By Nicole Gadda Have you ever wondered why antibiotics treat strep throat, but not a bad case of the flu? At first glance, bacteria and viruses certainly seem very similar. After all, they’re both pathogens, which means they both can cause disease. So, how can doctors tell if your sore throat is due to a […]
By Carolina A. Herrera Vaccines train your immune system to fight against harmful invading pathogens, which are microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) that can cause disease. Vaccines contain dead or weakened pathogens, or distinctive pieces of a pathogen such as proteins or polysaccharides (sugars) that activate the immune system. The immune system is a […]
By Emma Goldberg Scientists around the world are racing to find a cure for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, that has become a global pandemic. Researchers in the US and Belgium may have discovered the key to a cure: a furry, goofy, lovable llama! Meet Winter: a 4-year old, chocolate brown […]
By Alan Curtis The human immune system has two main branches: the innate and the adaptive immune systems. The innate immune system includes simple external defenses such as skin and tears and more complex internal defenses like patrol cells, called neutrophils, that look for anything that might be out of place. The adaptive branch is considered […]
By Jenna Beam Meet Edward Jenner, a physician from way back in the early 1800’s. Why do we care about another old English man, you ask? Because Edward Jenner is the man responsible for one of the most important medical discoveries ever made: vaccines. As a baby through early childhood, and even sometimes as an […]
By Devina Thiono With Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) still going strong, we’re hearing the phrase “wash your hands” more frequently. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also listed proper hand-washing with soap and water as one of the main steps to protect ourselves from COVID-19. So, how could this simple regimen protect […]
By Devina Thiono Earlier this year, there was a pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China. It was later found that the outbreak was caused by a new type of virus that is now named 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The symptoms began with fever, coughing, and shortness of breath, which may arise 2-14 days after initial exposure […]
By Christian Agosto-Burgos The Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) emerged around 1920 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, probably as the result of human consumption of raw or undercooked chimpanzee’s meat contaminated with the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV). If untreated, HIV can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV did not become a global issue until […]
By Emma Joy Goldberg It’s that time of year again! The time of year when, one by one, your friends, teachers, sisters, brothers, moms and dads come down with that dreaded weeklong cold! That’s right, it’s cold season! Traditional symptoms of the common cold that no one seems able to escape include a runny nose, […]
By Tim Daugird What if I told you that if enough people got a flu shot, we could all eliminate influenza outbreaks? You may think, “Duh, if everyone got a flu shot, then no one would get the flu”. Although you would be correct, we can probably all agree that the idea of everyone getting […]
By Christina Marvin If you have not come down with the flu yourself, you most likely have had a friend or family member who has. It rears its ugly head each year, infecting those it comes in contact with and discriminating against no one. If you’ve been following this blog, you may have read about […]
By Michelle Engle As kids, we are often told, “don’t go outside with wet hair, you will catch a cold!” Is there any truth to this old saying, or is it just a persistent myth? Knowing the difference between myths and scientific facts is important for making educated decisions. But what’s even more important is […]
By Lauriel Earley You’ve probably already heard that you may have more bacterial cells than human cells in your body*, but did you know that you’re also part virus? About 5-8% of your genome is from viruses that integrated into the DNA of your ancestors. These pieces of virus that are in your genome are called […]