Environmental Health
Latest articles on Environmental Health
Health experts urge people to stay away from dead birds or animals when possible, wear rubber gloves if you need to handle them, or dispose of the bodies without touching them.
About 20,000 cases of tick-borne Lyme disease are reported every year, making it the most common illness transmitted by bugs or animals in the United States.
This has already been a deadly weather season - and it's just getting started. You can't stay safe from all storms, but you can stay smart about what to do if and when they strike.
An outbreak of illness caused by Salmonella Saintpaul is linked to certain types of raw red tomatoes and the products containing them. The infection, which is preventable with good hygiene, causes fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.
"Health care surge is an important issue," says Ralph Schapira, MD. A natural disaster or a terrorism event could bring hundreds or even thousands of patients to a few hospitals, quickly overwhelming the healthcare system.
Even if you are one of the "lucky" ones who always get the perfect tan, years from now, the wrinkles, age spots or skin cancer from chronic sun exposure won't seem so glamorous.
Because their symptoms are common to a wide range of conditions, autoimmune disorders can be difficult to diagnose and treat. New combination therapies, however, can many times offer relief.
"We take great pride in partnering with community organizations to address many of the major health problems facing Wisconsin citizens through the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program," says T. Michael Bolger, JD, MCW President and CEO.
Dr. Deidre Faust notes that even within small countries, diseases such as malaria might be a risk in one city, but not in another, so it makes a difference to know exactly where you will be going and what you will be doing.
First identified in the early 1960s, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus began infecting hospital and nursing-home patients in the mid-1970s. More recently, it's become a public health problem. Dr. Peter Sohnle explains why.
Fire-safe cigarettes are designed to self-extinguish when left unattended. At this time, 14 states have passed fire-safe cigarette laws, and 20 others have introduced such legislation.
It takes courage to put down that last cigarette and quit smoking - most people feel a combination of fear and excitement leading up to their quit date. If you want to quit, don't let that fear paralyze you.
Although there were more than 5,700 deaths from job-related injuries last year, the positive side of that grim total is that it translates to a rate of 3.9 deaths per 100,000 workers, down from a rate of 4.0 per 100,000 in 2005.
All thunderstorms are dangerous, and every thunderstorm produces lightning. Although most lightning victims survive, people struck by lightning often report a variety of long-term, debilitating symptoms.
"To prevent workplace injuries or harmful exposures, familiarize yourself with any potential hazards and think about how you can avoid them before you begin a task," says William W. Greaves, MD, MSPH.
"People providing outreach services are very concerned about the health and well being of those they serve, but often overlook their own health, and their own health is very important to those they serve," says Leslie F. Martin, MD, MPH.
A healthful, well-balanced diet is a necessity during pregnancy, but some foods have the potential to cause harm, says Michael Lund, MD. Women who are pregnant, nursing, or breastfeeding need to take extra measures to avoid them.
"Traumatic Brain Injury is more common than most people think," says Dr. Mark Klingbeil. While some patients go on to make a full recovery, more than five million Americans currently live with disabilities due to TBI.
Symptoms of heat illness might include fatigue, dizziness, headache, nausea, and confusion. High body temperature, changes in pulse or consciousness, and alterations in sweating - especially when it actually stops - require immediate medical attention.
"Everyone who takes care of a pregnant woman takes care of two patients at once, and we always treat both with equal importance," says Dr. Michael Lund.
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