Image courtesy of Wikimedia.

In 2022, Jeffrey Todd became one of more than 30,000 U.S. adults to contract mpox. After noticing his first lesion, he found online images of mpox rashes resembling his blemish. He assumed the rash would disappear by morning.

Instead, over two days, more bumps appeared on his right arm and back. A lesion also emerged on his neck. The spots itched, and he experienced fatigue, backaches, and shooting leg pains.

Todd was eventually tested for mpox and started antiviral treatment. However, the process involved a long and frustrating journey of self-advocacy. After 28 days in quarantine, he resolved to raise awareness about mpox. Todd hoped to prevent others from enduring the same ordeal.

Since 2022, mpox cases in non-endemic countries have dropped. Yet, mpox still harms tens of thousands worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) will convene a meeting this month to evaluate whether mpox still constitutes a global emergency.

[Read more…]

Image courtesy of NIAID and Wikimedia.

A California resident has tested positive for mpox clade I. This strain has spread rapidly in parts of Africa. The development marks the first recorded case of clade I mpox in the United States. The infected person recently returned from East Africa to Sonoma County.

So far, there is no evidence that clade I is spreading in the U.S. Experts say the risk to the general population remains low. Still, the presence of clade I in the U.S. shows how mpox is continuing to spread globally.

In August, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global health emergency. It confirmed this status again during a meeting in November.

[Read more…]

Image courtesy of Barbara Olsen on Pexels.

Sitting too much is dangerous for your health, especially in inactive jobs. Not moving enough raises your risk of death, heart problems, and mental health issues. It can also cause physical problems, like muscle pain and stiffness.

The good news is, small changes can make a big difference. A new study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that daily walking can add years to one’s life.

People in the least active group gained over six hours of life for every hour walked. Those who walked as much as the most active group gained over five years of life expectancy, up to 11 years.

[Read more…]

Image courtesy of Edward Jenner on Pexels.

In fall 2022, I developed a cough and shortness of breath. My symptoms worsened to fever, cold sweats, fatigue, and severe weakness. As a teacher, I missed weeks of work while seeking answers from medical professionals.

Two pulmonologists diagnosed allergic asthma, dismissing my hunch of valley fever. I was prescribed steroids and antibiotics, but neither treatment helped.

Months later, my condition left me barely able to move or breathe. Finally, Dr. Seth Assar, an Arizona pulmonologist, agreed valley fever was likely. Blood tests confirmed the presence of Coccidioides fungus in my system. Antifungal medication brought immediate relief, and I fully recovered in months.

A misdiagnosis of valley fever can be deadly. As cases rise nationwide, awareness and early diagnosis is essential to public health.

[Read more…]

Image courtesy of Miguel Arcanjo Saddi on Pexels.

Jacob Eberspacher, 28, an invasive species forester with the Arizona Department of Wildlife and Agriculture and Department of Forestry, has experienced the harmful effects of vaping firsthand.

“I had an addiction to it,” Eberspacher said. Symptoms included decreased cardiac capacity, difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, and lightheadedness. He eventually realized he could no longer haul gear up mountains as easily for work.

Once, after using his vape, Eberspacher became so dizzy he almost lost control of his vehicle. When he quit, splitting headaches persisted for weeks. The high nicotine concentrations in disposable vapes forced him to wean off. Eberspacher turned to refillable, lower-dose vaporizers. Even then, the cravings lingered.

[Read more…]

After only a few decades with the vaccine, chickenpox cases have plummeted in the United States. But, that doesn’t mean the virus is completely gone. And with the virus still active, there’s a chance your child could come down with chickenpox.

Chickenpox is highly uncomfortable and when your child has it, you want to make sure that they’re as comfortable as possible.

Although, you need to be careful when treating chickenpox symptoms. Despite trying to help, you may make the situation worse and even life-threatening.

[Read more…]

With about half the world’s population living in areas at risk, there are millions of cases of dengue reported each year. Dengue is most common in areas such as Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the western Pacific Islands. Dengue is a virus and is spread to humans through the bite of an infected Aedes species (Ae. aegypti or Ae. albopictus) mosquito. Once you are infected with dengue, you can only treat your symptoms as they appear.

[Read more…]

The yellow fever vaccination card, also known as the yellow card (Carte Jaune), is a physical vaccine card that is used to show that someone has been vaccinated against yellow fever. Created by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is currently the only official international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever. Since the yellow fever vaccine provides lifelong immunity, this card does not expire. It’s validity lasts as long as the immunized individual is still alive. But, that’s not to say you won’t need a new one.

[Read more…]

We all have some form of understanding of what a vaccine is and how it is administered. It is typically given through a syringe, usually injected into a muscle, whether that be the arm, thigh, or gluteus. There are some exceptions, as there are oral vaccinations as well. But, there was a time when there was a different kind of vaccination for an epidemic that was affecting children all across the United States, and that illness was polio.

[Read more…]