Current Events in September 2018

Researchers at University College London and Moorfields Eye Hospital have found that an outbreak of a preventable eye infection common in contact lens wearers -- Acanthamoeba keratitis -- can lead to blindness.

The researchers’ findings were published today in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, and while anyone can contract the infection, contact lens wearers were found to be at a higher risk. This could be because of poor contact lens upkeep, use of the wrong contact lens solution, or the contact lenses coming in contact with water.

Acanthamoeba is a microorganism that creates cysts, thus causing the cornea to swell, hurt, and become infected. Long term, the infection can require a cornea replacement to either bring back vision or treat the infection. Those with more serious cases can lose their eyesight completely, which the researchers found happens to a quarter of those affected.

“This infection is still quite rare, usually affecting 2.5 in 100,000 contact lens users per year in South East England, but is largely preventable,” said the study’s lead author, Professor John Dart, in a press release. “This increase in cases highlights the need for contact lens users to be aware of the risks.”

“It is absolutely imperative that regulators and those working in the optical sector take the findings seriously, and use the recommendations to take immediate and urgent action on prevention,” said Irene Ekkeshis, a member of the Acanthamoeba Keratitis patient support group in the U.K. “Contact lenses are medical devices and should be supplied with warnings regarding safe use.”

The study

Moorfields Eye Hospital was where the researchers focused the study, looking at cases of the infection at the hospital from 1985 through 2016. While there were only eight to 10 cases per year in the early 2000s, that increased dramatically in the last few years to 36-65 cases. Because of high levels of Acanthamoeba found in the water in the United Kingdom, the infection seems to be more prevalent there than in other countries.

The researchers simultaneously conducted a study focused strictly on contact lens wearers -- 63 with the infection and 213 without -- from 2011-2014. Based on responses to a questionnaire, the researchers found that a number of common habits of contact lens wearers made them three times as likely to contract the infection. Some of the practices included:

• Showering and face washing while wearing contact lenses

• Going in pools or hot tubs with contact lenses

• Not washing/drying hands before putting in or taking out contact lenses

• Overall poor lens hygiene

The researchers concluded that not one single risk factor was responsible for this recent outbreak.

“We now need to share this information as widely as possible with clinicians, contact lens practitioners, and contact lens wearers, a strategy that has proved effective in the past in decreasing the incidence and burden of this severe eye-infection,” said the study’s co-author Dr. Nicole Carnt in the press release.

Flea and tick prevention medicines for cats and dogs can cause neurological problems, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned in an alert issued Thursday.

Through data received as part of its post-marketing activities, the agency found that some pills and flavored chews used to treat or control flea and/or tick infestations can cause adverse events in pets such as seizures, muscle tremors, or ataxia.

The flea and tick prevention medicines in question are sold under a few different brand names, including Bravecto, Nexgard, Credelio, and Simparica. All of these products contain a pesticide called isoxazoline.

“Isoxazoline products have been associated with neurologic adverse reactions, including muscle tremors, ataxia and seizures in some dogs and cats,” the FDA said in a statement. “Ataxia is a lack of muscle control and can cause animals to stumble or twitch.”

In the isoxazoline class

The FDA says it will require new labels on isoxazoline products to highlight the potential for adverse neurological events.

While these products can and have been safely used in the majority of dogs and cats, the FDA said pet owners should talk with their veterinarian to review their pet’s medical history and determine whether a product in the isoxazoline class is right for them.

“The FDA carefully reviewed studies and other data on Bravecto, Credelio, Nexgard and Simparica prior to approval, and these products continue to be safe and effective for the majority of animals,” the agency said. “Although most dogs and cats haven’t had neurologic adverse reactions, seizures may occur in animals without a prior history.”

Although the medicines for animals had previously earned FDA approval following careful testing, the agency noted that there is always the potential for new information to emerge after the product has been used on a larger population.

