U.S. Food and Drug Administration
FDA Consumer magazine
January-February 2003
Table
of Contents
The spread of the West Nile Virus across the United States in recent years can be traced through dead crows, mosquitoes, and humans.
WNV was first isolated in 1937 from the blood of a 37-year-old woman who gave blood for a study of sleeping sickness in Uganda. The virus was identified by scientists who later injected her blood into mice, monkeys and other animals.
Doctors in Israel reported the first human epidemics of WNV infection in 1951.
The virus made what is believed to be its first appearance in the Western Hemisphere in New York City in 1999. That outbreak resulted in 62 human cases of West Nile fever and seven deaths. By December 2002, WNV had spread to all but five of the 48 contiguous states.
Only Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Arizona had not reported a verified WNV infection in animals or people by that date.
There is no specific treatment for WNV infection or a human vaccine to prevent it. Find out how FDA scientists are working to fight WNV in our feature story titled "West Nile Virus: Reducing the Risk."
Experts say that, historically, the lack of pediatric drug testing is due to a combination of reasons. The primary reason is that pharmaceutical companies generally have viewed children as a market that would only bring small financial benefits.
Only 20 percent to 30 percent of drugs have been tested in children. This means that pediatricians and other physicians must prescribe most medicines "off-label" for their young patients. Recent studies are providing new information about drug safety and effectiveness for children. For more on the use of drugs in youngsters, see our feature story "Drug Research and Children."
Major depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States and worldwide. Depressive disorders affect an estimated 10 percent of adult Americans ages 18 and over in a given year.
One depressive disorder called bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a serious brain disease that causes extreme shifts in mood, energy, and functioning. It affects about 2.3 million adult Americans, or just over 1 percent of the population. For more on this disabling illness, which affects men and women equally, see our feature in this issue.
Also in this issue, we introduce Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., the new Commissioner of Food and Drugs. In addition, we explain what the FDA is doing to determine what risks, if any, are posed by a chemical called acrylamide in some cooked foods, and we discuss the potential dangers of misusing contact lenses.
The staff of FDA Consumer wishes you a Happy New Year!
Ray Formanek Jr.
Editor