01 Oct The Asymmetry Of Biological Risk Management
How PrEP prevents HIV, how long it takes to work, daily versus 2-1-1 dosing, and why combining PrEP with condoms and regular testing matters....
Infections
01 Oct The Biological Reality Behind Human Shame
Sexual Health Notice: This post is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Sexual health needs are individual — testing schedules, window periods, treatment options, and partner notification guidance vary depending on your specific situation, health history, and the infections involved. Consult a qualified healthcare provider, sexual health clinic, or public health service for personalized recommendations regarding STI testing, diagnosis, treatment, or any other sexual health concern.
For tens of thousands of years, Homo sapiens have shared pathogens through intimate contact. It is a fundamental, ancient biological reality of our species. When bodies touch, microscopic ecosystems inevitably collide and exchange microorganisms. Yet, as our societies grew more complex, we invented a powerful, invisible fiction to surround this basic biological reality: social shame.
We often fear the judgement of the tribe far more than we fear a microscopic virus. This fear of reputational damage drives entirely rational people into hiding when their bodies sound a medical alarm.
If you are searching for anonymous std testing in Singapore clinics, you are trying to navigate this ancient conflict. You want to protect your health without damaging your social standing.
[caption id="attachment_76399" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo by Sanket Mishra[/caption]
10 Aug UPenn Dental Research: Antiviral and Antibacterial Chewing Gum Targets HPV and Oral Pathogens Linked to Head and Neck Cancer
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Henry Daniell, PhD
Vice-Chair and W.D. Miller Professor
Department of Basic & Translational Sciences
School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
Dr. Henry Daniell, Ph.D.[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What bacteria or viruses are associated with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas?
Dr. Daniell: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), anaerobic bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) and Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) correlate with worse survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In tumorigenic cells HPV genome integrates into the host cell genome causing genome instability and genic alteration which facilitate mutation and hyperproliferation. One third of males in the globe is HPV positive and one fifth are infected with high risk HPV16 strain. Pg is invasive and replicates within tumor cells and influences oncogenic signaling of HNSCC. Fn triggers cancer progression by upregulating several oncogenes responsible for inflammation, cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis. Therefore, it is important to control HPV, Pg, and Fn in the oral cavity to reduce initiation or advancement of oral cancer.
27 Jul Understanding Treatment Options for Chronic Sinusitis
Chronic sinus inflammation can make basic breathing feel strained for months. Nasal blockage, facial pressure, thick drainage, reduced smell, and poor sleep often travel together. Symptoms that last past 12 weeks deserve close attention, because a simple cold no longer explains the pattern. Recognizing when symptoms have moved beyond a temporary illness is an important first step.
Lasting relief depends on identifying what keeps tissue swollen, mucus trapped, and airflow restricted. Exploring sinusitis treatments that address the underlying cause, rather than each flare alone, can lead to more durable improvement. For practical guidance on home-based first-line care including saline irrigation techniques, see this detailed overview of chronic sinusitis home care and saline irrigation options. The sections below outline how different care options work and when each may apply.
[caption id="attachment_75246" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo by Ivan S[/caption]
20 Jul What Is Cyclospora cayetanensis? An Infectious Disease Expert Explains Transmission, Seasonality, and Treatment
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Amesh A. Adalja, MD, FACP, FACEP, FIDSA
Spokesperson, Infectious Diseases Society of America
Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
Dr. Adalja[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com: What type of organism is Cyclospora cayetanensis?
Dr. Adalja: It is a protozoan parasite.
MedicalResearch.com: Where is it found? What are the symptoms of infection?
Dr. Adalja: Cases occur worldwide, but it is endemic in the tropics and subtropics.
MedicalResearch.com: How is it spread? Why does it occur periodically? Is there more spread during warm weather?
Dr. Adalja: It is spread when a human ingests an infective oocyst of Cyclospora. Its seasonal nature varies from place to place, and in countries like the United States and Canada, the risk is primarily related to importation of contaminated food products. Certain soil conditions are more conducive to the oocysts than others.
20 Jul NEJM: CDC Survey Finds Hospital-Acquired Infections Decline Since 2015, But More Than Half a Million Remain
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Nora Chea, M.D.
