As the holidays come to an end, so do the festivities for many families in Chicago. Instead of celebrating, they're dealing with a wave of illnesses. Flu and RSV, a respiratory virus, are on the rise, making their way through the city like a storm. Doctors say it's not surprising, as this time of ye
Have you heard that doctors sometimes recommend HPV vaccines to patients who already have HPV-related gynecologic cancers? This practice is quite common, but is it backed by solid evidence? Let's explore what the European Society of Gynecological Oncology (ESGO) has to say about it. Women who devel
Ever wondered how safe COVID-19 vaccines are for pregnant women? A recent study took a closer look at this question by comparing the outcomes of pregnant women who got the COVID-19 shot to those who got the flu vaccine. The researchers used a statistical method called propensity score matching to en
Respiratory syncytial virus, often called RSV, is a big problem for little kids. Babies under a year old get sick the most from this virus. Recently, Australia approved a new vaccine that protects moms during pregnancy, so their babies stay healthier. It's a smart move to check if this vaccine is wo
Pregnancy can make women more vulnerable to respiratory viruses. This also applies to the various COVID-19 variants. Scientists are still digging into the new strains, but it's clear that pregnant women infected with COVID-19 face higher risks. Complications can include premature births and health i
You might think whooping cough is a thing of the past, but think again. This nasty infection is making a comeback, and health officials are worried. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that whooping cough cases are at a decade-high, with six times more cases this year compar
You might have heard that Kansas is dealing with a big jump in whooping cough cases. This isn't just a local thing—it's happening all over the country. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is watching this closely. They've seen a rise in cases since late summer 2024, with 246 confirmed ca
Meningococcal disease, caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis, is a big deal. It's severe and can even be life-threatening. There are vaccines that protect against this, including ones that target the most common types like MenA, MenC, and MenW. These vaccines come in different forms, like
These days, whooping cough is really giving the US a hard time. It's been increasing for months, and there's no sign it's slowing down. By mid-December, over 32, 000 cases were reported, which is almost six times more than last year and the highest since 2014. Called pertussis, it's a super contagio
You might think that with school-based programs, most girls in rich countries get the HPV vaccine. But surprisingly, some don't. This could keep the gap in cervical cancer rates between different groups going. Let's dive into the reasons why this happens. Imagine a group of girls in a high-income c
