WHO Says The World Is Seeing Rising STI Infections
In particular chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis, all curable, are driving over a million daily infections, according to new WHO data. In other news, microplastics are found in human testicles, a study says teens are drinking too much caffeine, and more.
The number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) around the world is increasing and is a "major concern" for health officials, according to a new report published Tuesday from the World Health Organization (WHO). The report found four curable STIs -- chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis -- are responsible for more than 1 million infections daily among adults between ages 15 and 49. Cases of syphilis, in particular, have been rising rapidly. (Kekatos, 5/21)
On 'forever chemicals' 鈥
Human testicles contain microplastics and nanoplastics at levels three times higher than animal testes and human placentas, a new small study found. (LaMotte, 5/21)
Amid a growing awareness that drinking water is contaminated with harmful 鈥渇orever chemicals,鈥 one local startup has a new solution. Woburn-based Gradiant, an MIT spinout focused on water purification technologies, says its new process not only filters out perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, known as PFAS, but destroys the dangerous substances as well. (Pressman, 5/21)
More health and wellness news 鈥
A team at the University of Michigan surveyed parents of children ages 13 to 18 and found that 1 in 4 says their teen consumes caffeine every day or nearly every day. Two-thirds think they know whether their teen is consuming too much caffeine, but a third of parents do not know the recommended limit. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine use at all, while other experts suggest a limit of 100 mg of caffeine a day for teens, equivalent to an 8-ounce cup of coffee. (Marshall, 5/20)
If you鈥檝e been to a party lately and haven鈥檛 seen someone drinking a BORG, you鈥檙e likely not partying with college students. And if you have no idea what that sentence even means, you鈥檙e probably not a member of聽Generation Z. The acronym聽BORG stands for聽鈥渂lackout rage gallon,鈥 according to the聽National Capital Poison Center in Washington, DC.聽The term聽refers to a concoction聽often prepared in a gallon-size plastic jug that typically contains聽vodka聽or other distilled alcohol, water, a flavor enhancer and an electrolyte powder or drink.聽(Ward, 5/20)
As an excellent source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, daily fish oil supplements are a popular way to keep the risk of cardiovascular disease at bay. About 20% of adults older than age 60 in the United States frequently use these products with the aim of supporting heart health. (LaMotte, 5/22)
Nightmares and 鈥渄aymares,鈥 dreamlike hallucinations that appear when awake, may be little-known signs of the onset of lupus and other systemic autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, according to a new study published Monday in the journal eClinicalMedicine. (LaMotte, 5/21)
蘑菇影院 Health News:
4 Ways Vaccine Skeptics Mislead You On Measles And More
Measles is on the rise in the United States. So far this year, the number of cases is about 17 times what it was, on average, during the same period in each of the four years before, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Half of the people infected 鈥 mainly children 鈥 have been hospitalized. It鈥檚 going to get worse, largely because a growing number of parents are deciding not to get their children vaccinated against measles as well as diseases like polio and pertussis. (Maxmen and Gounder, 5/22)
蘑菇影院 Health News:
Listen To The Latest '蘑菇影院 Health News Minute'聽
This week on the 蘑菇影院 Health News Minute: DIY gel manicures could give you an allergic reaction and some aspiring specialist physicians are avoiding states with strict abortion laws. (5/21)