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
A little sunburn and seasickness might be the least of your worries once you set sail on that dream cruise. More than 150 people, including 17 Americans, are currently confined to their cabins aboard a luxury cruise ship amid a suspected hantavirus outbreak that has left them stranded off the coast of West Africa. At … Read more
Bryan Johnson has never shied away from sharing, but the famed biohacker crossed a new rubicon of TMI this week. While mere plebeians may boast about their partner’s emotional intelligence, running ability or musical talent, Johnson is out here publicly praising the top-tier quality of his girlfriend Kate Tolo’s privates. The revelation train began when … Read more
New research has found a concerning characteristic in babies that could greatly affect their health down the line. While some gut microbiome can pass in utero, a newborn’s gut microbiome was previously thought to be nearly sterile, mostly acquiring bacteria during birth or via breastfeeding. But new findings may prove otherwise, according to research presented … Read more
Loren Schauers was “extremely happy and fulfilled” in his construction job — until a routine task in 2019 upended his life forever. “I’ll always remember that day. I got in the forklift, and I was asked to move a water barrier back into place,” recalled Schauers, who was 18 at the time. “I sank immediately … Read more
Achoo fly? One Greek woman’s close encounter with a family of sheep bot flies is nothing to sneeze at. It all started next to a field of grazing sheep in Greece, where an unidentified 58-year-old was working outdoors in the dry September heat. She “noticed numerous flies swarming around her face,” according to a new … Read more
Looking to fix your problems in the blink of an eye? Spraying an acid onto your peepers isn’t exactly intuitive. But it might be just the thing you need to keep yourself free of styes and eye infections. Skincare influencers have been overflowing with praise for an acid spray that’s mild enough to apply to the … Read more
Celebrity gossip titan Perez Hilton has a message for his viewers, and it’s not about who’s kissing who or who’s looking fat. It’s about flu meds. And taking them according to their instructions. On his YouTube channel this week, the 48-year-old addressed the “crazy saga” that put him in the hospital for 21 days, explaining … 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
Forget bedbugs and cockroaches — NYC is battling “superbugs” that can’t easily be quashed. Candida auris, for one, survives on surfaces even after cleaning, frequently evades standard antifungal treatments and can trigger fatal bloodstream infections. New York has seen a steady increase in Candida auris cases since the state officially detected the dangerous fungus in … Read more
Sacramento health officials sounded the alarm about a potential measles outbreak on Monday after more than 100 children were exposed to an unvaccinated child at an educational enrichment program. It’s far from the only community at risk. The US has already passed 1,000 confirmed cases this year, with infections “worse than expected” in Utah and … Read more
Don’t get your panty liners in a twist. One OB-GYN is in a cramp about the overuse of panty liners when one of her patients mentioned wearing the sanitary pad every day. Calling it “panty liner abuse”, the doc took to social media to explain why this is a big no-no when it comes to … Read more
Travelers are spreading drug-resistant gonorrhea at alarming rates, prompting calls to embed sexual health advice into all stages of the Australian travel pathway. New The University of Queensland research points to unprecedented levels of international travel sparking heightened sexually transmitted infection cases. The researchers point to the natural growing trend of more people in the … Read more
Measles is back in a big way — and it’s catching some doctors off guard. In North Carolina, hospital staff took a staggering two hours and 20 minutes to isolate 7-year-old twin brothers who arrived at an Asheville ER last month with fever, cough, rash, pink eye and cold-like symptoms, KFF Health News reports. The … Read more
VD for Valentine’s Day? In case you needed a reason to stay celibate this weekend, there’s a sexually transmitted fungus making the rounds and leaving its mark. Experts say the public should be aware of the nation’s “largest known outbreak” of Trichophyton mentagrophytes genotype VII. Known as TMVII, or TM seven, the nasty business is the only … 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
Talk about getting down and dirty. The start of the new year means more people are heading to the gym and picking up weights — and increasing their risk of picking up and spreading germs. The results aren’t pretty. New research found pesky little bacteria lurking under fingernails long after the end of a workout. … Read more
Measles is back with a vengeance — and the danger doesn’t end when the rash fades. The US saw a dramatic rise in cases last year, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting the highest numbers of the highly contagious respiratory disease in more than 30 years. And the numbers keep climbing. Federal … Read more
Imagine a low-calorie, protein-packed noodle that evokes the butteriness of French cheeses. The good news is that you don’t need to book a table at a buzzy new bistro to try it. This earthy delicacy is served in a brown paper bag — and it doesn’t really put up a fight. “Mealworms [are] a contender … Read more
This is snot funny. One seemingly harmless childhood habit could come with a cost — and has even led to hospitalization. Those works of art your kids might produce from their noses don’t make them Picasso, and could instead cause a serious, even deadly infection. Sticking your boogers to the wall may be convenient, but … Read more