Anorexia nervosa could be caused by lack of a specific brain chemical, reports a research team that has developed a possible cure for the eating disorder. Mouse studies have revealed that a deficit in acetycholine, a neurotransmitter associated with the brain’s reward system, could be linked to excessive habit formation. This deficit could be behind…  read on >  read on >

Colorado health officials on Tuesday confirmed a case of human plague in that state. The infection — which occurred in Pueblo County, in the southern part of the state — was first reported Friday based on preliminary test results, while the source of the infection is still being tracked down. “Plague can be treated successfully with antibiotics,…  read on >  read on >

The second person to receive a kidney from a genetically modified pig has died, surgeons at NYU Langone Health announced Tuesday. The 54-year-old patient, Lisa Pisano, had both kidney failure and heart failure. She received the pig kidney April 12, eight days after she had a mechanical heart pump implanted.  On May 29, surgeons had…  read on >  read on >

Osteoarthritis could nearly triple a person’s risk of developing a multitude of other chronic illnesses, a new two-decade study finds. People with osteoarthritis (OA) — where cartilage breaks down, allowing bones to rub against each other — tend to develop multiple other health problems as the years progress, researchers found. These other chronic illnesses can…  read on >  read on >