Lebanese Cannabis, West Nile Virus, Ebola: Health round-up

Locked away safely in an academic's study in Lebanon is a plant that researchers hope to transform from one of the country's most notorious exports into a lucrative pharmaceutical

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

How good is Lebanese cannabis? Scientists seek herbal remedies

Locked away safely in an academic's study in Lebanon is a plant that researchers hope to transform from one of the country's most notorious exports into a lucrative pharmaceutical. Cannabis is cultivated openly, but illegally, in parts of Lebanon, especially the Bekaa Valley where a Roman temple in the ancient city of Baalbek bears an engraving of a cannabis leaf. Today, Lebanon is third after only Morocco and Afghanistan as a global supplier of cannabis resin, U.N. figures show.

West Nile virus cases in Greece jump in 2018

Eleven people have died and 107 infected by the mosquito-borne West Nile virus in Greece so far this summer, authorities said, the highest number of reported cases since 2012. Outbreaks of the West Nile virus have been recorded in Greece since 2010, when they peaked at 262 cases including 35 deaths, according to Greece's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO).

Maternal depression can impact a baby's physical and mental health

Children with depressed mothers may end up with altered immune responses and at greater risk for psychological disorders, a new study suggests. Maternal depression may have a significant effect on the way children's brains work, the researchers write in the journal Depression & Anxiety.

FDA approves Kala Pharma's eye pain drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved Kala Pharmaceuticals Inc's treatment for reducing inflammation and pain following an eye surgery. The company said it expects to launch the drug, Inveltys, at the beginning of 2019, with Wedbush Securities estimating peak sales of about $271 million in 2027.

Doctor in eastern Congo contracts Ebola in 'dreaded' scenario: WHO

A doctor has become the first probable Ebola case in one of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's most violence-ridden and inaccessible zones, a scenario "we have all been dreading", the World Health Organization said on Friday. Since the outbreak erupted on Aug. 1, 103 confirmed and probable cases of Ebola have been identified in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, including 63 deaths, Congo's health ministry said in an overnight update.

Firms stop kid-friendly packaged e-cigarette liquids sales after FDA push

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday that all 17 companies that were warned by the regulator have stopped marketing e-cigarette liquids packaged similarly to child-friendly products such as juice boxes, candy or cookies. The warning in May was a part of the FDA's sweeping actions taken to prevent sales of tobacco products to kids.

Oklahoma Medicaid tests new tactic to curb U.S. drug costs

A new front in the battle over the cost of expensive medicines in the United States is opening up in Oklahoma, the first state where the government's Medicaid program is negotiating contracts for prescription drugs based on how well they work. In June, Oklahoma received approval from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to factor how effective a prescription medicine is into the price it pays to the manufacturer.

General surgeon shortage growing in the U.S.

The shortage of general surgeons in the U.S. is projected to get worse as the number of these doctors entering the workforce each year fails to keep pace with population growth, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers predict shortages based on their estimates of population growth by 2050 and the number of medical schools and hospital-sponsored general surgery trainee positions in the U.S.

NY health officials investigating illnesses linked to McDonald's outlet

New York State health officials said on Thursday they were investigating reports of multiple illnesses potentially associated with a McDonald's Corp restaurant in Jamestown, NY. The state health department and the Chautauqua County Health Department said 22 individuals reported symptoms of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea and on being interviewed 15 said they had eaten various breakfast sandwiches at the McDonald's outlet between August 4-21.

African swine fever: China marks a new front in the battle against the deadly disease

China is battling to control the rapid spread of deadly African swine fever (ASF) across the world's largest hog herd after four outbreaks in three weeks, stoking worries the disease could spread to Southeast Asia. The discovery of ASF in China, which accounts for nearly half the world's pork production and is the world's highest per capita consumer of the meat, marks a new front in the disease's spread from Europe through Russia.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)