Merck has discontinued Recarbrio, a crucial antibiotic used to treat drug-resistant infections, raising concerns among health experts about the availability of treatments for superbug resistance at a time when antimicrobial resistance remains a growing public health threat.
A new study reveals that metal mixtures in smoke, ash, and debris from the deadly 2023 Maui wildfires continued to harm the lung health of nearby residents long after the fires were extinguished. The research highlights how health consequences from catastrophic wildfires that burn through populated areas can persist well beyond the immediate disaster.
A University of Maryland study predicts that eliminating Florida's measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine mandate for school attendance could trigger the largest measles epidemic in the state. The warning comes as measles cases nationwide approach 3,700 this year amid declining vaccine coverage.
The CDC and FDA are investigating a multistate E. coli outbreak linked to recalled raw milk cheeses from Sierra Nevada Graziers. Thirteen people have been sickened across nine states including California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah, with eight hospitalized and three suffering life-threatening kidney injuries.
The Environmental Protection Agency has released a 53-page, $93.4 million plan to remove dangerous chemicals from the Heckathorn Superfund site in Richmond, California. Community members who have long advocated for more extensive cleanup efforts have expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed plan.
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Texas must accelerate its $1 billion-plus plan to install air conditioning in all state prisons by the end of 2029, citing constitutional violations. The decision comes after inmate advocates argued the state was moving too slowly to address dangerous heat conditions that have led to at least two dozen deaths.
The CDC reports that extensively drug-resistant Shigella has emerged in the United States over the past 15 years, with cases occurring predominantly among men. The analysis examined trends and epidemiologic characteristics associated with the bacterial infection.
Researchers have identified eight widely used food preservatives in processed foods that are associated with significantly higher rates of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, according to a large observational study conducted in France.
President Trump announced his administration will pressure pharmaceutical companies to break up certain childhood immunizations into five separate doses, based on the debunked theory that vaccines cause autism. Health experts say the approach won't work.
Analysis by a pro-democracy nonprofit found the Trump administration has cut or frozen up to $177 billion in federal grants since taking office, affecting programs from maternal health to education research across every state.
A new CDC report reveals that approximately 71.5% of adults in the United States experienced fatigue on multiple days, with contributing factors including healthcare costs, economic uncertainties, and anxieties about emerging technologies like AI.
A bipartisan campaign founded by philanthropists Olivia and Tom Walton announced a $100 million, 5-year commitment to make giving birth in the United States safer and reduce maternal mortality rates by half.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled 10-5 to dismiss a lawsuit against Jackson, Mississippi, affirming that residents do not have a constitutional right to safe or lead-free drinking water. The decision affects the city of approximately 150,000 residents that has faced ongoing water safety issues.
Two separate outbreaks linked to Taylor Farms have exposed weaknesses in the US food safety system's ability to safeguard produce from Mexico, as the country increasingly relies on Mexican agriculture while facing limited oversight capabilities.
The Trump administration announced a proposed rule requiring food companies to notify the FDA when introducing new additives under the 'generally recognized as safe' designation, closing a decades-old regulatory loophole that allowed manufacturers to self-certify ingredient safety without federal oversight.
California-based produce supplier Taylor Farms has voluntarily recalled prepared foods containing jalapeños, including salsa and guacamole, sold at retailers like Walmart and Whole Foods across 26 states after supplier Coast Citrus Distributors recalled fresh peppers due to potential salmonella contamination. The recall comes weeks after the company was linked to a separate cyclosporiasis outbreak.
Dr. Maura L. Gillison, the researcher who discovered the connection between human papillomavirus (HPV) and throat cancers, has died at age 61. Her groundbreaking work transformed understanding of oropharyngeal cancer and influenced prevention strategies.
A new study published in Frontiers in Environmental Health reveals that while overall prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) decreased between 2003 and 2019, wildfire smoke's contribution to prenatal PM2.5 exposure more than doubled during this period, making it the dominant source of unhealthy air pollution for pregnant women in the United States.
Young adults' use of vapes and cannabis hit all-time highs in 2025 according to survey results, while hospitals report a significant increase in nausea cases among frequent marijuana users.
Michigan health officials cleared shoppers to resume normal lettuce consumption after cyclospora parasite infections linked to tainted lettuce began declining. The outbreak had prompted widespread warnings and consumer anxiety about salad greens.
A multistate salmonella outbreak has infected 98 people and hospitalized 26 across 17 states since November, prompting Midwest Poultry Services to recall nearly 1.6 million dozen eggs sold at major retailers including Kroger and Brookshire's. Federal health officials say the recalled eggs don't account for all illnesses in the ongoing investigation.
