The bacteria behind typhoid, a major killer of children in the developing world, could be vulnerable to something as simple as tomato juice, new research suggests. Typhoid is caused by the Salmonella Typhi bacterium, and is usually contracted from contaminated food or beverages. Its symptoms include nausea, fever and abdominal pain. Left untreated, the disease… read on > read on >
U.S. cases of syphilis have soared past numbers seen just a decade ago, new government statistics show. The grim numbers are for 2022, the latest year for which an accurate tally is available. More than 202,000 cases were recorded among Americans that year — a 17% rise over 2021 numbers and an 80% rise over… read on > read on >
Older adults frequently delay needed surgery because of financial concerns, a new study finds. Nearly half of people ages 50 and older who were very concerned about the cost of surgery wound up not having an operation they had considered, researchers reported Jan. 30 in the journal JAMA Network Open. Further, more than half who… read on > read on >
The first new kind of pain medication in over two decades could be on the horizon for patients, with promising results announced Tuesday from a company trial. For now, the drug from Vertex Pharmaceuticals is called VX-548. But in trials of patients undergoing abdominoplasties (tummy tucks) and foot bunion surgeries, VX-548 performed better than placebo… read on > read on >
The maker of a drug used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy has recalled one lot of the medication after a pill mixup was discovered. The recall notice, issued by Azurity Pharmaceuticals Inc., states that one lot of Zenzedi 30-milligram tablets is being recalled after a pharmacist found antihistamine tablets in a bottle labeled as Zenzedi. The… read on > read on >
New research is helping confirm smoking as a risk factor for the devastating brain illness amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS affects roughly 31,000 Americans each year, with about 5,000 new cases diagnosed annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s a progressive, fatal illness that causes nerves cells controlling muscles to… read on > read on >
U.S. approval of over-the-counter emergency contraception like “Plan B” has had an unintended but positive side effect for America’s hospitals, a new study shows. Emergency room visits related to “morning-after” contraception plummeted after the pills became easily available to adults in 2006, according to the report published Jan. 24 in the journal JAMA Network Open.… read on > read on >
Deaths related to ozone air pollution will rise significantly around the world during the next two decades due to climate change, a new study warns. Cities in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa can expect to see ozone-related deaths increase by as many as 6,200 fatalities a year by 2054 unless humans rein in… read on > read on >
A white winter landscape might look magical, but the cold and snow and ice can make even the simplest of tasks potentially dangerous. “It’s slip and fall season,” said Dr. Letitia Bradford, an orthopedic surgeon who practices in rural communities in New Mexico and California. “We see a lot of ankle and wrist fractures during… read on > read on >
Pregnant women exposed to flame-retardant chemicals could face an increased risk of premature birth, a new study warns. Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are commonly used as flame retardants in products like furniture, baby items, electronics, clothes and building materials, researchers said. The chemicals also make plastics more flexible. Manufacturers started using OPEs after flame retardants containing… read on > read on >
