August is Autoinflammatory Disease Awareness Month, a time to learn about a group of rare conditions that can cause repeated episodes of inflammation throughout the body. Although these diseases are uncommon, they can have a major impact on the people who live with them.
Multiple sclerosis, often called MS, is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks the central nervous system. This can damage myelin, the protective covering around nerves, and lead to symptoms such as vision problems, numbness, weakness, fatigue, and trouble with movement.
What Did the Research Discover? The research demonstrated that a 10-month quality improvement initiative significantly increased the number of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) RNA-positive patients who initiated curative treatment in a primary care setting. The proportion of patients who started treatment rose from 66.0% to 75.5%, and of those who initiated treatment, an...
What Did the Research Discover? Scientists investigated how the 2019-nCoV coronavirus (now known as SARS-CoV-2) spread to humans and whether previous claims about its origins were accurate. Earlier studies suggested that snakes were an intermediate host and that the virus had genetic sequences similar to HIV-1, raising concerns about its origin. To test these...
What did the research discover? Recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a significant rise in whooping cough (also known as pertussis) cases. For the week ending September 14, 2024 there were 291 new cases were reported, with New York and Oklahoma experiencing the highest numbers. So far in 2024, the U.S. has recorded over...
What did the research discover? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved FluMist for self- or caregiver-administration. FluMist is a nasal spray vaccine that helps prevent the flu (influenza) in people aged 2 through 49. While FluMist has been around since 2003, it previously had to be administered by a healthcare provider. Now, it can be given by...