Parasitic Diseases

by Jessica Pasley Physicians at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt recently reported an unusually high number of patients infected with a virus called parechovirus. A cluster of 23 infants was diagnosed in a six-week span at the hospital. Ritu Banerjee, MD, PhD What makes this unusual is that in the previous three years, including those spanning the COVID-19 pandemic, only seven cases of parechovirus were reported. "While this is not a new virus, it can cause severe illness, including central nervous system infections, in infants younger than 3 months old," said Ritu Banerjee, MD, PhD, professor of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases. "What was surprising was the number of cases detected in babies in a short period of time. "It was important to publish the case series to raise awareness among providers that this virus was circulating so patients could be appropriately evaluated." Parechovirus infections are common in childhoo...

Popping a prenatal vitamin? Double-check that it contains vitamin D, because taking vitamin D during pregnancy could lower your baby's risk for eczema through their first year, according to a recent study. The report was published in the " British Journal of Dermatology." The researchers examined data from more than 700 pregnant women. Of them, 352 took 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D from 14 weeks until they gave birth and 351 took a placebo. Related: Managing your child's eczema? A psychodermatologist explains the important link between skin and stress Researchers found that babies born to mothers who took vitamin D daily from 14 weeks until delivery had a lower risk for atopic eczema. The result was particularly seen in babies who were later breastfed for more than a month (but not in those who breastfed for less than a month). Atopic eczema (or atopic dermatitis) is chronic. About 13% of American children have ...

Popping a prenatal vitamin? Double-check that it contains vitamin D, because taking vitamin D during pregnancy could lower your baby's risk for eczema through their first year, according to a recent study. The report was published in the " British Journal of Dermatology." The researchers examined data from more than 700 pregnant women. Of them, 352 took 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D from 14 weeks until they gave birth and 351 took a placebo. Related: Managing your child's eczema? A psychodermatologist explains the important link between skin and stress Researchers found that babies born to mothers who took vitamin D daily from 14 weeks until delivery had a lower risk for atopic eczema. The result was particularly seen in babies who were later breastfed for more than a month (but not in those who breastfed for less than a month). Atopic eczema (or atopic dermatitis) is chronic. About 13% of American children have ...

We've all heard about the importance of eating enough protein. It helps build and repair muscle, it provides us with much-needed energy, and it even plays a role in gut health. In many cuisines, most of which are from the west or have been influenced by Western colonization, protein became synonymous with meat, dairy, and eggs. And, it's seen as superior to plant-based sources like beans, tofu, and lentils. But that couldn't be further from the truth. In many ways, you could say that plant protein is better than animal protein. We'll explain why. Xsandra What does protein do? Protein is an essential macronutrient that's made up of chained-together amino acids. Our bodies use 20 different amino acids to build protein. Your body can make 11 of those amino acids on its own while the other nine must be acquired through food. These are known as "essential amino acids." In case you're wondering, they're called histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine...

On top of everything else going on, monkeypox is now a thing in the U.S. [Editor's note: Monkeypox has been an endemic in Central and West Africa for years, and it's a tremendous shame that the world is only paying attention to the virus now, but anyways...] . While we can't do much about its presence, what we can do is equip ourselves with the knowledge to take care of our skin and minimize scarring in the event you contract the virus. "The most important thing to avoid doing is picking or squeezing the skin lesions," says Dr. Jennifer David of Dermatology Partners Bensalem PA, and founder of Skin & Scripts Virtual Dermatology. "First, because the virus can be spread through contact with the fluid inside the lesions and second because they have an increased risk of scarring if you pick at them." Here, we spoke to two board-certified dermatologists to find out everything you need to know about skincare, as well as scar pre...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] CoQ10 and other dietary supplements prevent migraine    The Seattle Times

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), copper is a mineral that everyone needs to stay healthy. The body uses copper to assist with essential functions such as creating energy, connective tissues, and blood vessels. Copper is also necessary for maintaining the nervous and immune systems, developing the brain, and even activating genes. You can get copper from a wide variety of food sources, such as beef liver, oysters, cashews, sunflower seeds, chocolate, wheat-bran cereals, whole grain products, potatoes, mushrooms, avocados, chickpeas, and even tofu, per NIH. However, copper can also be consumed as a dietary supplement. The amount of copper a person needs varies based on age, increasing you get older. For example, babies only need 200 mcg, while teens between 14 to 18 years old should get 890 mcg. Adults over 19 years old need 900 mcg, while breastfeeding teens and women should consume 1,000 mcg. Still, according to the outlet, large amounts of copper can ...