"In the first three years after approval, the FDA pays particularly close attention to adverse event reports, looking for any safety information that may emerge,” the FDA said in a statement.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Trust for America's Health recently reported that the adult obesity problem in the U.S. is getting worse. A new study from the University of Michigan may explain why.

Researchers studied the withdrawal symptoms people go through when they have been consuming large quantities of junk food on a regular basis, then suddenly stop or taper off. The withdrawal, they discovered, is very much like what drug addicts experience.

Erica Schulte, the study's lead author, says there isn't a lot of research on the topic. She says previous studies have focused on sugar withdrawal among animals. The literature regarding humans, she says, is based only on anecdotal evidence.

In the study, participants were asked to report what happened to them when they reduced or eliminated highly processed foods. They reported sadness, irritability, fatigue, and cravings that peaked during the first week after they quit eating junk food.

Good news

There is good news for consumers who want to kick the Twinkie habit – if you can make it through the first week, it gets a lot better. Nearly all participants who experienced withdrawal symptoms said they began to taper off within five days. That's actually very similar to the timeframe for drug withdrawal symptoms, the study found.

The addictive qualities of junk food may partially explain why it seems to be so difficult to reduce obesity in the U.S. The annual obesity study, released last week, found that seven states had adult obesity rates of 35 percent or greater in 2017, up from five states the year before.

Obesity levels vary widely from state to state, with a low of 22.6 percent in Colorado and a high of 38.1 percent in West Virginia.

Researchers from the Clinical Memory Research Unit at Lund University in Sweden recently published an article detailing a new brain imaging technique that would help doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s more accurately.

In the study, the researchers focused on the spread of two Alzheimer’s-linked proteins throughout the brain -- beta-amyloid and tau. While beta-amyloid can start spreading years before the patient starts showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s, the presence of tau on a brain scan is an indicator that the disease is much further along.

“It is when tau begins to spread that the neurons start dying and the patient experiences the first problems with the disease,” senior researcher Rik Ossenkoppele said in a press release. “If we scan a patient with memory difficulties and he or she proves to have a lot of tau in the brain, we know with a high degree of certainty that it is a case of Alzheimer’s.”

The study shows significant promise for the future of Alzheimer’s research. With the right diagnosis, patients can be put on the right track regarding a medication and diet regimen -- two things that have been linked to improved cognitive function for those living with Alzheimer’s.

The study

The researchers conducted an international study with over 700 participants, and found their method to be successful in correctly diagnosing Alzheimer’s in 90-95 percent of all cases.

“The method works very well,” researcher Oskar Hansson said in the press release. “I believe it will be applied clinically all over the world in only a few years.”

Using a PET scan to determine the level of tau in each patient, the researchers were able to get the most clear and precise image. According to Hansson, the patients received an IV of the tau marker and the PET scan did the rest.

“If the patient has tau in certain parts of the brain, the marker will detect it,” Hansson said. “The result -- whether Alzheimer tau is present or not -- is very clearly visible on the PET images.”

The new test proved to be more successful than traditional treatments that are currently used to diagnose Alzheimer’s. Because of the overlap between Alzheimer’s symptoms and those of other conditions, getting an accurate diagnosis can be difficult. The researchers’ tau test showed its effectiveness -- beating out the often used beta-amyloid-PET scan and MRI scans.

The full study has been published in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

On Thursday, AT&T asked a federal appeals court to reject a challenge from the Department of Justice (DOJ) appealing its $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner.

The Justice Department previously argued that the merger would allow AT&T to raise prices and would give the telecom giant an advantage over other distributors.

On June 12, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that the government failed to prove its case that the merger would not be in the public interest. In its Thursday filling, AT&T said the government “has no plausible basis” to challenge Leon’s ruling.

AT&T argued that the appeal of the decision was based on “narrow and fragile” claims. It said its acquisition of Time Warner was never shown in court to be harmful to competitors or to consumers.

Justice Department lobbied to block the merger

Earlier this summer, the DOJ announced it would appeal the AT&T-Time Warner merger on the grounds that Judge Leon didn't understand how the merger could affect competition and lead to higher prices for customers. The Department said the ruling in favor of AT&T ignored "mainstream economics."

