Pneumonia

Keeping teeth squeaky clean can spare people from contracting pneumonia in hospital, a new analysis of more than 2,700 patients has found, with fewer cases of the common lung infection linked to daily toothbrushing.Selina Ehrenzeller and Michael Klompas, two epidemiologists specializing in infectious disease at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, pooled data from 15 clinical trials where people either brushed their teeth multiple times daily, or washed their mouths out with antiseptic mouthwash, swabs, or…

Experts say a pneumonia outbreak among children in Ohio and a cluster of pneumonia cases in China are unrelated, despite some social media posts and tabloid articles that have ambiguously linked the two.The usual respiratory pathogens are making their rounds this cold and flu season, yet the specter of the pandemic has left many on alert for the next novel agent.“I understand outbreaks in China can make people nervous, but this is not that,” says Paul Offit, an infectious disease physician at Children’s Hospital of…

Memories of the Covid-19 pandemic have resurfaced as a mysterious respiratory illness among children emerged in China, the epicenter of the earlier outbreak. Hospitals in many Chinese cities have been operating at maximum capacity the past two months, taking in more than 9,000 patients a day. The alarming scenes from China have put health authorities worldwide on high alert. This Mint Explainer aims to delve into the causes of this mysterious illness, how it differs…

You may have heard reports about outbreaks of pneumonia affecting children in the Netherlands, Denmark and parts of the US and China, which are higher than usual for this time of year.Parents are keeping a watchful eye on the news, while public health officials monitor the global incidence of severe respiratory infections and record cases and causes. However, there is no new virus or other type of new pathogen to worry about in these outbreaks.Here's what we know.Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by…

November 28, 20233 min readA surge in respiratory disease in China appears to be caused by known pathogens, but the pattern of infections is still unusualBy Nature magazine & Gemma ConroyParents with children suffering from respiratory diseases line up at a children's hospital in Chongqing, China, China is grappling with a surge in respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia, in children. The World Health Organization (WHO) said last week that common winter infections — rather than any new pathogens — are behind the…

An unusual surge of respiratory illness has been plaguing China in recent months, with increased cases of pneumonia affecting children in particular. Despite some early confusion, however, local health officials say these cases are not being caused by a novel germ. Instead, the surge is likely tied to a mix of known respiratory diseases such as influenza and RSV that are hitting harder than normal due to reduced population immunity in the area.Biggest Forest Fire in New Mexico HistoryNews of the strange cluster first…

After recovering from the COVID-19  pandemic, China is again witnessing an unusual surge in child pneumonia…

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Veterinarians are working to figure out the cause behind a cluster of respiratory illnesses in dogs across the U.S. Over 200 suspected cases have been documented since late summer, mostly from Oregon. The illness appears to have a low fatality rate, but dogs have experienced prolonged symptoms and haven’t responded well to antibiotics.The Hunger Games Director Francis Lawrence on Adapting a PrequelThe Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) seems to be the first major party to have caught wind of the mystery canine…

A new antibiotic combo has proven promising in a clinical trial for treating an often-deadly form of pneumonia. The experimental drug was found to be at least as effective in preventing death as the current standard, but with far milder side effects.The more exposure bacteria get to a specific antibiotic, the better they evolve defenses against it, and eventually that drug is no longer effective. Traditionally when this happens we just move onto new drugs, but the supply is rapidly running out. In many cases we’re down to…