https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/disease/RSS feed for DiseaseenFri, 22 May 2026 17:53:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-pill-can-prevent-you-from-getting-covid-19-after-exposure-to-thedisease-causing-virus-according-to-a-clinical-trial-180988784/The drug showed promising results in an international study involving nearly 2,400 participants, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to make an approval decision for it in JuneFri, 22 May 2026 17:53:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-pill-can-prevent-you-from-getting-covid-19-after-exposure-to-thedisease-causing-virus-according-to-a-clinical-trial-180988784/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ebola-outbreak-in-africa-was-declared-a-global-health-emergency-by-the-who-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-but-severe-illness-180988758/The international health agency notes that the outbreak does not meet the criteria for a pandemic, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the risk to the American public is lowMon, 18 May 2026 19:16:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ebola-outbreak-in-africa-was-declared-a-global-health-emergency-by-the-who-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-but-severe-illness-180988758/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-deadly-outbreak-of-hantavirus-has-stranded-a-cruise-ship-in-the-atlantic-ocean-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-contagion-180988680/Three people associated with the vessel have died, and health officials have identified a total of two confirmed cases and five suspected cases of the infection. The virus usually spreads via contaminated rodent droppingsTue, 05 May 2026 21:08:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-deadly-outbreak-of-hantavirus-has-stranded-a-cruise-ship-in-the-atlantic-ocean-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-contagion-180988680/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/youve-been-told-to-feed-a-cold-turns-out-eating-may-truly-boost-your-immune-system-cells-according-to-a-new-study-180988673/T cells, which target infection and disease, can become more effective after a meal. The finding might help improve cancer-fighting therapies and optimize our response to vaccinesTue, 05 May 2026 15:56:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/youve-been-told-to-feed-a-cold-turns-out-eating-may-truly-boost-your-immune-system-cells-according-to-a-new-study-180988673/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dead-bodies-filled-a-mass-grave-when-the-first-pandemic-struck-this-early-medieval-city-new-research-explores-the-identity-of-the-victims-180988652/Researchers analyzed isotopes and DNA in the teeth of remains found in a mass grave from the Plague of Justinian, which swept through the Byzantine EmpireFri, 01 May 2026 15:29:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dead-bodies-filled-a-mass-grave-when-the-first-pandemic-struck-this-early-medieval-city-new-research-explores-the-identity-of-the-victims-180988652/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/cancer-survivors-are-living-longer-but-still-have-complex-needs-thats-why-doctors-and-advocates-want-post-treatment-care-plans-180988629/Survivors have a heightened risk of developing cardiovascular disease, pain, insomnia, psychosocial distress and new cancers. Many, patient advocates say, are not receiving adequate long-term careWed, 29 Apr 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/cancer-survivors-are-living-longer-but-still-have-complex-needs-thats-why-doctors-and-advocates-want-post-treatment-care-plans-180988629/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-humans-mastered-fire-now-burning-fossil-fuels-and-blazing-landscapes-threaten-to-undo-the-world-180988531/Intensifying wildfires across the continent are spewing air pollution, putting human health at risk, particularly Americans living with chronic illnessesThu, 16 Apr 2026 11:00:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-humans-mastered-fire-now-burning-fossil-fuels-and-blazing-landscapes-threaten-to-undo-the-world-180988531/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-this-personalized-cell-therapy-treated-three-life-threatening-autoimmune-diseases-in-one-patient-180988528/The patient was bedridden and needed daily blood transfusions, and she had tried nine different therapies that didn't bring lasting effects. So, researchers modified some of her immune cells so they would attack her faulty cellsMon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-this-personalized-cell-therapy-treated-three-life-threatening-autoimmune-diseases-in-one-patient-180988528/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-died-of-yellow-fever-during-a-hurricane-153-years-ago-archaeologists-just-found-his-grave-180988484/George Tupper, a 22-year-old from Massachusetts, was nearly a year into his military service when a yellow fever outbreak struck Fort JeffersonMon, 06 Apr 2026 18:05:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-died-of-yellow-fever-during-a-hurricane-153-years-ago-archaeologists-just-found-his-grave-180988484/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-cicada-variant-of-covid-19-is-spreading-in-the-united-states-heres-what-you-need-to-know-180988462/Infection levels are still low in the country, but the highly mutated variant might be able to evade your body’s immune defenses acquired via vaccine or past infectionTue, 31 Mar 2026 19:35:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-cicada-variant-of-covid-19-is-spreading-in-the-united-states-heres-what-you-need-to-know-180988462/