Severe, possibly life-threatening strep infections are rising in the United States. The number of invasive group A strep infections more than doubled from 2013 to 2022, according to a study from the CDC published Monday in the JAMA. Before that, rates of invasive strep had been stable for 17 years.
Health officials across the nation are increasingly concerned that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is sowing confusion about the effectiveness of the measles vaccine amid an outbreak that has left two unvaccinated children in Texas dead. On Sunday, in a post on X disclosing the latest death, Kennedy wrote that 'the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine' marking his clearest endorsement of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to date.
A 'first of its kind' surgery developed in Minnesota to provide relief from debilitating back pain is one step closer to FDA approval. WCCO first learned about SynerFuse in 2023 after a patient shared her chronic pain journey and the successful results a year after the surgery. The path ahead looks promising for the innovative technology as researchers learn about more Minnesotans who took part in the initial trial.
Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid found in seed oils such as soybean and safflower oil, and animal products including pork and eggs, specifically enhances the growth of the hard-to-treat "triple negative" breast cancer subtype, according to a preclinical study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The discovery could lead to new dietary and pharmaceutical strategies against breast and other cancers.
Staff shortages and employee burnout are already a pressing problem in the healthcare sector. Furthermore, Deloitte predicts that without intervention, the world will be short of some 18 million healthcare professionals, mostly in lower-income countries. At the same time, geopolitical uncertainty prevails, new technologies are changing how the sector operates and social expectations are continually evolving, with implications for what healthcare workers expect from their employers.
Fueled by outbreaks in multiple states, including a large one centered in west Texas, the nation's measles total reached 607 cases today, with 124 new cases reported over the past week, according to an update today from the CDC. The nation is battling its worst spike in cases since 2019, fueled by outbreaks in communities where vaccine uptake is lower and by increased global spread of the virus. The CDC said 2 more jurisdictions reported cases this week, raising the total to 22—21 states and New York City. One more outbreak was reported, making six so far, and 93% of cases confirmed so far are part of outbreaks.