Global Health

You've got a trillion friends in low places: Bacteria in the gut may protect against viruses by signaling their presence to your immune system.

How Bacteria In The Gut Help Fight Off Viruses

7:56pm November 14, 2014

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Rotavirus kills more than a half-million kids around the world each year. Now scientists have evidence that the secret to stopping it is hiding in the trillions of bacteria of our microbiome.

North Korean medical workers wore protective suits at Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport this week.

Why Is North Korea Freaked Out About The Threat Of Ebola?

5:40pm November 14, 2014

by Hannah Bloch

Fear of the virus has prompted Pyongyang to ban tourism and quarantine all foreigners. It's a curious stance since the Hermit Kingdom has plenty of other, more pressing health woes.

David Quammen's new book is an extended excerpt of his previous one, Spillover, which explored how dangerous pathogens jump from animals to people.

How 'The Hot Zone' Got It Wrong And Other Tales Of Ebola's History

2:13pm November 14, 2014

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Do people with Ebola actually cry tears of blood? What happens if the U.S. Army thinks you might have Ebola? We catch up with science writer David Quammen to discuss truths and myths about the virus.

A town crier rides his moped through the city of Kayes in Mali, using his megaphone to warn people about Ebola.

Mali Already Has An Ebola Cluster: Can The Virus Be Stopped?

7:58am November 14, 2014

by Jason Beaubien

Hundreds of people in Mali may have been exposed to Ebola. And there's concern that the country doesn't have the resources or experience to stop this outbreak before it gets out of control.

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Mourners at graveside internment. Maryland County, Liberia, 1983.

Liberians Meet Death With Flowers, Trumpets And Cameras

3:07pm November 13, 2014

by Eleanor Klibanoff

To understand why Liberians have had a hard time changing their funeral practices in the age of Ebola, first you must understand their tender and celebratory traditions.

African women signed up for a trial to test pills and gels that can prevent HIV. They swore they were complying. Only they weren't.

Yes, Doctor, I Took My Anti-HIV Meds (But Really, I Didn't)

2:37pm November 13, 2014

by Anders Kelto

African women signed up for a trial to test pills and gels that can prevent HIV. They swore they were complying. Only they weren't. Reasons range from conspiracy theories to ... skin care.

Medical workers will test the effectiveness of three new potential Ebola therapies at clinics run by the nongovernmental organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders).

Health & Safety

3 Potential Ebola Therapies To Be Tested; Liberia Lifts Emergency

12:55pm November 13, 2014

by Bill Chappell

Two of the therapies that medical teams plan to start testing next month involve antiviral drugs. Meanwhile, in Liberia, the president has lifted a state of emergency.

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Swiss Health Officials Try New Ways To Combat Ebola

7:54am November 13, 2014

by Richard Harris

Health officials in Switzerland say they're planning to test some experimental Ebola therapies in West Africa next month. The tests will take place at Ebola clinics set up by Doctors Without Borders.

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A screenshot from a demo of the Ebola-training video game.

Ebola In 3-D: A Video Game To Guide Health Care Workers Through A Ward

8:47pm November 12, 2014

by Nsikan Akpan

Oh no, I touched my face! Uh-oh, I sat on a bed. A hackathon is developing a video game to train doctors and nurses volunteering for Ebola duty in West Africa.

A police officer stands in front of the Pasteur clinic in Bamako, which was quarantined after a nurse there died from Ebola.

Mali Is Worried About Ebola, Quarantines Nearly 100

3:25pm November 12, 2014

by Jason Beaubien

The virus appears to have taken two new victims in the West African country. The government is stepping up its quarantines and contact tracing to prevent an outbreak.