But AT&T said the Justice Department was unable to demonstrate that the lower court judge who greenlit the merger made a “clear error” when he rejected the government’s case that the acquisition would Increase wholesale prices for distributors and retail rates for consumers.

“We were pleased to respond to the government’s opening brief and look forward to oral argument,” said David McAtee, AT&T general counsel in a statement.

"DOJ had to prove, with facts, that the theory fits the relevant industry setting and that proper application of the theory demonstrates a likelihood of substantial competitive harm. DOJ failed in both respects.”

The average price of gasoline hardly budged over the last seven days according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Survey.

Though drivers in some states have seen price fluctuations of three to four cents a gallon, the national average price of regular is $2.85 a gallon, right where it was last Friday.

The average price of premium gas is the same as last week, $3.37 a gallon. Diesel prices have also remained steady at $3.18.

The Carolinas saw no spike in gasoline prices as devastation from Hurricane Florence hampered the movement of fuel supplies. Most stations were well-supplied before the storm hit.

Supply and demand balance

Oil prices hit $80 a barrel this week but it hasn't affected gasoline prices, at least not yet. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports gasoline demand fell sharply last week, to 9.53 million barrels a day.

The lower demand was one factor keeping prices stable over the last week since there was less gasoline available. Gasoline stockpiles declined by 1.7 million barrels, according to the EIA. AAA says that suggests supply and demand are in sync, which should keep prices stable into the fall.

“That balance may tip as more gas stations begin to sell cheaper-to-produce winter blend gasoline – leading the nation’s motorists to likely see pump prices drop in the coming weeks,” AAA said in its latest update.

The states with the most expensive regular gas

The following states currently have the most expensive regular gas prices on average, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Survey.

• Hawaii ($3.77)
• California ($3.63)
• Washington ($3.38)
• Alaska ($3.33)
• Oregon ($3.25)
• Idaho ($3.20)
• Nevada ($3.20)
• Utah ($3.11)
• Pennsylvania ($3.06)
• Connecticut ($3.03)

The states with the cheapest regular gas

These states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas, the survey found.

• Alabama ($2.52)
• Mississippi ($2.53)
• Louisiana ($2.57)
• Arkansas ($2.58)
• Tennessee ($2.58)
• South Carolina ($2.58)
• Texas ($2.59)
• Missouri ($2.60)
• Virginia ($2.60)
• Oklahoma ($2.67)

Cargill Meat Solutions of Fort Morgan, Colo., is recalling approximately 132,606 pounds of ground beef.

The products, made from the chuck portion of the carcass, may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O26.

An epidemiological investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state public health and agriculture partners have identified 17 illnesses and one death with illness onset dates ranging from July 5 – 25, 2018.

The following items, produced and packaged on June 21, 2018, are being recalled:

• 3-lb. chubs of “OUR CERTIFIED 73/27 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF” with a USE OR FREEZE BY JUL/11/18 and case code 00228749057646.
• 3-lb. chubs of “OUR CERTIFIED 73/27 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF” with a USE OR FREEZE BY JUL/11/18 and case code 00228749002653.
• 10-lb. chubs of “EXCEL 73/27 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 00228749089098.
• 10-lb. chubs of “EXCEL 73/27 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 90028749002751.
• 10-lb. chubs of “EXCEL 81/19 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 90028749003536.
• 10-lb. chubs of “EXCEL GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 00228749003568.
• 10-lb. chubs of “EXCEL CHUCK GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 90028749402773.
• 20-lb. chubs of “EXCEL 81/19 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF COMBO” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 90028749073935.
• 10-lb. chubs of “Sterling Silver CHUCK GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 00228749702416.
• 10-lb. chubs of “CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF CHUCK GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 90028749802405.
• 10-lb. chubs of “CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF CHUCK GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 with case code 00228749802413.
• 10-lb. chubs of “Fire River Farms CLASSIC GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a USE/FREEZE BY: 07/11/2018 with case code 90734730297241.

