The results suggest that some diseases that are considered non-communicable, such as cancer, could have a component that makes them transmissible by microorganisms in the digestive system. Here’s an unsettling fact: there are more bacterial cells in a person’s body (38 trillion) than human cells (30 trillion). One of the world’s gurus of microbiology, Frederic…
A study aims to quantify the burden of current childhood asthma in the United States in association with smoke from indoor gas stoves. A study aimed to quantify the burden of current childhood asthma in the United States in association with smoke from indoor gas stoves. In light of recent growing public concerns over the safety of…
This flu season, as influenza cases pick up and experts weigh concerns about a possible surge in COVID-19 cases, children’s hospitals are already filling up with another viral threat: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The drastic and unusually early spike in respiratory infection is causing long waits for treatment and worries about a “tripledemic” of a surge…
A number of scientists have wondered if aluminum, a vaccine additive that has been used for decades, had a role in allergies and asthma in children. A new federally funded study has found a possible link, but experts say the research has important shortcomings and is not a reason to change current vaccine recommendations. The…
Asthma is thought to affect more than 250 million people worldwide and is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. Research into a cure for the condition would make a major difference for a significant number of people. Scientists have now come up with the beginnings of a potential long-term treatment for asthma. Crucially,…
The cigarette is the only legal consumer product that—when used as intended—causes the premature death of half of the long-term users. To address this long-standing health threat, in late June 2022, the Biden-Harris administration announced a plan to move forward with a new standard for cigarettes and other combusted tobacco products that would make them minimally or…
A new trend is emerging in the vaping world, one that promises big health benefits. Known as “wellness vapes”, they contain vitamins or other supplements instead of nicotine and tout claims of boosted energy, increased immunity and a better night’s sleep. Wellness vapes or “nutritional supplement diffusers” – which allow users to inhale ingredients such…
If you have COPD, new research suggests you might want to pay close attention to getting good sleep. Poor slumber significantly increased the risk of life-threatening flare-ups of breathing problems in people with incurable, progressive lung disease, investigators reported. “Among those who already have COPD, knowing how they sleep at night will tell me much more…