Respiratory outbreak SARS exposed cracks in global health systems
SARS illness does not always announce itself with obvious warning signs. In the wet markets of Guangdong, China, in late 2002 A new virus, later identified as a coronavirus, is believed to have crossed from civet cats to humans and begun moving quietly through a population that had no immunity to it and no name […]
What is MERS-CoV? The dangerous virus you may not know about
More than a decade after it was first identified, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome commonly known as MERS remains an active global health concern. With no vaccine available and no specific antiviral treatment approved, the disease continues to pose a serious threat, particularly in regions of the Arabian Peninsula where the virus is most prevalent. As […]
How measles can erase years of your immune system’s memory and why scientists are sounding the alarm
Most people think of measles as a childhood illness that runs its course and leaves the body stronger for it. The reality is considerably more unsettling. Beyond the fever, rash, and respiratory symptoms of the acute measles infection, the virus can do something far more lasting: erasing a significant portion of the immune system’s existing […]
Dengue fever is no longer a distant threat and travelers need to pay attention
It has existed for nearly two thousand years, appearing in historical records as far back as 200 AD. But dengue fever, long considered a contained threat in tropical corners of the world, has transformed into something far more pressing. Fueled by climate change, international travel and strained health systems, the disease now puts roughly half […]
Increasing drug resistance by superbugs is quietly building toward the next global health crisis
The World Health Organization has raised a flag that the global healthcare community cannot afford to ignore. Nearly one in six infection-causing microbes is now resistant to antibiotic treatment, and between 2018 and 2023, resistance levels rose in more than 40 percent of the pathogen and antibiotic combinations being monitored. The average annual increase during […]
9 states with critical RSV levels what parents must know
Flu season may be winding down across much of the United States, but respiratory syncytial virus more commonly known as RSV is still making its presence felt in a significant portion of the country. What makes this season particularly notable is not just where the virus is hitting hardest, but how unusually late it has […]