Health

The United States of America has registered 1,618 measles cases with three deaths so far this year, the highest number since 1992, according to official data released.   Among them, 1,595 cases were reported by 42 domestic jurisdictions and 23 cases were among international visitors to the United States, said the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The total represents the most US infections since 1992, when the CDC recorded 2,126 measles cases. Of the confirmed cases this year, 198 cases, or 12 per cent of the total, have required hospitalisation, including 95 children under the age of five. Three people have died from measles, Xinhua news agency reported. According to the CDC, 92 per cent of measles cases in the United States occurred among people who were unvaccinate...

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on Friday, October 24, approved a new programme to improve the life expectancy and quality of life for 11 million elderly and vulnerable people in Kerala with wider access to health coverage.  The USD 280 million Kerala Health System Improvement Programme will build a more comprehensive health system resistant to climate shocks. It will also strengthen Kerala’s digital health systems through expanded eHealth services, integrated data platforms, and enhanced cybersecurity. The programme aims to treat and support over 90 per cent of patients registered for hypertension and diabetes in the state through individual electronic tracking mechanisms. It will also establish a home-based care model for bedbound, homebound, and vulnerable elderly, to p...

People eating more junk food can counteract its ill effects on mental health by cardio exercises such as running, according to an animal study on Tuesday, October 21, amid the growing concern of its long-term changes on the body. Researchers at University College Cork in Ireland identified specific metabolic pathways through which exercise counteracts the negative behavioural effects of consuming a Western-style diet. The research demonstrated that voluntary running exercise can mitigate depression-like behaviours induced by high-fat, high-sugar diets associated with both circulating hormones and gut-derived metabolites. “The findings provide crucial insights into how lifestyle interventions might be optimised to support mental health in an era of widespread ultra-processed food consump...

Hospitals across Kolkata have reported a significant rise in respiratory illnesses among people and complications among pregnant women and IVF patients after Diwali and Kali Puja celebrations, with doctors attributing the surge to heightened air and noise pollution caused by bursting of firecrackers. Pulmonologists and gynaecologists observed an uptick in both outpatient and inpatient visits between October 20 and 22, with pollution levels soaring well beyond safe limits. Several medical professionals warned of serious health risks for vulnerable groups, including those with pre-existing respiratory conditions and expecting mothers. Dr Mrinmoy Mitra, senior consultant pulmonologist at ILS Hospital, Dumdum, reported a 10-15 per cent increase in hospital admissions for respiratory illness...

A team of Singaporean researchers has identified a mechanism where mosquito saliva can help boost the human body`s immune response during chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection.  The research, published in Nature Communications, showed that sialokinin -- a bioactive peptide in Aedes mosquito saliva -- binds to neurokinin receptors on immune cells and suppresses monocyte activation. This helps reduce inflammation and facilitates early viral dissemination. The findings offer new insight into how mosquito bites shape disease outcomes, said the team from the A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR IDL) in Singapore. "This study provides compelling evidence that mosquito salivary proteins are not just passive carriers of viruses but active modulators of host immunity," said Dr. Siew-Wai Fong, c...

Some antihistamines -- anti-allergy drugs -- have the potential to raise dementia risk in elderly, claimed a new study on Wednesday.  Dementias are estimated to affect more than 57.4 million people worldwide -- a number that is expected to almost triple to 152.8 million cases by 2050. Early signs include memory loss, difficulty finding words, confusion, and changes in mood and behaviour. An analysis in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society revealed that older inpatients admitted by physicians who prescribe higher amounts of first-generation antihistamines face an elevated risk of delirium (a sudden, severe state of confusion) while in the hospital. “First-generation antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine, are among the leading causes of medication-related harms in older adult...

Researchers at the Nagaland University have identified a naturally occurring plant compound called ‘Sinapic acid’ as a powerful therapeutic agent that can significantly enable wound healing in patients with diabetes.  A diabetic wound is a slow-healing sore, most often a foot ulcer. Also known as diabetic foot, it raises the risk of nerve damage (neuropathy) and poor blood circulation, foot ulcers, infections, and amputation in severe cases. The study, published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, demonstrated that oral administration of Sinapic acid can accelerate diabetic wound healing in preclinical models. Sinapic acid is a naturally occurring antioxidant found in various edible plants. The research established that the compound works by activating the SIRT1 pathway, which pl...

In a groundbreaking advancement in breast cancer treatment, a Mumbai hospital has successfully performed a pioneering Endoscopic Skin and Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy (E-NSM).  The procedure was immediately followed by implant-based reconstruction using TiLoop mesh. Called the first-of-its-kind “scarless” mastectomy, it was conducted on a 27-year-old woman, ensuring both oncological safety and an exceptional scar-minimised outcome. When the patient first arrived at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai, she had a sizeable lump measuring around 4–5 cm in the left breast. The medical team began treatment with chemotherapy to shrink the lump.  During this phase, genetic testing revealed she was BRACA gene positive, significantly increasing long-term cancer risk. Given this development...

A novel monoclonal antibody, developed by US researchers, has shown promise against malaria infection in an early clinical trial.  Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine`s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) found that the antibody -- MAM01 -- provided dose-dependent full protection against the malaria parasite with minimal side effects. "This new monoclonal antibody could transform how we prevent malaria in young children and pregnant women," said lead author Kirsten E. Lyke, Professor of Medicine at the varsity’s School of Medicine. "Unlike vaccines that may require multiple doses or boosters, a single injection of a long-acting antibody could provide immediate, months-long protection. It`s a fundamentally different way to stop infection before...

The Air Quality Index (AQI) around Akshardham was recorded at 230, in the `Poor` category, in Delhi this morning as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The Air Quality Index (AQI) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium area recorded an AQI of 252, as seen from visuals taken near Barapullah Bridge. Raising concern regarding higher levels of AQI, pulmonologist Dr. Sharad Joshi from Ghaziabad said to ANI, "Air Quality Index (AQI) has risen significantly, leading to higher levels of particulate pollutants from sources like crop burning, vehicular exhaust, and fireworks. This exacerbates respiratory issues for those with conditions such as COPD, asthma, or a history of tuberculosis, causing symptoms like cough, fever, breathlessness, and chest pain." He added that even those without pri...