Viruses and Health

Atopic dermatitis can be difficult for some patients to manage with topical drugs alone. Such cases now have a new FDA-approved treatment option, a biologic drug from LEO Pharma that tackles the chronic inflammatory skin disorder from within the body. The FDA on Tuesday approved LEO drug tralokinumab, the latest in a string of regulatory approvals for the drug this year as a treatment for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema. Ballerup, Denmark-based LEO will market its new drug in the U.S. under the trade name "Adbry." LEO's drug is an antibody designed to bind to and block interleukin-13 (IL-13), a signaling protein called a cytokine that plays a key role in driving atopic dermatitis. Adbry is the first biologic drug approved by the FDA that addresses this disease target. In securing FDA approval, LEO will reach the U.S. market ahead of Eli Lilly, which is pursuing IL-13 with lebrikizumab, an antibody it added via a $1.1 billion acquisition...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] A fatal fungal disease is spreading among North America's snakes    National Geographic A fatal fungal disease is spreading among North America's snakes - National Geographic

First tattoo To the editor: It was in the mid-1990s, and I was living in the Gasworks Park marina. My sister, her husband and their two sons live in Wallingford, a few blocks away. The boys were Sean, about 4, and Christopher, about 5. I was going on vacation to Mexico, and before I took off I explained to the boys I would not see them for a bit. They retired to their bedroom to discuss it. After a bit, they came back out. Christopher had in his cupped hands all the money in the world the two of them owned. It was something like 95 cents. The two very serious young men gave me all their earthly treasures and told me they wanted to buy me a Spiderman tattoo while I was in Mexico. So I chipped in the extra $299.05 and got me a Mexican Spiderman tattoo. Gerald Simonsen Bainbridge Island So selfish To the editor: Anti-vaxxers refusing to get the COVID-19 shot or wear a mask think they are defending their rights but in reality, they are selfish hypocrites. Anti-vaxxers are hy...

Skip to content Top Navigation Close this dialog window Explore Health.com Profile Menu Close Sign in Close this dialog window View image These Are the 6 Main Types of Meningitis, According to Neurologists and Infectious Disease Doctors this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. 6 Types of Meningitis: Here's What Can Cause Swelling of the Brain and Spinal Cord - Health.com

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Phoenix doctors seeing new batch of viruses, infections outside of COVID and flu    Arizona's Family Phoenix doctors seeing new batch of viruses, infections outside of COVID and flu - Arizona's Family

[unable to retrieve full-text content] A new treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis in Ukraine    The Lancet A new treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis in Ukraine - The Lancet

The last of three articles on using an electrocardiogram to assess the heart's electrical activity focuses on causes of cardiac rhythm and conduction abnormalities and how to spot them Abstract This is the last in a three-part series on using an electrocardiogram to assess the heart's electrical activity. In this article, the focus is on cardiac rhythm and conduction abnormalities of the heart, which all have unique presenting characteristics. These characteristics include ectopic beats, tachycardias and atrioventricular block. Citation: Jarvis S (2021) Electrocardiogram 3: cardiac rhythm and conduction abnormalities. Nursing Times [online]; 117: 8, 27-32. Author: Selina Jarvis is honorary research nurse, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. This article has been double-blind peer reviewed Scroll down to read the article or download a print-friendly PDF here (if the PDF fails to fully download please try again using a different browser) Click h...

The vaccine is intended to prevent pneumonia, which is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Credit: Ed Us / Unsplash. The European Commission (EC) has granted approval to Merck's (MSD) pneumococcal 15-valent conjugate vaccine, Vaxneuvance, for active immunisation to prevent invasive disease and pneumonia in adults aged 18 years and above. The vaccine is intended to prevent pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. With the latest approval, the vaccine can now be commercialised in all 27 Member States of the EU in addition to Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein. The approval comes after a positive recommendation from the Committee for Medicinal Products on Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Fin...

Amidst the ongoing injection drug use (IDU) public health crisis in the US, the rise of Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) IDU-associated bloodstream infection (IDU-BSI) presents another potential epidemic that could affect thousands of lives. The community-level spread of this phylogenetically distinct set of subtypes of the bacterium among the IDU community is primarily propagated by the high-risk practice of needle sharing. A recent study found that  S. aureus  infections among IDU users can spread like communicable diseases and increased from 9.1% of BSI cases in 2016 to 13.4% in 2019. GlobalData epidemiologists expect that if the issue remains unaddressed, an increase in  S. aureus -related bacteremia will likely be observed, a major risk factor for developing the life-threatening condition of severe sepsis. Bacteremia is the condition where bacteria, such as S. aureus , enter a person's bloodstream where it should not be. It can affec...