The recalled products, bearing establishment number “EST. 86R” inside the USDA mark of inspection, were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them, but discard them or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions regarding the recall may call (844) 419-1574.

Consumers who made purchases at Newegg between August 14 and September 18 may have a compromised credit card in their wallet.

The popular online electronics retailer was compromised by hackers who were able to insert "skimming" code into the site's checkout page, capturing consumers' credit card information.

The incident response firm Volexcity found the code and reported it to Newegg, which removed it from the page on Tuesday. The company has not made a formal statement on the breach but TechCrunch has reported customers have received emails from the company saying it hasn't been determined how many credit cards may have been compromised.

Magecart strikes again

Volexcity attributes the attack to the Magecart group -- hackers accused of carrying out a similar breach of British Airways' online payment system.

"As it turns out, a nearly identical data theft campaign was being carried out against Newegg at the same time," Volexcity said in a report. "In fact, it appears the Newegg compromise may have started nearly a week earlier."

That also raises the frightening possibility that other ecommerce sites have also been compromised by the same group, but have not yet been discovered.

Volexcity reports the hackers have also become more efficient, using just eight lines of code to carry out the Newegg attack, down from 21 lines in the British Airways attack.

What to do

Consumers who made purchases at Newegg between August 14 and September 18 should immediately check their credit or debit card statements for unauthorized charges.

Even if none are detected, it is prudent to contact the card issuer's customer service representative and inform them the card may have been compromised. Most likely, the card issuer will cancel the old card and issue a new one.

If unauthorized charges have been made to a compromised credit card, the cardholder's liability under federal law is limited to $50. If the cardholder reports the card has been compromised before any fraudulent charges are made, they bear no liability for any subsequent fraudulent charges.

Different banks have different policies regarding fraudulent charges made to debit cards, which is why it is always advisable to use a credit card, not a debit card, when making online purchases.

Findings from a new study of more than 900 stroke survivors appear to show that people who engage in regular, low-intensity exercise tend to have milder strokes than people who are physically inactive before a stroke.

Older adults who participated in light to moderate physical activity were twice as likely as sedentary people to have a mild stroke rather than a severe one. In the study, “light activity” was defined as walking at least four hours a week.

“There is a growing body of evidence that physical activity may have a protective effect on the brain and our research adds to that evidence,” said lead author Katharina S. Sunnerhagen.

Study details

For the study, researchers looked at 925 adults of an average age of 73 who were treated for a stroke at the same hospital. The patients were later asked about their exercise habits prior to the stroke.

Nearly half of post-stroke seniors (48 percent) said they had been active before the stroke.

Of 384 patients who engaged in light physical activity, 85 percent (or 330 people) had a mild stroke. By contrast, 73 percent of inactive people were likely to have a mild stroke.

“Stroke is a major cause of serious disability, so finding ways to prevent stroke or reduce the disability caused by stroke are important,” said Sunnerhagen. “While exercise benefits health in many ways, our research suggests that even simply getting in a small amount of physical activity each week may have a big impact later by possibly reducing the severity of a stroke.”

Light exercise beneficial

A limitation of the study was that participants were asked to self-report their level of physical activity before the stroke. The authors said there is a possibility that some patients could have trouble accurately remembering their activity habits since memory can be affected by a stroke.

“Further research is needed to better understand just how physical activity influences the severity of a stroke,” Sunnerhagen said.

Still, the authors say there is a large and growing body of research showing that even light exercise can have a range of benefits to the body and brain.

In an accompanying editorial, Nicole Spartano, a research assistant professor of medicine at Boston University, explained that exercise could make people more resilient to strokes, which occur when the brain’s blood supply is lessened.  

"Physical activity has a favorable effect on vascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, lipid profile, and psychosocial factors, each known to affect stroke risk. A growing body of literature also suggests that even among individuals who have stroke, those who led a physically active lifestyle tended to have less severe strokes,” Spartano said.