Medical Epidemiologist
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Dr. Nora Chea[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Dr. Chea: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a significant threat to the safety of patients in U.S. hospitals and cost billions of dollars annually. Preventing HAIs continues to be a top priority of CDC and other federal agencies. In 2023, CDC, in collaboration with 10 Emerging Infections Program (EIP) sites, conducted a point prevalence survey to assess changes in HAI prevalence compared with a similar survey conducted in 2015.
The 2023 survey included 13,653 patients across 218 hospitals in 10 states. Trained staff reviewed medical records using National Healthcare Safety Network definitions to identify HAIs.
11 Jul How COVID-19 Changed Public Attitudes Toward Mental Health Care
Mental Health Notice: If you are experiencing significant stress, anxiety, or low mood, please speak with a qualified healthcare professional. You can contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 (24/7), or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. In a life-threatening situation, call 911.
The COVID-19 pandemic didn't just come and go. It disrupted our way of life, and its impact on mental health care can still be felt. The pandemic changed how people viewed stress, anxiety, and emotional support. Before 2020, you probably didn't like discussing your mental health issues for fear of being judged. Most people believed they should handle mental health issues alone.
Lockdowns, uncertainty, grief, and isolation made those struggles harder to ignore. As millions faced similar challenges, mental health became a public conversation rather than a private concern. In this article, we'll explain how the pandemic made mental health care more acceptable and why demand has remained strong.
[caption id="attachment_74956" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo by Alex Green on Pexels[/caption]
26 Jun Can Men Get BV, and Why It Matters for Sexual Partners Today
Editor's note: This post is for background information only and does not constitute medical advice. See your health care provider regarding your specific medical needs and questions. Bacterial vaginosis is often treated as an individual diagnosis, yet partner biology can shape whether symptoms return. Men do not develop it clinically because the condition depends on changes inside the vaginal microbiome. Still, penile skin and the urethra can harbor bacteria linked with recurrence. That distinction helps partners approach care with less blame, better testing, and more practical prevention.The Short Answer
People often ask can men get BV, which is the right question. Clinically, the answer is no: bacterial vaginosis occurs in a vagina, after Lactobacillus levels fall and anaerobic microbes increase. Bacterial vaginosis is often treated as an individual diagnosis, yet partner biology can shape whether symptoms return. A male partner can still carry related organisms on penile skin or inside the urethra, then reintroduce them during sex. [caption id="attachment_74550" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo by Vitaly Gariev:[/caption]
04 Jun Bundibugyo Virus: What to Know About the Current Ebola Outbreak
Infectious disease expert Dr. Krutika Kuppalli explains Bundibugyo virus — its transmission, clinical course, outbreak risk, and why widespread international spread remains unlikely....
19 May How At-Home Sample Collection Is Changing Infection Diagnosis
Posted at 14:28h
in Infections
[caption id="attachment_73827" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Pixabay[/caption]
Testing used to involve making an appointment, waiting around, and hoping no-one you know sees you...
Not anymore.
Reverse Logistics, or at-home specimen collection, is turning diagnosis of infection upside down. Patients have the ability to diagnose themselves for any type of infection without setting foot in a medical facility. Results??
Just as accurate as the lab.
Here's the thing:
This is not a minor trend. This is a revolution in how everyday consumers approach their wellness journey, own their bodies and detect issues early. Let's dive into... everything. What's going on, why it matters, and what you should know before you buy your first kit.
What you'll discover:
What at-home sample collection actually is
Why private health screening is booming right now
How the whole process works from start to finish
The biggest benefits for everyday people
Common infections you can test for at home
12 May Hantavirus: Causes, Symptoms, Transmission and Treatment — Interview With Dr. Daniel Pastula
Posted at 14:56h
in Infections
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Daniel Pastula MD, MHS
Professor of Neurology, Medicine (Infectious Diseases), and Epidemiology
University of Colorado School of Medicine &
Colorado School of Public Health
Hantavirus infections have drawn renewed attention following recent outbreak reports. Dr. Pastula explains that hantavirus is not a single disease but a family of viruses with distinct characteristics depending on geographic region and rodent host — and that mortality rates can approach 40% in the most severe form found in the Americas.
