In a recent study published in the journal Eurosurveillance, researchers discuss the recent pertussis epidemic in Denmark, focusing on age-specific incidences, infant hospitalization rates, and the effectiveness of maternal vaccination to enhance infant protection. Study:  Pertussis epidemic in Denmark, August 2023 to February 2024 . Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock.com What is…

In a recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers evaluate the efficacy of nirmatrelvir in combination with ritonavir against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Study:  Nirmatrelvir for Vaccinated or Unvaccinated Adult Outpatients with Covid-19. Image Credit: Alexsey t17 / Shutterstock.com A brief history of COVID-19 patient…

In a recent study published in the journal Npj Vaccines, researchers presented the method of Reverse Vaccine Development, which provides an opportunity to determine the correlates of protection in the early stages of clinical trials for vaccines against pathogens that are resistant to antimicrobial agents to prevent problems such as significant phase-III clinical trial failures,…

A recent study published in The Lancet presented the global burden of 288 mortality causes and life expectancy decomposition. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) has been analyzing causes of human death for over three decades, which has been used to guide policies, monitor/assess health interventions, and reduce risk factors.…

In a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers investigated the associations between individuals’ perceived levels of social isolation and brain patterns related to food cues, psychological outcomes, and obesity. Their results indicate that loneliness can lead to challenges in control and motivation when responding to foods and have important implications for the development…

In a recent study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, researchers conducted environmental surveillance to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in two flood control channels in the United States (US), influenced by homeless individuals. They detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA (short for ribonucleic acid) and novel spike gene mutations in the channels…

A TMJ patient in Maine had six surgeries to replace part or all of the joints of her jaw. Another woman in California, desperate for relief, used a screwdriver to lengthen her jawbone daily, turning screws that protruded from her neck. A third in New York had bone from her rib and fat from her…

For Cindy Westman, $30 buys a week's worth of gas to drive to medical appointments and run errands. It's also how much she spent on her monthly internet bill before the federal Affordable Connectivity Program stepped in and covered her payments. "When you have low income and you are living on disability and your daughter's…

A routine blood test that measures a patient's inflammation levels could improve the early diagnosis and management of a wide range of debilitating autoimmune diseases. The Systemic Inflammation Index (SII) uses information from routine laboratory data to measure inflammation in the body and examining this index in a new way could provide vital answers says…

Scientists have been searching for the optimal coronavirus vaccine since the Covid-19 pandemic started. The mRNA vaccines developed through the federal government's "Operation Warp Speed" program were a massive innovation; however, annually updating those boosters for specific SARS-CoV-2 variants is inefficient for scientists and patients. SARS-CoV-2 is just one member of the Sarbecovirus (SARS Betacoronavirus) subfamily…