A rare and potentially fatal tick-borne illness currently spreading across the United States can be traced back to a 1958 case involving a young boy on a farm. The disease, known as Powassan virus, was named for the Ontario town near where it was first discovered. At the time of his death, Lincoln Byers, a 4-year-old living … Read more
Talk about a wriggly situation. When a man in Spain went to the hospital with chronic headaches, brain scans showed poorly-defined lesions, or tissue where the edges are blurred due to abnormal cell growth. Doctors believed all signs were pointing to deadly cancer that had spread — until they took a closer look. The good … Read more
A Red Cross official said on Tuesday that the Ebola epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo had not yet peaked, and could last for a year. Over 800 cases of the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no proven treatment or vaccine, have been reported in Congo, 192 of them fatal. The … Read more
A parasitic tapeworm known as Echinococcus multilocularis — often called the “fox tapeworm” — has been detected for the first time in West Coast wildlife. University of Washington researchers discovered the tapeworm, which can cause a rare but potentially deadly disease in humans, in 37 out of 100 coyotes sampled near Puget Sound in Washington State. The findings … Read more
West Nile virus has been found in two dead crows in Southern California, officials have revealed — a week after it was detected in a mosquito. San Diego County officials detected the new cases in Rolando in East County and near Encanto and North Bay Terraces. While there are no current human cases reported, the … Read more
A dangerous mosquito-borne virus has surfaced in California, prompting officials to intensify surveillance and urging residents to protect themselves from potentially infected mosquitoes. The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District announced that a mosquito sample collected in the North Shore community tested positive for West Nile virus, marking the area’s first detection of the … Read more
Call it a run-in with reality. OpenAI executive Maggie Hott has crossed the finish lines of two Ironman triathlons and 21 marathons, describing herself as a “very, very, very healthy person.” Two years ago, the mother of two decided to find out exactly how healthy she is. A good friend suggested she undergo testing at … Read more
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo’s Ituri province has nearly 600 suspected cases and over 100 deaths, with several Americans exposed to the highly contagious disease. One US citizen is confirmed to have contracted the virus and is being treated at a Berlin hospital, although he is not critically ill and his family has tested … Read more
It’s enough to make your skin crawl. The FDA is warning consumers about the nationwide recall of a popular eczema cream that could be contaminated with a deadly bacterium. MG217 Multi-symptom Treatment Cream & Skin Protectant Eczema Cream is being recalled by Wisconsin-based Pharmacal because it may be contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus, also known as … Read more
The deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has put citizens and health authorities on high alert. Experts believe a few passengers were infected with the Andes strain of hantavirus, which has a mortality rate of up to 40% because it affects the lungs and kidneys, which are critical for survival. Hantavirus is typically … Read more
Hantavirus has been all over the news lately due to a shocking outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The virus is typically transmitted to humans when they breathe airborne particles from the dried droppings, urine or saliva of infected rodents. That’s how Oscar winner Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy, died last … Read more
When tragedy strikes at one of the most grueling sporting competitions on Earth, it would be easy to assume that a lack of preparation was to blame. Unfortunately, the unseen dangers remain even for the most well-trained athletes. Mara Flávia, a 38-year-old Brazilian influencer and triathlete, drowned during the open-water swimming endurance portion of the Texas … Read more
A deadly vaccine-preventable disease is making a comeback. A highly contagious and fast-moving infection that primarily affects children under five years of age is back, as fewer babies get vaccinated year after year. And doctors who have been trained in the past 40 years have never seen a case before. As vaccinations rates among children … Read more
This week, Southern England was rocked by what health officials called an “explosive” wave of meningococcal meningitis infections that resulted in 11 “probable” and 20 confirmed cases, including two deaths, according to the latest count from the UK Health Security Agency. The agency first alerted the public on March 15 about the outbreak of this … Read more
The Food and Drug Administration has expanded its warning about weight loss supplements that contain a toxin that can trigger neurologic, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular problems and even death. The agency determined that an additional product labeled as tejocote (Crataegus mexicana) root or Brazil seed has yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) instead of the ingredients on its … Read more
Don’t call it ChatEMT. OpenAI last month introduced ChatGPT Health, a dedicated space in ChatGPT that allows users to ask health questions, analyze their medical records and connect to wellness apps. Now, weeks after its launch, researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai are raising concerns that the AI tool often fails to … Read more
The key to early detection could soon be folded in your dresser drawer. Researchers in the UK are developing an AI T-shirt that should one day help doctors identify heart conditions more easily and efficiently than a traditional electrocardiogram (EKG). The lead researchers have said they’re developing this piece of wearable tech in large part … Read more
Federal regulators said nearly 23,000 pounds of raw ground beef are being recalled over potential E. coli contamination. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the Class 1 recall Wednesday, warning that the product poses a high risk of causing “serious, adverse health consequences or death.” The affected packages were produced on Jan. 14 by Idaho-based CS … Read more
A potentially deadly fungus has been spreading throughout Tennessee, health officials have warned. Over 35 cases of histoplasmosis, a lung infection caused by exposure to the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, have been confirmed in a three-month period in the Maury and Williamson County area, according to numbers presented on Jan. 12 by the Tennessee Department of … Read more
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday issued an urgent warning to American used car buyers, owners and repair shops after two more drivers were killed in crashes in December by dangerous Chinese replacement air bag inflators that are likely illegally imported. The agency said it was aware of 10 crashes resulting in death … Read more