Disease and Illnesses

Could a Freeze-Dried Vaccine Spell the End of Polio Worldwide Forever?

The vaccine does not require refrigeration, meaning aid workers could get it to children in hard-to-reach regions of the world. So far, it works in mice.

A trip to the British Museum may be one of the social prescribing options outlined by U.K. doctors

British Doctors May Soon Prescribe Art, Music, Dance, Singing Lessons

Campaign is expected to launch across the entire U.K. by 2023

Princepajaro, a male California sea lion, swims in a pool during treatment for leptospirosis at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA. When a leptospirosis outbreak occurs, the Center’s scientists study the disease to learn more about what causes an outbreak and how we can improve treatment for infected animals.

Major Disease Outbreak Strikes California Sea Lions

Leptospirosis afflicts sea lions on a semi-regular cycle, but warming waters and migrating fish could make the marine mammals more susceptible

Llama antibodies are smaller than human ones, making them ideal for latching onto hard-to-reach areas of flu virus strains

Llama Antibodies May Be the Key to Flu Prevention

Researchers have created a llama-inspired mega protein capable of neutralizing 59 different strains of influenza

Though acute flaccid myelitis is not nearly as widespread as polio was at the height of its outbreaks, nor is the polio virus present in patients with AFM, yet symptoms, including paralysis, starkly resemble the disease. Pictured: Child gets polio vaccine on sugar cube circa 1970s.

A Polio-Like Illness Is Causing Paralysis in Children

Acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM, remains very rare, but cases have been peaking every other year since 2014

Spain nabbed the top spot with an average life expectancy of 85.8 years

United States Drops 21 Spots in Global Life Expectancy Rankings

By 2040, an average American's lifespan is projected to rise from 78.7 to 79.8 years, an increase of just 1.1 years

The bendable patch consists of a thin elastomer sheet with small “islands” of electrodes and piezoelectric transducers that create ultrasound waves from electricity.

This Ultrasound Patch Monitors Blood Pressure in Deep Arteries

The flexible wearable could be an alternative to current invasive methods of measuring central blood pressure within the human body

Swedish researchers used phase-contrast imaging to examine the soft tissue of a 2,400-year-old mummified hand

Now We Don't Have to Unravel Mummies to Study Them at a Cellular Level

Phase-contrast imaging enabled researchers to non-invasively examine a mummified hand's blood vessels, skin layers and connective tissue

An aircraft hull travels the parade route in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Threw a WWI Parade That Gave Thousands of Onlookers the Flu

The city sought to sell bonds to pay for the war effort, while bringing its citizens together during the infamous pandemic

The airways inside the human lung.

Tracking Down the Origins of Cystic Fibrosis in Ancient Europe

CF is the most common genetic disease among Caucasians, and how it became so widespread is something of a mystery

Gene Editing Treats Muscular Dystrophy in Dogs

CRISPR gene editing has relieved symptoms of a canine version of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in four puppies, raising hope for humans

Blood-Sucking Invasive Tick Species Spreading Across United States

The Asian long-horned tick has not yet been found to harbor deadly pathogens, but it poses serious risks to animals

Did George Orwell Pick Up TB During the Spanish Civil War?

A new technique was able to pull tuberculosis bacteria and morphine residue from a letter the author sent in 1938, ten years befor his diagnosis

A human wrist (and wristwatch) imaged with the new 3D, color x-ray machine developed by MARS Bioimaging.

Check Out These Awesome New 3D, Full-Color X-Rays

The scanner uses technology developed for the Large Hadron Collider

This Beer Was Developed For Breast Cancer Patients

A Czech brewery's Mamma Beer is alcohol free and slightly sweet to help overcome the metallic taste of "chemo mouth"

A kissing bug with an attached radio transmitter at a private home in Texas.

How Tiny Trackers Could Help Humans Avoid Kissing Bugs' Deadly Smooch

The insects, which spread Chagas disease, can now be tracked with miniature radios to stop the spread of illness

The antibiotic-resistant superbug MRSA

New "Immunobiotic" Could Treat Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs

The drug, which combines antibiotics and the body's immune system, shows promise in early stages of testing

Before she tackled tuberculosis, Sabin helped rethink the lymphatic system and wrote an acclaimed anatomy textbook.

Florence Sabin Pioneered Her Way in Medical Science, Then Made Sure Other Women Could Do the Same

A scientist and so much more, she helped lay the groundwork for curing tuberculosis but still found time to promote women doctors

Newly Discovered Footage Offers Rare Glimpse of FDR Walking

Stricken with polio at the age of 39, Roosevelt did not like to be photographed as he struggled to walk

Flight Attendants May Face Increased Risk for Many Cancers, Study Finds

Flight attendants are exposed to a number of possible or probable cancer-causing factors

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