Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo are racing to try to identify the cause of a mysterious, flu-like illness that has sickened 376 people and left 79 dead in that country.
In a alert pos...
A cutting-edge genetic test can rapidly detect and identify almost any kind of disease-causing microorganism in the human body, whether it’s a virus, bacteria, fungus or parasite, researchers say.
Doctors have been using the genetic test for more than a decade to i...
The bad news first: shower heads and toothbrushes in an average bathroom are teeming with an extremely diverse collection of viruses, most of which have never been seen before, a new study finds.
Now, the good news.
These viruses target bacteria, not people, and co...
A non-drug nasal spray could theoretically help stop the spread of respiratory viruses like the flu and COVID-19 better than wearing a mask, a new study suggests.
The spray uses i...
New England is on alert following one death and a handful of infections of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus.
A New Hampshire resident died after contracting EEE, which is spread by mosquito bites, according to a
Cancer growth can be fueled by flecks of ancient viral DNA lodged into the genetics of modern humans, a new study says.
Overall, about 8% of the human genome is made of bits of DNA left behind by viruses that infected our primate ancestors, researchers say.
Called ...
Over-the-counter nasal sprays could be a potent weapon against a major public health threat -- antibiotic resistance, researchers report.
Their analysis, which looked at data from nearly 14,000 adults, found that common nasal sprays could help keep upper respiratory trac...
While exposure to raw cow's milk infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus can make you sick, a new study suggests the virus may not spread quickly to other people.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that mice and ferrets got sick with
An experimental "air mask"could help ward off infectious diseases while people are on the job, researchers report.
The mask uses an air curtain blowing down from the brim of a hard hat to prevent airborne viruses from reaching a worker's eyes, nose and mouth.
The m...
Health officials in the Florida Keys have issued a dengue fever alert after two confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne disease were reported there.
In the alert, issued this week by the Monroe County Depar...
Your children's never-ending colds and sniffles may have protected them from the worst effects of COVID-19, new research suggests.
Throughout the pandemic, it was clear that the SARS-CoV-2 virus tends to cause less severe symptoms in
As bird flu continues to spread among U.S. dairy cows, reassuring new government research finds the pasteurization process widely used in the industry effectively kills all bird flu virus in milk.
Live bird flu virus has not been found in any of the first batch of retail milk samples tested, federal health officials said Friday.
Amid an ongoing outbreak of bird flu in U.S. dairy cows, the early findings should reassure the public that the milk sold in stores remai...
As bird flu continues to spread among dairy cows in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday it will start requiring testing of the animals if they are moved across state lines.
The "USDA has identified [bird flu] spread between cows within t...
Alaska health officials say a man in that state has died after contracting Alaskapox, a rare virus that mostly infects small mammals.
In a statement, the Alaska Section of Epidemiology said the patient was ...
Low vaccination rates for the flu, RSV and COVID-19 are putting Americans at higher risk for severe illness and hospitalization this winter, a new government alert warned Thursday.
There is an "urgent need"to boost vaccination rates as the trio of viruses spread through ...
FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2023 (Healthday News) -- In testimony provided Thursday to members of Congress, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that a surge in respiratory illnesses in China is not being fueled by a new virus.
Instead, the spike can ...
Air filters might help keep the air in your home fresh, but a new review finds they don't appear to reduce your risk of catching an airborne virus.
Technologies designed to make indoor spaces safer from infection are not effective in the real world, researchers from the ...
A cheap, do-it-yourself air purifier is powerful enough to effectively protect a home from free-floating flu and COVID-19 viruses, according to test results from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The filter, crafted with common hardware store supplies costing $60...
Demand for a new shot that protects babies against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has outpaced supply, prompting U.S. health officials to recommend the doses be saved for high-risk infants.
In an alert post...
A potentially deadly infection carried by mosquitoes may be more prevalent than once thought, U.S. health officials report.
Named the Cache Valley virus after the Utah area in which it was first fo...
Yellow fever may be resurfacing in the United States, thanks to climate change.
The mosquito-borne viral illness decimated southern U.S. cities from 1820 to 1905, and now a new report says it could return to those areas.
One of the potential reasons fo...
New research has uncovered evidence that remnants of the COVID-19 virus may remain in some patients' guts for months, contributing to the lingering symptoms known as long COVID.
The remnants appear to trigger a drop in levels of the chemical serotonin, which may explain ...
Toilet bowls reveal much about the health of a community, alerting scientists to coming outbreaks of flu and other seasonal viruses, researchers say.
