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Health News Results - 46
Is the First Cure for Advanced Rabies Near?
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- September 28, 2023
- Full Page
Rabies virus is incurable and almost always fatal once it has invaded the central nervous system, with the victim doomed to suffer a horrible death.
But researchers now think they've found an effective and simple treatment that can cure even advanced cases of rabies.
...
Summer Buzzkill: Sorting Out Mosquito Myths & Facts
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 15, 2023
- Full Page
Mosquitoes can be a big pest, leaving behind itchy bumps on skin and potentially spreading serious diseases, such as West Nile virus.
Sam Telford III is a professor of infectious disea...
3 LA County Deaths Show Flea-Borne Typhus Is on the Rise
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- August 4, 2023
- Full Page
Los Angeles county is seeing more cases of flea-borne typhus, with 171 cases and three deaths reported in 2022, health officials reported Thursday.
That's a big rise, they noted: Since 2010, when only 31 cases of typhus were reported, fleas have been spreading the dise...
New Malaria Case Reported in Florida Brings National Total to 8
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- July 19, 2023
- Full Page
The United States now has had eight reported cases of malaria, seven of them in Florida, state health officials reported Tuesday.
Considered a public health emergency, these cases are the first in two decades to be acquired within this country's borders, not reported by ...
This Summer, Know Your Risk for Insect Sting Allergy
- Todd A. Mahr, MD, Executive Medical Director, American College Of Allergy, Asthma And Immunology HealthDay Reporter
- June 19, 2023
- Full Page
If you're dreaming of the perfect summer vacation, one element certain to be excluded from that scenario would be an allergic reaction to a stinging insect.
Whether you're planning to travel within the United States or to a foreign locale, you'll need to take precaution...
Dog Bites More Common on Hot, Hazy Days
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 16, 2023
- Full Page
Just like their humans, dogs get cranky when temperatures and air pollution levels surge.
Heat and air pollution have previously been linked to human aggression. Now, researchers say it also appears that there are more dog bites on hot, polluted days.
More research...
Ticks Can Take a Licking From Really Tough Weather
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 5, 2023
- Full Page
Ticks are extremely resilient even when temperatures vary wildly, according to scientists who are working to better understand the spread of Lyme disease.
In their new study, black-legged ticks, notorious for carrying pathogens, were very good at surviving both extreme c...
Avoid Ticks (and Lyme Disease) This Summer
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 13, 2023
- Full Page
The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to not get bitten by a tick, or to get it off your body within 24 hours.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy the great outdoors. Experts from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston offer some tips for keeping ticks away.
Spring, Summer Is Peak Time for Dogs Biting Kids
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 3, 2023
- Full Page
In the spring and summer, everyone races outside with their dogs to enjoy the warmer weather, but a new study suggests there is a downside to that.
More children are bitten by dogs in those months, according to researchers at Nemours Children's Health.
But a dog bi...
Dengue Fever Is Making Inroads in Europe
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 14, 2023
- Full Page
Cases of the mosquito-borne illness dengue are typically seen in the tropics, but with the changing climate that may be changing.
Doctors from the United Kingdom and France are scheduled to present a case study at a meeting of a European medical association about a Briti...
Do City Lights Mean More Mosquito Bites?
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 12, 2023
- Full Page
Mosquitoes appear to be affected by artificial light at night, but whether that's a good or bad thing is an open question.
New research finds that urban light pollution may disrupt the winter dormancy period of the mosquitoes that transmit the West Nile virus.
That...
Iguana Bite Left Vacationing Toddler a Medical Issue Months Later
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 3, 2023
- Full Page
A family vacation to remember, but maybe not for the best reasons.
Doctors report on an unusual case where a hungry iguana bit a vacationing toddler's hand, passing on an infection with a germ called Mycobacterium marinum.
A 3-year-old girl named Lena Mars...
Tick Bites Can Trigger Meat Allergy: What You Need to Know
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- March 27, 2023
- Full Page
If you are experiencing mysterious recurrent vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, you may want to consider that a tick could be responsible.
When the lone star tick bites a person, it can transmit something called “alpha gal,” the sugar that's present in all mammal...
Shark Bites Are Declining Worldwide
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- February 7, 2023
- Full Page
It's a little safer to get into the water: Unprovoked shark attacks dropped to a 10-year low worldwide in 2022, shark watchers say.
A total of 57 unprovoked bites occurred in 2022, tying with 2020 for the fewest number of reported incidents during the last 10 years,...
Monoclonal Antibody Might Help Prevent Malaria
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- August 4, 2022
- Full Page
Researchers are reporting early but encouraging findings on a potential new way to prevent malaria — an old foe that still ranks as a major killer worldwide.
In a small trial of heal...
Flies, Roaches Probably Don't Spread COVID
- By Sydney Murphy HealthDay Reporter
- August 1, 2022
- Full Page
You may not have even considered the possibility, but new research finds that flies and roaches are not likely to spread COVID-19.
Although public health professionals and officials now have a better understanding of how COVID-19 spreads, there are lingering concerns abo...