28 Apr When Recovery Stalls: What Long COVID Is Actually Doing to the Immune System and What Apheresis May Be Able to Do About It
Most people with COVID-19 got sick, recovered, and moved on. A subset did not. Months in — sometimes over a year — they are still exhausted after climbing a flight of stairs, still losing words mid-sentence, still waking up as tired as when they went to bed. This is Long COVID, and by some estimates it now affects somewhere between 10 and 30% of those who contracted the virus. The numbers are staggering. The biology behind it is stranger than most people expect.
Here is what makes Long COVID different from typical post-viral fatigue: the immune response does not resolve. It just keeps going.
24 Apr Building Healthier Care Environments Through Better Environmental Control
Infection prevention is often discussed in terms of cleaning protocols, hand hygiene, and clinical procedures, but the built environment also plays a direct role in how healthcare spaces function. Air conditions, moisture levels, pressure relationships, and mechanical system performance all affect the quality and consistency of the indoor environment. When those elements remain stable, facilities are better equipped to support patient care, protect sensitive spaces, and reduce conditions that allow contaminants to linger or spread. Environmental control matters because healthcare buildings operate under demands that go far beyond ordinary comfort. Patient rooms, treatment areas, support spaces, and specialized environments all rely on HVAC performance to maintain conditions appropriate for their use. Small shifts in humidity or airflow can create larger operational issues over time, especially in buildings with aging equipment or systems that are difficult to monitor closely. In many cases, problems begin quietly. A system may still be running, but coils may be losing efficiency, sensors may be providing poor readings, or controls may be drifting away from intended settings. Those changes can affect moisture removal, airflow consistency, and the ability of the space to perform as designed.
16 Apr COVID-19 and Lung Cancer Risk: New Research Identifies a Biological Mechanism
A new study published in Frontiers in Immunology identifies a biological mechanism linking COVID-19 lung injury to increased adenocarcinoma risk — with vaccination associated with reduced cancer risk and smoking significantly amplifying the effect....
03 Apr UBC Scientists Find a Drug that Works for Long COVID Fatigue
Posted at 14:48h
in COVID -19 Coronavirus
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Jamie I Forrest PhD, MPH
Scientific Director, Health Equity & Resilience Observatory (HERO)
Faculty of Applied Science
University of British Columbia
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: We’ve known since early in the pandemic that many people don’t fully recover after COVID-19. Fatigue is one of the most persistent and disabling symptoms, and it significantly reduces quality of life — affecting people’s ability to work, care for their families, and participate in daily life.
Until now, there have been very few treatment options backed by solid evidence. Doctors have largely focused on supportive care — helping patients manage their symptoms through rest, pacing, and multidisciplinary teams — because no medication had been shown to work in a well-designed clinical trial. Several smaller or uncontrolled studies had suggested certain drugs might help, but robust randomized controlled trial evidence was scarce.
Interestingly, metformin had previously been shown to reduce the risk of developing Long COVID when taken during the acute phase of infection. Our study asked a different question: can these drugs help people who already have established Long COVID?
Long COVID — also called post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, or PASC — is a condition where people continue to feel sick for months or even years after recovering from a COVID-19 infection. The most common and debilitating complaint is fatigue: a profound, persistent exhaustion that doesn’t get better with rest and can make even simple daily activities feel impossible. Despite affecting an estimated tens of millions of people worldwide, there are almost no proven treatments.
We wanted to test whether two existing, widely available, and affordable medications could help. The first was fluvoxamine — an antidepressant that also has potent anti-inflammatory effects and acts on brain pathways involved in fatigue. The second was metformin — a common diabetes medication that reduces inflammation and may support cellular energy production. Both had biological reasons to think they might work against Long COVID fatigue, but neither had been rigorously tested for this purpose in a proper clinical trial.
12 Mar Vanderbilt Physician Discusses Newly Recognized and Contagious Human Metapneumovirus
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_72776" align="alignleft" width="148"] Dr. Schaffner[/caption]
Dr. William Schaffner M.D.
