Los Angeles county is seeing more cases of flea-borne typhus, with 171 cases and three deaths reported in 2022, health officials reported Thursday. That’s a big rise, they noted: Since 2010, when only 31 cases of typhus were reported, fleas have been spreading the disease widely in the California city. While many people who become… read on > read on >
A wave of leprosy cases in Florida has led public health officials to conclude the disease-causing bacteria may be naturally found in the state. In the past, most people with leprosy in the United States had been first infected in some other country where it might be more common. But the U.S. Centers for Disease… read on > read on >
The trauma and unhappy family dynamics of childhood may follow kids into old age, affecting both their mind and body, according to new research. “We looked at self-reported disability, as well as objectively measured physical and cognitive impairment, and learned that early-life stressful experiences can have ramifications all the way into older age,” said senior… read on > read on >
More girls started puberty before age 8 during the COVID-19 pandemic, a phenomenon called precocious puberty, researchers say. The reasons include potential risk factors such as increased screen time and less exercise, according to a new study, published online Aug. 3 in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. In precocious puberty, children’s bodies begin changing… read on > read on >
After their U.S. states legalize marijuana, young adults who aren’t in college are more likely than college kids to use the drug and progress to cannabis use disorder, a new study finds. Prior to legalization, 23% of non-college young adults reported using cannabis in the past month, and after legalization it went up to 28%,… read on > read on >
So, your high schooler has been complaining of headaches. Should you worry? Maybe, claims new research that finds bullying and suicidal thoughts are both linked to more frequent headaches in teens. “Headaches are a common problem for teenagers, but our study looked beyond the biological factors to also consider the psychological and social factors that… read on > read on >
Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo was named on Wednesday to become the next head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a job most recently held by Dr. Anthony Fauci, well known for his work on HIV and the pandemic. Marrazzo will start her new job in the fall. She is currently the director… read on > read on >
Experts have long recommended breastfeeding for its many benefits for infants, but a new study puts a hard number on breast milk’s lifesaving effects. Breastfeeding is associated with a 33% reduction in infant deaths in the first year, according to the study of nearly 10 million U.S. babies. The research looked at babies born in… read on > read on >
All eyes are on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week as the agency weighs approval of a new pill that may quickly treat and ease severe postpartum depression. Approval of the drug could help millions of women regain their emotional equilibrium following childbirth. The FDA’s decision is expected by Friday. Taken as a… read on > read on >
Artificial intelligence (AI) programs can safely be used to help radiologists review mammogram images and detect breast cancers, early results from an ongoing clinical trial show. A single radiologist aided by AI wound up detecting about 20% more breast cancers from mammogram images than two radiologists working together, according to a report in the August… read on > read on >