Summer Bug Bite? Expert Gives Answers on Care
- By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- July 30, 2022
- Full Page
Bugs are a part of summer, like it or not.
While many times bug bites are little more than an irritating inconvenience, some can trigger a medical emergency, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), which offered tips on telling one from the othe...
Seeing Red: Why Mosquitoes Make a Beeline for Your Skin
- February 8, 2022
- Full Page
TUESDAY, Feb. 8, 2022 (HealthDay News ) -- Mosquitoes see red when they look at your skin, and that brings them in for a bite, according to research showing that these insects find certain colors more attractive.
CDC Warns of Rise in Rabies Linked to Bats
- January 6, 2022
- Full Page
Three people died recently in the United States recently from rabies linked to bats, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. They bring the total number of U.S. rabies cases in 2021 to five.
That's a sharp rise over prior years -- no reported r...
Animal Study Offers Hope for a Vaccine Against Lyme Disease
- Robert Preidt
- November 23, 2021
- Full Page
An experimental Lyme disease vaccine shows promise in animal studies and could also help protect against other tick-borne diseases, researchers say.
The vaccine -- which relies on the same mRNA technology used by some COVID-19 vaccines -- protected guinea pigs against in...
Lyme Disease Often Spotted at Later Stage in Black Patients
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- October 15, 2021
- Full Page
The tell-tale sign of Lyme disease is its bulls-eye rash, but that might be harder to spot in Black people, who are often diagnosed with more advanced disease than white people are, new research suggests.
The first sign of Lyme disease looks different on darker skin, and...
Japanese Scientists Discover New Disease Carried by Ticks
- Robert Preidt
- October 7, 2021
- Full Page
Scientists in Japan have discovered yet another tick-borne virus that can make people sick.
The Yezo virus is transmitted by tick bites, and triggers fever and a reduction in blood platelets and white blood cells.
"At least seven people have been infected with this...
Lyme Disease Can Wreak Havoc on Mental Health
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- August 17, 2021
- Full Page
Lyme disease can exact a significant mental toll as well as a physical one on its sufferers, a new study confirms.
Patients hospitalized for Lyme disease had a 28% higher incidence of mental disorders and were twice as likely to attempt suicide than people without Lyme, ...
It's Tick Season: Protect Yourself From Lyme Disease
- July 25, 2021
- Full Page
When you're heading outdoors this summer, keep an eye out for ticks during and after your outing, health experts say.
These common parasites can transmit Lyme disease, a potentially serious illness.
Lyme disease is transmitted to people through the bite of an infec...
Alligator Attack Nearly Cost This Firefighter Dad His Arm
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- June 23, 2021
- Full Page
You might not believe it, but Florida firefighter Carsten Kieffer was incredibly lucky when a 12-foot alligator leapt into his boat and chomped down on his right forearm.
Just about no one else thought so, and that went double for Kieffer: Both main bones in his arm were...
Why Do Dogs Bark & Bite? Fear May Be Key
- Robert Preidt
- May 7, 2021
- Full Page
That growling dog may actually be terrified of you.
Fear and age-related pain are among the reasons why dogs are aggressive toward people, a new study suggests.
The findings could help two-legged folks better understand and prevent aggressive behavior, such as grow...
New Rabies Prevention Treatment Also Works in Kids: Study
- Robert Preidt
- February 16, 2021
- Full Page
Getting bitten by a dog or wild animal is frightening, especially for kids, but a new study may help relieve some of the worry about catching rabies.
The rabies prevention treatment KEDRAB is safe and effective for patients 17 and younger, a groundbreaking pediatric clin...
Global Warming Has Ticks Jumping From Dogs to Humans
- Robert Preidt
- November 16, 2020
- Full Page
Climate change could increase people's risk of getting dangerous diseases from ticks, researchers warn.
The investigators conducted tests with brown dog ticks that carry the bacteria that cause the deadly disease Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and found the ticks ar...
Fall in the Southeast Means Guarding Against Fire Ant Stings
- Robert Preidt
- October 6, 2020
- Full Page
The sting of fire ants can be painful and even deadly -- and the threat rises during fall across the southeastern United States.
At this time of year, fire ants move to warm surfaces such as concrete slabs or asphalt roads, according to the American College of Allerg...
Study Zeroes in on How Zika Virus Is Passed From Mom to Fetus
- Robert Preidt
- September 1, 2020
- Full Page
New insight into how pregnant women can pass the Zika virus to their fetus could point to ways to prevent it, researchers say.
Babies infected with Zika in the womb can have abnormally small heads (microcephaly) and other birth defects.
In this study, resea...
One Disease Mosquitoes Don't Spread: Coronavirus
- Robert Preidt
- July 29, 2020
- Full Page
Although scientists haven't nailed down how the new coronavirus jumped to humans, a new study confirms mosquitoes aren't to blame -- and you won't get COVID-19 from a mosquito bite.
"While the World Health Organization has definitively stated that mosquitoes cannot t...
Despite Threat of Lyme Disease, Tick Control Lags Across U.S.
- Robert Preidt
- June 17, 2020
- Full Page
Tick monitoring and control is lacking in much of the United States despite a steady increase in tick-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease, a new study finds.
