THURSDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Bacteria carried by tiny mites on the skin might be responsible for the common dermatological condition known as rosacea, researchers say.

If this theory does prove to be true, then new and better treatments for rosacea may be on the way, according to a review published online Aug. 30 in the Journal of Medical Microbiology.

One expert unconnected to the study said the findings are encouraging.

"[If] these mites exacerbate or harbor bacteria, that could change the therapies that are used to treat rosacea," reasoned Dr. Michele Green, a dermatologist with Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City. "This could revolutionize treatment."

Green noted that some pharmaceutical companies are already exploring treatments that could combat rosacea from this vantage point.

Rosacea affects some 3 percent of the population, mostly adults between the ages of 30 and 50 and more women than men.

No one is sure exactly what causes the condition but it manifests as reddening and inflammation of the skin around the cheeks, nose and chin.

Although rosacea is often successfully treated with antibiotics, no one has yet proven that the condition is caused by bacteria.

Experts believe that immune dysfunction, vascular problems and/or environmental factors, including nutrition, could contribute to the condition.

This review article, led by Dr. Kevin Kavanagh of the National University of Ireland, outlined evidence supporting the idea that bacteria living in the Demodex folliculorum mite, which is present on the skin of between 20 percent to 80 percent of healthy humans, may be responsible for rosacea. The mite is typically harmless and lives around the facial hair follicles.

However, the authors say research has shown that there are more Demodex mites residing on the skin of rosacea patients than in people without the condition.

The bacterium known as Bacillus oleronius has also been found in the digestive tract of a Demodex mite taken from a person with rosacea. This bacterium is susceptible to some of the antibiotics used to treat rosacea, and it also produces molecules that trigger an immune reaction in people with rosacea.

Another type of bacteria, Staphylococcus epidermidis, has been found in pustules of rosacea patients but not in areas of the skin that are rosacea-free. This bacterium, as well, is sensitive to many of the antibiotics used to treat rosacea.

"This research is provocative in that it is proposing a cause for rosacea which up to this point has been unknown," said Dr. Chris Adigun, an instructor in the department of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center, in New York City.

But Adigun adds, it will be difficult to prove that bacteria within Demodex mites are responsible for rosacea.

"We find it on healthy people as well as on people with rosacea," she pointed out. "Furthermore, treatment options that improve rosacea symptoms do not alter the concentration or life cycle of mites," she added.

More information

The American Academy of Dermatology   has more on rosacea.

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) -- One of the worst outbreaks of West Nile virus to ever hit the United States continues to expand, with 66 deaths and 1,590 illnesses reported as of Tuesday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cases have jumped 40 percent nationwide since just last week, the agency added.

Cases have now reached their highest level since the mosquito-borne virus was first found in the United States in 1999, agency officials said in a Wednesday press briefing.

While almost all states have reported at least one case of West Nile illness, over 70 percent of cases have come from six states --- Texas, South Dakota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Michigan.

The outbreak has hit hardest in Texas, where nearly half (45 percent) of the total U.S. cases have been reported.

"The number of people reported with West Nile virus continues to rise," said Dr. Lyle Petersen, director of the CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases. "We have seen this trend in previous West Nile epidemics, so the increase is not unexpected," he added. "In fact, we think the reported numbers will get higher through October."

According to Peterson, of the cases reported so far, 56 percent are what is called neuroinvasive disease, when the virus enters the nervous system causing conditions such as meningitis or encephalitis. The remaining reported cases (44 percent) are non-neuroinvasive.

"These numbers represent a 40 percent increase of last week's report of 1,118 total cases and 41 deaths," Petersen said.

These numbers can be somewhat misleading since most cases of West Nile are non-neuroinvasive and are mostly unreported, the CDC said. That means that the number of unreported cases probably far exceeds reported ones.

Neuroinvasive disease is the most serious for of West Nile infection and these patients usually are hospitalized, Petersen said. The size of the outbreak is based on these cases since they are the ones easily identifiable, he added.

The only states that have not reported cases are Alaska and Hawaii, he said.

"Based on current reports, we think the number of cases may come close to, or even exceed, the total number reported in the epidemic years of 2002 and 2003, when more than 3,000 cases of neuroinvasive disease and more than 260 deaths were reported each year," Petersen said.

The reasons for a major outbreak this year aren't clear, Petersen said. The drought in Texas may have played a role, but there were probably other factors as well, he added.

The best way to avoid the virus is to wear insect repellant and support local programs to eradicate misquotes, Petersen said.

There is currently no treatment for West Nile virus and no vaccine to prevent it, he added.

Speaking at the press conference, Dr. David L. Lakey, Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services said that, "As I look at the data, I am not convinced that we have peaked."

Since last week, there have been 197 new cases and 10 more deaths in Texas, Lakey said. "Those numbers will continue to go up," he added.

Generally speaking, 80 percent of people who are infected with West Nile virus develop no or few symptoms, while 20 percent develop mild symptoms such as headache, joint pain, fever, skin rash and swollen lymph glands.

Less than 1 percent will develop neurological illnesses, such as encephalitis or meningitis, and develop paralysis or cognitive difficulties that can last for years, if not for life.

People older than 50 and those with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease and organ transplants, are at greater risk for serious illness, according to the CDC.

There are no specific treatments for West Nile virus; the greatest risk for infection with West Nile virus typically occurs from June through September, with cases peaking in mid-August.

And because reporting lags behind actual infections, "we expect many more cases to occur and the risk of West Nile infection will probably continue through the end of September," said Petersen.

