Viruses and Health

It's the start of a new year and many of us are making our health a priority. But there is more to your health than just meeting fitness goals. Enrique Ramirez spoke to a primary care physician with Memorial Hermann about how to reset and focus on your overall health. Watch the video above to learn more. If you do not have a primary care physician, Memorial Hermann has many options close to your work or home. CLICK HERE to learn more. Why primary care physicians are the key to starting the new year right - KPRC Click2Houston

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At least five European countries have reported an increase in invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS) infections in recent months, and in some cases, scarlet fever. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is also investigating a possible increase in iGAS disease in the United States. An increase in iGAS-related deaths has also been reported in some of these countries. In all cases, children under ten have been the most affected age group. Despite a moderate increase in iGAS-related infections and deaths in some countries, the WHO currently assesses the risk for the general population as "low". Streptococcus bacteria come in various forms and can trigger an array of symptoms from a mild sore throat to pneumonia, or life-threatening blood and organ infections. Group A streptococcus infections are caused by Streptococcus pyogenes – strep A – bacteria. These organisms often live harmlessly on people's skin or in their throat lining, but can s...

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It's the start of a new year and many of us are making our health a priority. But there is more to your health than just meeting fitness goals. Enrique Ramirez spoke to a primary care physician with Memorial Hermann about how to reset and focus on your overall health. Watch the video above to learn more. If you do not have a primary care physician, Memorial Hermann has many options close to your work or home. CLICK HERE to learn more. Why primary care physicians are the key to starting the new year right - KPRC Click2Houston

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A nationwide study in New Zealand confirmed the safety of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine while noting an association with rare cases of myo/pericarditis, particularly among younger patients, and acute kidney injury. The study, posted on Preprints with The Lancet , included more than 4 million indivduals age 5 and older who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162b2, between Feb. 19, 2021 and Feb. 10, 2022, along with a historical comparison cohort. Investigators reviewed health records to evaluate 12 adverse events of special interest (AESI) within 21 days of vaccination—acute kidney injury (AKI), acute liver injury, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), erythema multiforme, herpes zoster, single organ cutaneous vasculitis, myo/pericarditis, arterial thrombosis, cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), splanchnic thrombosis, venous thromboembolism (VTE) and thrombocytopenia. "Although rare, a statistically significant association between BNT162b2 vaccination and myo/pericardi...

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It's the start of a new year and many of us are making our health a priority. But there is more to your health than just meeting fitness goals. Enrique Ramirez spoke to a primary care physician with Memorial Hermann about how to reset and focus on your overall health. Watch the video above to learn more. If you do not have a primary care physician, Memorial Hermann has many options close to your work or home. CLICK HERE to learn more. Why primary care physicians are the key to starting the new year right - KPRC Click2Houston

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Media Contact: Carrie Burkett 603-356-5461 ext. 2264 Carrie.Burkett@MaineHealth.org or Tim Kershner 603-356-5461 ext. 2198 Timothy.Kershner@MaineHealth.org NORTH CONWAY, NH – Almost 35,000 people in the US are diagnosed with a cancer caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) each year. The HPV vaccine is the only approved vaccine that can prevent cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the HPV vaccine is estimated to prevent 90% of HPV-related cancers. "If you could prevent your child from getting cancer, why wouldn't you?" asks Dr. Kathryn Fekete , pediatrician at Memorial hospital . "It is important to protect future adults well before they are exposed," says Fekete . "If a child starts the series before age 15, they only need two shots to complete the series, but if they start at age 15 or older, they need three doses to achieve long lasting immunity." Dr. Kathryn Fekete (right) recommends parents get their children vaccin...

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The trauma care of the Buffalo Bills player highlighted what is done to overcome cardiac arrest, a leading cause of death in the United States. CINCINNATI — Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills player whose heart stopped during a game in Cincinnati on Jan. 2, should not have survived, if statistics on cardiac arrests are any guide. Mr. Hamlin "was dead," when he fell to the ground, said Dr. Timothy A. Pritts, chief of the section of general surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where Mr. Hamlin was treated. But the 24-year-old safety left the hospital a week after his cardiac arrest with no apparent neurological deficits. He beat the odds after a stunning incident that traumatized his loved ones, teammates, opponents and tens of millions of Monday Night Football viewers. A visit to the hospital and the doctors, nurses and other medical staff who helped bring him back to life highlighted the mix of good preparation and good fortune that allowed Mr. Hamlin to escap...

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Background Alternaria species is a filamentous fungus from the dematiaceous family 1 that produces black pigmented molds due to melanin, 2–4 and is frequently isolated from soil, plants and food. 1,2 Some species are ubiquitous agents of decay and plant pathogens, 4 and can be found in healthy individuals both on the skin 5 and conjunctiva. 6 Alternaria infects mainly immunocompromised patients. The most important risk factors are solid organ transplantation, Cushing's syndrome and bone marrow transplants. However, infections in immunocompetent patients have also been reported although rarely involving invasive disease. 4 Infection usually occurs associated with a breaking of skin or corneal epithelial barrier mainly in patients with immunocompromised ocular surface – treated with topical corticosteroids – or in farmers and gardeners, exposed to soil and garbage, who, in the vast majority of cases, had with a history of contact lens wear, and accidental or surgical ocu...

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The trauma care of the Buffalo Bills player highlighted what is done to overcome cardiac arrest, a leading cause of death in the United States. CINCINNATI — Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills player whose heart stopped during a game in Cincinnati on Jan. 2, should not have survived, if statistics on cardiac arrests are any guide. Mr. Hamlin "was dead," when he fell to the ground, said Dr. Timothy A. Pritts, chief of the section of general surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where Mr. Hamlin was treated. But the 24-year-old safety left the hospital a week after his cardiac arrest with no apparent neurological deficits. He beat the odds after a stunning incident that traumatized his loved ones, teammates, opponents and tens of millions of Monday Night Football viewers. A visit to the hospital and the doctors, nurses and other medical staff who helped bring him back to life highlighted the mix of good preparation and good fortune that allowed Mr. Hamlin to escap...

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Impetigo and cold sores are common skin conditions that can lead to uncomfortable or painful sores or blisters, usually around the mouth. Bacterial infection causes impetigo, while viral infection causes cold sores. Though both of these conditions may show up as blisters around the mouth, there is usually a telltale sign that helps differentiate one from another. A healthcare provider can usually diagnose a cold sore versus impetigo by looking at the affected area of the skin. Impetigo and cold sores can spread to others but are also preventable.  This article discusses the similarities and differences between impetigo and cold sores, including symptoms, causes, and treatment. If you think you or a family member may have a cold sore or impetigo, see a healthcare provider so you can get the right diagnosis and treatment. lolostock / Getty Images Symptoms Cold sores are small blisters that often occur in clusters around the mouth o...

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The trauma care of the Buffalo Bills player highlighted what is done to overcome cardiac arrest, a leading cause of death in the United States. CINCINNATI — Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills player whose heart stopped during a game in Cincinnati on Jan. 2, should not have survived, if statistics on cardiac arrests are any guide. Mr. Hamlin "was dead," when he fell to the ground, said Dr. Timothy A. Pritts, chief of the section of general surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where Mr. Hamlin was treated. But the 24-year-old safety left the hospital a week after his cardiac arrest with no apparent neurological deficits. He beat the odds after a stunning incident that traumatized his loved ones, teammates, opponents and tens of millions of Monday Night Football viewers. A visit to the hospital and the doctors, nurses and other medical staff who helped bring him back to life highlighted the mix of good preparation and good fortune that allowed Mr. Hamlin to escap...