Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

Understanding how cholera bacteria resist phage predation

When we think of cholera, most of us picture contaminated water and tragic outbreaks in vulnerable regions. But behind the scenes, cholera bacteria are locked in a fierce, microscopic war-one that could shape the course of pandemics.

22 May 2025

Reduced monitoring after stroke found safe for low risk patients

Halving the number of times vital signs and neurological function are checked in low-risk patients after treatment for acute ischaemic stroke does not compromise care or recovery, according to new findings presented at the 11th European Stroke Organisation Conference in Helsinki, Finland.

22 May 2025

Depression and loneliness predict future chronic pain in older adults

Researchers tracked more than 7,000 older adults in England and found that loneliness and depression increased years before the onset of chronic pain, and remained elevated long after pain began. Social isolation also rose with age, but differences between those with and without pain were minimal.

21 May 2025

New mask technology balances protection and comfort effectively

The COVID-19 pandemic increased public awareness of the importance of mask use for personal protection.

21 May 2025

3 things to watch on mental health in Trump’s early budget proposals

Since President Donald Trump released his 2026 budget blueprint in early May, calling for $163 billion in federal spending cuts, much of the attention has focused on his slashing of foreign aid and boosting of border security.

21 May 2025

Maternal RSV vaccine and nirsevimab sharply cut infant hospitalizations, new data show

Widespread use of maternal RSV vaccination and nirsevimab during the 2024–2025 U.S. RSV season led to a significant reduction in RSV-associated hospitalizations among infants aged 0–7 months. The largest benefits were seen in the youngest and most vulnerable infants, particularly during peak winter months.

20 May 2025

Gut bacteria and genes jointly shape obesity risk, review reveals hidden links

Researchers examined the heritability of body mass index (BMI), highlighting that genetics and the gut microbiome both play major roles in obesity risk. The review emphasizes that maternal microbiome transmission and family environment may help explain “missing heritability” beyond known genetic factors.

20 May 2025

Global report highlights key health challenges facing adolescents

Poor mental health, rising obesity rates, exposure to violence and climate change are among the key challenges facing our adolescents today, according to a global report.

20 May 2025

WHO member states adopt landmark Pandemic Agreement

Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) today formally adopted by consensus the world's first Pandemic Agreement.

20 May 2025

How the Trump administration aims to slash health care spending

Health care has proved a vulnerable target for the firehose of cuts and policy changes President Donald Trump ordered in the name of reducing waste and improving efficiency.

20 May 2025

What makes H5N1 a pandemic risk and how can we stop it?

A new PEARLS article in PLoS Pathogens reviews the rapid evolution and pandemic potential of emerging influenza A viruses, with a focus on H5N1. It highlights scientific advances and future strategies to outpace the virus, from next-generation vaccines to AI-driven antiviral discovery.

19 May 2025

Diabetes paradox: Rising diabetes prevalence poses a growing threat to the labor market

Advances in medical technology over the last 30 years have made it easier to detect and treat diabetes, leading to significant health improvements in people with the disease.

18 May 2025

Electromagnetic waves disrupt SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and lower infectivity

Researchers demonstrated that specific electromagnetic wave frequencies can disrupt the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein structure in virus-like particles, leading to reduced infectivity in cell models. This proof-of-concept study suggests new avenues for non-chemical viral inactivation methods.

18 May 2025

Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly set to begin in May 2025

The Seventy-eighth session of the World Health Assembly (WHA78) will convene from 19 to 27 May 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, under the theme "One World for Health".

16 May 2025

Pharmacists stockpile most common drugs on chance of targeted Trump tariffs

In the dim basement of a Salt Lake City pharmacy, hundreds of amber-colored plastic pill bottles sit stacked in rows, one man's defensive wall in a tariff war.

16 May 2025

Even where abortion is still legal, many brick-and-mortar clinics are closing

On the last day of patient care at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Marquette, Michigan, a port town on the shore of Lake Superior, dozens of people crowded into the parking lot and alley, holding pink homemade signs that read "Thank You!" and "Forever Grateful."

16 May 2025

Socioeconomic gaps persist in COVID-19 vaccination among older Swedes

The spring COVID-19 vaccination program in Sweden is in its final stages in several parts of the country. The program has encompassed free booster doses for those at increased risk of serious illness, including the very oldest members of society.

16 May 2025

US hospitals see rising complications in patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy

A large US study found that takotsubo cardiomyopathy is associated with high in-hospital mortality and serious cardiovascular complications, with no improvements in outcomes over five years. Mortality is more than double in men compared to women, and risk factors include age, race, and hospital characteristics.

15 May 2025

Lower fitness before infection raises risk of long COVID, study finds

Adults who later developed long COVID had lower cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) before infection than those who did not. COVID-19 was not linked to accelerated or clinically significant declines in CRF, even among long COVID cases.

15 May 2025

HIV vaccine study marks breakthrough in targeting broad immune responses

A decades-long scientific challenge in HIV vaccine development has been finding a way to train the immune system to produce antibodies that can target many variants of the virus.

15 May 2025