Professor of Medicine
Preventive Medicine, Health Policy
Division of Infectious Diseases
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Interview arranged with the assistance of the Infectious Disease Society of America.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the symptoms of HMPV? How is it transmitted? Are some individuals more susceptible to infection or more serious disease?
Response: Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a seasonal respiratory virus that has a worldwide distribution, causing late winter/early spring outbreaks in temperate zones. It cocirculates with other seasonal respiratory viruses including influenza, COVID, and RSV. Virtually all children have experienced infection by age 5; persons experience HMPV reinfections throughout life. The virus is transmitted through close personal contact, most efficiently indoors. Infection with HMPV can produce a spectrum of clinical symptoms ranging from a common cold to acute respiratory distress. Persons at increased risk of severe disease include older persons and those with chronic medical conditions.
06 Mar Why Over-the-Counter Lice Treatments Often Fail — and How Professional Nit Removal Solves the Problem
[caption id="attachment_72704" align="aligncenter" width="500"] CDC image[/caption]
Every year, an estimated 6–12 million children in the United States between the ages of 3 and 11 contract head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis). For most families, the first response is a trip to the pharmacy — and that response is increasingly likely to fail. Decades of widespread, often incorrect use of over-the-counter (OTC) pediculicides has driven a well-documented phenomenon: the emergence of "super lice," strains that carry genetic mutations conferring near-complete resistance to the insecticides most commonly found on pharmacy shelves.
This article examines the clinical and biological reasons OTC treatments fail so frequently, reviews what the research literature says about resistance and re-infestation, and explains why professional nit removal services represent the most evidence-aligned path to genuine, lasting resolution.
CDC image[/caption]
Every year, an estimated 6–12 million children in the United States between the ages of 3 and 11 contract head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis). For most families, the first response is a trip to the pharmacy — and that response is increasingly likely to fail. Decades of widespread, often incorrect use of over-the-counter (OTC) pediculicides has driven a well-documented phenomenon: the emergence of "super lice," strains that carry genetic mutations conferring near-complete resistance to the insecticides most commonly found on pharmacy shelves.
This article examines the clinical and biological reasons OTC treatments fail so frequently, reviews what the research literature says about resistance and re-infestation, and explains why professional nit removal services represent the most evidence-aligned path to genuine, lasting resolution.
25 Feb NYMC Develops CRISPR Platform to Quickly Identify Candida auris, a Potentially Lethal Hospital Acquired Infection
[caption id="attachment_72626" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
Candida auris CDC Image[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
[caption id="attachment_72627" align="alignleft" width="200"] Vishnu Chaturvedi, Ph.D.[/caption]
Vishnu Chaturvedi, Ph.D.
Professor of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology and of Medicine
New York Medical College
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: The research was prompted by the rise of Candida auris (C. auris) as a critical fungal pathogen that has caused global outbreaks in healthcare facilities with high mortality rates. C. auris is particularly difficult to control because it can survive on physical surfaces for extended periods. Current diagnostic methods (such as culture-based approaches or mass spectrometry) are often costly, slow, and require complex equipment in centralized laboratories, which delays effective clinical responses. There is an urgent need for rapid tests that can both identify the fungus and measure its level of drug resistance.
18 Feb Sleep Apnea in Kids Associated with Increased Risk of COVID and Flu
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_72499" align="alignleft" width="174"] Dr. Gileles-Hillel[/caption]
Dr. Alex Gileles-Hillel MD
Founder and director of Gileles Lab
Hadassah Medical Center
Along with Dr. Joel Reiter MD from the Faculty of Medicine
Hebrew University and Senior Pediatric Pulmonologists at the Hadassah Medical Center
with Dr. David Gozal MD, MBA, PhD from Marshall University
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) experience increased morbidity, including cognitive difficulties, daytime dysfunction, and poorer academic performance, as well as a higher risk of future cardiometabolic disease such as hypertension and obesity. In addition, pediatric OSA has been shown to impair immune responses and alter immunologic function, although the clinical consequences of these changes remain incompletely understood.
18 Feb How Modern Parasite Prevention Rewrote the Rulebook
The financial logic of prevention versus reaction seems counterintuitive to some pet owners. Prevention costs money every single month, while reactive treatment only costs money when there's a problem. But this calculation ignores the true cost of parasitic infections....
