Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
21 March 2013 09:01
The Florida dengue fever outbreak of 2009-10 could have been been partially transmitted locally
New research has revealed some of the people who suffered from dengue fever during the 2009-10 outbreak in Florida did not succumb to a strain they caught while overseas as is normally the case. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention concluded they instead contracted the disease locally after examining dengue fever patients from the Key West area.
Most cases of dengue fever in the US occur after people import the mosquito-borne disease into the country after being bitten while abroad. While it cannot be transmitted from person to person, mosquitoes that have bitten an infected person in the US can then spread the disease to other humans, which is what the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention believes has happened on this occasion.
Study leader Jorge Munoz-Jordan said dengue fever could have been transmitted locally in Florida as the state has the mosquitoes to transmit the disease and the climate to sustain them throughout the year. The findings were presented in the April edition of US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal and serve as a timely reminder for those about to go on holiday that medical travel insurance might be a wise investment to ensure they have access to healthcare if they are unfortunate enough to succumb to illness while away.
22 September 2017
A new computer code that can be applied to GP surgery data could be the answer to identifying those most at risk of developing bowel cancer.
[more...]
21 September 2017
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a warning over a growing resistance to antibiotics.
20 September 2017
Thousands of Ryanair flights have been cancelled over the next six weeks, as the airline says it "messed up" allocation of its pilots' annual leave.
19 September 2017
Manchester's Girlguides are being urged to help the elderly with a new badge incentivising youngsters to tackle senior loneliness.
16 September 2017
Holidaymakers are being evacuated as winds up to 200km per hour hit Central Vietnam, with Typhoon Doksuri damaging houses, roads and infrastructure.
15 September 2017
People in parts of East Anglia are eight times more likely to survive liver disease than Blackpool residents, according to new data by Public Health England (PHE).
14 September 2017
A non-invasive alternative to gastric bypass surgery that helps people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight is being recommended for widespread use by NHS experts.
13 September 2017
Almost half of UK adults travelling to areas at risk of malaria are not covering themselves by taking medication, despite recommendations made by the NHS and world health organisations.
12 September 2017
A new health warning has been issued by scientists in Sweden, suggesting e-cigarettes with nicotine could lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
09 September 2017
Researchers have developed a futuristic pen-like device that can tell whether someone has cancer much faster than current technology.
08 September 2017
A staffing crisis in the NHS is seeing cancer patients turned away from their GP surgery and instead visiting A&E, a report has claimed.
07 September 2017
Whether it's binge-watching box-sets, shopping for clothes, chatting to friends or picking up work emails, staying connected is pretty much essential to everyday life.