Medical specialties

A fungal outbreak has likely sickened nearly 100 workers at a Michigan paper mill, local health officials say. The infection is known to be caused by fungi that live in soil and decaying wood, but at this time, the source of the outbreak is unclear.Lower Drought Conditions In California | Extreme EarthThe fungal disease is called blastomycosis, named after the Blastomyces fungus that causes it. People usually become infected bybreathing in spores that have been kicked up in the air, though only around half will go on to…

Covid-related precautions helped minimize the spread plenty of other communicable diseases. But now, those bugs are back, along with some new challenges. The CDC reports that strep A infections (a.k.a strep throat), caused by a bacterium known as A Streptococcus, have surged from covid lows to above pre-pandemic levels in 2022 and 2023. And the recent spike in strep cases coincides with a shortage of one of the medicines most commonly used to treat the infections, particularly in children, as pointed out in a Monday NPR…

A 3-year-old girl’s holiday in Costa Rica was ruined by an iguana in more ways than one. The scaly reptile stole her cake, but not before biting her hand and transmitting a rare bacterial infection that endured for months, according to the girl’s doctors. Fortunately, the infection was treatable.Won’t Virtual Reality Make Me Sick?The unusual case will be presented later this month by doctors at the annual European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, but details were made available to the public…

Several teams of scientists believe they have uncovered the likely cause of a mysterious surge of severe hepatitis last year that hospitalized and killed children around the world. In threestudies published this week, the groups detail evidence that a common but usually not pathogenic virus was strongly associated with the cases, likely aided by co-infection with other common viruses. The affected children might have been genetically unlucky as well.Is AI Moving Too Fast? | Future TechEarly last year, health officials…

A woman sunbathes in a roped-off distancing zone on a beach in La Grande Motte, southern France, on May 21, 2020.Photo: CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP (Getty Images)Everyone knows you can be allergic to things like peanuts, bees, and cats. For people with such allergies, they can often get through life in relative safety by simply avoiding their triggers. But some unfortunate folks have rare allergies to things that are nearly impossible to avoid, like water and sunlight. Here are a few of the weirdest triggers known to drive…

Have you ever wondered if the data recorded by a wearable gives you insight into how your body is really performing? Research from Oura, created by data taken from the Oura Ring smart ring, shows wearables really can better inform you of your health, and even warn of oncoming infections. For its research, the team concentrated on its wearers who had a confirmed COVID-19 infection, and also tracked the body’s response to the COVID-19 vaccine. The results are interesting, as they show that — despite not being medical…

We still have more to learn about one of the world’s oldest drugs: aspirin. In research out this week, researchers say they’ve uncovered more about how the drug reduces inflammation. The findings might pave the way toward creating similar but safer treatments for inflammation and possibly even cancer, according to the team.Lions on Oxytocin are Surprisingly ChillAlso known as acetylsalicylic acid, aspirin was first synthesized around the turn of the 20th century, though a precursor to it—derived from willow plants—has…

A subset of Missouri legislators care deeply about freedom. For instance: The God-given right to NOT accept a life-saving vaccination and still attend public school or go to work in a hospital. Also, the freedom to not be forcibly injected with a (non-existent) microchip device or a DNA-altering substance.Lawmakers in the state’s House have advanced a bill (HB700) that would seriously weaken covid-19 vaccine mandates and restrict Missouri’s ability to respond to future pandemics. As a bonus, the would-be law also feeds…

If you were already stressed about increased air pollution and more frequent heat waves, well, you can add another disturbing health impact of climate change to your list: the flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, which is thriving in warming U.S. waters. In a study published this week in Scientific Reports, researchers found that infections by bacteria Vibrio vulnificus could double in the United States within the next 20 years. The spread of this life-threatening germis being fueled by hotter temperatures that are…

Image: quiggyt4 (Shutterstock)Scranton is ranked in the top five on the list for an average total allergy score, receiving an 87.08-point ranking, the study reported.Grass and weed pollen is a top component here, and while tree pollen peaks in mid-February, it can continue well into May. Fortunately, residents and visitors won’t have to worry about weed pollen levels until fall when the weather changes. Image: quiggyt4 (Shutterstock)Scranton is ranked in the top five on the list for an average total allergy score,…