Mystery Illness Outbreak in Congo May Be Malaria

There's early evidence that a mysterious flu-like illness that has sickened 416 people and left 75 dead in the Democratic Republic of Congo over recent weeks may be malaria.

Laboratory samples taken from infected people are suggestive of malaria, although more research is needed to confirm that, health officials said.

“Of the 1...

Blood Test Might Help Doctors Spot Multiple Diseases

A blood draw is a typical part of a person's regular check-up.

But that blood sample might hold a lot more useful information about a person’s health than doctors are currently getting.

A new study shows that a routine part of a blood test called the complete blood count (CBC) could be used to help doctors identify or predict m...

Blood Pressure Ups & Downs May Harm Seniors' Thinking

Keeping your blood pressure in check is important for more than just heart health -- it can also keep your brain sharp as you age.

A new study published Dec. 11 in the journal Neurology shows that seniors whose blood pressure spikes and drops over time might be more likely to suffer a decline in their thinking and memory skills.

Jamie Foxx Reveals He Had Brain Bleed in 2023

Actor Jamie Foxx has shared the details of a life-threatening medical emergency he experienced last year after doctors discovered he had suffered a brain bleed.

In his new Netflix comedy special, “What Had Happened Was,” Jamie Foxx finally described what left him fighting for his life in 2023, Variety magazine reported...

Bird Flu in California Child Similar to Strain Seen in Livestock

As an outbreak of bird flu among dairy cows continues, U.S. health officials reported Tuesday that the strain of bird flu detected in a California child is similar to the strain spreading through livestock, though the patient had no known exposure to infected animals.

While the findings were not definitive, tests "showed that the virus was...

Genital Herpes Affects 1 in 5 Younger Adults Worldwide

Genital herpes is widespread the world round among younger adults, with more than 846 million people living with the lifelong sexually transmitted infection, a new review finds.

About 1 in 5 people younger than 50 live with a genital herpes infection, researchers reported Dec. 10 in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.

'Brain Boost' From Today's Exercise May Linger Through Tomorrow

Want to give your brain a boost for tomorrow?

Get in a little pulse-pounding exercise today, a new study shows.

In a finding that suggests the benefits of exercise may linger longer than believed, researchers discovered that middle-aged adults and seniors perform better on memory tests even a full day after they’ve had some mod...

What Works Best to Help Young Vapers Quit?

Many young adults can kick their vaping habit with a little coaching and support.

New research published Dec. 10 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that nearly half of a group of 18- to 24-year-olds were no longer vaping three months after completing a quit program that included a combination of phone-based coach...

Parents' Smoking Could Raise Risk for MS in Kids

For children genetically predisposed to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), exposure to cigarette smoke in the family home could raise that risk even higher, new research shows.

"A higher genetic MS risk is associated with an increased vulnerability to the negative effects of household smoking on brain development," conclude a Dutch team led ...

Car Height, Not Just Speed, Matters When Pedestrians Are Hit

Watch out for tall, fast-moving cars. The height of a vehicle, not only its speed, determines its potential danger to a pedestrian, new research shows.

“Multiple factors — in this case speed and vehicle height—converge to create negative outcomes on the road,” said David Harkey, president of the Insurance Institute...

Are You a 'Late Gift-Giver'? Study Finds Folks Mostly Don't Mind

It can feel like a shameful moment, bracing yourself to hand over a Christmas or birthday gift that’s days or months overdue for one reason or another.

But slackers take heart -- a new study has found that your friend or loved one likely won’t be as upset about getting that late gift as you suspect.

“Go ahead and se...

'Ableism' Prevents Many Americans From Getting Mental Health Care

Ableism, or prejudice against people with disabilities, is an established problem in general healthcare. Now, a small study shows those same issues persist in mental healthcare.

Sometimes, the barriers to care are physical, such as inaccessible entrances or a lack of reliable transit. Other times, the hurdles are informational, such as har...

Removing, Storing Patient's Blood Before Liver Surgery Helps Avoid Transfusions

Canadian Rowan Ladd scratched her head when doctors said they might bank a blood donation from her at the start of her 2022 liver surgery, but she figured it couldn’t hurt.

“You’re told before surgery that the liver is so full of blood vessels that there are risks of major bleeding,” Ladd, a 46-year-old Ottawa mothe...

Women With Cancer Can Safely Use Rogaine to Curb Hair Loss

Women worried about losing their locks during chemotherapy can safely take hair-loss drugs during breast cancer care, a new study says.

Minoxidil - the active ingredient in the over-the-counter Rogaine -- is commonly prescribed for hair loss, but is also used to dilate blood vessels as a treatment for high blood pressure.

Because of...

Task Force Supports Women Over 30 Collecting Samples for Cervical Cancer Screening

In guidelines that may encourage more women to get screened for cervical cancer, a leading health task force has backed giving women over 30 the option to collect their own vaginal samples for testing.

Instead of needing to have a complete pelvic exam, these women can now go to a doctor’s office and collect their own tissue to be te...

More Women Are Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer at Later Stages

More breast cancers are being detected later in women, giving the tumors a chance to spread and become life-threatening, a new study finds.

This increase in late-stage breast cancer affects women at all ages and ethnicities, according to results published Dec. 10 in the journal Radiology.

“Women with this diagnosis hav...

Opioid Abuse Can Change the Brain

“This is your brain on drugs,” the old anti-drug admonition says, and now a new study has found there’s something to that chestnut.

Opioid addicts experienced structural and functional changes in specific regions of their brains, MRI scans show.

These changes are important to understand, given that around 2.5 millio...

Ultra-processed Foods May Raise Colon Cancer Risk

Fatty, salty and sugary ultra-processed foods could be increasing people’s risk of colon cancer by spurring chronic inflammation in the gut.

In a new study, colon tumors taken from people with poor diets had higher levels of pro-inflammatory biochemicals, as well as lower levels of substances that reduce inflammation and promote heal...

Wildfire Smoke Is Choking America's Cities -- Is Yours on the List?

Heavy smoke from wildfires more frequently chokes the skies over the Western United States, but cities farther to the east are no longer being spared, new research shows.

Canada’s unusually intense 2023 wildfire season smothered American cities as far off as Baltimore and New York City, according to research presented Tuesday at the ...

Group of Nobel Laureates Press Senate to Reject Kennedy's Nomination

Robert Kennedy Jr. should not be confirmed to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, over 75 Nobel laureates urged Monday.

In a letter published by the New York Times, the esteemed scientists took issue with Kennedy's lack of experience and controversial stands.

"In addition to his lack of credentials or rele...