“Furthermore, experimental research in animal models supports the value of exercise before and after stroke as a modifier of post-stroke outcome,” she said.

The study has been published online in the journal Neurology.

As part of an effort to give riders more options when it comes to first- or last-mile transportation, Lyft has added a new feature called “Nearby Transit” to its mobile app.

The ride-hailing company has partnered with transit information platform Trafi for the new feature, which is initially only available to customers in Santa Monica, California. Passengers who use the feature can choose between different combinations of Lyft rides and nearby public transit options like buses, scooters, or subways.

“Building on the launch of Lyft Scooters in Santa Monica this week, it’s another step toward providing effective, equitable, and sustainable transportation to our communities, and towards creating a more seamless and connected transportation network,” the company said in a blog post.

Shows riders additional transit options

Lyft cited research showing that nearly a quarter of Lyft passengers (21 percent) already use public transit more frequently because they can count on Lyft to get them through the first or last mile of their trip, when there often isn’t a transit option immediately available.

“We consistently strive to increase that percentage,” the company said.

In addition to its partnership with Trafi, Lyft announced that it hired Lilly Shoup to serve as senior director of transportation policy. Shoup will help further the company’s goal of becoming a multi-modal operation and "continue to bring transportation planning and policy best practices to the forefront of Lyft's strategic efforts," Lyft said in a release.

Showing passengers additional transit options and launching scooters are both key to Lyft’s goal of taking 1 million cars off the road the by end of 2019. In a recent post on Medium, Lyft co-founder John Zimmer said that 250,000 Lyft community members gave up their personal cars in 2017.

The company announced earlier this year that it has invested millions of dollars in carbon offset programs intended to help it achieve its goal of becoming a completely carbon neutral operation.

Just as consumers are finally increasing their incomes, they face another rising cost. Just about every type of consumer loan is getting more expensive.

This week, the yield on the Treasury Department's 10-year bond rose above three percent and appears poised to keep climbing. Even if you don't have money invested in bonds, it could affect you if you're buying a home or refinancing.

That's because mortgage rates are tied to the 10-year note. When its yield goes up, so do mortgage rates. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reports the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate averaged 4.88 percent last week, the highest since 2011.

That's still low by historical standards, but since the financial crisis a decade ago, mortgage rates have bounced between 3 percent and 4 percent. When the mortgage rate is 5 percent or more -- a normal rate during the housing boom -- consumers face a higher monthly payment for the same house they could have purchased with a 3 percent mortgage.

Fed keeps hiking

Unfortunately, that's not the only loan that's becoming more costly. The Federal Reserve continues on its path of gradually raising the federal funds rate -- the rate it charges member banks. Those increases get passed along to consumers who carry a credit card balance.

The average credit card rate is already at a record high and will go up each time the Fed hikes rates. The credit bureau TransUnion estimates that affects about 92 million consumers who carry credit card balances and will create a financial hardship for 9 million of them.

Higher car payments

Auto loans are also influenced by the federal funds rate, as are just about all loans consumers get from a bank. With the Fed's tightening policy, the monthly payment on new and used cars will get more expensive.

What's it mean for consumers? If you've begun shopping for a house, you might have to lower the price range in which you're looking. If you're selling a home, you might need to be flexible on the price. If you're thinking about buying a new car, it might pay to consider a late model used car.

And interest rates are likely to move higher before they go down again. The Fed meets next week and is expected to hike its key interest rate for the third time this year.

Nearly one-third of U.S. households reported financial stress in paying energy bills, according to the latest Residential Energy Consumption Survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

It should be noted the study was conducted in 2015 and the economy has expanded significantly in the last three years. Still, it coincides with more recent data that suggest many consumers are struggling financially.

As we reported Wednesday, a new survey from Bankrate shows that lower income homeowners often resort to taking equity out of their homes to meet household expenses, including utility bills.

