Shigella bacteria cause an infection called shigellosis and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there are about 450,000 infections each year in the United States alone. In most cases, shigellosis, an inflammatory diarrhea, will clear up on its own without treatment. As XDR Shigella strains continue to grow, doctors are concerned about the future of Shigella infections.
Until the early 20th century, the transmission of malaria was unknown. Doctors would argue about what malaria was, what caused it, and how it spread, everything was up in the air about the disease. In 1897, Sir Ronald Ross dissected the stomach tissue of an anopheline mosquito that had previously fed on a malaria patient. Ross found the malaria parasite and went on to prove to the scientific community and everyone else that mosquitoes were the real culprits for transmitting malaria. However, before this, the late 1800s were full of doctors claiming absurd things regarding malaria.
Pharyngitis occurs when the mucous membranes that line the back of the throat (pharynx) become inflamed. Pharyngitis is the medical term for sore throat and is a common condition that hardly causes significant concern. Typical symptoms of pharyngitis include difficulty swallowing, fever, stomach pain, and dryness. Viral pharyngitis often clears up on its own within a week or so. However, knowing the cause of pharyngitis can help someone determine which treatment options are best for them.
A new injection, which was developed by ViiV Healthcare, has been approved by the U.S. health authority to give protection against HIV, UN News reported. The injection’s main active ingredient is cabotegravir, which will help to offer two months of HIV protection. “But we need urgent action to ensure people everywhere can benefit,” Philippe Duneton, UNITAID executive director said.
As global warming continues and glaciers and ice sheets melt, a new threat is surfacing from the permafrost. When land remains frozen for two or more years, it’s called permafrost, according to Newsweek. Some of the oldest permafrost, which is more than 650,000 years old, resides in Siberia. So how could this land, which has been frozen for years, be the cause of a new threat?
Part of the excitement of travel is trying all of the fantastic foods celebrated by different cultures. However, many famous delicacies are notorious for causing illness or even death if they aren’t prepared correctly. Here are a few of the world’s most dangerous foods that you might want to think twice about before you tuck in.
This spring, the avian influenza, or bird flu, was found in two cetaceans in two entirely different parts of the world. The first was an infection in a stranded porpoise in Sweden, and the second was in a bottlenose dolphin in a Florida canal. While this disease has been recognized for spreading amongst North American and European bird populations, it still affects other species. However, these are the first records of it being found in cetaceans, another name for marine mammals like whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2021 there were roughly 247 million cases of malaria worldwide, putting nearly half the world’s population at risk of the disease. However, the risks and burdens of malaria are highly disproportionate. The WHO African Region is home to 95% of malaria cases. Malawi, a small country in southeastern Africa, is one of the areas where malaria wreaks havoc. The Malawi Ministry of Health (MoH) states that malaria is not only the leading cause of death in Malawi, but it also claims about 3 lives a day. The MoH is hopeful that adding the malaria vaccine to its routine immunization program could help lower both cases and deaths.
Catherine the Great is a well-known historical figure, but there’s so much more to learn about this Russian empress than what we see on the surface. One of the more compelling facts is that she sparked an interest in inoculation against viruses like smallpox.
Babesiosis is an infectious tick-borne disease that comes from protozoa, which are microorganisms. There are over 100 species of Babesia, common in animals like deer, mice, horses, cats, and dogs. Only two strains of Babesia are known to infect humans. Recently, cases of babesiosis have more than doubled in some Northeastern states between 2011 and 2019. Many people who develop babesiosis are asymptomatic, while others experience flu-like symptoms (chills, sweats, and muscle aches). People with compromised immune systems or other risk factors are at risk of having severe or fatal cases. The disease was rare for decades in the United States but is now endemic in 10 states in the Northeast and the Midwest. Experts are trying to determine why cases are climbing.