Although most people with mild cases of West Nile virus will recover on their own, the CDC recommends that anyone who develops symptoms should see their doctor right away. The best way to protect yourself from West Nile virus is to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes, which can pick up the disease from infected birds. The CDC recommends the following steps to protect yourself:

• Use insect repellents when outside.
• Wear long sleeves and pants from dawn to dusk.
• Don't leave standing water outside in open containers, such as flowerpots, buckets and kiddie pools.
• Install or repair windows and door screens.
• Use air conditioning when possible.

More information

For more information on West Nile virus, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

FRIDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- The beaches along Lake Erie, where many people swim each summer, contain high concentrations of bacteria that are a sign of human fecal contamination, a new study shows.

The bacterium, known as Arcobacter, causes diarrhea, and those most vulnerable to infection are young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, said study author Jiyoung Lee, an assistant professor at Ohio State University.

The study was published in the August issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

The beaches studied in the analysis are all part of the Ohio state park system. Two are urban beaches that attract more than 9 million annual visitors, and the other two are natural sand beaches with more than 4 million visitors, according to study background information.

From those beaches, 75 percent of the 129 water samples taken in the summer of 2010 were positive for Arcobacter.

It's not known from the study whether other Great Lakes have similar levels of contamination.

"Lake Erie is the smallest and warmest compared to other Great Lakes, and it's shallower," Lee noted. "So [bacteria levels] could be similar but, for these and other reasons, might be different."

In June, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released its annual report on beach closings and official beach advisories. Last year, 11 percent of Great Lakes samples violated public health standards.

Karen Hobbs, senior policy analyst for NRDC's water program, said the new Arcobacter results "track along with the findings in our study. So, it was certainly no surprise that fecal coliform is being found in beaches in Ohio."

"Across the Great Lakes, we have a problem with our aging and failing infrastructure," Hobbs added. "So, we have water main breaks, we have sewage pipes that leak, we have illegal connections. We still have a problem with folks directly discharging into the lake."

Storm water runoff is a big problem, Hobbs said, from rainwater that washes over roads and fields, picking up contaminants from oil, horse manure and other sources along the way.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency bases its recreational water quality criteria on E. coli and enterococcus bacteria concentrations, and that's what state and local governments use to determine when to close beaches or post advisories.

Because Arcobacter is an emerging bacterium -- first discovered in 1991 -- it's less familiar than E. coli. But in the new study, the presence of Arcobacter was an earlier predictor of fecal contamination. "Arcobacter could be a good candidate for inclusion for EPA monitoring," Lee said.

The EPA is in the midst of revising it standards for recreational water quality and has released a draft of the proposed 2012 criteria. Those criteria fall short, the NRDC says.

"The way that they've currently proposed those standards, it would allow about one in 28 swimmers to become ill with gastroenteritis, from swimming in water that just meets the proposed water quality criteria," Hobbs said.

Arcobacter monitoring "is one of the many things that should be included," she said.

Would these experts in water quality swim in a freshwater lake?

"Personally, I prefer to swim in seawater," Lee said.

As for Hobbs: "I love to go to the beach. I just try to be a much more informed consumer of the beach water these days."

People can enjoy the beach while taking precautions.

"I usually wash my hands and face after I swim," Lee said. "The face is important: eyes, nose, ears, mouth are all openings. If you can take a shower after swimming, that's perfect."

Both advised staying out of the water after a heavy storm.

"I always make sure I check before I go whether there's a closing or advisory day," Hobbs said.

Lee added that "animals can contribute significantly to fecal contamination. If you bring your dog to the beach, make sure it doesn't contaminate the beach near the water." And, "parents with young children in diapers should be cautious that there's no leakage," she said.

In addition, local ordinances should ensure that nearby property owners maintain their septic tanks, Lee pointed out.

At the government level, Hobbs said, "The EPA must reconsider those proposed criteria and make sure they're using the latest science, and that they're covering the range of illnesses that we know can arise from swimming in contaminated water."

More information

Visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for information on beaches.

THURSDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Even if they are extremely thirsty, people will refuse an offer of water if they believe the offer is unfair, a new study finds.

The same can't be said for humans' nearest relatives, chimps, suggesting that a sense of fairness might be uniquely human.

The findings are important in improving understanding of how people make decisions that must balance self-interest and fairness, according to the researchers.

It's long been known that when people bargain for money they tend to reject unfair offers, preferring instead to walk away with nothing. Other research has shown that our close relatives, chimpanzees, will almost always accept an offer of food, regardless of whether the offer is fair.

In this study, researchers from the United Kingdom wanted to see if people would also accept an unfair offer for the basic need of water. The team at the Wellcome Trust Center for Neuroimaging at University College London recruited 21 people, 11 of whom were drip-fed a salty liquid to make them especially thirsty.

The participants were told that they could have an eighth of a bottle of water if the person presenting the offer could keep the other seven-eighths of the bottle. The participants had 15 seconds to make a decision and knew that if they rejected the offer they would have to wait an hour to get water.

The participants tended to reject the unfair offer, even if they were extremely thirsty, according to the study published online Aug. 23 in the journal Scientific Reports.

"Whether or not fairness is a uniquely human motivation has been a source of controversy. These findings show that humans, unlike even our closest relatives, chimpanzees, reject an unfair offer of a primary reward like food or water and will do that even when severely thirsty," study leader Dr. Nick Wright said in a Wellcome Trust news release.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences talks about ethics in research.