Health Highlights: Sept. 5, 2007

Mar. 23 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments,compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Mattel Recalls Thousands of Additional Toys Made in China

Mattel is recalling 848,000 Chinese-made Barbie and Fisher-Price toys that may contain excessive lead, the third huge recall by the world's top toymaker in five weeks, the Bloomberg news service reported Wednesday.

The latest recall includes Barbie kitchen and furniture accessories, Fisher-Price trains, and Bongo Band drums. The number of recalled toys since August now tops 21 million, Bloomberg said, although no injuries have been reported. Mattel produces 65 percent of its toys through China.

Mattel said consumers should visit its Web site to learn if they have any of the recalled products.

"We apologize again to everyone affected and promise that we will continue to focus on ensuring the safety and quality of our toys," Mattel chief executive officer Robert Eckert said in a statement.

Last month's recalls of more than 20 million toys involved Barbie, Pollie Pocket, Batman, Sesame Street, and Dora the Explorer items, Bloomberg reported. Most were for containing excessive lead-based paint, but others involved small magnets that if swallowed could clump together and cause intestinal damage.

Lead can be toxic if ingested by children, causing brain damage, behavioral and learning problems.

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Connecticut Man Acquired Anthrax From Drum

A Danbury, Conn., man has contracted cutaneous anthrax from handling African drums, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

The man was not identified, but the city's mayor, Mark Boughton, told a local newspaper that the roads around the man's home had been cordoned off, the wire service said.

Terrorism is not suspected in the case, and no additional details were available.

Cutaneous anthrax, the most common form of anthrax infection, is a non-contagious skin infection and is usually successfully treated with antibiotics. Inhalation anthrax, by contrast, kills about 75 percent of its victims after it infects the lungs, the AP said.

In February 2006, a similar case was reported in which a New York City man who handled African drums made from goat skins contracted anthrax and was hospitalized for weeks, the wire service said.

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Pavarotti's Health Worsens: Report