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Dengue fever circulating in urban areas of West Africa

Misdiagnosis of febrile illnesses as malaria is a continuing problem in Africa. A new study shows that in Ghana, dengue fever is circulating in urban areas and going undiagnosed. The authors of the study hope to use the findings to launch a widespread initiative to better understand acute undifferentiated febrile illnesses in West Africa.

3 Mar 2015

Scientists sequence genome of hookworm

In an advance that may potentially lead to new treatments for parasitic hookworms, scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Cornell University have sequenced the genome of the hookworm, Ancylostoma ceylanicum.

3 Mar 2015

Easy-to-obtain oral swab could be a game changer for TB control

Drawing inspiration from veterinary medicine, researchers at the University of Washington have helped developed a new prospective approach to diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) - easy-to-obtain oral swab samples, greatly improving on standard diagnostics.

3 Mar 2015

Anticholinergic medications associated with pneumonia risk in older people

Taking commonly used medications with anticholinergic effects is associated with a significantly higher risk for developing pneumonia in a study of more than 3,000 older Group Health patients living in the community--not in nursing homes.

3 Mar 2015

Study could help boost suicide prevention efforts in the U.S.

A study that could help to bolster suicide prevention efforts has examined the prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adults who reported psychotic experiences.

28 Feb 2015

Bioethics Commission makes recommendations on preparedness for public health emergencies

Today the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues (Bioethics Commission) reported that the federal government has both a prudential and a moral responsibility to actively participate in coordinated global responses to public health emergencies wherever they arise.

28 Feb 2015

Study: Competition among physicians, retail medical clinics increases antibiotic prescriptions

Competition among doctors' offices, urgent care centers and retail medical clinics in wealthy areas of the U.S. often leads to an increase in the number of antibiotic prescriptions written per person, a team led by Johns Hopkins researchers has found.

28 Feb 2015

Researchers successfully convert adult human skin cells into neurons that control appetite

Researchers have for the first time successfully converted adult human skin cells into neurons of the type that regulate appetite, providing a patient-specific model for studying the neurophysiology of weight control and testing new therapies for obesity.

28 Feb 2015

Study: Two in every three Australian smokers more likely to die from their habit

The research, published today in the international journal BMC Medicine, is an important reminder about the extreme hazards of smoking.

28 Feb 2015

FDA approves LILETTA (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) to prevent pregnancy

Actavis plc, a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, and Medicines360, a nonprofit women's health pharmaceutical company, today announced the approval of LILETTA (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use by women to prevent pregnancy for up to three years.

27 Feb 2015

NIAID partners with Liberian government to test ZMapp drug for Ebola virus disease

In partnership with the Liberian government, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases today launched a clinical trial to obtain safety and efficacy data on the investigational drug ZMapp as a treatment for Ebola virus disease. The study, which will be conducted in Liberia and the United States, is a randomized controlled trial enrolling adults and children with known Ebola virus infection.

27 Feb 2015

Young women veterans referred for cardiac tests more likely to be depressed than men veterans

Women veterans who had specialized heart tests were younger and more likely to be obese, depressed and suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder than men veterans, according to a study published in an American Heart Association journal.

27 Feb 2015

Study evaluates dietary impact of whole fruit and 100% juice consumption

When it comes to meeting the recommended servings of fruit per day, 100% juice in the diet makes a difference. According to a new study from the University of Washington Center for Public Health, published on-line in Nutrition Journal, Americans consume just over one cup of fruit per day, on average.

27 Feb 2015

Study shows physical similarities, differences between extrovert types in the brain

Everyday experience and psychological studies alike tell us that there are two different types of extroverts: The gregarious "people-persons" who find reward in sharing affection and affiliation with others, and the ambitious "go-getters" who flash those bright-white smiles in their pursuit of achievement and leadership agendas.

27 Feb 2015

Scientists confirm relation between levels of certain pollutants in the body and levels of obesity

A team of Spanish scientists, which includes several researchers from the University of Granada, has confirmed that there is a relation between the levels of certain environmental pollutants that a person accumulates in his or her body and their level of obesity. Subjects with more pollutants in their organisms present besides higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, which are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

27 Feb 2015

Researchers reveal that mosquitoes’ sexual biology may key to malaria transmission

Sexual biology may be the key to uncovering why Anopheles mosquitoes are unique in their ability to transmit malaria to humans, according to researchers at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and University of Perugia, Italy.

27 Feb 2015

Study finds correlation between tests for hemoglobin A1c using finger stick and oral blood

It is estimated that 8.1 million of the 29.1 million Americans living with diabetes are undiagnosed and many who have diabetes have poor glycemic control. Given that each year many Americans visit a dental provider but not a primary care provider, dental visits may be an opportune site for diabetes screening and monitoring glucose control for many at-risk patients.

27 Feb 2015

Study suggests benefits of calorie restriction on healthy aging

Targeting mechanisms in the central nervous system that sense energy generated by nutrients might yield the beneficial effects of low-calorie diets on healthy aging without the need to alter food intake, suggests new research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

27 Feb 2015

Insurance coverage expansion in Massachusetts increases knee, hip replacement procedures by 4.7%

Researchers at Boston Medical Center have found that the expansion of insurance coverage in Massachusetts increased the number of elective knee and hip replacement procedures by 4.7 percent, with greater increases among black and Hispanic patients.

27 Feb 2015

Researchers find that people with disabilities have unmet medical needs, poorer overall health

People with disabilities have unmet medical needs and poorer overall health throughout their lives, and as a result should be recognized as a health disparity group so more attention can be directed to improving their quality of life, a team of policy researchers has found.

26 Feb 2015

Public Health News and Research

Dengue fever circulating in urban areas of West Africa

Scientists sequence genome of hookworm

Easy-to-obtain oral swab could be a game changer for TB control

Anticholinergic medications associated with pneumonia risk in older people

Study could help boost suicide prevention efforts in the U.S.

Bioethics Commission makes recommendations on preparedness for public health emergencies

Study: Competition among physicians, retail medical clinics increases antibiotic prescriptions

Researchers successfully convert adult human skin cells into neurons that control appetite

Study: Two in every three Australian smokers more likely to die from their habit

FDA approves LILETTA (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) to prevent pregnancy

NIAID partners with Liberian government to test ZMapp drug for Ebola virus disease

Young women veterans referred for cardiac tests more likely to be depressed than men veterans

Study evaluates dietary impact of whole fruit and 100% juice consumption

Study shows physical similarities, differences between extrovert types in the brain

Scientists confirm relation between levels of certain pollutants in the body and levels of obesity

Researchers reveal that mosquitoes’ sexual biology may key to malaria transmission

Study finds correlation between tests for hemoglobin A1c using finger stick and oral blood

Study suggests benefits of calorie restriction on healthy aging

Insurance coverage expansion in Massachusetts increases knee, hip replacement procedures by 4.7%

Researchers find that people with disabilities have unmet medical needs, poorer overall health

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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