In the United States, tick-borne illnesses more than doubled between 2004 and 2018, according to the U.S. C...
Venturing Out? Guard Yourself Against Disease-Carrying Ticks
- Robert Preidt
- May 9, 2020
- Full Page
As pandemic-related restrictions ease and people return to parks and other outdoor spaces, remember to protect yourself against another threat -- ticks.
"With our latest mild winter, ticks have been active in much of the region on warmer days all winter long," said J...
What's Source of 'Stinging Water'? Jellyfish Release Toxic Mucus
- Robert Preidt
- February 19, 2020
- Full Page
The mystery of "stinging water" has been solved, scientists say.
Stinging water is the seawater near and around upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea) -- and swimmers can get stinging, itchy skin while submerged in it, even if they have no direct contact with the c...
Bacteria Could Be Weapon Against Mosquito-Borne Dengue
- Robert Preidt
- November 22, 2019
- Full Page
Lab-altered mosquitoes have made a big dent in the spread of dengue fever, researchers report.
How? Australian scientists released mosquitoes carrying a bacteria that prevents transmission of the dengue virus.
The strategy resulted in a 76% decrease in ...
Climate Change a 'Threat to Human Well-Being,' Scientists Say
- Dennis Thompson
- November 5, 2019
- Full Page
A global coalition of more than 11,000 scientists warns that planet Earth is facing a "climate emergency" that will cause "untold human suffering" unless drastic steps are taken.
The warming climate is already taking a toll on human health, causing widespread hunger ...
Chinese Scientists Cut Local Numbers of Dangerous Mosquito by 94%
- Dennis Thompson
- July 17, 2019
- Full Page
Some mosquitoes spread diseases to humans through their bite, passing along harmful pathogens like Zika, dengue fever, West Nile virus and chikungunya.
Now humans are turning the tables, infecting these dangerous mosquitoes with bacteria that sabotage their ability t...
Insect Stings Are Just a Buzzkill for Most Folks
- Robert Preidt
- July 16, 2019
- Full Page
Although unwelcome, insect stings pose a serious risk threat to only a small percentage of people, a medical expert says.
"While millions of people suffer insect stings, true allergic reactions occur in a mere 0.4 to 0.8% of children and up to 3% of adults," ...
It's Mosquito Season: Here's How to Protect Yourself
- Len Canter
- July 4, 2019
- Full Page
Summer is synonymous with mosquitoes, and that means possible exposure to the West Nile and Zika viruses. Both are spread mainly through mosquito bites.
Most people won't experience symptoms from either virus, but there are important differences to be aware of.
...
Flying Insects in Hospitals Carry 'Superbug' Germs
- Robert Preidt
- June 21, 2019
- Full Page
Many flies and flying insects in hospitals carry bacteria that could pose an infection risk to patients, and more than half of them carry the types that resist antibiotics, a new study says.
British researchers used ultraviolet-light flytraps, electronic fly killers ...
Which Dogs Are More Likely to Bite Your Kids?
- Robert Preidt
- June 6, 2019
- Full Page
No parent wants their child to suffer a dog bite, and new research offers some guidance on which dogs are the riskiest around young kids.
The body size and head shape of dogs affect the bite and injury risk they pose, the researchers found.
For the study, t...
Lyme Disease Now a Threat in City Parks
- Steven Reinberg
- May 15, 2019
- Full Page
As deer populations have exploded across America, moving from forests to suburbs to urban parks, they have brought the threat of Lyme disease to millions of city dwellers, a new study finds.
In fact, the deer tick that spreads Lyme disease is as prevalent in many New...
AHA News: Should You Be Worried About Blood-Hungry 'Kissing Bugs'?
- May 3, 2019
- Full Page
It sounds like something out of a horror film: A blood-hungry insect feeds on its prey's faces while they sleep, leaving behind a parasite that can cause stroke and heart disease.
But the triatomine, or so-called "kissing bug," is all too real and found regularly in...
There May Be Antidote for Ocean's Most Venomous Creature
- Robert Preidt
- May 1, 2019
- Full Page
Strong currents and sharks aren't the only threat to saltwater swimmers in Australia. A deadly jellyfish often tops their list of threats.
But researchers working with mice have discovered a potential antidote to the lethal sting of the Australian box jellyfish -- th...
Let Your Lawn Grow: It's Good for Bees, Won't Attract Ticks, Study Finds
- Robert Preidt
- April 5, 2019
- Full Page
You now have an excuse to skip cutting the grass every weekend -- it's beneficial for the bees.
And mowing your lawn less often to provide native bees a better habitat won't lead to an increase in disease-carrying ticks, experts say.
When research ecologist...
Tick Bites More Likely to Cause Red Meat Allergy Than Thought
- Robert Preidt
- February 27, 2019
- Full Page
Certain tick bites can cause a red meat allergy, and now scientists are shedding new light on the condition, known as alpha-gal syndrome.
Alpha-gal is a sugar found in most mammal blood, but not in humans.
"Our original hypothesis was that humans developed...