A rise in oral sex may be pushing up HPV infection rates in men, along with head and neck cancers caused by the virus.
Infectious Disease
Exposure to Common Chemicals May Weaken Vaccine Response
A study finds disturbing evidence that chemicals found in furniture, fast-food packaging and microwave popcorn bags may compromise children’s immune systems.
Vaccine Fails to Protect Against Herpes Infection
A promising shot against herpes virus misses the mark. But antiviral drugs can control infection, if only for a short time
How a New Swine Flu Virus Could Complicate Influenza Season
Since August, the CDC has logged 12 cases of human infection with H3N2, a new flu virus from pigs. Should we be worried?
2 Out of 3 Medical Students Don’t Know When to Wash Their Hands
It’s cold and flu season, which means you should be washing your hands — a lot. And that rule should apply to health care workers most of all, to protect not just themselves but their patients. Problem is, most doctors are …
Tracing an Infectious Virus Through the NBA
If, or when, the NBA season does resume after the lockout, teams will have to address another important off-the-court issue: infectious illness.
Early Results: A First-Ever Malaria Vaccine Protects Children
A first-ever malaria vaccine tested in children in sub-Saharan Africa cut the risk of infection with malaria by about half, researchers announced in a teleconference on Tuesday.
Study: 1 in 6 Cell Phones Contaminated With Fecal Matter
What’s on your smartphone? Probably fecal matter, according to new research by London scientists.
A Superbug Toxin Could Help Fight Infection
A team of British and American researchers report that targeting a toxin produced by nearly all Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, including the “superbug” known as MRSA, could lead to potential new treatments for infection.
The Black Death Bacterium Decoded
Wresting DNA from the 663-year-old teeth of victims of the Black Death, researchers have reconstructed the genome of the bacterium that originated in Asia and wiped out up to half of western Europe’s population. It’s the first …
Study Shows the Killer 1918 Flu Began Even Earlier Than Thought
Contagion was high on the box office list again last weekend, proof that millions of Americans are entertained by scenes of infection, suffering, sniffles and autopsies of Gwyneth Paltrow’s brain. The movie can sometimes veer a …
A Tick-Borne Parasite Invades the Blood Supply
A parasitic infection normally transmitted by deer ticks has made its way into the U.S. blood supply, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Tuesday.
Crazy Cat Love: Caused By Parasitic Infection?
You like cats because they’re beautiful, elegant creatures, right? Or is it because you’ve been infected by a parasite that influences your brain?