Advisors to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are expected to approve new draft guidelines for hospital infection control this week, the first update since 2007. But healthcare workers worry whether the guidelines, which suggest that surgical masks are as good as N-95 masks at preventing the spread of respiratory infections during routine… read on > read on >
Warnings about the dangers of vaping may be reaching American teens: A new U.S. government report shows e-cigarette use is down among high school students. In fact, use of any tobacco product over the past 30 days declined among this age group during the 2022-2023 school year, from 16.5% to 12.6%. This was driven largely… read on > read on >
A new study on Clostridioides difficile infections finds that choosing an alternative antibiotic for high-risk patients with pneumonia can reduce infection risk. C. diff infections can be deadly, and they are often acquired by hospitalized patients taking broad-spectrum antibiotics. More than 450,000 C. diff infections are reported in the United States each year, leading… read on > read on >
Cellphone use might be blunting a fellow’s chances of becoming a father, a major new study reports. Young men who frequently use mobile phones have lower sperm concentrations and sperm counts than guys who rarely dial on the go, Swiss researchers found using more than a decade’s worth of data. However, the data also showed… read on > read on >
A new, more comfortable wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) device could be on its way. Researchers from Australia and India have created a compact, lightweight, gel-free hexagonal-shaped ECG patch that they say is ideally suited for point-of-care diagnostics. For those at risk, having a wearable device that can detect heart problems and assess overall cardiac health can… read on > read on >
Adding warning labels to meat about its impact on climate and health could lower its consumption, a new study suggests. British researchers investigated what adding cigarette-style graphic warning labels to meat in a cafeteria setting might do. “Reaching net zero is a priority for the nation and the planet. As warning labels have already been… read on > read on >
TUESDAY, Oct. 31, 2023 Getting a yearly flu shot is one of the best ways to protect yourself from infection or severe illness, but not everyone likes shots. Now, there is some potentially good news for those who fear needles: A nasal spray flu vaccine that you can take or give at home is on the… read on > read on >
Patients living with endometriosis are more likely to have complications during and after a hysterectomy, new research indicates. Knowing that, surgeons should be prepared for these problems from the outset, the researchers from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center noted. Among the surgical complications are the need for blood transfusions and increased risk of infection. “This… read on > read on >
As sweltering summer days become more common, the number of Americans who die of heat-related heart problems or strokes could soar over the next few decades, a new study projects. The study — published Oct. 30 in the journal Circulation — estimates that by mid-century the United States will see those preventable deaths more than… read on > read on >
Fewer Americans are rolling up their sleeves for the updated COVID-19 shot, leading health experts to call for a stepped-up vaccination campaign. Only 7% of adults and 2% of children in the United States have received the new vaccine, a nationwide survey conducted two weeks ago revealed. Experts expressed dismay at the numbers — which… read on > read on >
