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The number of swine flu cases is up this summer, according to an updated government report. Known as H3N2, the flu is a variant of the swine flu usually found only in pigs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 153 new cases between July 12 and August 9. All occurred in 4 states in children younger than 18. And just about everybody infected had direct contact with pigs or reported being at an agricultural fair where pigs were present. The infections have been mild, with only 2 people needing hospital care. Both were treated and released. The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published the report. The New York Times wrote about it Aug. 10.

A drug called tofacitinib may help people with ulcerative colitis. As many as 700,000 Americans have this condition. It causes abdominal pain and diarrhea. About 1 in 5 people do not respond to current treatments. A study of the drug included 194 people. They were randomly assigned to get a dose of tofacitinib or a placebo. After 8 weeks, people taking tofacitinib had fewer symptoms. They also were more likely than people taking placebo to have their symptoms disappear. The drug works by reducing inflammation. The study was published in the August 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The Wall Street Journal wrote about it.

A new ad campaign is bringing attention to the stress put on caretakers. More than 40 million Americans care for aging or sick relatives or friends. It’s often at the expense of taking care of their own families or themselves. The campaign helps caregivers find services and information they need to reduce stress and not feel so alone. The American Association of Retired Persons) and the non-profit Ad Council are sponsoring the campaign. The Associated Press wrote about it.

Like many other medical conditions, fainting runs in families, a new study finds. The study included 51 sets of same-sex twins. At least 1 twin in each pair had fainted in the past. Fainting in both twins was twice as common among identical twins as among fraternal twins. Identical twins come from the same fertilized egg, which divides. All of their genes are the same. Fraternal twins come from two fertilized eggs. They have fewer genes in common. Other relatives of the twins in the study did not have an unusually high risk of fainting. Researchers said this suggests that fainting is not inherited through just one gene. The journal Neurology published the study online. HealthDay News wrote about it August 8.

Reminding both teens and their parents about missed shots may help increase vaccination rates, a new study suggests. Teens in the study were ages 13 through 17. All of them were missing at least 1 recommended shot. They were randomly divided into 3 groups. One group received reminder phone calls to parents from the doctor’s office. Another group received reminders for both the parents and the teens. People in the third group were not contacted. Vaccination rates increased in the next month for teens who received reminders for themselves and their parents. The other groups did not show this improvement. But any differences were gone a year later. Doctors also had problems reaching many of the teens and their parents. The journal Pediatrics published the study online August 20.