Germs might be even worse for us than we thought. New research suggests that certain infections could be a contributing factor to heart attacks. Scientists in Finland and the UK conducted the study, which examined arterial plaques taken from people who died from heart disease and others. They found these plaques often contained a dormant […]
The Kissing Bug Disease Has Permanently Moved Into the U.S.
A dangerous, sometimes deadly, infection spread by kissing bugs is regularly spreading within America. In a recent paper, researchers are claiming that Chagas disease is endemic to parts of the southern U.S. and is probably here to stay. Scientists in Florida, Texas, and California made the case in a paper published last month in the […]
Most Air Purifiers Haven’t Been Tested on Humans. That’s a Problem
Portable air cleaners aimed at curbing indoor spread of infections are rarely tested for how well they protect people—and very few studies evaluate their potentially harmful effects. That’s the upshot of a detailed review of nearly 700 studies that we co-authored in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. Many respiratory viruses, such as covid-19 and […]
Possible Local Malaria Case Found in New Jersey. Here’s What to Know
A once-vanquished disease spread by mosquitoes may be making inroads into the United States. New Jersey officials are now investigating whether a resident’s malaria infection was locally acquired. The New Jersey Departments of Health (NJDOH) and Environmental Protection reported on the case Monday. The resident hadn’t recently traveled, suggesting they likely caught it from homegrown […]
Colorado Residents Are Spotting Weird-Looking Rabbits With Black Horns and Mouth Tentacles
People in Fort Collins, Colorado, are seeing rabbits with black horns and tentacles that wouldn’t look out of place in a horror movie. Though frightening, their appearance is caused by a known virus that’s harmless to humans. Journalist Amanda Gilbert documented the town sightings in an article for local outlet 9NEWS last Friday. Colorado Parks […]
A ‘Flesh-Eating’ Germ Is on the Rise This Summer
A bacterial infection that can cause “flesh-eating” disease is becoming a bigger problem in the U.S.—and climate change is at least partly to blame. Several states along the Gulf Coast and Eastern Seaboard have already reported a higher than usual tally of Vibrio vulnificus cases and deaths this summer. Last week, for instance, the Louisiana […]
Hot Tick Summer Is Here. Here’s What You Need to Know and How to Stay Safe
Summer in the U.S. is now in full swing. That means plenty of outdoor fun, Sun, and, unfortunately, for many of us, tiny eight-legged ticks to avoid. Ticks and the many illnesses they carry, like Lyme disease, are a growing public health threat. Just this week, for instance, the latest data from the Centers for […]
Kidney Transplant Patient Got Incredibly Rare Infection from Her Cat
An immunocompromised woman’s cat stirred up a lot more trouble than usual (for a cat). In a recent case report, doctors detail how the feline likely spread a seldom-seen bacterial infection that landed its owner in the hospital. Doctors in Slovenia wrote the report, published in the June issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases. The 56-year-old […]
Latest Covid Variant Now Driving Over a Third of U.S. Cases
The newest concerning variant of covid-19 is rapidly advancing across the U.S. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that NB.1.8.1 has started to supplant other circulating strains of the coronavirus. According to the CDC’s latest Nowcast, covering the last two weeks through June 7, NB.1.8.1 is likely causing 37% of all […]
The FDA Just Approved the First CRISPR-Edited Pigs for Food
Who’s up for some CRISPR-y bacon? This week, the Food and Drug Administration approved gene-edited pigs developed by PIC, a biotechnology company specializing in livestock genetics, for human consumption. The FDA granted the approval Wednesday, allowing a specific gene edit to be used in commercially bred pigs. With the help of CRISPR—a powerful gene editing […]