Infectious diseases killed Victorian children at alarming rates — their novels highlight the fragility of public health today

Modern medicine has enabled citizens of wealthy, industrialized nations to forget that children once routinely died in shocking numbers. Teaching 19th-century English literature, I regularly encounter gutting depictions of losing…

Is it COVID-19? Flu? At-home rapid tests could help you and your doctor decide on a treatment plan

A scratchy, sore throat, a relentless fever, a pounding head and a nasty cough – these symptoms all scream upper respiratory illness. But which one? Many of the viruses that…

Airdropping vaccines to eliminate canine rabies in Texas – two scientists explain the decades of research behind its success

Rabies is a deadly disease. Without vaccination, a rabies infection is nearly 100% fatal once someone develops symptoms. Texas has experienced two rabies epidemics in animals since 1988: one involving…

Half of Black gay men will be diagnosed with HIV, despite highly effective preventive treatments − why?

At a pharmacy in Iowa, a 42-year-old Black gay man couldn’t find a medication he needed. The pharmacist, a white woman, told him they didn’t stock that medication. But while…

Avian flu has infected dairy cows in more than a dozen states – a microbiologist explains how the virus is spreading

The current strain of avian flu, H5N1, is responsible for the culling of millions of domestic birds and has sickened more than a dozen farmworkers in 2024, most recently in…

West Nile virus season returns − a medical epidemiologist explains how it’s transmitted and how you can avoid it

West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the continental U.S., with an average of 2,464 reported cases per year. Every August, West Nile season ramps up, primarily…

What is mpox? A microbiologist explains what’s known about this smallpox cousin

On Aug. 14, 2024, the World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern. There have been over 15,600 cases and over 530 deaths reported in the…

Infectious diseases spike when kids return to school − here’s what you can do about it

Ready or not, back-to-school season is here, and kids will be bringing home more than homework. They’ll be carrying germs, too. These viruses and bacteria will be agents that cause…

Vaccines tell a success story that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Trump forget – here are some key reminders

Vaccinations have provided significant protection for the public against infectious diseases. However, there was a modest decrease in support in 2023 nationwide for vaccine requirements for children to attend public…

Toxoplasma is a common parasite that causes birth defects – but the US doesn’t screen for it during pregnancy

Imagine the shock of your baby being born with a swollen brain, blindness and debilitating seizures. Now imagine learning that these devastating conditions could have been prevented if you took…