European first

A SPANISH hospital has successfully implanted a miniature pacemaker into a prematurely-born baby for the first time in Europe.

The youngster, weighing barely one-and-a-half kilos, had suffered a congenital atrioventricular blockage (CCAVB) meaning the heart could not pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.

Around one in 22,000 babies are born with CCAVB with a high incidence of prolonged illness or even death.

Head of Valencia’s La Fe Hospital’s Arrhythmia Unit, Joaquin Osca, said: “The normal-sized pacemaker could not be implanted inside the baby's chest due to its size so we used a miniaturised version instead.”

Pigged out

AN outbreak of Trichinososis has affected at least 16 people in the Castilla y Leon after they caught a form of roundworm from wild boar meat. It is a notifiable disease in Spain and the main source of infection among humans is via consuming raw or undercooked meat products from wild boar or pigs. Initial symptoms of infection are nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, fatigue, fever, and abdominal discomfort.