Pregnant women who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 are at greater risk for delivering stillborn babies, and new research provides important clues about why. Unlike other fungal, bacterial or viral infections, which cross over the placenta to affect the fetus, SARS-CoV-2 is particularly lethal to the developing placenta, and this damage deprives the fetus of oxygen… read on > read on >
Proposed changes to voluntary federal guidelines for prescribing opioid painkillers emphasize that doctors should first try other treatments for acute and chronic pain. The non-opioid treatment options suggested by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include prescription medications like gabapentin and over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), as well as physical therapy, massage… read on > read on >
The fossilized bones of a young dinosaur show evidence of a respiratory infection that may have caused familiar flu-like symptoms — fever, coughing and trouble breathing. Dolly, as she’s been dubbed by researchers, was an immature diplodocid — a large, long-necked plant-eating sauropod. Her remains were found in southwest Montana and date back about 150… read on > read on >
The mononucleosis virus, Epstein-Barr, has become a major suspect in the search for what causes multiple sclerosis. Now researchers are raising the next logical question — can we stop both MS and mononucleosis by preventing Epstein-Barr infections, which occur in 95% of adults? Epstein-Barr vaccines currently under development by the U.S. National Institutes of Health… read on > read on >
Nearly all men see their hairline recede or a bald spot emerge at some point in their life. For those looking to slow the march of time, a new study helps sort out which hair-loss medications work best. The analysis, of 23 previous studies, ranks the available hair-loss medications, from most effective to least. Experts… read on > read on >
To live healthier and longer in the United States, it helps to have money and education — and if you live in Hawaii or California, your odds are even better, according to a new government report. Life expectancy varies dramatically from state to state, health officials say, because of factors like chronic disease and drug… read on > read on >
An indoor mask mandate in New York State will end on Thursday, but masks will still be required in schools and for everyone using public transit. For the last two months, customers and workers statewide have been required to cover their faces or show proof of COVID-19 vaccination in most indoor settings. But the statewide… read on > read on >
Four Canadian provinces said this week that they’ll lift their COVID-19 restrictions as the wave of cases caused by the Omicron variant has crested nationwide. The moves come in the midst of ongoing protests by groups decrying Canada’s vaccine passport program and other virus precautions. Protests include blockades by so-called “Freedom Convoy” truckers that have… read on > read on >
Nearly one-third of older COVID-19 survivors develop new health problems in the months after their infection, a new study finds. Those conditions involve a number of major organs and systems, including the heart, kidneys, lungs and liver, as well as mental health problems. With roughly 400 million people infected with the coronavirus worldwide, “the number… read on > read on >
New research supports the notion that COVID-19 can cause long-term heart problems. The analysis of U.S. health data found COVID patients are at increased risk of heart complications for at least a year after infection. Those complications include heart rhythm problems, inflammation, blood clots, stroke, coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure and death, according… read on > read on >
