce waste, increase oversight, and meet the intent of the law as it was written is by terminating these grants,' Zeldin said in a video statement Tuesday evening. Zeldin also wrote in an internal memo Kate Melanson, an EPA spokesperson, would not comment on the status of the Springfield grant. Advertisement Without that funding, there are concerns Springfield's efforts to improve its asthma score may slip back and hurt a city population that is largely impoverished and majority people of color. 'These are real, tangible, hard projects that would have immediate positive impact on our residents,' Quagliato Sullivan said. 'Failure to receive the funds really does have significant harm in our community.' In a New England region where more than a million adults live with asthma, Springfield has served as a case study of how to reduce the number of people hospitalized for asthma-related issues, and to improve health equity issues that impact lower-income families and communities of color. Nationally, almost 9 percent of adults have asthma, according to the latest Racial disparities also permeate the region's asthma rates. Hospitalization and emergency department visits for asthma for Black and Latino residents in the Commonwealth, specifically, are three to four times higher than those of white residents, according to a report by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Springfield received the infamous title in There are myriad reasons why New England has such high rates of asthma, many of which are found in Springfield. Notably, the city sits in a valley between the Berkshire mountains and the Worcester hills with a multilane highway running through it, which can cause pollution to settle above the city. Advertisement Dr. Eduardo Núñez, a pulmonologist at Baystate Health Springfield who also has asthma, said the effect on his health was apparent the moment he first moved to Western Massachusetts a few years ago and started reaching for his inhaler more often. 'There's just certain days out of the year I start feeling it, just something about being in the valley,' Núñez said. The In recent years, local leaders and community organizations mitigated some of those factors by helping update people's homes, ripping up old carpet to replace it with vinyl flooring to improve air quality, and removing lead paint and mold from homes. As part of his work, Núñez said, he 'often writes letters to landlords to try to get people moved to different places.' A different location, even in the same building, can sometimes make a significant difference for someone with asthma. In the last fiscal year, the Revitalize Community Development Corporation, which relies on Medicaid referrals and federal grants to rebuild the homes of vulnerable residents across Western Massachusetts, helped 1,004 people, but 'we know there's a lot more need out there,' said Colleen Shanley-Loveless, the organization's president and chief executive. Advertisement Local leaders also created the Pioneer Valley Healthy Air Coalition — made up of community organizations, the Yale School of Public Health, and city departments — which has set up more than 50 air quality sensors across Springfield, Holyoke, and Chicopee. The goal is to post live data about the air quality and develop an app that residents can use to better understand outdoor conditions. Springfield officials were expecting to use part of the $19 million in federal dollars to expand those efforts. Money was slated for retrofitting homes to reduce energy use and improve indoor air quality, and completing home rehabilitation projects to remove lead and other pollutants. The city planned to create a community solar project and convert two city-owned buildings to run on clean energy that could be used as emergency shelter. Officials also wanted to expand the city's tree canopy by planting 1,500 trees, which can offer an opportunity to improve air quality. Now, that work has come to a halt. 'This is not something that the city has funds that we can fill the gap with,' said Quagliato Sullivan with the city. As Springfield residents keep their eye on changes to come, they're mindful of the progress that could be lost — and are choosing to be positive. 'We gotta keep persevering,' Shanley-Loveless said. 'We're gonna get through this.' Ken Mahan contributed to this reporting. This story was produced by the Globe's team, which covers the racial wealth gap in Greater Boston. You can sign up for the newsletter . Advertisement Esmy Jimenez can be reached at
