Disease

The mummified remains of a small child that bears evidence of an ancient Hepatitis B infection.

16th-Century Child Mummy Had Oldest Known Case of Hepatitis B

Long thought to suffer from smallpox, the genome of the 500-year-old mummy shows signs of HPB

A bat undergoing a UV light treatment

UV Light Could Help Stop the Bat-Killing White Nose Syndrome

Research shows the fungus is susceptible to UV light. The problem is getting bats into the tanning beds

When a Medical “Cure” Makes Things Much, Much Worse

In 1960s Japan, a bizarre outbreak of hairy green tongues failed to set off alarms around the world

The newly lifted funding ban allows for more research of viruses like influenza, SARS, and MERS. But critics worry it's a risky step.

NIH Lifts Ban on Funding High-Risk Virus Research

Manipulating viruses could help prepare the U.S. for future pandemics, but it could also risk starting the next outbreak

Thomas Cole's The Course of Empire: Desolation, 1836

How Climate Change and Plague Helped Bring Down the Roman Empire

We can learn crucial lessons by examining the natural forces that shaped Rome's rise and fall

Two nurses observe a young child suspected to have bird flu at an observation room in the Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.

Where Would Pandemic Flu Wreak the Most Havoc?

A virulent flu strain would overwhelm developing countries where health care systems are already floundering

Female match workers in the 1870s.

Friction Matches Were a Boon to Those Lighting Fires–Not So Much to Matchmakers

Those who worked in match factories were exposed to white phosphorus, which caused a debilitating and potentially deadly condition

The made-for-TV movie An Early Frost went beyond entertainment and provided actual medical information to families of those living with HIV/AIDS.

In the Early Years of the AIDS Epidemic, Families Got Help From an Unlikely Source

'An Early Frost' was a made-for-TV movie with a purpose beyond entertainment

Over time, the presence of lab-grown, infected mosquitoes may lead to a dwindling Asian Tiger mosquito population

EPA Approves Use of Lab-Grown Mosquitoes in the Battle Against Disease

The bacterium-infected mosquitoes will be released in 20 states and D.C. to curb growing mosquito populations

A demonstration of the technology, with the light fabric sewn into a onesie

These Light-Emitting Pajamas Could Help Treat Newborns With Jaundice

The method has an advantage over traditional phototherapy in that it allows babies to receive treatment in the comfort of their parents' arms

Watch: Experts Discuss "The Next Pandemic: Are We Prepared?"

Thought leaders gathered at the National Museum of Natural History on November 13 to discuss the past, present and future of the flu

Fear not: Though it was recently found that red squirrels can harbor the leprosy bacteria, there hasn't been a single confirmed case of the disease in the UK in 200 years.

Are Viking Squirrels to Blame for Infecting England with Leprosy?

It's possible, say researchers who found that medieval strains of the disease may have come to Great Britain in the rodents' fur and meat

How Mosquitoes Sneak Away After Feasting on Your Blood

Special wingbeats and long legs help mosquitoes take off without getting smushed

Flu pandemics begin when novel animal viruses start spreading between people.

How to Stop a Lethal Virus

With tens of millions of lives at stake, medical researchers are racing to create a revolutionary flu vaccine before the next devastating epidemic

A woman sells live poultry at the market in Gaosheng Township, where Long purchased chickens and later died from bird flu.

Is China Ground Zero for a Future Pandemic?

Hundreds there have already died of a new bird flu, putting world health authorities on high alert

Anthrax Outbreak May Have Caused Mass Die-off of Hippos in Namibia

More than 100 hippos have been found dead over the past week

Rock Hudson in 1954.

The Hollywood Star Who Confronted the AIDS 'Silent Epidemic'

Rock Hudson died of AIDS-related complications in 1985

Celiac Sufferers May Soon Have Better Bread Options Thanks to Genetically Modified Wheat

Researchers successfully removed 90 percent of the genes that code for the gluten proteins that trigger adverse symptoms

Since the Hepatitis A outbreak was identified in March, over 19,000 people have been immunized against the disease.

San Diego Is Dousing Its Streets With Bleach to Contain Hepatitis A Outbreak

The outbreak is primarily affecting the city’s homeless population

An extensive longitudinal study looks at the connection between childhood environment and diseases in adulthood.

Your Childhood Experiences Can Permanently Change Your DNA

An investigation into more than 500 children shows that upbringing can have dramatic effects on human health

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