Environmental health scientists at the University of Cincinnati (UC) say they have confirmed what other scientists have only suspected: early-life exposure to certain indoor fungal components (molecules) can help build stronger immune systems, and may protect against future allergies.
In the 21 worst-affected countries, close to 5% of death and disease is caused by indoor air pollution, according to new estimates published by WHO.
The charity Asthma UK has issued advice for asthma sufferers following forecasts that summer 2007 is likely to be one of the hottest on record.
Federal Health Minister Tony Clement joined the Canadian Lung Association to announce the development of a national action plan to improve the respiratory health of Canadians.
Employers can blame hay fever for the loss of millions of hours of work productivity this spring. A new study of nearly 600 people with hay fever symptoms, including sneezing, watery eyes and runny and itchy noses, found that workers missed an hour of work per week during peak hay fever season.
A Medical College of Wisconsin and Children?s Research Institute team in Milwaukee has created a free, searchable genetic database that will significantly improve diagnostic testing and genetic tracking of human and animal influenza viruses. The site, which is automatically updated weekly, will also facilitate rapid response as new virus strains emerge to cause either annual epidemics or the next pandemic.
The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will launch National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) with events April 21-28, 2007.
Researchers from the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario , working with a group from Edinburgh, have discovered a way to kill the cystic fibrosis superbug, Burkholderia cenocepacia.
The long-term effects of a disaster on physical and psychological health are the focus of a new study of rescue workers who provided assistance after the explosion of a fireworks depot in the Netherlands in May 2000.
Execution by lethal injection may cause death by asphyxiation, and prisoners being executed may be conscious and may experience pain, claim the authors of a new study published this week in PLoS Medicine.