Even though Iran has strict rules against making, selling, or drinking alcohol, a secret market has been thriving. Many people are getting seriously hurt or even dying because these secret drink makers often don't follow safety rules. A group of researchers decided to find out why this black market
Let's talk about something that's not always talked about but is super important: public hygiene. We're focusing on King County, including Seattle. For a long time, these areas have been lacking in public restrooms, places to wash hands, and places to get clean drinking water. This isn't good for pu
Scientists have discovered mutations in the H5N1 bird flu virus from a recent Louisiana patient that could make it easier for the virus to spread among humans. This patient likely got infected from sick or dead birds in their backyard. The changes weren't found in the birds, suggesting they happened
Mycotoxins like aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), ochratoxin A (OTA), trichothecenes (TCNs), and patulin can sneak into our food and cause serious health problems. In forensic science, detecting these toxins is super important, especially when someone dies from poisoning or long-term exposure. But how do these t
Antibiotics have long been heroes in the medical world, battling bacterial infections with ease. But lately, bacteria have started fighting back, leading to a global health concern called antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This means some antibiotics don't work as well as they used to, making it crucia
Public health bodies around the world, like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), offer guidelines to keep us active. But hold on – are they telling us the same thing? Not quite. For starters, they use different names for what we know as 'aero
A cat in Oregon recently passed away due to bird flu after eating raw cat food. The food was found to have the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This is quite worrying as it's not just about our pets. Bird flu has been affecting animals and people this year. The Oregon Depart
Sugary drinks are a hot topic in public health. With people in China drinking more of these beverages, there's a pressing need for effective regulations. A clever study looking at choices in five big Chinese cities found that plain old warning labels on SSBs can reduce how much folks buy. But here’s
Imagine this: a house cat in Oregon dies after eating frozen pet food that tested positive for bird flu. This unfortunate event led to a nationwide recall of raw frozen cat food by Northwest Naturals. The affected product was sold across several states and even in Canada. Oregon's State Veterinaria
Clinical trials are a big deal when it comes to checking if new vaccines or medicines are safe and work as they should. These trials are tricky and take a lot of time. They need the help of government officials, trial sites, researchers, and the whole health system. In recent years, many of these tr
