| Veterinary Medicine Update | Patient dies after exposure to West Nile from transfusion In the first known such case, an immunocompromised patient died after exposure to West Nile virus through blood products. A minipool of six blood donations was implicated. Blood products have been screened for West Nile since 2003. In this case, the individual samples tested negative but the pool was reactive for the virus, a situation deemed acceptable for transfusion by the FDA. Moving forward, minipools in which the reactive donation can't be identified and removed will be discarded. MedPage Today (free registration) (8/8) Evidence-based measures can address wildlife contamination of produce, veterinarian says Wildlife is one possible source of produce bacterial contamination, according to veterinarian and food safety expert Michele Jay-Russell, who says wildlife contamination of produce is rare but can have high consequences for consumers because animals such as deer, feral swine, birds and cattle can deposit microbes including E. coli 0:157 and salmonella onto crops or into the irrigation water. Environmentally conscious control measures are possible, and most farmers are "conservation-oriented," Dr. Jay-Russell says. Response measures vary based on the animal involved and other circumstances but may include temporary fencing or efforts to scare animals away. FoodSafetyNews.com (8/9) Study finds link between camels and MERS Fifty camels from Oman had Middle East respiratory syndrome antibodies in their blood, indicating they had exposure to the deadly virus at some point and leading researchers to think camels could be part of the chain that leads to human infections. Only 15 of 105 camels from other regions had MERS antibodies. Since the disease's identification in September, 46 of 94 people have died from the virus, closely related to the SARS virus that caused a pandemic in 2003. Bats or other animals may be possible contributing species because many of the people infected with MERS did not have direct contact with camels, according to the World Health Organization and the NIH. The Daily Star (Lebanon)/The Associated Press (8/8) | Veterinarians can detect disease before it's too late Cats need regular, preventive veterinary examinations and lab work, according to veterinarian Lee Pickett. Dr. Pickett cites a study in which cats whose owners thought they were healthy underwent veterinary exams and lab work that identified signs of serious underlying health issues, including heart murmurs, lymph node enlargement and urine abnormalities. "One of your veterinarian's most important responsibilities is to detect disease early," writes Dr. Pickett. "... Many studies show that prompt treatment reduces cost and prolongs life." Dr. Pickett also discusses hyperkeratosis of the planum nasale in dogs. BerksPets.com (Reading, Pa.) (8/8) Ga. cattle plagued by pinkeye Cows get pinkeye, a bacterial disease that causes irritating swelling and redness of the conjunctiva of the eye, just like humans do, but humans cannot contract the bovine form of conjunctivitis, according to beef specialist Jacob Segers of the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Heavy rains promoted the bacterial infection in Georgia cattle this year. The infection can cause rupture of the eye and blindness if left untreated, said Segers, who recommends cattlemen talk with a veterinarian about vaccination for prevention and antibiotics for treatment of active infections. SoutheastFarmPress.com/University of Georgia Cooperative Extension (8/7) Other News
 | Is your smartphone taking over your life? Our dependence on digital devices often does more to cause anxiety than to enhance productivity. But we don't need to give up smartphones to achieve a better balance, says Larry Rosen, author of "iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsession with Technology and Overcoming Its Hold on Us." Simple practices such as scheduling technology breaks and disabling e-mail notifications can help, he says. Entrepreneur online (8/7)  | Winning over the empowered consumer: Why trust matters
A new IBM Institute for Business Value survey of more than 28,000 consumers from around the world confirms that while consumers actively discuss, critique, promote, and even dismiss your brand, they will give their loyalty only to a few select retailers. How well retailers and product brands identify what's hot and what's not and build trust with like-minded consumers will determine whether they benefit from a base of loyal advocates or are left with transient and fickle customers. Download the study to learn more. |
 | | Other News  | Top 5 HR Compliance Concerns for Small Business
Small and medium sized companies spend a lot of time focusing on core business issues, but they may overlook one of the most potentially serious and costly issues — regulatory compliance. How do you know what issues to look for in order to protect the company? Download the free white paper that discusses the top 5 HR compliance issues. |
 | Are You an AVMA Website Know-it-All? AVMA and SAVMA members: Complete the avma.org website Know-it-All Scavenger Hunt and you could win a $500 Amazon gift card -- and also help your veterinary school win a $500 scholarship donation! Visit the AVMA website for rules and clues, and start playing today! |  | Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated." -- Lou Holtz, American football coach, sportscaster, author and speaker | | | The news summaries appearing in Animal Health SmartBrief are based on original information from news organizations and are produced by SmartBrief, Inc., an independent e-mail newsletter publisher. The AVMA is not responsible for the content of sites that are external to the AVMA. Linking to a website does not constitute an endorsement by the AVMA of the site or the information presented on the site. Questions and comments should be directed to SmartBrief at avma@smartbrief.com. | Please contact one of our specialists for advertising opportunities, editorial inquiries, job placements, or any other questions.
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