A new trend has popped up around the world since the novel H1N1 swine flu became a pandemic. Swine flu parties. This is where people gather to intentionally expose themselves (or their children) to a person with a known swine flu infection. They believe by exposing themselves and catching the illness now, they will build up their immunity and hopefully avoid catching it if it becomes more serious or deadly in the future.

The problem is that no one knows how the virus will affect them until they have it. It seems to be killing people in all age groups (unlike the seasonal flu which typically only seriously affects the very old and very young). So just because you are young and healthy doesn't mean the virus will necessarily be "mild" for you.

These types of "parties" have been around for years among parents who want their children to catch diseases such as chickenpox naturally rather than giving them vaccines. Unfortunately, they just aren't safe and really aren't a good idea. So while the swine flu is nothing to panic about, it's also not something you want to go out and get intentionally either. It's really best to avoid it if you can.

An FDA panel has been meeting in recent days over concerns about Tylenol (acetaminophen) leading to liver failure. This has always been one of the main concerns with Tylenol, but the large number of overdoses and deaths have prompted the FDA to take action and consider changes with this medication.

Acetaminophen is an ingredient in many medications, from prescription painkillers to cold and cough medications. Any changes could have a significant impact on the pharmaceutical industry and on the patients that rely on them to help with pain and fevers.

This panel does not have the final say over what the FDA will decide, but their recommendations are often followed, as they were recently regarding the use of cold medications in young children.

The panel recommended the following changes regarding the use of acetaminophen:

• Eliminating prescription drugs containing acetaminophen such as Vicodin and Percocet
• Lower the maximum single dosage from 1000 mg to 650 mg
• Lower the maximum daily dosage from 4 grams (they were not asked to and did not recommend an alternate maximum daily dose)
• Make 1000 mg dose of acetaminophen available only by prescription

The panel was also asked to consider whether cough and cold medications containing acetaminophen should be removed from the market but decided against making that recommendation.

Learn more about the FDA panel's decisions regarding Tylenol from About.com's Guide to Neck and Back Pain.

Have you ever had a really sore throat? Strep throat typically comes with a much more severe sore throat than is typical with a cold or other virus.

It is a common infection and occurs most often in school age children, although it can affect people of all ages. You have probably heard about it and may have even had it, but do you know everything you need to know about strep throat?

Did you know that it must be treated with antibiotics? Did you know that it can lead to a potentially life threatening heart infection if it's not treated properly? Do you know what the incubation period is for strep throat?

Find out the answers to these questions and more so you will be prepared next time you believe you or a loved one might have strep throat.

Late spring and summer typically sees the end of flu season, but this year we are in the midst of a flu pandemic and the rules have apparently changed. Although H1N1 swine flu doesn't appear to be as severe as initially feared, it is proving to be resilient in the face of warmer weather.

The seasonal flu doesn't survive well in warm weather so it is pretty uncommon during the summer months. But this pandemic flu is popping up in summer camps around the US. It is continuing to spread in the general population as well, but seems to be more highly concentrated in areas where there are a lot of young people gathered together.

To help prepare and combat the spread of this pandemic flu, the CDC has written some guidelines for camp staff and parents. The Association of Camp Nurses also has an excellent preparation plan for camp directors and health professionals.

The FDA and CDC have warned consumers not to eat any varieties of Nestle TollHouse prepackaged cookie dough. It has the potential to be contaminated with E. coli.

These products have been recalled by Nestle, but if you have them in your home, you should throw them away and not cook them.

So far, there have been 66 reports of illness in 24 states. Of those that have been connected to this contamination, 25 people have been hospitalized and 7 of those have developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) but none have died.

If you develop symptoms of E. coli after consuming any of these products, be sure to see your healthcare provider.

The FDA announced today that it is recommending that people stop using all intranasal products made by Zicam that include zinc. They have received over 130 complaints from people who believe they lost their sense of smell after using these products. The FDA recommends that anyone who has any of these products stop using them immediately. They have also sent a letter to Matrixx Initiatives stating that the company cannot market these products without approval and that they do not contain adequate warnings about the risk of the loss of one's sense of smell.

