THURSDAY, Dec. 1, 2022 (HealthDay News) – U.S. health officials will begin testing wastewater for poliovirus in select locations around the country, including possibly at sites in Michigan and Pennsylvania. The testing will happen in communities that have low polio vaccination rates or those with possible connections to New York communities that are linked to… read on > read on >
An early surge in cold and flu cases has created shortages in key antiviral and antibiotic drugs needed for the annual “sick season,” pharmacists report. The antiviral flu drug Tamiflu is in short supply for both adults and children, in both its brand name formulation as well as the generic version, said Michael Ganio, senior… read on > read on >
Children exposed to the Zika virus may need more support as they start school, even if they were not diagnosed with Zika-related birth defects and congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), a new study suggests. Children may still have differences in brain development, including those in thinking skills, mood and mobility, though researchers said some identified in… read on > read on >
Researchers warn that high rates of cervical cancer screening in women over 65 suggest that some older Americans are being unnecessarily screened. More health data on these screenings in older women is needed to prevent potential harm and unnecessary costs, said the team from University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)… read on > read on >
Teenagers and young adults who use benzodiazepines to treat insomnia may be at heightened risk of overdose, a new study finds. Benzodiazepines include anxiety medications like Ativan, Klonopin, Valium and Xanax, as well as prescription sleep aids such as estazolam (ProSom), triazolam (Halcion) and temazepam (Restoril). In the new study, researchers found that young people… read on > read on >
Kids who are overweight or obese often struggle with school work, and now new research provides clues on how excess weight may harm the developing brain. “The main takeaway is to raise awareness about brain health consequences of obesity besides physical health consequences, especially since obesity rates are very high and continue to rise,” said… read on > read on >
People with long COVID deal with months or years of punishing fatigue, mind-numbing brain fog or a frightening fight to take each and every breath. But they can also face the skepticism of others, a new study finds — employers and doctors questioning whether they’re really sick, friends avoiding them, family losing patience. About 95%… read on > read on >
Out-of-pocket costs may make as many as 1 in 5 women forgo additional screening when an initial mammogram finds an abnormality, a new U.S. study finds. The Affordable Care Act improved access to mammograms, but high-deductible insurance plans appear to keep women from important follow-ups, according to the findings. “The ACA removed out-of-pocket costs for… read on > read on >
Monkeypox still exists, but its name is being phased out over racism concerns. For the next year, the terms monkeypox and the new name mpox will be used interchangeably before the virus is permanently renamed mpox, the World Health Organization announced Monday. “Racist and stigmatizing language” arose after the virus spread to more than 100… read on > read on >
MONDAY, Nov. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) – U.S. health officials are tracking a new COVID variant that’s a combination of two earlier Omicron subvariants. Known as XBB, this latest subvariant now represents 3.1% of new COVID cases throughout the U.S. and 5% of cases in the Northeast. Based on preliminary estimates from the U.S. Centers… read on > read on >
