Two More Bird Flu Cases Reported in Colorado Poultry Workers

Two more cases of bird flu have been reported in Colorado poultry workers, but reassuring research finds the virus doesn't seem to be fueling silent infections, U.S. health officials report.

The two additional H5N1 avian flu infections bring the total in that state to six, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a healt...

CDC Warns of Listeria Outbreak Tied to Deli Meats

At least 28 people have been hospitalized and two have died in a multi-state outbreak of listeria linked to deli meat, U.S. health officials warned.

In an investigation notice posted Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the true number of illnesses is likely higher because there is often a lag time in repor...

Money Worries Keep Depressed Americans From Mental Health Care

Medical debt is significantly more common among people with a mood disorder, and these money woes can keep them from getting the help they need, a new study says.

Among people with depression or anxiety, those with medical debt were twice as likely to delay or forego mental health care as those who were debt-free, results show.

“Th...

Scientists May Have Stopped a Form of Inherited Blindness in Dogs

In her youth, Shola, an English Shepherd Dog, was a member of the Edale Mountain Rescue Team, a corps of U.K. pooches charged with helping hurt and stranded hikers.

But Shola was retired as part of the Rescue Team after a rare genetic disease affecting dogs, called progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), robbed her of her sight.

It's to...

Prenatal Exposure to Zika Virus Might Affect Child's Immune System

Children exposed to Zika virus in the womb might suffer long-term damage to their immune system, a new study warns.

Zika virus is known to cause microcephaly, brain disabilities and other birth defects in about 5% of children whose mothers contract Zika virus while pregnant, researchers said.

But this study suggests that the 95% of c...

Scientists May Have Spotted Way to Predict Seizures

The risk of seizures within the next 24 hours can be predicted by watching for abnormal brain activity patterns in people with epilepsy, a new study finds.

The storm of brain activity that characterized a seizure is presaged by abnormal communication between specific areas of the brain, researchers discovered.

They say they can forec...

As Days Heat Up, More Seniors Skip Doc Appointments

More folks, especially seniors, are missing doctors’ appointments due to extreme weather, a new study shows.

The rate of missed primary care appointments increases 0.64% for every 1-degree increase in temperatures 90 degrees or hotter, researchers reported recently in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The same g...

Dogs Can Smell Your Stress and Make Choices Based on It

Dogs can sniff out whether a human is stressed or relaxed, new research suggests, and that sensory feedback appears to influence canine emotions and choices.

The dog doesn't even have to know the human well to interpret odor in this way, the British researchers noted.

“Dog owners know how attuned their pets are to their emotions, b...

Natural Medicine: Head Outside for Better Mental Health, Study Finds

Spending time in nature can provide a boost for people with mental illness, a new review finds.

Even as little as 10 minutes spent in a city park can improve a person’s symptoms, researchers found.

The positive effects of nature approved particularly helpful for people with mood disorders like depression or bipolar disorder, result...

Daily Supplements May Slow 'Dry' Form of Macular Degeneration

Daily supplements can slow loss of vision related to late-stage “dry” age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a new study finds.

The rate of dry AMD progression into a key eye region slowed by about 55% over an average three years for late-stage patients who took a daily blend of antioxidants and minerals, researchers reported July 16 ...

Common Sickle Cell Drug Won't Harm Female Fertility

A drug called hydroxyurea has long been used to fight sickle cell disease, but some female patients may have shied away from it due to concerns that it could harm future fertility.

Those fears may be unfounded: A new study finds that hydroxyurea has no effect on what's known as "ovarian reserve" -- the number of healthy eggs a girl or woma...

FLiRTy Summer: All You Need to Know About the Latest COVID Variants

As yet another batch of variants fuel a COVID surge this summer, one expert offers advice on how to navigate the threat.

“We've seen a bit of a seasonal pattern emerge, where we've had an uptick in COVID in the summer and then another one in the winter -- usually the winter one being more severe,” said Dr. Michael Ben-Aderet, associate...

Expert Offers Tips to Control Excessive Sweating

Sweating in the heat, while exercising or when under stress is natural and expected.

But if you find yourself excessively sweating in the absence of those conditions, you might have a condition known as hyperhidrosis, one expert says.

That form of excessive sweating "can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life,” ...

German Patient is 7th Person Probably Cured of HIV

A German man has become the seventh person to apparently be cured of HIV, researchers report.

The 60-year-old man, referred to as the “next Berlin Patient,” was treated with a stem cell transplant in October 2015 for acute myeloid leukemia, researchers said.

He stopped taking the antiretroviral drugs needed to suppress HIV in Sep...

Studies Support Use of Daily Antibiotic to Prevent STDs in High-Risk Groups

It's long been known that popping the antibiotic doxycycline within 72 hours of a risky sexual encounter can greatly reduce a person's risk for a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

In fact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formally recommended this type of "morning after" strategy last month.

But what if folks ...

FDA Allows Marketing of Vuse Tobacco-Flavored Vapes

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday authorized the sale of the country's best-selling e-cigarette.

The agency's decision only applies to several tobacco-flavored versions of the reusable product, sold as Vuse. In January 2023, the FDA rejected R.J. Reynold’s application for its more popular menthol flavor, but the company h...

Mushroom Gummies That Sickened Users Contained Illicit Psilocybin

Mushroom gummies being sold to promote brain function might instead contain harmful ingredients not listed on the label, including illicit psilocybin, the hallucinogen found in “magic” mushrooms, experts warn in new report.

Five people in Virginia, including a 3-year-old child, have been sickened by the gummies, University of Virginia ...

Too Many Breast Cancer Survivors Miss Out on Genetic Screening

Many breast cancer patients aren’t getting genetic counseling and testing that could help them get the most effective treatment, a new study finds.

Only three-quarters of patients eligible for genetic testing after their breast cancer diagnosis actually received it, researchers reported July 15 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.