Nearly all practicing U.S. doctors – better than 19 out of 20 – had been vaccinated against COVID-19 as of mid-June, the American Medical Association reported. That’s hardly surprising since other vaccines have eliminated or all but eliminated diseases such as polio, mumps, and rubella. There is so much misinformation flying around these days. It’s [...]
Ever wonder about the likely transmission pathway of Zika Virus, or maybe about the symptoms of Brucellosis? Now you can easily look up this information and more in our new mobile app, the AZ Infectious Disease Resource (IDAZ). The official launch of the app coincides with our annual Arizona Infectious Disease Exercise and Training (July [...]
Inappropriate use of antibiotics can result in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can cause devastating infections and death in people. However, if actions and interventions are implemented now, we can rewrite this story of resistance. According to the CDC, preventing these infections and improving antibiotic prescribing could save 37,000 lives from drug resistant infections over 5 years. By reducing [...]
Have you ever wondered — Why do people get sick? How can we prevent the spread of disease? What do doctors REALLY do? If so, the U of A College of Medicine in Phoenix has a summer program for you! Be a part of Med-Start Phoenix, a two-week day program with a fast paced curriculum [...]
Fifteen years ago The Lancet published a case study that erroneously suggested that there could be a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. That letter has long since been discredited, and back in 2010 The Lancet retracted the article. Anti-vaccine advocates have been pointing to that long-since discredited 1998 case study to argue that there [...]
Valley Fever has been making news across the country today. A new report in this week’s CDC’s weekly epidemiology report shows that Valley Fever numbers have gone up substantially in AZ over the last 10 years. Part of the increase is probably due to the fact that Valley Fever became reportable a few years ago- [...]
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices released issued new recommendations to encourage pregnant women to get the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine (Tdap) during their pregnancy. Since most kids get whooping cough from a close family member, vaccinating parents (and teens) is one of the best ways to prevent infants, especially those who are too young [...]
About 1/3 of American adults have high blood pressure and more than half of them don’t have it under control. The majority of people with high blood pressure are being treated with medicine and have seen a doctor at least twice in the past year… but their pressure still isn't under control, according to a new [...]
Maybe you’ve read or heard about my experience with my colonoscopy when I turned 50 (OK, I was 51). For years doctors have recommended getting a colonoscopy when you turn 50. If doctors see something unusual like a polyp, they can remove it while they're in there - which is what happened to me. But until this [...]
Life is a precious gift. None of us knows long our gift will last, so it’s important to make the most of every day. That means doing everything you can to stay healthy by eating well and exercising regularly. A lot of folks will say – I’m stuck with my health because of my genes, [...]
