New Silver Boa Constrictor Discovered On Island.

A new species of boa constrictor with silver scales has been discovered on a remote Caribbean island.

Scientists identified 20 of the 3ft-long Silver Boa snakes during two expeditions to Conception Island Bank and neighbouring islets in the Bahamas.

The snakes - Chilabothrus argentum - have a distinctive silver colour. They were given the name Silver Boa after the first specimen was found climbing a Silver Palm tree.

A US research team, led by Dr Graham Reynolds from Harvard University, determined it was a previously unknown species after analysis of tissue samples.

Dr Reynolds discovered the snake after it slithered on to his head as he slept on a beach.

Robert Henderson, an expert on boa constrictors from the Milwaukee Museum of Natural History, said: "Worldwide, new species of frogs and lizards are being discovered and described with some regularity.

"New species of snakes, however, are much rarer.

"The beautiful Bahamian Silver Boa, already possibly critically endangered, reminds us that important discoveries are still waiting to be made."

The Silver Boas were electronically tagged before being released back into the forest on the island.

They are said to be critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and are under threat from feral cats on the island.

Boa constrictors wrap their bodies around their prey, causing them to suffocate. Boas in the Bahamas eat frogs, birds and rats.

Alcohol and hepatitis C a dangerous combination.

People infected with hepatitis C are more likely to be current or former heavy drinkers, a new study suggests.

Scarring of the liver

Unfortunately, alcohol may accelerate the liver damage associated with the virus, the researchers added.

Adults with hepatitis C were three times more likely to have five or more drinks daily – currently or in the past – than people who didn't have the virus, according to the study published recently in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

"Alcohol promotes faster development of fibrosis and progression to cirrhosis [scarring of the liver] in people living with hepatitis C, making drinking a dangerous and often deadly activity," said lead investigator Amber Taylor, from the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Viral Hepatitis.

"In 2010, alcohol-related liver disease ranked third as a cause of death among people with hepatitis C," Taylor added.

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by a virus transmitted by blood, such as by sharing needles. Chronic hepatitis C can result in long-term health problems such as liver cancer, according to the CDC.

Many unaware of status

In the United States, alcohol abuse claims nearly 88,000 lives each year, the researchers reported. Drinking is particularly harmful for those with hepatitis C, they noted.

For the study, researchers analysed data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on more than 20,000 people. Specifically, they examined hepatitis C infection rates among the following four groups: those who never drank, former drinkers, current non-heavy drinkers, and current heavy drinkers.

Although the study was not designed to prove cause-and-effect, the investigators found higher rates of hepatitis C among former drinkers and current heavy drinkers than those who never drank or only drank in moderation.

A follow-up survey of participants who had been infected with the virus at some point in their lives showed that 50 percent were unaware of their hepatitis C status.

"Half of all people living with hepatitis C are not aware of their infection nor the serious medical risks they face when consuming alcohol," Taylor said in a journal news release.

"This highlights the need for increased diagnosis, as well as comprehensive and effective interventions to link hepatitis C-infected individuals to curative treatments now available and provide education and support needed to reduce alcohol use," she added.

The CDC recommends that everyone born between 1945 and 1965 be tested at least once for hepatitis C. Those who test positive for the virus should be screened for alcohol use, the agency advises.

The researchers said their findings could help health care providers develop more effective treatment strategies and interventions for their patients.