Health

In a significant health shift, the 2016 change in the oral polio vaccine, aimed at eradicating the disease, inadvertently contributed to new outbreaks. This modified vaccine strategy, called “the switch,” removed a strain of the poliovirus that was causing outbreaks, in an effort to make it easier to control the disease. Tracing the origins of the virus that led to the recent paralysis of a child in Gaza, the first such case in the region in more than two decades, is a complex process. Genetic tracing suggests the virus likely originated in Nigeria, then appeared in Chad in 2019. From…

Despite cholera being a preventable and low-cost treatable disease, recent data from the World Health Organization indicate a worrying increase in death rates, outpacing the increase in infection rates. Last year saw a 71% increase in cholera-related deaths worldwide, compared to a 13% increase in new cases. Factors such as climate-related disasters and ongoing conflict are exacerbating outbreaks, particularly in regions where there have been no recent cases. Philippe Barboza, head of the cholera programme at the WHO's health emergencies department, expressed dismay at the rapidly rising death rates, highlighting the global disdain for a disease that predominantly affects the…

A recent comprehensive study of nearly 1 million births at 68 hospitals in New Jersey found a troubling trend: Black women are disproportionately undergoing unnecessary cesarean sections, which not only put them at risk for serious health complications but also appear to be driven by hospital capacity rather than medical necessity. This groundbreaking research, one of the largest of its kind, found that black women, even those with low risk factors similar to their white counterparts, were 20 percent more likely to have a cesarean section when they saw the same doctor at the same hospital. This discrepancy was even…

Dr. Francisco Lopera, a prominent neurologist known for his work with a particularly large family in Colombia affected by Alzheimer's, passed away on Tuesday at his residence in Medellín at the age of 73 from metastatic melanoma. His passing was confirmed in an announcement from the neuroscience team at the University of Antioquia in Medellín, which Dr. Lopera had directed until his retirement last month. During his nearly four-decade tenure as a professor at the University, Dr. Lopera achieved groundbreaking advances in Alzheimer's research. He was instrumental in uncovering the genetic roots of the disease within a large family network…

In densely populated areas of New York City, the presence of live animal markets is raising significant public health concerns. These markets, often nestled near residential areas and educational institutions, facilitate close interactions between humans and a variety of animals, including chickens, ducks, and other birds. A recent observation in Queens highlights the conditions inside these markets: Chickens and other poultry are kept in cramped wire cages, stacked on top of each other. This setup not only compromises the animals’ well-being, but also creates an environment conducive to the spread of diseases like avian influenza. Beneath these cages, other animals,…

A recent study from the University of Washington, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals significant differences in brain development between adolescent girls and boys following coronavirus-related lockdowns. The research focused on cortical thinning, a normal part of brain maturation in which the brain sheds excess synapses and shrinks its outer layer. This process, which usually begins in late childhood or early adolescence, is known to improve the efficiency of the brain as it matures. However, stress can accelerate this thinning, which is often associated with increased risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and…