12 Feb IDSA Spokesperson Discusses Recent Outbreaks of Measles Infections
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
[caption id="attachment_72376" align="alignleft" width="190"]
Dr. Schaffner[/caption]
William Schaffner, MD
Professor of Preventive Medicine, Department of Health Policy
Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, TN 37203
Dr. Schaffner discusses the recent increase in the incidence of measles infections.
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: The fundamental reason leading to the increase in measles cases in the US is that some parents are withholding their children from routine measles vaccination: Failure to vaccinate. As a result, there are neighborhoods, schools, and communities that now have vaccination rates substantially below the 92% to 95% needed to prevent outbreaks of infection. Measles is the most contagious virus we know, so it takes very high vaccination rates to prevent transmission and to avert outbreaks.
Vaccine hesitancy has many causes: Lack of knowledge of the severity of measles, concern over vaccine side-effects, low trust in public health, a desire to do things more “naturally” and it can also have political overtones, among others.
The measles vaccine is extraordinarily effective; the routine two-dose series confers 97% to 98% protection for life. The rare “breakthrough” infections that occur in vaccinated persons are generally milder, with fewer complications than in persons who are unvaccinated.
The US was certified as having eliminated measles in 2000 because of high vaccination rates across the country. Sadly, the US is likely to lose that designation because of sustained measles transmission, reverting us back to the bad old days. It is particularly sad for any of our children to have to endure measles and its consequences. All these cases could have been prevented by vaccination.
MedicalResearch.com: What roles do a decrease in US immunization rates and/or increased immigration from under-vaccinated area play in this increase?
Response: The substantial majority of unimmunized children in the US were born and raised in this country. They usually are members of middle- or upper-income families. The most frequent importers of measles into the US are our own unimmunized children who travel abroad, encounter measles virus and bring it back to their homes where the virus then spreads among the child’s schoolmates and playmates, creating an outbreak.
Dr. Schaffner[/caption]
William Schaffner, MD
Professor of Preventive Medicine, Department of Health Policy
Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, TN 37203
Dr. Schaffner discusses the recent increase in the incidence of measles infections.
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: The fundamental reason leading to the increase in measles cases in the US is that some parents are withholding their children from routine measles vaccination: Failure to vaccinate. As a result, there are neighborhoods, schools, and communities that now have vaccination rates substantially below the 92% to 95% needed to prevent outbreaks of infection. Measles is the most contagious virus we know, so it takes very high vaccination rates to prevent transmission and to avert outbreaks.
Vaccine hesitancy has many causes: Lack of knowledge of the severity of measles, concern over vaccine side-effects, low trust in public health, a desire to do things more “naturally” and it can also have political overtones, among others.
The measles vaccine is extraordinarily effective; the routine two-dose series confers 97% to 98% protection for life. The rare “breakthrough” infections that occur in vaccinated persons are generally milder, with fewer complications than in persons who are unvaccinated.
The US was certified as having eliminated measles in 2000 because of high vaccination rates across the country. Sadly, the US is likely to lose that designation because of sustained measles transmission, reverting us back to the bad old days. It is particularly sad for any of our children to have to endure measles and its consequences. All these cases could have been prevented by vaccination.
MedicalResearch.com: What roles do a decrease in US immunization rates and/or increased immigration from under-vaccinated area play in this increase?
Response: The substantial majority of unimmunized children in the US were born and raised in this country. They usually are members of middle- or upper-income families. The most frequent importers of measles into the US are our own unimmunized children who travel abroad, encounter measles virus and bring it back to their homes where the virus then spreads among the child’s schoolmates and playmates, creating an outbreak.
09 Feb Nipah Virus: UAB Infectious Disease Specialist Discusses OUTBREAK & GLOBAL HEALTH CONCERNS
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_72322" align="alignleft" width="180"]
Dr. Freedman M.D.[/caption]
David O. Freedman, M.D.
Professor Emeritus of Infectious Diseases
Editor of the Textbook of Travel Medicine
World Health Organization—Member, Emergency Committee on Zika Virus
University of Alabama, Birmingham USA
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this outbreak?
