The mysterious culprit behind ‘water on the brain’ in Ugandan babies

Nearly 4,000 babies in the central African country develop post-infectious hydrocephalus every year For nearly two decades, scientists have attempted to identify the mysterious culprit behind a medical condition common to Uganda that causes the heads of new-born babies to enlarge, leading to severe neurological damage and even death. Nearly 4,000 babies in the central…

Can dietary supplements help treat depression? The latest research

By Katharine Lang — Fact checked by Rita Ponce, Ph.D Depression is a common mental health disorder that affects many people worldwide. Effective treatments are available, but they do not work for everyone, so some people look to dietary supplements to try and alleviate symptoms. But do they have any effect? Medical News Today looked…

Managing chronic inflammation with psoriasis

Medically reviewed by Nancy Carteron, M.D., FACR — By Jillian Kubala, MS, RD Although the exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, doctors consider it an immune-mediated inflammatory disease. This means that inflammation is at the root of this condition. Up to 3%Trusted Source of adults in the United States have psoriasis. It causes skin symptoms, such as…

Significant Step Towards Vaccine Manufacturing Autonomy in Africa

Fratmat Info The Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) brings together key capabilities and functions to address public health challenges in Africa. The Institut Pasteur de Dakar plays an important regional role through its various specialized reference laboratories and its partnership with WHO in the fight against infectious diseases. The Institut Pasteur de Dakar is one…

COVID disinfectants may contain harmful chemicals, researchers say

By Robby Berman on May 15, 2023 — Fact checked by Harriet Pike, Ph.D. The use of disinfectants containing quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) rose sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. These disinfectants have been linked to health issues in animal and human studies. The disinfectants may also encourage pathogens to become more resilient to antibacterials and…

Scientists may have found the ‘immunity’ secret to living to 100

By Corrie Pelc on April 6, 2023 — Fact checked byJessica Beake, Ph.D. As human life expectancy has increased, so has the number of people living to 100 years of age or older.  Researchers have found that centenarians have a unique immune cell composition and activity, giving them an immune system that helps them live…