Vital Signs: Children With Warts; Coffee Drinking and Cancer Risk

The latest facts and figures from the all of the most influential medical journals; newspapers; and health, fitness, and wellness websites

• 5 -- The percentage of children who experience verrucas, or warts on the feet and hands that are caused by a type of human papilloma virus that is transmitted through direct contact with the skin. Source: "Should You Treat Warts and Verrucas or Just Leave Them?" The Guardian.
• 100+ -- The number of patients who have died over the past six years as a result of problematic or malfunctioning alarms on ventilators, according to an analysis conducted by the Boston Globe and the ECRI Institute. The alarms are meant to beep, alerting caregivers when additional help is needed. Source: "Ventilator Alarms Linked to Patient Deaths," ABC News.
• 4 -- The number of cups of daily coffee that were shown to be associated with a reduced risk of endometrial cancer, the most common form of uterine cancer, in women. Source: "Patterns: Coffee May Help Cut Cancer Risk in Women," The New York Times.
• 20,000,000+ -- The number of cases of acute gastroenteritis caused annually by norovirus, a pathogen that spreads quickly through contaminated food or water, in the United States. Norovirus causes vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea. Source: "Prevention: Trial Vaccine for Norovirus Shows Promise," The New York Times.
• 4,100 -- The number of pounds of cooked chicken breasts recalled by the North Carolina-based Raeford Farms over possible Listeria contamination. Source: "Chicken, Cilantro Recalls Underway: Are You at Risk?" CBS News.
• 400,000 -- The estimated number of amputations caused every year by snakebites. Source: "Snakebite: Experts Seek New Emphasis on Quiet Killer," The New York Times.