Thanks to modern medicine and vaccine campaigns, rubella has been eradicated in many developed nations. That’s just one reason officials are surprised by Japan’s recent outbreak of the virus.

Since the beginning of 2018, rubella cases have spiked across Japan. Most reported cases during this outbreak are popping up in the Kanto region, according to the CDC. The region includes heavily-populated cities like Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama.

According to the Japan National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), almost 1,900 cases of Rubella had been reported in 2018, as of November 4th. Compared to the previous year, there have been over 1,000 more reported cases.

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When yellow fever comes up today, you likely imagine a tropical disease. It might only appear as a risk to people in Africa, South America or the Caribbean.

But, the mosquito-borne disease wasn’t always just a foreign risk. There was a time that yellow fever terrorized New Orleans, Louisiana.

In the 1800s yellow fever took hold of the busy city and more than 41,000 people were lost. Despite not knowing the origin of the disease, the city took many efforts to try and contain and erase it.

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While Zika is generally spread by mosquitoes and not by monkeys, newly published research presents a new risk for the virus. Teams at the University of Texas in Galveston and the Faculty of Medicine in Rio, Brazil found evidence that strongly suggests mosquitoes use monkeys as hosts for the virus in the Americas.

If this is true, scientists say it may make eradication of the virus next to impossible due to the presence of the natural transmission cycle.

In a natural transmission cycle, the infected animals will keep a virus or parasite alive in the wild. The animals ensure that future feeders can spread the same diseases later on.

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Often overlooked, diarrhea is still one of the leading causes of death around the world. While it is a disease that affects populations worldwide, it is especially rampant in impoverished regions.

According to a study in The Lancet, various factors make up a location that struggles with these deaths. A lack of clean water, sanitation and health care contribute to disease. These issues are often focused in areas with marginalized and low-income citizens.

We’ve seen the recent dangers of water contamination and poor sanitation in foreign countries. Cholera outbreaks and resistant forms of typhoid have spread across the globe.

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An outbreak of adenovirus in New Jersey has already led to the deaths of 10 children. The adenovirus is normally not deadly, but the virus has now become dangerous.

The outbreak occurred at a singular care center in New Jersey: the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. As of November 8, 30 people were infected at the facility, with more cases confirmed in other parts of the state. More cases have been reported at the Voorhees Pediatric Facility.

Victims range from the age of toddlers to young adults. A staff member was also infected, but has recovered.

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While some people choose to avoid gluten in their diets, others don’t have an option. Foods like pasta and bread are dangerous to those living with celiac disease.

But, a new immunization may help free up their diets.

A vaccine for celiac disease has officially entered phase 2 trials. This revolutionary vaccine could potentially protect individuals from that harmful effects that eating gluten has on their body. For over 3 million Americans, currently 1 percent of the population, the vaccine could be life-changing.

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One of that largest myths when it comes to the flu is that you can get sick from the flu vaccine. In fact, this can stop someone from getting the flu shot all together.

But, this fear is not based in fact.

Fear of infection from the vaccine exists because the shot contains the flu virus. Although, keep in mind that the flu shot doesn’t contain a live version of the virus. Any flu that exists in the vaccine is inactive or deadened. An inactive version of the virus cannot spread the illness.

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You’ve probably heard a lot about climate change affecting global aspects such as glaciers and agriculture. Thanks to recent studies, we now that it also impacts disease rates.

A new study due to be published in January 2019 suggests that as average temperatures in India continue to increase, so too will the country’s risk for further chikungunya cases.

With no cure or vaccine to fight chikungunya, researchers fear the threat that the potentially fatal illness could pose.

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When you picture harmful infections, shingles is probably not the first one that comes to mind.

Yet, while the illness may seem to “just” cause an irritating rash, pain, itching and tingling, it can also cause permanent damage. Some patients may even deal with constant pain for years after infection.

Considering almost one in every three people in the United States will develop shingles in their lifetime, understanding how it works is necessary for millions.

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Over the summer, we noted a rise in cases of the West Nile Virus throughout the United States. Since then, the possible risks have only continued to rise.

Records are breaking across the country as a case of West Nile has been reported in every single state in the U.S. except Hawaii. The most reports of the disease are coming out of Texas and Florida.

Due to these cases, there have been many deaths associated with West Nile throughout the country.

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