BANGOR – In what has become a holiday tradition, Northern Light Health presented a $10,000 donation to a worthy non-profit in honor of all Northern Light Health board members across the system on Dec. 20 at Mercy Hospital's Fore River campus. Representing Northern Light Health at the check presentation were Northern Light Mercy Hospital President Charlie Therrien and Vice President of Mission Integration Melissa Skahan. This year's recipient of the holiday gift is Community Housing of Maine, better known as CHOM. Often described as a small non-profit with a big mission, CHOM is the largest provider of supportive housing in Maine and seeks to create safe, stable, and inclusive communities through the development, purchase, and maintenance of high-quality affordable housing. Northern Light Health witnessed CHOM's good work when working together to expand the successful McAuley Residence program, opening a second location in Bangor during the height of the pandemic to ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] A new treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis in Ukraine    The Lancet A new treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis in Ukraine - The Lancet

Authorities in the northern Chinese city of Xi'an have placed the city of 13 million under lockdown, amid a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 cases and fears over a recent outbreak of epidemic hemorrhagic fever, local residents told RFA. A resident of Xi'an's Xixian New District surnamed Wang said her community had been placed under lockdown on Wednesday evening. "I am guessing that the latest wave of cases in Xi'an must be higher than the original wave in Wuhan," Wang told RFA, saying there are rumors that the city is going to be "the next Wuhan." "No hemorrhagic fever was found in Wuhan [in early 2020], but Xi'an is now faced with a double epidemic," she said. "Everyone in China is paying attention to Xi'an right now," she said. The move comes after dozens of COVID-19 cases were reported by authorities in Xi'an over several consecutive days, with mass PCR testing already under way across the city. Howeve...

It is common for raised bumps to develop on the skin and there are many different causes. Bumps can range in size and color. Some types are painful, while others do not cause discomfort. There are many reasons a person may develop raised skin bumps. Most of the time, the bumps are harmless. However, a person should see a doctor if they have concerns. A bump can sometimes indicate a problem such as skin cancer. Skin bumps can occur anywhere on the body and result from a range of causes. Among these causes are: acne allergic reaction trauma/friction skin cancer infection This article discusses raised skin bumps that result from these causes, including their appearance and possible treatments. Acne is one of the most common types of skin condition, affecting up to 50 million Americans each year. The way the skin responds to acne varies, but it can cause raised bumps on the skin, commonly called "blemishes," "pimples," or "zits." These commonly appear on the ...

Causes of a sore throat on one side includes the flu, tonsillitis, a canker sore, or a tumor. Look out for other symptoms to help you identify what's causing your sore throat on one side. If you're having trouble breathing or swallowing, see a doctor for a diagnosis and treatment. Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice. Waking up with a tickle in your throat could be a telltale sign you're getting sick. But sometimes the soreness may happen on only one side. That can mean something as minor as a cold or more severe like a tumor. Here are eight medical conditions that can cause a sore throat on just one side and how to treat each case. 1. A cold or the flu  A viral infection, like a cold or the flu, can cause lymph nodes...

Dec. 7, 2021 -- A meat company is recalling 234,391 pounds of cooked ham and pepperoni products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes , the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced. The meat is being recalled by Alexander & Hornung, a unit of Perdue Premium Meat Co. that is based in St. Clair Shores, MI. There are 17 products on the recall list, including Wellshire Wood Smoked Ham products, Alexander & Hornung Ham products, Garett Valley Farms ham products, Butcher Boy ham products, Five Star Brand pepperoni, and Big Y bone-in hickory smoked ham steak. "While there have been no illnesses or complaints associated with the products and there is no conclusive evidence that the products were contaminated at the time of shipment, the voluntary recall is being initiated out of an abundance of caution," Alexander & Hornung said in a statement. The meat was shipped all over the nation. To find...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] A new treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis in Ukraine    The Lancet A new treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis in Ukraine - The Lancet

Authorities in the northern Chinese city of Xi'an have placed the city of 13 million under lockdown, amid a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 cases and fears over a recent outbreak of epidemic hemorrhagic fever, local residents told RFA. A resident of Xi'an's Xixian New District surnamed Wang said her community had been placed under lockdown on Wednesday evening. "I am guessing that the latest wave of cases in Xi'an must be higher than the original wave in Wuhan," Wang told RFA, saying there are rumors that the city is going to be "the next Wuhan." "No hemorrhagic fever was found in Wuhan [in early 2020], but Xi'an is now faced with a double epidemic," she said. "Everyone in China is paying attention to Xi'an right now," she said. The move comes after dozens of COVID-19 cases were reported by authorities in Xi'an over several consecutive days, with mass PCR testing already under way across the city. Howeve...