The FDA apologized and confirmed that laboratory results showing cyclospora parasite in Taylor Farms lettuce samples were false positives after re-testing, as investigation into the outbreak affecting over 5,000 cases continues.
California-based produce supplier Taylor Farms is voluntarily recalling all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico following a cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands of people, primarily in Michigan and nearby states. The diarrhea-causing parasite outbreak could become one of the largest foodborne illness incidents in the United States in recent years.
Heavy smoke from more than 800 wildfires burning across Canada spread south on July 16, 2026, darkening skies and creating hazardous air quality conditions across the US Midwest and East Coast. Officials warned millions of Americans, particularly elderly and medically vulnerable people, to stay indoors as unhealthy air readings were reported in at least 20 states.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a letter to infant formula manufacturers calling for enhanced supply chain oversight after two botulism outbreaks—the first in nearly 50 years linked to baby formula in the U.S.—and a global cereulide contamination event prompted multiple product recalls.
Scientists estimate that unprecedented heatwaves in May and June 2026 caused more than 2,700 excess deaths in England and Wales, with approximately 440 deaths per day during the June heatwave's three-day peak. Across Europe, the extreme heat resulted in over 10,000 excess deaths, with researchers attributing the severity to a 'heat dome' worsened by human-induced climate change.
The overall U.S. death rate reached its lowest point on record in 2025, according to provisional federal data, primarily due to a significant drop in drug overdose deaths and reduced COVID-19 mortality. The decline marks a major reversal in public health trends.
Health authorities are responding to separate salmonella contamination incidents: over 100 infections linked to flavored noodles in Europe, and the FDA upgrading a recall of Utz potato chip brands to its most serious level in the United States.
Brutal heat waves are striking Europe with increasing frequency, exposing the continent's lack of air conditioning infrastructure. Workers in cities like Paris struggle to cope with record-breaking temperatures, while cultural and practical factors keep AC adoption low compared to the US, Australia and Japan.
Lone star ticks and Asian longhorned ticks, both non-native species, have established populations in New Haven and Fairfield counties in Connecticut. The lone star tick is known for causing meat allergies and flu-like symptoms in humans.
Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican chair of the Senate health committee, blamed the Trump administration's vaccine-skeptical policies for recent measles deaths in Pennsylvania during a confirmation hearing for surgeon general nominee Dr. Nicole Saphier. Cassidy pressed Saphier to state that vaccines do not cause autism and to distance herself from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine positions, which she declined to fully do.
Despite a mild and dry winter, Bay Area hikers are reporting widespread tick activity on local trails this spring, prompting parks districts to issue advisories recommending protective measures against tick bites and Lyme disease.
Michael Larkin of Shirley, Long Island, survived New York's first confirmed case of Bourbon virus after being bitten by ticks while landscaping in May 2021. The rare tick-borne illness caused severe symptoms including high fevers, headaches, and rash, requiring a five-day hospitalization.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health recommended patients at a Rittenhouse Square dental office get tested for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV after the office's license was suspended due to infection control violations.
A 9-year-old boy contracted measles during a family visit to Seminole, Texas in early 2025, then returned to Mexico where the disease spread rapidly among his classmates, ultimately forcing their school to shut down.
Largest measles outbreak in recent U.S. history has been officially declared over after sustained decline in new cases and containment of transmission chains, marking a key public health milestone while underscoring ongoing risks tied to vaccination gaps.
Analysis of human brain tissue shows microplastics and nanoplastics are present in both tumor and healthy samples, confirming their ability to cross into the brain, though their concentrations, distribution, and direct health effects remain uncertain and require further study.
Sacramento and Placer County health officials confirmed a growing measles outbreak in the community, with exposure reported at a pediatric care location. The outbreak comes amid declining vaccination coverage in California.
Research published in Nature Communications reveals that a common blood pressure medication can effectively treat infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria, offering a potential new weapon against drug-resistant infections responsible for over 35,000 U.S. deaths annually.
Utah’s measles outbreak has reached 602 cases, with the majority reported in 2026, contributing significantly to a nationwide surge of 1,748 cases across multiple states, with most infections occurring among unvaccinated or unknown-status individuals.
Following the EPA/HHS announcement, PolitiFact published an expert-backed guide on how microplastics enter the body through food, water, and air, which organs they accumulate in, and what the science says about health risks — drawing on interviews with leading researchers and synthesizing the current state of evidence.
The CDC reported 2,777 confirmed measles cases as of August 20, exceeding the previous year's total of 2,289 cases. About 94% of cases occurred among unvaccinated individuals, marking a significant resurgence of a disease that was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000.
