Influenza, or the respiratory flu, is an acute viral infection that spreads easily from person to person. The viral disease is a serious public health problem that causes severe illnesses and deaths for higher risk populations but that circulates worldwide and can affect anybody in any age group. Symptoms of the flu include fever, chills, […] More
Finally some good news about the Zika virus. Infection during the third trimester of pregnancy appears to not cause serious harm to the developing baby. The Zika virus has previously been shown to attack fetal brain cells, causing severe birth defects. A new report published in the New English Journal of Medicine finds that maternal […] More
After careful review of current evidence, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have concluded that the Zika virus causes microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects. As published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the report describes a rigorous weighing of evidence using established scientific criteria. Explains Tom Frieden, M.D., […] More
The Zika virus made news in the United States two weeks ago when the first case of brain damage linked to the virus was reported in Hawaii. The Hawaii State Department of Health reported that a baby born in an Oahu hospital with microcephaly had been infected with the Zika virus. The Centers for Disease […] More
As my readers know, I am an ardent supporter of vaccines and vaccination. This past weekend, I saw a post being shared on Facebook by a number of pages. The post entitled “ZERO U.S. Measles Deaths in 10 Years, but Over 100 Measles Vaccine Deaths Reported” argues against the value of vaccines with two statistics, […] More
Last month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that the current 2014-2015 flu season could be severe based on early data. Now the CDC has announced that statistics released this week indicate that the influenza outbreak in the United States reached the epidemic threshold during the week ending on December 20. The […] More
Early data suggests that the current 2014-2015 flu season could be severe, warns the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As a result of the prediction, the CDC has urged immediate vaccination with the flu shot or flu mist for all individuals still unvaccinated this flu season. The CDC also recommends prompt treatment with […] More
Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I am a huge proponent of childhood vaccination and vaccination in general. The vaccination controversy attempts to persuade parents into believing that childhood vaccination is bad. However, the evidence from the scientific community proves time and time again that the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risks. No, […] More
