As we’ve reached the middle of holiday season, so comes the flu.
Did you know that there are numerous strains of influenza? The virus generates new strains all the time. These strains outsmart your body’s immune system and mutate so that they cannot be detected. This is one of the reasons why researchers and doctors encourage you to get the flu shot every year.
But, what if scientists developed a flu vaccine that only needed to be administered every few years?
More than 10,000 cases of cholera have been reported in North Nigeria in 2018. Since the outbreak began in early November, 175 people have died from the disease.
And much like the ongoing cholera outbreak in Yemen, it’s more than a disease causing this epidemic. The situation continues to worsen due to the presence and attacks from Boko Haram, a local terror group.
Most of the cases of cholera are present in displacement camps in Northern Nigeria, specifically in the state of Borno. The displacement camps were founded out of necessity in the last decade. More than 400,000 people were forced to leave their homes because of Boko Haram’s presence.
France is currently the most popular international destination, with 85.7 million people visiting France each year.
It’s not difficult to imagine why millions would visit the European country every year. The Eiffel Tower alone brings in about 7 million visitors every year, ranking as one of the world’s most popular attractions. Hungry travelers might just visit France for the local food, considered some of the best in the world. And if the modern attractions aren’t enough, France has a vast history that’s easy to explore on a trip.
But, even all those traits might not be enough to help France keep its title.
Although there is currently a polio vaccine, researchers from the University of Southern California have successfully developed a polio vaccine that does not have to be refrigerated.
The new temperature-stable vaccine could potentially eradicate polio worldwide. While the disease has long been eradicated in most countries, some regions still struggle with outbreaks. Some countries, like Papua New Guinea, are experiencing a resurgence of the disease. Nigeria and Pakistan, where constant refrigeration is not always possible, could make strides in polio prevention with the new vaccine.
This new vaccine is promising because the current vaccine has caused damaging effects in these areas. The oral vaccine contains a small amount of the live virus. Vaccinations can then occasionally turn into a form the virus that can cause paralysis instead of preventing polio.
Everyone knows about flu season.
Starting in the fall, we all usually have some kind of plan to fight off the virus in the coming months. For many people, that involves the flu shot. Some people even need a booster shot during the flu season. Along with the vaccine, we might try to practice better hygiene during the winter months to protect ourselves. Because we know when the flu is likely to be at its worst, we are able to protect ourselves.
But, influenza isn’t the only disease that has a season.
An assistant professor, Micaela Martinez, at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public recently published a calendar that shows the seasons of 69 different infectious diseases. The calendar is known as the “Epidemic Calendar.”
Ebola has been raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since this past August. Even with some progress in a vaccine for the virus, the World Health Organization fear that it could last another six months.
Since our last update about this outbreak, the confirmed cases of Ebola virus rose to 379, and the death toll rose to just over 245 people. Those numbers make this outbreak the second-worst Ebola epidemic in recorded history.
But, those rising case numbers may not be the most worrisome part of the outbreak.
Ebola is a viral infection, initially transmitted through eating infected meat. Then, the disease spreads from person-to-person through contact with that person’s body fluids.
The upward trend of meningitis transmission amongst college students has only increased in recent years. Many of the affected schools have even responded with new vaccine requirements.
Before starting their classes, students must be vaccinated for the various meningitis strains. While the new rules will reduce meningitis’ spread, it’s also amplified concern for young adults and their parents.
While vaccinations can keep a person from having to hide at home over meningitis fears, why is the disease so common at colleges?
The answer could help slow risk of the disease, but also provide other health benefits. This is because the principle behind meningitis’ spread also makes college attendees more likely to get many other illnesses such as the flu.
For many vaccines, booster shots are important to maintaining prevention against diseases. This is true for diseases such as hepatitis A and B, yellow fever, and HPV.
But, what about influenza?
During the flu season, people are wary of the dangerous virus. It’s an exciting thought that a second-dose of the flu shot may increase our immunity to the flu as other booster shots do for other diseases. With even more protection, some might think risks of the flu could disappear.
Shingles is almost exclusively associated with seniors. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering the infection most commonly affects that particular age group.
But, with approximately one million cases every year in the United States, it’s useful to know that not all sufferers fall into the same range.
Nearly one in every three people in America will develop shingles in their lifetime. Even young children can experience bouts of the painful rash.
South Africa is one of the 22 countries that’s been on the “high burden” list for Tuberculosis (TB) since 1998. It has remained in the top-20 for MDR-TB since 2008. This list of countries measures the highest risk of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, or MDR-TB.
What is a high burden country and how is this determined?
A high burden nation is one that has a significant amount of TB cases reported each year or increased mortality rates from this illness. To be on the high burden list for the MDR-TB, countries have to report at least 4,000 cases of citizens with that strain. These countries also had to account for 85 percent of the TB cases worldwide.
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