A deadly bacterial infection known as streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is spreading across Japan, officials in that country report. In March, Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases issued its first warning that STSS cases were on the rise. As of June 2, Japan’s health ministry has reported 977 cases for 2024 — a count that already surpasses… read on > read on >
The number of people severely sickened after consuming mushroom edibles sold as Diamond Shruumz-brand chocolate bars, cones or gummies has risen, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. “As of June 17, 2024, a total of 26 illnesses have been reported from 16 states,” the FDA noted in an updated advisory. That’s up from… read on > read on >
A new smartphone tool could help paramedics identify a stroke in seconds by scanning the patient’s face. The AI-driven tool analyzes facial symmetry and specific muscle movements to detect subtle signs of stroke, researchers explained. “One of the key parameters that affects people with stroke is that their facial muscles typically become unilateral, so one… read on > read on >
As summers get hotter and hurricane seasons less predictable, more Americans now say that climate change affects their mental health, a new poll finds. In a survey conducted among more than 2,200 adults at the end of May, 53% of respondents said they believe that the effects of global warming impacts Americans’ mental health. That’s… read on > read on >
Most seniors who survive a drug overdose often miss out on treatments that could help save them from a subsequent OD, a new study shows. Almost 24,000 Medicaid beneficiaries died from a follow-up overdose out of 137,000 who survived an OD in 2020, researchers say. That’s nearly one in five (17%). “People who have experienced… read on > read on >
Depression during or after a pregnancy could be tied to a heightened risk for heart trouble in women decades later, new research warns. This so-called “perinatal” depression was linked to a 36% higher odds of developing heart disease within the next 20 years, reported a Swedish team led by Dr. Emma Bränn, of the Karolinska… read on > read on >
The discovery that the Epstein-Barr virus might be a major driver of multiple sclerosis has re-energized research into the autoimmune disease. Now, investigators in the U.K. and Sweden believe they might be closer to understanding how the virus, which also causes mononucleosis, might help spur MS. “The discovery of the link between Epstein-Barr Virus [EBV]… read on > read on >
A new blood test might be able to predict Parkinson’s disease up to seven years before symptoms of the movement disorder surface, researchers said. The test correctly predicted a high risk of Parkinson’s in 16 patients who went on to develop the disease, results show. If validated, the test could help provide early treatment that… read on > read on >
Two new studies offer reassurance that using the diabetes drug metformin before and during pregnancy is not linked to birth defects. The latest findings, which apply to men planning to conceive with their partners or women in early pregnancy, contradict a 2022 study that found metformin use by men in the three months before they… read on > read on >
The average American diet has only improved modestly over the past two decades, despite tons of research tying unhealthy food to obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, a new study finds. The percentage of U.S. adults with a poor diet decreased from 49% to 37% between 1999 and 2020, based on data from a… read on > read on >
