Health Highlights: April 13, 2008

April 14 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

21 Salmonella Cases Reported in 13 States After Cereal Recall

At least 21 people in 13 states have been infected with the latest outbreak of Salmonella poisoning, possibly from a number of processed cereal products that were recalled by the manufacturer April 5.

In issuing a consumer warning, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the strain of salmonellosis in the victims was the same found in the recalled containers of unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat cereals produced by Malt-O-Meal, of Minneapolis, Minn.

According to the FDA, the recalled products were also distributed nationally under private label brands including Acme, America's Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw's, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality. The cereals have Best If Used By dates from April 8, 2008 (coded as "APR0808") through March 18, 2009 (coded as "MAR1809"), the FDA says.

Consumers are warned to throw out any of the cereal that is part of the recalled lots. You can get a complete list of the recalled products at this Malt-O-Meal site.

While there have been no reports of deaths in these latest cases, the Salmonella bacterium causes nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists the following states and number of reported cases: California reported 1; Colorado, 1; Delaware, 1; Maine, 3; Massachusetts, 2; Minnesota, 1; North Dakota, 1; New Hampshire, 2; New Jersey, 3; New York, 3; Pennsylvania, 1; Rhode Island, 1; and Vermont, 1.

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Former NYC Hospital Employee Charged in Theft of 50,000 Patient Records

The hospital records of as many as 50,000 patients have been stolen from a major New York City hospital, the New York Times reports.

A former employee of New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center has been charged with the thefts, according to the Times. Dwight McPherson, 38, a patient admissions representative, was arrested Saturday and charged with stealing nearly 50,000 patient files and selling at least 1,000 of them, the newspaper reported.

Consumers should stop using these pens and return them to any Michaels to receive a refund, the CPSC said.