Infectious Disease

Loneliness May Warp Our Genes, And Our Immune Systems

7:18am November 29, 2015

by Angus Chen

Loneliness takes a toll on many aspects of health, in part because it activates a fight -or-flight immune response. That may have helped ancestors survive lonely exile, but can slowly kill us today.

Many Americans Believe They Don't Need The Flu Vaccine

1:47pm November 27, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

An NPR poll finds nearly two-thirds of adults got this year's flu vaccine or plan to get it. Many of those who are skipping vaccination cite a lack of need and worries about side effects.

Health & Safety

A Doctor Wrestles With Whether To Keep Wearing His White Coat

8:11pm November 21, 2015

by John Henning Schumann

Putting on the white coat for the first time has become a rite of passage for medical students. Now some doctors want to retire white coats, despite their symbolism, because they might spread germs.

An illustration of rinderpest in the Netherlands in the 18th century. Europeans once feared the cattle virus as much as they did the Black Death.

Rounding Up The Last Of A Deadly Cattle Virus

7:42pm November 12, 2015

by Dan Charles

Rinderpest, or cattle plague, was declared eradicated in 2011. But many research institutes still have samples of the rinderpest virus in storage. Disease experts want those samples destroyed.

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The bacterium that causes syphilis is spread through sexual contact. It's easily cured with antibiotics, but can be hard to diagnose.

More Babies Are Dying Because Of Congenital Syphilis

4:33pm November 12, 2015

by Angus Chen

Many pregnant women aren't getting adequate health care, so they aren't being tested for syphilis. It can kill or seriously disable babies. The 458 cases last year could have been prevented.

Powerful 'Gene Drive' Can Quickly Change An Entire Species

2:18pm November 05, 2015

by Rob Stein

A genetic engineering technique raises hopes for eliminating diseases, such as malaria. But it is also sparking fears of unintended consequences if delicately balanced ecosystems are disrupted.

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The Lone Star Tick May Be Spreading A New Disease Across America

4:15pm October 28, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

An uptick in cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever might actually be due to a newer tick-borne bacterium. It looks like it's causing milder infections — and a lot of confusion.

None of the biocontainment treatment centers in U.S. hospitals were specifically designed for kids — until now. Texas Children's Hospital aims to fill that gap.

Kids With Ebola, Bird Flu Or TB? Texas Children's Hospital Will Be Ready

7:25pm September 30, 2015

by Carrie Feibel

A pediatric hospital in Houston is opening a new biocontainment wing — the first in the U.S. designed for children. Kids will even get dolls sporting mini versions of "spacesuits" doctors wear.

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Wherever You Go, Your Personal Cloud Of Microbes Follows

8:38pm September 22, 2015

by Rob Stein

You're not just shedding microbes on every surface you touch. Research suggests you're actually walking around in an airborne plume of bacteria and other microscopic organisms that's unique to you.

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You could get the fancy antibacterial soap. Or you could just wash your hands with plain old soap and water.

Do You Really Need Antimicrobials In Your Soap?

3:00pm September 21, 2015

by Lynne Shallcross

Triclosan is no better at getting germs off your hands than plain old soap, a study finds. Manufacturers are responding to safety concerns about that antimicrobial by switching to others.