Health

Changing weather conditions are driving influenza A strain H3N2 cases in Delhi-NCR, said health experts on Wednesday.  City doctors have reported a sharp increase in viral illness in Delhi-NCR. H3N2 is a seasonal flu that circulates in humans and mutates over time. Children, older adults, and pregnant women are most vulnerable to the disease. It also causes more severe symptoms in high-risk populations such as those with weakened immune systems and patients with asthma, COPD, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes. “Cases of influenza due to H3N2 are rising. Major symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, myalgia (muscle pain), Animesh Ray, Additional Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, AIIMS, told IANS. The expert noted that the condition is usually mild but can turn severe in...

In a remarkable case of strength and recovery, a 12-year-old girl suffering from Type-1 diabetes has defied the odds to be on her path to recovery in Mumbai.The treatment of the girl, Dharithree, was managed by Dr Pradeep Mahajan, a regenerative medicine researcher in Navi Mumbai, and his team. With the girl suffering from Type 1 diabetes mellitus, Dr Mahajan, who is also the founder of StemRx Hospital & Research Center, has helped improve her condition with timely treatment. Once dependent on 31 units of insulin every day, her body has shown an extraordinary improvement, now requiring only two units daily after prompt intervention. This rare outcome has not only brought joy to her family but also stands as a ray of hope for other children struggling with the lifelong burden of diabete...

Doctors at a Mumbai hospital have successfully treated a 49-year-old woman, who developed severe, life-threatening complications following bariatric surgery.  In a critical condition, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre`s team stepped in to perform a high-risk corrective surgery to give her a new lease of life.  In February 2025, the patient underwent bariatric surgery in Ahmedabad. Three months later, she developed severe complications and was admitted to two different hospitals in Navi Mumbai for emergency care, where she underwent emergency laparotomy (abdominal surgery to open and examine the abdomen) for a perforated gastro-jejunostomy ulcer (a hole at the stomach–small intestine connection). Her recovery was further complicated by acute kidney injury (sudden kidney failure) and a c...

Ever wondered why some people with obesity remain relatively healthy while others develop serious conditions like diabetes and heart disease? Genetic differences may be the reason, according to a study.  An international team of researchers led by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark analysed genetic data from 452,768 people and discovered variants in 205 regions of the genome linked to higher body fat but better metabolic health. Using these discoveries, they developed a genetic risk score that adds up the impact of these variants. Individuals with higher scores were more likely to develop obesity -- but were less likely to suffer from complications such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or heart disease. This is due, ...

A higher weekly dose of semaglutide (7.2 mg) is safe and can significantly improve weight loss in adults living with obesity, including those with type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to an international study, published on Monday.  The findings, based on results of two large-scale, international phase 3 clinical trials and published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, suggest that a higher dose of semaglutide offers a promising new option for people who have not achieved sufficient weight loss with existing treatments. “The currently approved dose of semaglutide is 2.4 mg, and the study showed 7.2 mg is safe and leads to additional weight reduction,” said the researchers, including those from Canada, the US, Denmark, Norway, and Portugal. In adults without diabetes, a 7.2 m...

People using cannabis may be four times more at risk of developing diabetes, according to a large study of over four million adults on Monday.  Cannabis use is increasing globally, with an estimated 219 million users (4.3 per cent of the global adult population) in 2021, but its long-term metabolic effects remain unknown. While some studies have suggested potential anti-inflammatory or weight management properties, others have raised concerns regarding glucose metabolism and insulin resistance, and the magnitude of the risk of developing diabetes hasn`t been clear. The research showed that new cases of diabetes were significantly higher in the cannabis group (2.2 per cent) compared to the healthy group (0.6 per cent), with statistical analysis showing cannabis users at nearly four times...

Tobacco use is not only related to cancers and tuberculosis but plays a significant role in child stunting, a condition that affects nearly 150 million children worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).  Of the approximately 148 million stunted children in the world in 2022, 52 per cent lived in Asia and 43 per cent in Africa. Stunting is also associated with increased morbidity and mortality in children. In a recently published document, the WHO highlights the harmful role of tobacco use in child stunting. The publication is the 11th in a series of tobacco knowledge summaries and recaps the current evidence on the topic. It is intended for health professionals, policymakers, and public health advocates. In the document, WHO calls on governments to strengthen tobacco...

Hormones act like the body’s messengers, controlling many vital processes in women, including menstruation, mood, and energy. However, many women fail to pay attention to various changes occurring in the body, such as fatigue, irregular periods, or mood swings, not realizing that they could indicate a hormonal imbalance. So, women, it is necessary to monitor these key hormones such as estrogen, Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), thyroid hormones, and prolactin, and seek timely help based on the symptoms. If there are any hormone-related fertility concerns, then consult a fertility expert. Hormonal imbalance means that your body has too much or too little of certain hormones, which can affect how you feel and function daily. Hormonal imbalance is seen in a large number of women. Many are unawar...

Social media may be driving negative opinion on contraceptive pills, leading to women discontinuing birth control drugs within two years of starting them, according to a study.  Researchers at the University of Sheffield identified a “nocebo effect” in relation to the contraceptive pill, where psychological factors such as negative expectations or anxiety about using a medicine drives a physical response in the body when the medicine is taken. Nocebo responses to the oral contraceptive pill are real and can include feelings of depression, anxiety, and fatigue. The nocebo effect is the “evil twin” to the placebo effect, where people get a positive boost from taking a dummy tablet or pill. The team highlighted that many women switch to alternative but less effective forms of contraception...

Doctors in Kolkata have successfully treated a 32-year-old female patient from Howrah, in her fourth pregnancy at over 35 weeks with a history of three uncomplicated previous deliveries, with an emergency C-section. She was brought to Manipal Hospital in Salt Lake and admitted under the care of Dr Nandini Chakrabarti, consultant Obstetrician, with an acute and severe onset of dyspnea (sudden and severe shortness of breath). Though she had been on regular follow-up at a government hospital, her critical condition required immediate advanced intervention. The patient had a history of tubercular pericardial effusion (a rare condition where tuberculosis causes fluid, the builds around the heart). She had developed pulmonary tuberculosis in 2019 and had been on anti-tubercular treatment since...