Warning: This article contains graphic images. Xylazine or “tranq” wounds – characterized by deep pockets of dead tissue – have become increasingly visible in Philadelphia among people who use drugs.…
Tag: Infection
Infections after surgery are more likely due to bacteria already on your skin than from microbes in the hospital − new research
Health care providers and patients have traditionally thought that infections patients get while in the hospital are caused by superbugs they’re exposed to while they’re in a medical facility. Genetic…
Horseshoe crab blood is vital for testing intravenous drugs, but new synthetic alternatives could mean pharma won’t bleed this unique species dry
If you have ever gotten a vaccine or received an intravenous drug and did not come down with a potentially life-threatening fever, you can thank a horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus).…
Flesh-eating bacteria infections are on the rise in the US − a microbiologist explains how to protect yourself
Flesh-eating bacteria sounds like the premise of a bad horror movie, but it’s a growing – and potentially fatal – threat to people. In September 2023, the Centers for Disease…
Strep throat can easily be confused with throat infections caused by viruses – here are a few ways to know the difference
“My sore throats, you know, are always worse than anybody’s.” So declares Mary to Anne in “Persuasion,” Jane Austen’s 1817 book. Most of us can relate to this feeling. There…
Cytomegalovirus lies dormant in most US adults and is the leading infectious cause of birth defects, but few have heard of it
“Why didn’t anyone tell me about this virus?” is a frequent response I hear from parents upon learning their newborn is infected with cytomegalovirus, or CMV. Although more than half…
