Jessica Irvine 121 posts 0 comments

V. vulnificus, known as the ‘flesh-eating bacteria,’ has been spreading into territory previously thought inhabitable for these organisms. These bacteria need warmer water to survive and due to climate change, they are traveling farther north than ever before. There are two ways that people can…

The Ebola outbreak in the Congo continues. Currently, over 1,500 lives have been claimed, however, the number continues to grow. The virus is now spreading into Uganda, and some are criticizing the lack of aid. They site the promise that was made to never again allow this to occur after the West…

In 2016, Zika virus broke headlines as the outbreak ensued. Since then, the outbreak has been overshadowed by more recent events such as the measles crisis. However, Zika is still thriving in Brazil and UCLA Pediatric Infectious Disease Doctor, Dr. Karin Neilson, speculates that the outbreak in…

There has been an increase in people who use sunscreen every day to protect against UV rays, but how safe is sunscreen for the skin in terms of other active ingredients? The FDA first investigated the effect of sunscreen on skin in the 1970’s when they thought that sunscreen sat on top of the skin,…

Recently, the Environmental Working Group and Northwestern University conducted a study with which they found that 43 states are exposing its residents to a dangerous chemical via their water supply. These chemicals are referred to as PFAS and have been shown to lead to birth defects, cancer, and…

IUDs are a form of birth control that is termed an LARC, or long-acting reversible contraceptive. It is small, t-shaped, contains hormones or copper wire, and is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy for years. Researchers at the Guttmacher Institute have noticed a significant decrease…

This year has been the worst since 1994 in terms of measles cases; 66 children have been hospitalized and, in total, there have been over 700 cases in 2019. Two counties in New York can account for nearly 70% of the cases, however, there have been cases in 22 states. Of the 700 cases, 71% are known…

A news outlet in Ohio has reported that there has been a very notable increase in the number of Hepatitis A cases this year, with 19 of 32 cases being linked to the nationwide outbreak. Summit County Public Health has noted that there is an increase in the misuse of drugs within this outbreak of…

Tragically, millions of Americans are still effected by the use of lead pipes to transport water across the nation. There are known effects on development, damage to organs, and even death in extreme cases. Individuals at the University of California, Berkeley are currently working to rectify the…

Large scale wildfires are common in California, and accompanying them is the release of chemicals into the air through the burning of lead paint, asbestos, plastic pipes, and other building material. In an ongoing study, post-fire soil is being tested in Santa Rosa county. It is being analyzed and…

New York has taken a critical step in stopping their measles outbreak with the proclamation that anyone unvaccinated for measles will be fined $1,000 in some Williamsburg zipcodes. There have been well over 200 cases of measles within this area of New York and due to the extent of this crisis, the…

As of February 18th, there were 19 reported cases of Typhus among Los Angeles’ homeless populations. There appears to be a trend considering that there were over 100 cases in California in 2018, 95% of those affected being in the Los Angeles Country area. Agents carrying the disease have been sited…

There have been two attacks on Ebola treatment Centers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. These centers were run by the Doctors without Borders and they have stated that the outbreak is not currently under control. These attacks are comprised of stones being thrown at infrastructure, destroying…

Lack of sleep is a growing commonality, however, this deficit may be dangerous. New research has suggested that a lack of sleep may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s, anxiety, and feelings of social isolation. An estimated 33.3% of adults do not get the ideal seven hours of sleep a night. Sleep is…