Epidemiology News and Research

RSS

Livestock may play important role in epidemiology of leptospirosis in sub-Saharan Africa

Leptospirosis, which affects more than one million people worldwide each year, is known to be transmitted to humans from a wide range of animals. Now, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have discovered that more than 7 percent of the cattle and 1 percent of sheep and goats in local slaughterhouses in northern Tanzania are infected with Leptospira bacteria.

8 Jun 2018

DHS accelerates development of new methods to detect emerging biothreats

Biothreats - harmful pathogens that are either naturally or deliberately released - pose a risk to national security and public health, and identifying new detection methods is a top priority for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate.

8 Jun 2018

Research project aims to study opioid prescriptions after cesarean delivery and hysterectomy

Each year, approximately 1.8 million women will have a cesarean delivery or hysterectomy. While opioids are the mainstay treatment for acute pain after these surgeries, most women use only a fraction of the opioids prescribed and do not properly dispose of unused drugs

7 Jun 2018

Study finds high insurance denial rates for life-saving hepatitis C drugs in the U.S.

The number of insurance denials for life-saving hepatitis C drugs among patients with both private and public insurers remains high across the United States, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania reported in a new study published in the journal Open Forum Infectious Diseases.

7 Jun 2018

Prenatal and postnatal exposure to tobacco smoke linked with hearing impairment in children

Exposure to tobacco smoke prenatally and postnatally was associated with hearing impairment in a Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology study of young children in Japan.

6 Jun 2018

Study finds link between low neighborhood walkability and childhood asthma

Children living in neighborhoods that are not conducive to walking are more likely to develop asthma and to continue to have this condition through later childhood, according to a new study published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

5 Jun 2018

Patients diagnosed with high-sensitivity troponin test have lower risk of future heart attack

The newer high-sensitivity troponin test discovers smaller amounts of heart-specific proteins, troponins, than the older troponin test and thus identifies more myocardial infarction patients than before.

5 Jun 2018

More follow-up testing may not help colorectal cancer patients, shows study

Logically, it would seem that more follow-up testing of cancer patients must be better than less - but this is not the case for patients who undergo surgery for colorectal cancer.

5 Jun 2018

Exercise can help overcome genetic effects of obesity in older age

If you're up there in age and feel like you can coast as a couch potato, you may want to reconsider. A new study suggests, for the first time in women over age 70, that working up a sweat can reduce the influence one's genes have on obesity.

5 Jun 2018

Esophageal cancer risk could be reduced by esomeprazole and low dose aspirin

According to the results of a phase III trial presented at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting, two simple over-the-counter medicines – high dose esomeprazole and low dose aspirin when taken regularly can moderately lessen the risk of high grade esophageal cancer in patients who are diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus when taken for at least 7 years.

5 Jun 2018

Scientists identify three new distinct breast epithelial cell populations

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, in collaboration with scientists at UCSF and Northwestern University, have profiled human breast epithelial cells, identifying three new distinct epithelial cell populations.

1 Jun 2018

Study finds link between dietary protein and heart failure risk in middle-aged men

For middle-aged men, eating higher amounts of protein was associated with a slightly elevated risk for heart failure than those who ate less protein, according to new research in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.

29 May 2018

New study shows how to personalize lung cancer screening decision for every patient

For smokers and former smokers, the threat of lung cancer always lurks in the shadows.To flush it out of the darkness, some decide to get their lungs scanned by a CT machine, which can find a tumor early enough to stop it – or set off a false alarm that turns out to be nothing.

29 May 2018

Snail's eye inspires new type of RIOCATH urinary catheter

The Czech company Riocath Global developed and patented in collaboration with the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences a world-wide unique technology applicable to tubular medical devices. One of the first clinically significant applications is a new form of urinary catheter.

25 May 2018

Home-based telehealth therapy program effective for stroke rehabilitation, shows study

In-home rehabilitation, using a telehealth system and supervised by licensed occupational/physical therapists, is an effective means of improving arm motor status in stroke survivors, according to findings presented by University of California, Irvine neurologist Steven C. Cramer, MD, at the recent 2018 European Stroke Organisation Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden.

24 May 2018

Scientists develop new test to predict woman's risk of preterm birth

Scientists at UC San Francisco have developed a test to predict a woman's risk of preterm birth when she is between 15 and 20 weeks pregnant, which may enable doctors to treat them early and thereby prevent severe complications later in the pregnancy.

24 May 2018

Free e-cigarettes do not help smokers quit, money does finds study

According to a new study, if the smokers are provided with free electronic cigarettes to help them kick the habit, the efforts may be in vain. The study shows that giving them money helps them instead. The study appeared in the latest issue of the The New England Journal of Medicine this week.

24 May 2018

Early-life obesity linked to children's lower perceptual reasoning and working memory scores

A new study by Brown University epidemiologists found that children on the threshold of obesity or overweight in the first two years of life had lower perceptual reasoning and working memory scores than lean children when tested at ages five and eight. The study also indicated that IQ scores may be lower for higher-weight children.

23 May 2018

Seniors' air pollution exposure linked to hospitalization for ARDS

In a new study, researchers found significant associations between seniors' long-term exposure to two types of air pollution and hospitalization for acute respiratory distress syndrome. The study was presented at the 2018 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

23 May 2018

Study explores link between groundwater lithium and diagnoses of bipolar disorder, dementia

High groundwater concentration of lithium, a naturally occurring trace element, wasn't associated with any benefit in diagnoses of bipolar disorder or dementia when accounting for local health care resources and demographics, two factors that can cause mental health diagnosis rates to vary.

23 May 2018

Epidemiology News and Research

Livestock may play important role in epidemiology of leptospirosis in sub-Saharan Africa

DHS accelerates development of new methods to detect emerging biothreats

Research project aims to study opioid prescriptions after cesarean delivery and hysterectomy

Study finds high insurance denial rates for life-saving hepatitis C drugs in the U.S.

Prenatal and postnatal exposure to tobacco smoke linked with hearing impairment in children

Study finds link between low neighborhood walkability and childhood asthma

Patients diagnosed with high-sensitivity troponin test have lower risk of future heart attack

More follow-up testing may not help colorectal cancer patients, shows study

Exercise can help overcome genetic effects of obesity in older age

Esophageal cancer risk could be reduced by esomeprazole and low dose aspirin

Scientists identify three new distinct breast epithelial cell populations

Study finds link between dietary protein and heart failure risk in middle-aged men

New study shows how to personalize lung cancer screening decision for every patient

Snail's eye inspires new type of RIOCATH urinary catheter

Home-based telehealth therapy program effective for stroke rehabilitation, shows study

Scientists develop new test to predict woman's risk of preterm birth

Free e-cigarettes do not help smokers quit, money does finds study

Early-life obesity linked to children's lower perceptual reasoning and working memory scores

Seniors' air pollution exposure linked to hospitalization for ARDS

Study explores link between groundwater lithium and diagnoses of bipolar disorder, dementia

Industry Focus: Infectious Diseases eBook

Improving healthcare sustainability through carbon data

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Latest News