Influenza Vaccinations Delay is Expected
Three influenza vaccinations will be postponed for three to four weeks this year. These three vaccines make up around 40% of the influenza vaccinations market in the United States. Pharmaceutical companies supplied around 160 million doses last year. This delay is worrying pediatricians, parents and teachers as many of the children have already started school […]
Antibiotic Resistant Infections
by Julia Vann Imagine a society where a minor cut could threaten your life. It may seem silly, but that is exactly the danger we currently face with the rise of antibiotic resistant infections. According to a year long research study conducted by the Annals of Emergency Medicine, bacteria resistant to the most common […]
World Antibiotic Awareness Week
World Antibiotic Awareness Week (Nov. 13-19): The Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance “This year’s theme: Seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional before taking antibiotics.” (WHO) Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is known as infections that no longer respond to drug treatments. For the most part, AMR can happen one of two ways. The first way is […]
Fruit and vegetable intake
Based on an ongoing surveillance system, fruit and vegetable intake across America remains lower than the recommended portions. Fruit and vegetables not only adds valuable nutrients but also reduces the risk for heart disease, stroke, some cancers and helps manage body weight. The data is collected through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an ongoing, […]
Pneumonia hospitalizations
Pneumonia hospitalizations are common in the U.S. but doctors are still not unable to determine the cause in most cases. According to the study, Etiology of Pneumonia in the Community (EPIC) published in the New England Journal of Medicine, neither viruses or bacteria are detected in most cases. The study examined three hospitals in Chicago and […]
Heroin deaths quadruple
The Centers for Disease Control recently published a report titled Today’s Heroin Epidemic that calls attention to a sharp increase in heroin-related overdose deaths in the United States. According to the CDC, the number of deaths almost quadrupled between 2002 and 2013 and usage has increased across a number of demographics. Heroin use increased across […]
California vaccination bill
On June 25th, California’s assembly voted to approve a bill that would end religious and personal belief exemptions from vaccinations for school children. To officially pass, Gov. Jerry Brown will have to sign off on the bill as well. The bill would make California the 32nd state to ban exemptions based on personal beliefs, but […]
HIV MTCT in Uganda
According to the World Health Organization, 35 million people were living with HIV in 2013. That number includes 16 million women and 3.2 children. Additionally, there were 2.1 million new infections that year while AIDS was responsible for 1.5 million deaths. Though HIV is a global epidemic, almost 70% of cases and 80% of deaths […]
Chloroquine ineffective for Ebola treatment
Chloroquine, an antimalarial drug once thought to be a viable treatment for Ebola, was ineffective in a new study using mice and hamster models. Chloroquine has been proven safe for humans and is also inexpensive. For more than 30 years, chloroquine has been effective due to its antiviral properties in HIV-1, coronaviruses, dengue, chikungunya and influenza treatments, […]
Increasing melanoma rates
A recent press release by the CDC reports increasing melanoma rates in the United Sates. From 1982 to 2011, melanoma rates tripled from slightly over 11 occurrences per 100,000 people to almost 23 per 100,000. Over 90 percent of these cases occur as a result of overexposure to ultraviolet radiation. Skin cancer is the […]
Lassa fever death in U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed a death in the U.S. by Lassa fever. The patient traveled from Liberia to Morrocco and landed at JFK International Airport. Lassa fever is a viral disease common in West Africa. It was discovered in 1969 and named after the Nigerian town where it was first diagnosed […]
Journey towards polio eradication
Polio eradication remains a priority for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Without eradication, a resurgence of polio could paralyze more than 200,000 children worldwide every year within a decade,” says Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, Director of the CDC. The journey towards polio eradication has been a collaborative effort. In 1998, the CDC […]