Acne is an incredibly common inflammatory skin condition that affects most people at some point in their lives. Whether you have the occasional pimple or experience major breakouts, you've probably wondered what you can do to stop those red (and sometimes painful) bumps from popping up. Many factors can contribute to acne, including hormones, genetics, environment, skin products, medications, and certain health conditions. What you eat may also play a role. The best treatment for acne depends on a number of individual factors, and it sometimes requires working with a healthcare professional such as a dermatologist. However, with a quick internet search, you'll find lots of suggested ways to try to heal your acne — many of which are not backed by science. This article breaks down 5 acne myths that we can finally leave behind. If you experience adult acne, you're not alone. Acne occurs as hormones change. Certain hormones cause an increase in sebum (oil in the glands of th...

Cow's milk allergy is common in babies and young children. It can cause skin reactions, digestive symptoms, and breathing difficulties. A milk allergy is an adverse reaction to food containing cow's milk. It can cause a range of symptoms, including eczema, hives, vomiting, and diarrhea. The severity of symptoms can range from mild to severe. Doctors can diagnose milk allergy using a skin test or blood test. Caregivers should avoid giving products containing milk to infants with a milk allergy. Milk allergy is the most common food allergy in infants and young children. Around 0.5–3% of babies in developed countries have a milk allergy at the age of 1 year. A 2018 article estimated the rate of milk allergy in infants and young children as 2–5% . A milk allergy is an immune system response that happens when a child's body recognizes cow's milk protein as a foreign invader and produces antibodies against it. The antibodies then attack the protein, which can lead to symptom...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Infectious Colitis: Symptoms, Causes, Outlook, and More    Healthgrades

Ah, the belly button: It's cute to get pierced (and cute in general!) but you may want to be aware that the area is also a breeding ground for bacteria and can lead to belly button infections. "Belly buttons are basically some very convoluted and deep skin folds. They can certainly carry staph and strep and in the right setting these can become infections," explains Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Dr. Amy Kassouf, MD .   Just like other areas on your body, your belly button naturally contains bacteria and fungi, and if you don't clean it regularly or even dry it properly, you could get an infection. Here are six infections you can get in your belly button and how to treat them. 6 Belly Button Infections to Know About 1. Yeast Infection The vagina isn't the only place you can get a yeast infection. Your body is susceptible to getting one anywhere, including your mouth, esophagus, under the breasts, throat and even your belly button. The medical term for th...

Image: Shutterstock Nutrition Source of Vitamin K2 Benefits of Vitamin K2 Vitamin K2 and Health Food Sources Signs of Deficiency Vitamin K2 Is Enough Vitamin K2 in Your Diet Side Effects FAQs Nutrition Source of Vitamin K2 Vitamin K2, even though is a lesser-known nutrient, plays an important role in our heart and bone health. It regulates calcium deposition and promotes the calcification of bones. It activates the vital proteins that help in blood clotting, calcium metabolism, and the general functioning of our body. It even aids in helping fight cancer. Eating fortified foods and animal products is a great way to increase the nutritional balance of this nutrient in our bodies. Vitamin K2 is not found in many western diets and there are some bacteria in the large intestine that are known to synthesize vitamin K2. Benefits of Vitamin K2 When it comes to vitamin K2, ...

Sarna, CeraVe, and Aveeno Summertime always brings a ton of fun—outdoor adventures, baseball games (if you're into that kind of thing), swimming, grilling, and more. What's not so fun is the season's increased potential for skin irritations. Between bug bites, sweat-induced eczema flare-ups, and surprise encounters with poison ivy while weeding, it's crucial to have the best anti-itch cream on hand that actually works—and fast. Because everyone knows there's nothing's worse than an itch you can't scratch or soothe. Anti-itch creams can also be used on psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, sun burns, allergic reactions, and more, explains Anar Mikailov, M.D., F.A.A.D., founder of Skintensive . And although you may immediately think of hydrocortisone cream when the topic arises, it's not the only option. "Anti-itch creams often contain an ingredient called...