Doctors in New York City are describing the first known U.S. cases of sexually transmitted ringworm, which can cause a nasty rash that can take months to bring under control. Despite the name, ringworm isn’t any kind of worm but instead is a fungus, Trichophyton mentagrophytes. It’s more commonly known as jock itch (when it… read on > read on >
In a finding that challenges conventional thinking on when people with failing heart valves but no symptoms should get surgery, a new study suggests these patients would fare far better if they had their valves replaced right away with a minimally invasive procedure. The results, published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine, could… read on > read on >
If anxiety over this year’s presidential election is keeping you up at night, you’re not alone. About 17% of all U.S. adults — a striking 45 million Americans — say the election has negatively impacted their sleep, according to a survey by the National Sleep Foundation. These folks are sleeping less on the weekend and… read on > read on >
A new guidance issued jointly by groups representing U.S. surgeons, anesthesiologists and gastroenterologists affirms that most people taking popular GLP-1 weight-loss meds can keep taking them in the weeks before a surgery. Concerns had arisen because the drugs, which include semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound), liraglutide (Saxenda) and dulaglutide (Trulicity), can… read on > read on >
When a black cat named Pepper dropped a dead mouse on the carpet at his owner’s feet on a day back in May 2021, neither of them knew then that it would alert scientists to the arrival of an exotic virus to the United States. Pepper is a skilled hunter who regularly leaves “gifts” for… read on > read on >
The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have created a nation of homebodies in the United States, a new study finds. People are spending nearly an hour less each day doing activities outside the home, researchers reported Oct. 31 in the Journal of the American Planning Association. In essence, not going out has become the “new normal”… read on > read on >
A person battling multiple sclerosis spent an average of $750 in out-of-pocket fees on medicines in 2012, but by 2021 that same patient spent $2,378 annually, a new report finds. Out-of-pocket costs for drugs for neurologic diseases such as MS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease are climbing sharply, according to research led by Amanda Gusovsky, of… read on > read on >
Sugar overload is a real danger on Halloween, as piles of candy prove a powerful temptation to both Trick-or-Treaters and the folks handing out the goodies. Too many sweet treats can instigate a blood sugar spike followed by a hard crash, causing folks to become irritable and experience symptoms like dizziness, upset stomach, tiredness and… read on > read on >
Scans using lasers and ultrasound can pick up signs of a malaria infection through the skin, without the need for a blood draw, Yale researchers report. The technology, called Cytophone, could be a real boon for developing countries where access to labs for blood tests isn’t always available. According to a Yale news release, the… read on > read on >
Onions spread on McDonald’s Quarter Pounders are the definite source of an outbreak of E. coli illness that’s now affected 90 people nationwide, new evidence from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. “Epidemiologic and traceback information show that fresh, slivered onions are the likely source of illness in this outbreak,” the CDC… read on > read on >
