Climate change will make stomach bugs an even bigger problem, a new report has found. The study concludes that expected changes in temperature, precipitation, and humidity will make foodborne infections and toxins all the more common—at least in Germany. That said, other research has indicated that these increased…
Doctors in Florida are sounding caution about one of the world’s oldest known ailments, leprosy. In a recent report, they detail a local case of the bacterial disease with no recent travel history or other clear risk factors. The case and others suggest that leprosy is spreading routinely in Central Florida and has…
A man in the UK has become a medical first, though not in a great way. In a recent paper, scientists say he’s the first known person to have caught a newly discovered bacteria from a stray cat’s bite. Though the feline encounter resulted in a gnarly infection of his hands, the man was eventually treated successfully…
The aftermath of a tropical storm can bring along some nasty waterborne germs, a recent study from Columbia University researchers found. The study shows that tropical cyclones in the U.S. over the past two decades have been linked to an increase in several infectious diseases afterward, including Legionnaires’…
Kevin Moloney/Fortune Brainstorm Tech
There’s no shortage of nasty germs in the world that can make us sick. The most common ones tend to be those passed on from person to person through methods such as respiratory droplets and aerosols, fecal-oral contamination (touching traces of poo from someone’s unwashed hands), or even sex. But there are other…
An old drug used to treat urinary tract infections may have a new trick up its sleeve. In a recent case report, doctors in California say they used it to stop a brain-eating infection caused by an amoeba. Though the infection is very rare, it’s almost always fatal.
A woman’s active case of tuberculosis has prompted health officials in Washington state to alert the public. The woman has reportedly turned down treatment for over a year and disobeyed multiple court orders to stay isolated from others. The health department may pursue further legal action against the woman should…
The Last of Us, eat your heart out. Scientists at the University of Georgia say they’ve developed a vaccine that should be able to protect against a variety of dangerous fungi. In animal studies, the vaccine prevented severe infections and deaths from three types of fungi that often cause opportunistic illness in…