According to the EIA survey, about 20 percent of households reported cutting back on other expenses, such as food and medicine, to pay an energy bill. Fourteen percent of consumers in the survey reported receiving a disconnection notice because of unpaid utility bills.

"Of the 25 million households that reported forgoing food and medicine to pay energy bills, 7 million faced that decision nearly every month," the authors write.

Low income households struggle the most

It may be no surprise that households reporting the most trouble paying utility bills also have the least amount of income. Nearly 50 percent of households struggling to pay energy costs reported income of $20,000 or less a year. About 40 percent of these households included at least one child. Minority households were also disproportionately affected.

The survey also included questions about the ability to maintain heating and cooling equipment in a home. When a furnace or air conditioner breaks down, a household that cannot afford its energy bills can hardly afford to pay for repairs.

The EIA report found that 7 million households, 6 percent of the total, reported losing the use of heating equipment at some point in 2015 because they couldn't afford a repair. About 6 million households lost use of an air conditioner for the same reason.

Health impact

A troubling aspect of these findings is that energy costs in 2015 were at the lowest point in more than a decade, even lower than they are today. Energy insecurity also extends beyond economics and into public health.

A 2016 report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found energy to be "an increasingly important social and public health concern." It notes that cutting back on food purchases to pay energy bills can prevent household members from obtaining proper nutrition.

Losing access to heat and air conditioning can also affect the health of the very old and very young in a household.

In the next three years, Amazon could open thousands more cashierless Amazon Go stores, according to a report from Bloomberg.

The online retailer currently has two of its automated grocery stores in Seattle, where the company is headquartered. Earlier this week, the company opened another location in Chicago. Amazon is also planning to open one in New York.

Sources with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg the e-commerce giant is considering opening as many as 3,000 locations by 2021. Launching this many grab-and-go stores would put Amazon in competition with the likes of leading convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, Walgreens, and CVS.

No lines, no checkouts

Amazon’s cashier-free stores allow shoppers to move through aisles picking up items such as ready-made snacks, lunches, drinks, frozen dinners, and basic groceries. When shoppers are ready to leave, they can simply walk out without having to wait in a checkout line or pay a cashier.

The company is able to fulfill its “no lines, no checkouts, no registers” promise by relying on sensors and cameras placed throughout the store. These allow Amazon to track what customers take out of the store and charge customers’ credit cards accordingly.

Amazon is reportedly planning to have about 10 of its Go stores open by the end of this year and about 50 locations in major metro areas by 2019, according to the report.

However, the cost of setting up these physical stores is said to be a major hurdle in the company’s aggressive expansion plans. The first Amazon Go in downtown Seattle required more than $1 million in hardware to build.

Launching thousands of additional locations would help Amazon expand its physical store footprint. The company already has more than more than 350 Whole Foods stores across the country.

In June, Amazon agreed to buy online drugstore PillPack, which could also help it become a larger force in the pharmacy and healthcare sector.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 503 model year 2018 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles.

These vehicles' door striker bolts may be shorter than intended, potentially resulting in the doors opening in the event of a crash and increasing risk of injury.

What to do

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door striker bolts, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin October 15, 2018.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C06.

Future Seafoods is recalling Malpeque brand Oysters which may be contaminated with Salmonella.

No illnesses are reported in association with the consumption of the recalled product.

The following product, sold in Quebec and possibly in other provinces or territories, is being recalled:

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but discard it or return it to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact Future Seafoods at (902) 887-3012.

Belleisle Foods is recalling Belleisle Farms brand Cole Slaw.

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

The following product, sold in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, is being recalled:

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but discard it or return it to the store where purchased.

Nissan North America is recalling 215, 124 model year 2015-2017 Nissan Muranos, model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maximas, model year 2017-2018 Nissan Pathfinders, and model year 2017 Infiniti QX60s.

The Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.

When brake fluid has leaked onto the circuit board, the ABS warning lamp will remain illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up.

If this occurs, owners should park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and not drive it.

A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.

What to do

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number on the ABS actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin October 15, 2018.

Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.