HEALTH

ATLANTA — This year's influenza virus is beginning its prominence in the South, as Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas reported high influenza-like illness activity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. 

Oklahoma reported moderate ILI activity. 

For those who got a flu shot this year, so far they appear to be well protected. 

CDC has antigenically characterized 317 influenza viruses, including 265 2009 H1N1 viruses, 46 influenza A (H3N2) viruses and 6 influenza B viruses since Oct. 1. 

NEW YORK — In two separate clinical trials, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found that periodic meetings with a lactation consultant encourages women traditionally resistant to breast-feeding to do so, at least for a few months, or long enough for mother and child to gain health benefits. The results of the trials were published online last week in American Journal of Public Health.

ARLINGTON, Va. — A USA TODAY investigation on Friday found that many of those companies marketing dietary supplement containing with drug-spiked products are run by people with criminal backgrounds and regulatory run-ins. 

RONKONKOMA, N.Y. — Balance Bar on Thursday asked Americans to join them in taking the Balance Bar Pledge, an anti-resolutions pledge that encourages people to skip the tradition of setting overly ambitious and sometimes unachievable goals and instead make one small step each month that supports their health, wellness and overall happiness.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Abuse of the cough ingredient dextromethorphan among high school seniors is down, according to this year’s Monitoring the Future survey, which measures drug use and attitudes among the nation’s eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders. Approximately 5% of seniors reported abuse of dextromethorphan, down from 6.9% in 2006, the first year it was measured by the survey.

GÖTEBORG, Sweden — Meda has signed an agreement to acquire ZpearPoint AS, including global rights to its main product, EB24, an OTC line for  treating dental erosion.  

The EB24 product is based on hydrogen fluoride highly diluted in water. In studies, the product has shown that it is able to penetrate enamel surfaces and form calcium fluoride resulting in an anti-erosive effect. As such, EB24 works as a protective agent against dental erosion. 

CAMP HILL, Pa. — The long-standing partnership between Rite Aid and nutritional products retailer GNC is being extended through the end of the decade, Rite Aid said Thursday.

Rite Aid said the partnership, which started in 1998, has been extended through 2019. The extension allows Rite Aid to add at least 300 GNC LiveWell store-within-a-store locations over the next five years. Currently, there are more than 2,200 such locations throughout the Rite Aid chain.

EASTON, Conn. — Good to Go recently launched a solution formulated to help prevent traveler’s constipation.