In rare cases, some patients may develop an autoimmune disease following a bout of COVID, Korean researchers report.
Conditions such as alopecia (hair loss), psoriasis, vitiligo (white skin patches), vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels), Crohn's disease, ulcerativ...
It's time to get the flu shot.
They're important not just for adults, but also for children, and keeping the whole family safe, according to an expert in pediatrics.
Long COVID, a constellation of symptoms that extend past the initial illness, is now a recognized condition.
But researchers say COVID-19 may not be the only respiratory virus that causes these lasting health impacts -- "long colds" may also exist.
"Our findings s...
Moderna Inc. announced Wednesday that it has seen positive early results with a new vaccine that would guard against four strains of flu plus COVID-19.
In interim findings from a Phase 1/2 trial, the vaccine showed both a strong immune response compared to the standard d...
More than 80% of eligible Americans did not get a COVID-19 booster shot last fall. Now, a new study reveals the reasons for the hesitation.
Nearly 40% of survey participants said a prior COVID-19 infection factored into their decision to not get the booster. Another 31.5...
Recent research has suggested that viruses could play a role in the loss of pancreatic beta cells, which triggers type 1 diabetes.
Now, a new trial finds antiviral medications, when given soon after a child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, might help preserve those vi...
New research shows the COVID-19 virus can directly infect coronary arteries, inflaming fatty plaque inside them, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
This may explain why some people who get COVID-19 have a greater chance of developing heart disease. ...
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.
...Women may soon have a vaccine they can take during a pregnancy to help protect their newborn from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Following approval one month ago by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday also a...
Symptoms of mild COVID-19 infection have shifted this season, and now are more akin to those of allergies and the common cold, doctors say.
Many people with COVID-19 now are presenting with upper respiratory symptoms like runny nose, watery eyes and a sore throat, said <...
COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths are gradually increasing in the United States, as two new variants gain a foothold in the nation. And with that rise, more people are looking for COVID test kits.
Hospitalizations rose by nearly 9% and deaths by nearly 11% in late Aug...
Following on an approval granted Monday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, an expert panel from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday also signed off on new COVID boosters for Americans.
Final approval is expected from CDC Director Dr. Ma...
When you have COVID-19, when are you most infectious? Researchers are getting closer to an answer, with a new study finding that folks exhale the highest amounts of virus during the first eight days of their illness.
Scientists found that patients exhale quite a bit of ...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday gave the green light to new COVID boosters for Americans, setting the stage for the updated vaccines to become available within days.
The COVID-19 shots from Pfizer and Moderna will join the flu shot and newly approved RSV ...
You've probably heard of West Nile virus, but mosquitoes spread various other illnesses, too, including the little-known Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV), which is garnering attention across the United States.
For example, health officials in Connecticut have so far identifi...
Some good news for folks who are worried about the new, troublesome COVID variant known as BA.2.86: Moderna Inc. said Wednesday that its updated vaccine held its own against this highly mutated version of the virus.
While approval for the newest version of the vaccine i...
Doctors are seeing a spike in severe cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among young children in Florida and Georgia, U.S. health officials warned Tuesday.
A new COVID-19 surge is underway, with seasonal changes and new variants fueling an increase in hospitalizations and deaths.
A new Omicron variant, named Eris, has become dominant in the United States amid signs that an even more highly evolved COVID variant called BA.2....
COVID-19 variants are evolving three times faster in white-tailed deer than in humans, according to a new study.
Deer serve as virus reservoirs, places where a virus thrives and multiplies, making them the perfect host for ongoing mutation.
The virus also appears...
Public health officials have detected the new BA.2.86 variant of COVID-19 in U.S. wastewater, giving rise to concerns about the highly mutated variant in the United States.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced
Women may soon have a vaccine they can take during a pregnancy to help protect their newborn from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), following U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the shot, called Abrysvo, on Monday
The vaccine is designed to be given to pregnan...
The idea of "doing your own research"didn't begin with the pandemic, but new research suggests that those who follow that ideology have been more likely to believe COVID misinformation.
"We had heard the phrase a lot before,"prior to the pandemic, said researcher
All infants should receive the new long-acting preventive monoclonal antibody for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the nation's leading pediatrics group said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urged that access to the new medication, called nirsevimab, be equita...
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...
As researchers continue to try to better understand the condition known as long COVID, a new study has discovered that symptoms can emerge months after infection or even return later for some folks.
The research is considered the most comprehensive look at how symptoms e...