A consortium of scientists has set about mapping the millions of bacteria that live in and on our bodies, keeping us healthy
Infectious Disease
How 11 New York City Babies Contracted Herpes Through Circumcision
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish circumcision ritual is found to cause neonatal herpes infections in newborns in New York City, prompting health officials to encourage parents to consider the health risks of the practice.
4 Diseases Scarier than Flesh-Eating Necrotizing Fasciitis
In case necrotizing fasciitis — the flesh-eating disease recently making headlines — hasn’t got you freaked out enough, here are four other scary diseases you might not know about.
Necrotizing Fasciitis: The Flesh-Eating Disease One Georgia Grad Student Is Fighting
Aimee Copeland is fighting a rare flesh-eating bacteria. What exactly is necrotizing fasciitis?
Norovirus Outbreak: Why You Shouldn’t Keep Your Grocery Bag in the Bathroom
When was the last time you washed your grocery tote?
Oregon heath officials report in the Journal of Infectious Diseases that they traced an isolated outbreak of norovirus to a reusable grocery bag. The virus was passed among …
Zinc for the Common Cold? Study Finds Weak Evidence that It Works
Popping a couple zinc supplements at the start of cold could save about two days of sniffling, at least for adults, finds a new review.
Mad Cow Disease: How the New Case Was Discovered
The California dairy cow that died of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy was discovered through random testing. See the full story on our companion blog NewsFeed.
WHO: Measles Deaths Are Declining Globally
In the U.S., 2011 was the worst measles year in 15 years, but worldwide, deaths from the disease have plummeted over the past 10 years.
Measles: 2011 Was the Worst in the U.S. in 15 Years
Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. But a report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says infections have risen: last year the U.S. reported the highest number of …
Doctor Infects Himself with Hookworm for Health Experiment
Talk about dedication to the job. To test the association between hookworms — intestinal parasites — and food allergies, Dr. James Logan infected himself with the suckers and swallowed a pill camera to film the action in his gut.
Drug-Resistant Malaria Is Spreading, and It Could Be a Public Health Disaster
Artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites first emerged in Cambodia in 2006. Now researchers say the deadly bugs are quickly spreading.
New Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines Include HPV Tests
A government task force recommends less frequent screening for cervical cancer and reverses its initial advice on HPV testing, allowing it for some women.
Q&A: What You Need to Know About Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C kills more Americans than HIV. How does the virus spread?