Polio-like Guillain-Barré Syndrome on the Rise in Peru
The government of Peru declared a 90-day health emergency earlier this month following an outbreak of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) that has killed at least four people in the country. According to the Institute of Neurological Sciences (INCN) in Lima, Peru, the emergency was declared because the cases “have unusual and atypical characteristics that require rapid […]
CDC: “Measles Elimination Status” Could End in U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned on May 30, 2019 that, if the current measles outbreak continues, the U.S. could lose its measles elimination status that has been in effect since 2000. According to the agency: “If these outbreaks continue through summer and fall, the United States may lose its measles elimination […]
Patients Minus Appendix at Greater Risk for Parkinson’s Disease
Story Highlights Findings from a new study suggest that removing the appendix is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. The appendix, which is an organ that is part of the body’s immune system, was once believed by medical professionals to have no functional purpose. Interfering with the body’s natural immune system carries the […]
How Quickly AFM Has Been Overshadowed by Measles
With all the attention to being given by the media and state legislatures to measles these days, it easy to overlook the mysterious polio-like disorder known as acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) that continues to affect children in the United States and other countries. Last year, there were a total of 230 confirmed cases of AFM […]
Vaccine Strain Measles from MMR Vaccine?
There have been at least two reported cases of children with measles in the United States this year that have turned out not to have been wild-type measles after all. The two cases involve children in Oakland County and Washtenaw County, Michigan. Both children had exhibited symptoms of measles and initially tested positive for the […]
Experimental Nexvax2 Vaccine for Celiac Disease on FDA Fast-Track for Approval
Story Highlights A new, experimental vaccine against celiac disease has been granted fast-track status by the FDA, indicating a perceived urgency in getting the vaccine to market. Celiac disease has been increasing dramatically over the last 50 or so years, approximately mirroring the introduction of new breeds of wheat, bred for greater yield, that now […]