Texas Rancher Developed Anthrax From Butchered Lamb Meat

Anthrax disease in humans is rare and when it does occur, it's usually during hot, dry summers.

That's why the case of a Texas rancher who developed anthrax in January of this year piqued the interest of investigators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The rancher, who survived his ordeal, caught the anthrax germ...

Could Brain 'Overgrowth' Contribute to Autism?

Severe forms of autism could be linked to overgrowth of the brain’s outer layer that starts while a baby is in the womb, a new study finds.

Toddlers with autism have cerebral cortexes -- often referred to as “gray matter” -- that are roughly 40% larger than those of children without the developmental disorder, researchers reported re...

Mpox Is Still Circulating Among U.S. Gay Men

Though not at numbers seen in the 2022 outbreak, mpox cases are still circulating in the United States, largely among gay and bisexual men, new government data shows.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) viral illness in the United States during 2022 sicke...

Salmonella Illness Linked to Cucumbers Now Reported in 25 States

An outbreak of salmonella illness linked to recalled cucumbers has now expanded to at least 162 cases in 25 states, U.S. health officials reported Wednesday.

In an update issued from the the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials noted that 54 of the cases were so severe that hospitalization was required, although no d...

FDA Panel OKs New COVID Vaccine for Fall

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Wednesday recommended updating the formula for COVID vaccines ahead of a fall campaign that will encourage Americans to get the latest shots.

The unanimous vote recommends that vaccine makers tailor the next vaccine to target the JN.1 variant, which dominated infections in the...

Patient in Mexico Dies From First Known Human Infection of H5N2 Strain of Bird Flu

A 59-year-old person in Mexico is the first human in the world known to be infected with the H5N2 strain of avian flu, and the patient died of complications linked to the illness, the World Health Organization reported Wednesday.

H5N1 and H5N2 strains of avian flu have long circulated among birds, and H5N1 has infected about 900 humans wor...

Long COVID's Toll Outlined in New Report

Long COVID continues to plague millions of Americans as the health costs of the pandemic linger four years later, a new report warns.

In a hefty document released Wednesday, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, a nongovernmental group that advises federal agencies on science and medicine, detailed the damage that ...

Artificial Sweetener Xylitol Linked to Heart Attack, Stroke

Higher amounts of the artificial sweetener xylitol might raise the risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study warns.

Xylitol is a zero-calorie sugar alcohol commonly used in sugar-free candy, chewing gum, baked goods and toothpastes, researchers said.

But high blood levels of the sweetener is associated with an increased risk of su...

Many Americans Are Using Marijuana to Manage Health Issues

One in six patients serviced by a major California health care system said they used marijuana regularly, with many citing health reasons for doing so, a new study finds.

In most cases, doctors may not know that weed is part of a patient's daily life.

“Patients may not tell their primary care providers about their cannabis use, and...

Calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers Are Becoming More Severe

America's poison control centers are increasingly fielding calls on cases of deliberate or accidental poisonings that end in disability or death, a new report finds.

Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System reviewed more than 33.7 million poison exposures reported to the 55 poison centers in the United States between 2007 an...

Statins, Metformin Can Cut Odds for Brain Aneurysms

Common drugs used to control cholesterol, blood sugar and high blood pressure might also lower a person’s risk of stroke, a new study finds.

The researchers evaluated the risk of brain aneurysms that cause bleeding strokes in patients.

For the study, they looked at the medical records for nearly 4,900 patients who had a bleeding st...

It's Safe to Take GLP-1 Weight Loss Meds Before Surgery: Study

Despite recent concerns that taking Ozempic, Wegovy or other GLP-1 medications might be unsafe before a surgery, a new review has uncovered no such danger.

The issue arose because weight-loss drugs slow gastric emptying. The thought was that food might linger in the stomach so patients might be at higher risk of aspirating food particles a...