Children born with a common viral infection are nearly 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a new study finds. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is part of the herpes family of viruses. It spreads through body fluids like blood, saliva and urine, and it’s usually harmless in healthy people. Around a third … Read more
Spot-on advice? Dr. Sasha Haddad is sharing three hacks she’s learned since becoming a family medicine physician, including how to prevent acne after a sweaty workout session. In a 10-second TikTok set to “Fireball” by Pitbull, Haddad recommends spraying hypochlorous acid on your face after going to the gym, treating sunburns with cicaplast balm and … Read more
Amateur mixologists are unknowingly concocting a “microbe-brew.” Doctors are warning against TikTok’s uber-viral “sink drink” trend because it could be a recipe for a bacterial infection. For the uninitiated, this DIY booze technique involves MacGyvering a variety of beverages from sangria to horchata in the kitchen — or even bathroom — sink, as seen in … Read more
Researchers at Virginia Tech say they have developed an eco-friendly menstrual product that won’t cramp your style. It’s a pad with a special formula that allows blood to turn to gel. The pads absorb more blood and leak less than traditional ones, according to findings published Wednesday in the Cell Press journal. “A pad with … Read more
A 14-year-old boy in India died Thursday from an infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba he contracted while swimming in contaminated water. The teen, named Midrul, had reportedly picked up the parasite while bathing in a pond in Kozhikode, Kerala, India Today reported. He was subsequently admitted to a local hospital on June 24 after … Read more
Multiple recalls of pet food this week have sparked fears of bacterial infections. The Food and Drug Administration has issued two separate recalls — one for dog and cat food and another for hedgehogs — over fears of contamination that could cause illness and, in some cases, potentially death. Dog and cat food recall Viva … Read more
A New York company has recalled 40 types of bagged spinach after traces of listeria were found in a batch. Solata Foods, LLC. of Newburgh, New York, which operates seven different brands of produce, has issued a recall of its line of “fresh spinach” products, distributed locally in retail stores, according to the Food and … Read more
A critically ill Connecticut woman has been treated for the same life-threatening, flesh-eating infection that is plaguing Japan. The American patient was admitted to her local hospital after experiencing symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, elevated heart rate and low blood pressure. Subsequent medical scans showed fluid buildup in the patient’s lungs as well … Read more
A fit 28-year-old California man nearly died due to cardiac arrest after doctors mistook his sepsis for anxiety and sent him home. “Being misdiagnosed @UCLA hospital almost cost me my life at 28,” Joe DuPont claimed in an X post describing his nearly-fatal ordeal. The saga began in late April after the Californian, who works … Read more
A mom underwent a hysterectomy to battle her years-long urinary tract infection only to wake from the surgery to realize her symptoms were unchanged. Sally Murali spent years battling chronic UTIs, a condition that is not technically recognised in Australia. “It completely took over my life, I found it hard to even function,” Ms Murali … Read more
A woman dubbed the “world’s hottest” scientist has shared her diagnosis of a potentially “deadly” mosquito-borne disease. In a video on Instagram, ecologist Rosie Moore told her 192,000 followers she had contracted dengue fever while traveling in South America. Dengue is a viral infection spread by two species of mosquito that manifests in flu-like symptoms, including sudden … Read more
Airplanes can often feel like disease barges with recycled air and tons of passengers in a confined space for hours at a time. Fortunately, Georgia researchers have discovered the section of the aircraft where travelers are the least susceptible to germs, which they detailed in a 2018 study. To determine which part is the most … Read more
With the arrival of a new, highly contagious fungal infection in NYC, health experts are sharing what you need to know to keep yourself safe. An unidentified NYC man in his 30s was diagnosed with the first US-reported case of Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII), a rare, sexually transmitted form of ringworm. Details of his … Read more
Health experts are warning of new and highly contagious fungal strains after an NYC man in his 30s developed a sexually transmitted form of ringworm — the first reported case in the US. “Healthcare providers should be aware that Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII [TMVII] is the latest in a group of severe skin infections to have now … Read more
You should always check the expiration date on your products — a lesson one woman learned the hard way. A TikTok doc has shared the sometimes graphic results of using expired skin care products, showcasing a woman who badly burned her skin after contracting a bacterial infection. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn, who goes … Read more
The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has joined nearby islands in declaring a public health emergency after a spike in cases of dengue fever. The health department reports there have been more than 540 cases so far this year, which is a 350% increase when compared to activity over the last five years. “This year, dengue cases have exceeded … Read more
A woman has revealed how she started having suicidal thoughts following a short phone call with a doctor. Annaleise Easlea thought she had cut herself shaving and it wasn’t healing around the time she was meant to have a regular check-up. “The doctor agreed they thought it was a cut from shaving but she swabbed it … Read more
This will put a bad taste in your mouth. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that, from 2015 to 2020, 214 enteric disease outbreaks — caused by pathogens including E. coli, campylobacter or shigella — and more than 2,000 cases of illness were associated with drinking water, 80% of which were linked … Read more
A New Mexico man has died of complications from the bubonic plague as state health officials scramble to assess the ongoing risk in the region. The unidentified Lincoln Country resident had been hospitalized recently with the bacterial affliction, although the details surrounding how he contracted it and how his health deteriorated remain unclear, the state … Read more
Here’s how to dill with a sore throat. Instead of going straight for tea with honey, you might want to open up a jar of pickles. Dr. Linda Yancey, infectious disease specialist at Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, Texas, shared why eating pickles or drinking pickle juice can help relieve a sore throat. Pickles, … Read more