Chagas disease, caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite and transmitted by triatomine insects, or “kissing bugs,” affects over 6 million people worldwide, leading to around 10,000 deaths annually. Despite its global impact, awareness of Chagas disease...

As we head into fall 2024, the high-risk season for West Nile Virus is well underway. The CDC tracks cases from June to December, and the U.S. typically records approximately 2,200 cases annually. As of September 10th, nearly 500 cases have been confirmed across 39...

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, was first identified in 1959 during an outbreak in a Dutch research monkey colony. The first human case was reported in 1970 in what is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The causative virus, MPXV, has two distinct...

In our last blog, we discussed the H5N1 virus, its epidemiology and the nature of avian influenza infection. Today, we will delve into other aspects of H5N1 avian influenza including the current laboratory testing status, lessons learned from COVID-19 and the CDC’s...

On July 19, the CDC posted an update1 on H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) cases reported so far this year in the U.S., linked to a multistate outbreak in dairy cows and other animals. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, these cases have raised concerns about the H5N1...

As the healthcare landscape evolves, the need for rapid and accurate diagnostic tests has never been greater. Among these, the D-Dimer test is indispensable for diagnosing and excluding venous thromboembolism (VTE) such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary...

Welcome back to our ongoing series about the role of HPV testing in the early detection of cervical cancer. In this installment, we delve into the complex issues surrounding false negatives and false positives in primary HPV testing.  The Challenge of False...

Welcome back to our series on primary HPV testing in cervical cancer screening. Today, we turn our attention to the experts who have raised significant concerns about the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) 2020 guidelines advocating for HPV testing as the preferred...

Malaria has a long history in the United States. Back in the mid-20th century, malaria posed a major threat to American lives, particularly in southern regions of the country. Through concerted efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the...