There’s been another case of locally acquired malaria in the United States, this time in Maryland, authorities report. It’s the first time this has happened in that state in 40 years. No evidence connects this case to seven locally acquired infections in Florida or another one in Texas that were previously reported, according to the… read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Vaccines Against Shingles, Pneumonia May Also Lower Your Alzheimer’s Risk
Certain adult vaccines, including shingles and pneumonia shots, may also help seniors fight off Alzheimer’s disease, new research reveals. Prior vaccination with the shingles vaccine, pneumococcus vaccine or the tetanus and diphtheria shot, with or without an added pertussis vaccine, are associated with a 25% to 30% reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers… read on > read on >
Does Prior Omicron Infection Shield Against Future Infection? Maybe Not
People may assume that a COVID-19 infection protects them the next time they encounter the virus, but that’s not necessarily true. A new study of 750 vaccinated seniors living in retirement homes and long-term care facilities found that those infected during the first omicron wave were actually more vulnerable to reinfection with a later wave.… read on > read on >
The #1 Enemy of Good Sleep for School Kids: Screens
Video games and social media are keeping school kids up at night, according to a new survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). But so, too, are more constructive pursuits, including homework and extracurricular activities, which can be a problem when it comes to setting a good sleep routine early in the school… read on > read on >
Blinded by Chemical Burns, Patients Regained Sight With New Stem Cell Therapy
Phillip Durst was working near an industrial dishwasher when something went awry, and the machinery spewed caustic chemicals into his eyes. “If I had been standing a foot left or right, it wouldn’t have hit me right where it did. I was just standing in the wrong place,” said Durst, 51, of Birmingham, Ala. The… read on > read on >
AHA News: ‘I Feel Like I’m Dying’: Days After Giving Birth, TV Anchor Couldn’t Make Sense of Symptoms
FRIDAY, Aug. 18, 2023 (American Heart Association News) — Five days after giving birth to her second child, Lauren Lowrey woke up with a sharp pain in her upper back. She couldn’t draw in a deep breath. The TV news anchor, who was living in Indianapolis at the time, was recovering from a delivery via… read on > read on >
1 in 10 ICU Patients With Heart Issues Has Illicit Drugs in Their System
More than 1 out of every 10 patients who land in an ICU with a potentially deadly heart emergency test positive for recreational drug use, a new French study reports. About 11% of nearly 1,500 patients admitted to a French intensive cardiac care unit for a heart crisis tested positive for cannabis, opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine… read on > read on >
WHO Monitoring Highly Mutated New Strain of COVID-19, Now Spotted in Michigan
A new COVID variant with very few known cases but many mutations has been swiftly moved into the World Health Organization’s “variant under monitoring” classification. Four known cases of the variant, dubbed BA.2.86, have been so far identified worldwide, including one case in Michigan. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that… read on > read on >
Gene Study Reveals Brain’s Complex Organization
The brain is a complex organ, and a new study — believed to be the largest ever on the brain’s genetics — identifies more than 4,000 genetic variants linked to brain structure. The research, involving some 36,000 brain scans, was led by a team at the University of Cambridge in England. Brains are quite varied… read on > read on >
Does Smoking Change the Teenage Brain?
Teens’ desire to start smoking, and later to keep smoking, may be linked to differences in gray matter in their brains, a new study reveals. Researchers found that reduced gray matter in the left frontal lobe was found in kids who started smoking by age 14. This area is involved in decision-making and rule-breaking. Once… read on > read on >