The products included in this warning are:

• Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel (15ml)
• Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs (20 count)
• Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size (20 count)

What Should You Do if You Believe You Lost Your Sense of Smell After Using Zicam?

If you believe your sense of smell was affected by using Zicam, you should contact your healthcare professional. You or your healthcare professional should then contact the FDA either online or by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

The FDA believes these products are harmful and could potentially cause permanent loss of the sense of smell. They are especially concerned about this problem in children because it may be more difficult for them to effectively tell someone that the problem has occurred.

There has been ongoing debate about the possibility that Zicam may cause a loss of the sense of smell on this website for several years. It now appears that the FDA is taking these complaints seriously.

• Find out more about the FDA warning, including Matrixx's response, from our Guide to US Government Info.

The World Health Organization gathered for an emergency meeting today and decided to declare the H1N1 swine flu officially at the Phase 6 pandemic stage.

So Is it Time to Panic Now?

Absolutely not. The change in phase really doesn't mean a lot for the United States, which has been treating this new flu virus like a pandemic for a while now. It also doesn't have any bearing on how severe the virus is. The change in phase simply indicates that it is spreading in several countries around the world.

In all honesty, this has been happening for a few weeks and the alert level could have been raised then. But the WHO has waited for a number of reasons, but mostly because they didn't (and don't) want people to panic for no reason.

There is still no reason to restrict travel or shut down schools and businesses. The disease really has not been severe so far. When you hear that over 140 people have died from it so far, it may sound scary. But over 35,000 people die from the seasonal flu every year - just in the United States. You just have to keep it in perspective.

What Does This Pandemic Mean Then?

To those of us who are not sick, it means we should remain vigilant about using precautions such as hand washing to keep ourselves healthy. To those who do get sick, you should take care of yourself, stay home and try not to expose other people to your germs and seek medical attention if you feel your symptoms are getting severe.

We should all:

• Know the Symptoms of H1N1 Swine Flu
• Learn How to Prepare for the Flu Pandemic
• Learn What the Pandemic Phases Mean
• Focus on How to Prevent H1N1 Swine Flu

Declaring this an official pandemic allows other less developed countries greater access to medical supplies so they will be able to care for their citizens as the disease spreads. It may also speed up the development of the pandemic flu vaccines that are already in production.

How Do You Feel About the Swine Flu Now?

Share your thoughts. Does the announcement making this an official pandemic scare you? Does it change how you feel about the virus or any of your actions?

Cases of H1N1 swine flu continue to spread across the US and the globe.

United States

As of Friday, June 5th, the CDC is reporting 13,217 confirmed and probable cases and 27 deaths. There have now been confirmed cases in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The number of cases in each state vary greatly. Part of the reason for this may be different standards on testing. Some states are testing a great number of people while others are testing only the few who are very sick.

Track Flu Activity by State

Worldwide

Throughout the world, 69 countries have reported cases of H1N1 swine flu. The official count throughout the world is 21,940, including 125 deaths. Most of the deaths have occurred in Mexico. However, there have also been deaths in the US, Canada, Costa Rica and Chile.

The WHO still has not raised the global flu pandemic alert level. At this time, we remain at a flu pandemic phase 5.

Have you tried Zicam Cold Remedy? It is intended to shorten the duration and severity of the common cold. Because it is a homeopathic medications, it is not regulated by the FDA.

Many people use the product and love it. Others, however, believe that it has caused them to lose their sense of smell or taste. There is no definitive research proving or disproving this theory, but there are a lot of strong feelings on both sides of the issue.

Have you tried Zicam? Where do you stand?

Whooping cough (or pertussis) used to be a very common infection in the United States. Thanks to effective vaccination programs, the incidence has decreased dramatically.

In recent years however, we have seen an increase in the number of cases of whooping cough. It appears that the immunity that many of us gained from the vaccine has worn off and the disease is making a comeback.

Due to the increasing number of cases, the CDC has recommended that many people now get a booster of the pertussis vaccine, which can be included with tetanus in a Tdap. This is especially important for mothers and caregivers of young infants, as this age group is at the highest risk of death from this disease.

Learn about the Tdap vaccine and who needs it.

Have you or someone you know ever had whooping cough? Share your story to help teach others about this very serious disease.

Tell your story about whooping cough.

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