Response: India has reported 2 confirmed (PCR and ELISA) Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal State where the Kolkata megalopolis is located; the state borders Bangladesh. Symptom onset in both cases was late December 2025 in 2 health care workers. One patient has improved while the other remains in the ICU. All samples from 200 contact persons tested negative for NiV. No further confirmed cases have been detected in West Bengal
Bangladesh has reported 1 confirmed NiV case in Rajshahi Division which neighbors India. Symptom onset was January 21, 2026, and the patient expired on January 28. The patient reported no travel history but reported repeated consumption of raw date palm sap between 5 and 20 January. All 35 contact-persons are being monitored and have tested negative for NiV and no further cases have been detected to date.
22 Jan Reducing Infection Risks at Home After Hospital Discharge
[caption id="attachment_72087" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo by Burst[/caption]
Leaving the hospital is often a relief, but for many patients, it also marks the start of a critical recovery phase. Once home, the responsibility for infection prevention shifts largely from clinical staff to patients and caregivers. This transition can be challenging, especially for individuals recovering from surgery, managing chronic illness, or living with weakened immune systems.
Reducing infection risk at home is not about recreating a hospital environment. It’s about understanding where risks exist, how infections spread, and what practical steps make the biggest difference during recovery.
Why the Post-Discharge Period Is High Risk
Hospital discharge does not mean infection risk disappears. In fact, the days and weeks following discharge are when many infections emerge. Surgical wounds are still healing, medical devices may still be in use, and the immune system may be compromised by illness or treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 31 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection on any given day, and a significant number of infections are identified after patients return home. Understanding this risk helps patients and families take prevention seriously without becoming overly anxious.
22 Jan Best Practices for Reducing Airborne Risk in Medical Facilities
Airborne risk fluctuates throughout the day based on occupancy, procedures, and equipment use. Static testing is not enough to capture these variations.Continuous data also supports compliance documentation and helps identify long-term trends that may indicate system degradation....
21 Oct ID Week 2025: Shingrix Vaccine for Shingles Associated with Fewer Heart and Brain Adverse Events
[caption id="attachment_71064" align="alignleft" width="200"]
Dr. Dehghani[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Ali Dehghani, DO
Department of Medicine
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center / Case Western Reserve University
Presenting Author, IDWeek 2025
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Shingles (herpes zoster) is caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which can inflame blood vessels and the nervous system. Evidence over the past decade has linked shingles to higher risks of heart attack, stroke, and dementia—but it was unclear whether the shingles vaccine might lessen those long-term effects.
[caption id="attachment_71061" align="aligncenter" width="500"] CDC PHIL Image[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: Using data from over 100 U.S. health systems, we followed adults age 50 and older for up to five years. We found that people who developed shingles had a 20–30% higher risk of cardiovascular events, vascular dementia, and death compared with similar adults without shingles.
Those who had received the recombinant zoster vaccine (Shingrix) before their infection had substantially lower long-term risks—about 25% fewer major cardiac events, 40% lower early mortality, and nearly 50% less vascular dementia over time.
17 Sep The Future of Infection Control: Lessons Learned from the Front Lines
Infection control works best when it becomes part of everyday culture. That means small actions repeated thousands of times—hands washed, surfaces cleaned, masks worn when needed. Success does not come from big one-time changes but from steady commitment over years....
10 Sep CDC Releases Progress and Opportunities from Sepsis Core Elements Program
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:Kristina Betz MD, PhD
Measure Development and Validation Unit Lead, NHSN
Surveillance Branch
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
MedicalResearch.com: Would you briefly explain what is meant by sepsis?
i.e., how common is it, how serious, what are the major causes?
Response: Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency that happens when the body’s response to an infection causes vital organs to stop working properly. Sepsis is often caused by bacteria, but it can also happen because of other infections, like viruses such as COVID-19.
Sepsis is one of the main reasons people go to the hospital and can be very dangerous. In the United States, about 1.7 million adults go to the hospital each year because of sepsis. Sadly, about 350,000 of these people die in the hospital or are sent to hospice care.
