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WHO reports 3,500 global viral hepatitis deaths daily

April 12, 2024 - On April 9, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) released alarming data on global hepatitis infections in its 2024 Global Hepatitis Report. The report highlighted 1.3 million global viral hepatitis deaths in 2022, an increase from the 1.1 million deaths reported in 2019. The analysis of global hepatitis rates across 187 countries found that...

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Ophthalmic Scans Provide Insight into Kidney Health

by Veronica Salib

Earlier this week, researchers at the University of Edinburgh published an article in Nature Communications revealing that choroidal and retinal thinning may be biomarkers for chronic kidney disease...

Quest, Universal DX Collaborate to Advance Colorectal Cancer Screening

by Veronica Salib

On November 20, 2023, Universal DX (UDX), a biotechnology company, announced its collaboration with Quest Diagnostics, one of the two most significant lab services in the United States, to study,...

FDA Authorizes First Chlamydia, Gonorrhea At-Home Sample Test

by Veronica Salib

On Wednesday, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the Simple 2 Test manufactured by LetsGetChecked. The test is the first authorized chlamydia and gonorrhea diagnostic tool...

Researchers Develop a Blood Test to Diagnose Bipolar Disorder

by Veronica Salib

Earlier this week, researchers at the University of Cambridge reported on metabolomic biomarker signatures for bipolar disorder, comparing them to unipolar depression. In a press release from the...

COVIDTests.gov Reopens for Americans to Request At-Home COVID Test

by Veronica Salib

Starting today, September 25, 2023, COVIDTests.gov will reopen for Americans to request free at-home COVID-19 tests. Each household will be eligible to receive four more free rapid antigen at-home...

NIH Study Identifies Tools for Effective PCOS Diagnosis

by Veronica Salib

Earlier this week, researchers at the National Institutes of Health published a systematic review in Frontiers Endocrinology, concluding that artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)...

Digital Assays Detect Nucleic Acids to Identify Clinical Pathogens

by Veronica Salib

On September 6, 2023, researchers from the Karolinska Institute published a study in Science Advances detailing a new pathogen detection assay that uses DNA nanoballs. The study was a collaborative...

ctDNA Testing Reduces Time to Treatment for Lung Cancer Patients

by Veronica Salib

A nonrandomized clinical trial published in JAMA Network Open revealed that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) before tissue diagnosis can reduce the time to treatment in patients with suspected advanced...

Local Malaria Cases Prompt CDC Monitoring and Hypervigilance

by Veronica Salib

On June 26, 2023, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory prompted by local cases in Florida and Texas. The organization...

ADA Updates Guidelines on NAFLD Screenings for Diabetic Patients

by Veronica Salib

As an addendum to guidelines published in December 2022, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has updated its screening guidelines for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in diabetic patients....

NIH-Funded Study Highlights the Importance of SCID Screenings

by Veronica Salib

An NIH-funded study in the Lancet highlighted the importance of newborn screenings for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). The study was a longitudinal analysis of 36 years of data from the...

Brain-Eating Amoeba Testing to Expand Beyond Florida Across the US

by Veronica Salib

Jose Alexander, MD, a clinical microbiologist and director of microbiology, virology, and immunology for AdventHealth Orlando, and his team have expanded access to their brain-eating amoeba test beyond...

Liquid Biopsy Improves Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates in Veterans

by Veronica Salib

A study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that incorporating liquid biopsy screening for colorectal cancer improved screening rates among veterans between 50 and 75. The...

How Does Race Impact Recommendations for Breast Cancer Screening?

by Veronica Salib

An investigation published in JAMA Network Open explained how race and ethnicity might impact recommendations for breast cancer data. Based on the researchers’ analysis, they provided...

Politicians Debate the Benefit of Universal CMV Screenings for Infants

by Veronica Salib

Although cytomegalovirus (CMV) is not nearly as well-known as other infections, the virus impacts many pediatric patients. The CDC notes that 0.5% of babies are born with congenital CMV. Additionally,...

Various Retinal Changes May Be a Biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease

by Veronica Salib

In a study published in Acta Neuropathologica, clinical researchers examined the link between specific retinal changes and mild cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease patients. Based on the...

FDA Requires Breast Density Information, New Mammography Regulations

by Veronica Salib

The newest FDA mammography regulations include requirements for sharing information on breast density, enforcing more extensive FDA oversight of mammography facilities, and adding more tools for...

Florida Reports Death Associated with Brain-Eating Amoeba Infection

by Veronica Salib

On February 20, 2023, a man in Florida died from an infection with Naegleria fowleri, often called a brain-eating amoeba. The CDC reported that the disease was associated with an improper nasal rinse...

Colorectal Cancer Will Kill 52,550 People in the United States in 2023

by Veronica Salib

In a recent study published by the American Cancer Society (ACS) journal, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, researchers collected data and statistics and developed projections for the rest of the...

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