Health A-Z News

New research links air pollution to respiratory infections and the diminished immune systems of many older adults.The study, published in Nature Medicine, found that inhaled particles accumulated in immune cells in lymph nodes associated with the lungs. That weakened the cells’ resistance to respiratory infections.

The World Health Organization plans to rename monkeypox to “MPOX” in an effort to remove stigma from the illness.

A new report finds about 7.7 million people died in 2019 from infection with one of 33 common types of bacteria.

A new study finds organizations that receive organs for transplant patients are less likely to choose one from an older donor.

An attempt by the federal government to stop a practice known as “chemical restraint” at nursing homes may have resulted in many residents being given different medications to achieve the same results: anticonvulsants.

Organizations like the American Red Cross and others are stepping up efforts to recruit previously banned blood donors after the FDA lifted its restrictions on people who had been overseas amid outbreaks of mad cow disease.

Elizabeth Holmes, founder of the blood testing startup Theranos, was sentenced Friday to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for defrauding investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars.

As many as 1.35 billion young people worldwide are at risk of hearing loss due to “unsafe listening,” a new study shows.

Sperm counts have been falling at a rate of 2.6% a year around the world, according to a new study. Building on past research, the study in Human Reproduction Update says sperm counts dropped by 1.2% a year from 1973 to 2000 – and 2.6% a year between 2000 and 2018.

The global population is projected by the United Nations to reach 8 billion, prompting conversations about the impacts of continued population growth.

Amazon launched its latest version of virtual medical care Tuesday in 32 states. Called Amazon Clinic, the service skips phone and video calls and instead works through secure messaging between patients and providers.

A new sensor technology can determine what's in a person's blood in minutes of a fingerprint touch as simple as the one found on many smartphones.

Most people have blood types like A, B and O and now there is a new group called "Er" with five more blood types that people could have.

The National Park Service is warning visitors this week to avoid licking the large Sonoran Desert toad – which, supposedly, some people do to get a hallucinogenic high from the toxin that the amphibians secrete.

Laboratory-grown red blood cells have been transfused for the first time into human recipients, potentially paving the way for groundbreaking treatments for people with rare blood types or those with blood disorders such as sickle cell disease.

The CDC issued its highest-level warning to public health officials regarding the surge of respiratory viruses, particularly among children, that are overwhelming some health systems across the nation. In addition to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the flu, the warning mentioned rhinovirus and enterovirus.

Although cases of monkeypox are decreasing, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services extended the official public health emergency on Wednesday, as there's still a strong presence of the virus in the country.

CVS and Walgreens, the country’s largest pharmacy chains, said Wednesday they would pay about $5 billion each to settle opioid lawsuits.

New research says it doesn’t take as much extra weight as we might think to cause trouble in the knees, including pain, stiffness, and mobility limitations that can lead to the need for knee replacement surgery.

Children who were exposed to small amounts of caffeine in utero were shorter on average than those who were not, says a new study published in JAMA Network Open.

The number of disease-carrying mosquitoes in a Brazilian city dropped by up to 96% after hundreds of genetically modified male mosquitoes were released, New Scientist reported. The U.K. biotech company Oxitec is releasing these male mosquitoes in other locations of the world to control illnesses that mosquitoes spread, such as dengue, malaria, and Zika.

Two experts on drugs and crime say it’s unlikely the addictive drug fentanyl designed to look like brightly colored candy ended up in children’s Halloween trick-or-treat bags.

The idea the number 13 is unlucky isn't rational, and yet airports typically exclude Gate 13. Whether we believe in superstitions or not – possibly while refusing to gaze into a cracked mirror – they can influence behavior.

Researchers worldwide and the World Health Organization agree microplastics are everywhere and regularly ingested by all of us. Some scientists predict a major human health crisis to come.

A study from King’s College London found that hearing birds, seeing them, and having ordinary encounters with birds improved the mood of people who have depression, and of the broader population as well.