Even if people survive sepsis, it can cause long-lasting problems. They might have new health issues, not be able to go back to work, need to go back to the hospital, or even die later on.
Source: Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements | Sepsis | CDC, What Is Sepsis | Sepsis Alliance
09 Sep Nemours Study Finds COVID Influenced Weight Gain Trajectories in Children
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_70576" align="alignleft" width="200"] Dr. Thao Ly Phan[/caption]
Thao-Ly Phan, MD, MPH
Medical Director, Nemours Children's Health
Professor of Pediatrics
Thomas Jefferson University
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been extensively studied in adults, but there has been limited exploration of its effects on children and adolescents. While several studies have described weight gain trends in children during the pandemic, less is known about how having a diagnosis of COVID-19 contributed to these trends. Our study drew on the NIH’s National Clinical Cohort Collaborative database, a real-world database of electronic health data from over 90 institutions across the country. We used this dataset’s unique features to compare a diverse group of more than 11,000 children diagnosed with COVID-19 to a matched cohort of children without a diagnosis of COVID-19.
26 Aug Beyond the Bin: How Smarter Food Packaging Can Improve Public Health
In clinical settings and community health discussions alike, food security and nutrition are common priorities. But one important factor is often overlooked: packaging’s role in reducing spoilage, preserving nutrient integrity, and protecting patients from foodborne illness. From hospitals and long-term care facilities to home health environments, minimizing food waste isn’t just about economics or sustainability. It’s a public health issue—one that starts with how food is packaged, stored, and protected from contamination. The High Stakes of Spoiled Food in Healthcare In the U.S., nearly 40% of all food goes to waste—often due to spoilage that starts with inadequate storage. But in healthcare environments, the stakes are even higher. Spoiled food can pose a serious risk to vulnerable populations, including:- Immunocompromised patients
- Older adults in assisted living
- Children in pediatric or school-based settings
- Individuals with chronic illnesses or food sensitivities
24 Aug Hebrew University Study Finds Fungus Contains Mycovirus That Makes Infections More Virulent and Difficult to Treat
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_70374" align="alignleft" width="200"] Dr. Neta Shlezinger | Credit: Zuckerman Faculty Scholar Zuckerman Institute[/caption]
Dr. Neta Shlezinger Ph.D.
Koret School of Veterinary Medicine
Hebrew University
with Dr. Marina Campos Rocha Ph.D., Dr. Vanda Lerer, PhD., and student John Adeoye
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Fungal pathogens pose a growing threat to global health, particularly for immunocompromised individuals. Today, we appreciate that fungi kill more people each year than malaria and tuberculosis combined. Aspergillus fumigatus stands out as a leading cause of invasive fungal infections, responsible for approximately 65% of all invasive mold infections in humans.
These infections carry mortality rates that can exceed 50%, even with standard care. Treatment options remain limited: only a handful of antifungal drug classes are clinically available, and resistance is increasingly reported to all of them. As a result, the search for novel therapeutic strategies is now focused on fungal-specific virulence factors — targets that are essential for fungal survival and pathogenicity in the host but are absent in humans.
Meanwhile, research in recent years has revealed that many fungi harbor viruses. These mycoviruses are surprisingly prevalent, but their impact on fungal physiology and, crucially, on fungal pathogenicity in humans has remained largely unexplored.
Our study set out to fill this gap by examining a double-stranded RNA virus, Aspergillus fumigatus polymycovirus 1 (AfuPmV-1M), that naturally infects A. fumigatus. We found that this virus isn’t just a silent passenger — it’s wired into key fungal stress response pathways, helping the fungus survive heat stress, evade oxidative damage, and persist in the lung environment. In other words, it acts like a backseat driver — quietly steering the fungus toward enhanced survival and virulence.
When we “cured” the fungus of its virus, it produced fewer spores, made less melanin, became more vulnerable to stress, and caused milder infections in mice. Seeing this, we explored a therapeutic twist: fight the virus to clear the fungus.
We treated infected mice with antiviral compounds during fungal infection and observed reduced mycovirus levels and improved survival.
Together, these results suggest that mycoviruses can be overlooked drivers of fungal disease — and targeting them may represent a novel, host-sparing therapeutic strategy.