Health

Three U.S. infants have been born with Zika-related birth defects, CDC says

By Helen Branswell, STAT

Three other pregnancies in the U.S. have also been affected by Zika infections, but they were not carried to term, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Florida’s mosquito control forces mobilize against Zika threat

By Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News

Local mosquito control authorities are preparing a spray-and-trap offensive to halt Zika-carrying mosquitos in damp breeding grounds.

Polio strain found in India two years after virus declared eradicated

By Kulsoom Khan

Two years after the World Health Organization declared India polio-free, an active strain of the virus has been found in samples of sewage water in the southern city of Hyderabad.

CDC: Zika infection without symptoms can harm fetus too

By Helen Branswell, STAT

A study of 616 Colombian women spotlights new details on when Zika virus infection is most dangerous during pregnancy.

WHO says ‘no conclusive evidence’ that coffee causes cancer

By Andrew Small

The agency also says that drinking “very hot” beverages, including coffee, mate and teas heated to as much as 160 degree Fahrenheit, was “probably carcinogenic” because of the harm it poses the throat.

Study projects health insurance premiums to rise in 2017

By Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News

Next year’s premiums for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act could rise more than in past years in most markets and declines might be rare, according to a preliminary analysis of insurers' plans.

Colleges use sober dorms to combat opioid epidemic

By Teresa Wiltz, Stateline

A decade ago, most college students with substance abuse problems had little help besides student health services and local Alcoholics Anonymous chapters. That’s changing. Today, roughly 150 colleges and universities in 49 states offer recovery programs, providing students with counseling,…

Women and the Zika virus: Some questions and answers

By Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News

Let’s cut through the hype about the Zika virus. What’s the danger? A lot is up in the air, since there’s not a ton of research on the virus. Here’s a quick breakdown of the smart questions to ask and…

Sharing painkillers with friends helps drive the opioid epidemic, study finds

By Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News

As lawmakers grapple with how best to combat the nation’s prescription painkiller abuse crisis, a recent survey is shedding light on how patients who get these medications—drugs such as OxyContin, methadone or Vicodin—sometimes share or mishandle them.