Human Health Issues

An adult from Sagadahoc County has died after becoming infected with Powassan, a tickborne virus, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday in a news release. Robert Weymouth, 58, of Topsham spent more than two weeks at Maine Medical Center before he died Sunday, his wife Annemarie told NEWS CENTER, Maine. His wife said he was an avid racer across Maine, including the Wiscassett speedway, and he would have turned 59 on Saturday. Weymouth developed neurologic symptoms and is believed to have been infected in Maine by a deer tick or woodchuck tick, according to the health agency. The Maine CDC said this was the first confirmed case in the state in 2023, and it marks the third death from the virus in Maine since 2015. According to the agency, Powassan cases are infrequent, with approximately 25 reported annually in the United States since 2015. In Maine, there have been only 15 confirmed cases since 2015. Moreover, the disease has a relatively low fatality rate,...

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a chronic condition in which the intervertebral discs that separate the vertebrae of the spine begin to deteriorate. These discs function to provide cushioning between the vertebrae, absorb shock, and allow for flexibility of the spine. The degeneration of these discs can lead to back pain and a range of other symptoms that may interfere with daily life. DDD can develop in any part of the spine, although it is frequently observed in the top (cervical) and bottom (lumbar) areas. The indications you encounter may differ depending on the area of your spine where the degeneration is taking place. DDD is a condition where the discs between the vertebrae in the spine begin to break down and degenerate. This can cause back pain and other symptoms, which may vary depending on where the breakdown is occurring in the spine. In some cases, DDD can be severe enough to cause disability and significantly impact daily life. However, there are several treatment meth...

Results from a late-stage clinical trial conducted by an international team of researchers suggest that a peanut patch may help alleviate allergic reactions in children with nut allergies. Wearing a peanut patch for 12 months has been shown to desensitize toddlers with mild allergies to peanuts, allowing them to safely consume a small number of peanuts without allergic symptoms. An international clinical trial led by pediatric allergy specialist Matthew Greenhawt from the Children's Hospital Colorado conducted on toddlers aged 1 to 3 years in eight countries across the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe showed that wearing a peanut patch for 12 months effectively desensitized toddlers with mild allergies to peanuts, allowing them to eat a small number of peanuts without experiencing allergic symptoms. Alkis Togias, an allergist-immunologist at the US National Institute of Health, who was not involved in the trial, writes that the trial results "are very good news for toddlers...

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first-ever respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, Arexvy, developed by GSK. The single-dose shot is designed to protect people aged 60 and older from lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV, a highly contagious virus that can be severe in older people and young children. The vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of severe RSV-associated LRTD by 94% and RSV-associated LRTD by 83%, according to data from a clinical trial. The vaccine is expected to be available to eligible seniors in the US before the RSV season, which begins in the autumn. About Arexvy (respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, adjuvanted) Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, adjuvanted, which is developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), contains a recombinant subunit prefusion RSV F glycoprotein antigen (RSVPreF3) combined with GSK's proprietary AS01E adjuvant. It is indicated for the prevention of RSV-LRTD in individuals 60 years of age and older in the US...

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a new AI system, called a semantic decoder, which is capable of translating a person's brain activity into a stream of text while listening to or imagining a story. The system could potentially aid individuals who are mentally conscious but physically unable to speak, such as stroke victims, to communicate effectively again. The researchers published their work in the journal Nature Neuroscience, relying on a transformer model similar to those used in Open AI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard. Brain activity is measured using a functional MRI scanner following extensive training of the decoder, during which the individual listens to hours of podcasts in the scanner. Artificial Intelligence Aiding in Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Certain US Hospitals: Participants open to having their thoughts decoded later listened to a new story or imagined telling a story, allowing the machine to generate corresponding text f...

Your kidneys are vital organs that, along with your brain and heart, help keep you alive. These two small organs located in your lower back act as filters, removing waste and excess fluids from your body and regulating blood pressure. While many people focus on monitoring their cholesterol and blood pressure, it's also important to pay attention to your kidney health and check for any signs of chronic kidney disease (CKD). What causes chronic kidney disease? Chronic kidney disea se (CKD) can be caused by a variety of factors, including: Diabetes: High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in the kidneys, leading to kidney damage and, over time, CKD. High blood pressure: High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels in the kidneys and cause CKD. Glomerulonephritis: An inflammation of the tiny filters in the kidneys that can damage them and cause CKD. Polycystic kidney disease: A genetic disorder that causes cysts to form in the kidneys and can lead to CKD. Kidney in...

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced a total of 897 cases of Lassa fever and 154 deaths in Nigeria between January and March of this year. In its latest report, the NCDC states that the number of cases and fatalities has increased compared to the same period last year, with the highest incidence occurring in Edo, Ondo, and Ebonyi states. Lassa fever is an acute viral illness that is transmitted to humans through contact with the urine or faeces of infected rodents, commonly the multimammate rat. It can also be transmitted through contact with bodily fluids of an infected person. The NCDC notes that the increase in cases and deaths is due to several factors, including inadequate disease surveillance, late presentation of cases, and poor case management in health facilities. The NCDC also advises that Lassa fever can be prevented through improved sanitation and hygiene practices, avoiding contact with rats, and taking precautions when caring for infected patients. ...