Mercury & Adjuvant-Free, A New Flu Shot Offers Cleaner, Greener Option

This flu season, practitioners have a new adjuvant-free option to offer people who’ve been reluctant to take conventional flu shots. The new vaccine, called Flublok, delivers up to three times as much antigenic protein as other flu shots, without additives like thimerosal or aluminum. And, no chicken eggs are involved in its production.

Honeybees Are Allies in Fight Against MRSA

Swedish researchers recently discovered 13 unique lactic acid bacteria in fresh honey and in the honey-producing organs of bees that are strongly active against several virulent human pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

What to Do When Patients Demand Unnecessary Antibiotics

It’s a common clinical scenario—especially this time of year.

A patient comes in with a respiratory infection—most probably viral—and requests–make that demands–a Z-Pak, saying that he cannot afford to be absent from work, and that antibiotics have “always worked” well in the past.

New T-Cell Test a “Game-Changer” for Lyme

A new test that measures T-cell response Borrelia burgdorferi has the potential to vastly improve Lyme disease diagnosis—especially in the early phases. Physicians who’ve used the test say it’s a game-changer.

Drug-Resistant TB “Extraordinarily Sensitive” to Vitamin C

Researchers looking for options to control multi-drug resistant tuberculosis were surprised to learn that many strains can be eradicated with vitamin C given along with iron–at least in vitro.

FDA Curtails Antibiotic Overuse in Livestock, But US Still Trails Global Standards

A Food & Drug Administration order prohibiting the use of certain antibiotics in livestock finally went into effect this summer, but according to some public health advocates, the FDA’s move is too little, too late.

The Pneumonia-Obesity Connection

Exposure to Chlamydia pneumoniae, the most common pathogen causing human pneumonia, correlates strongly with overweight especially in women. The increased risk was independent of the other common risk factors for obesity, and may reflect the effects of long-term chronic inflammation triggered by the pathogen.

A Culinary Favorite, Oregano Shows its Antimicrobial Muster

Oregano has a long legacy in traditional medicine from Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Hippocrates recommended it as an antiseptic and a treatment for gastrointestinal and respiratory ailments. A spate of recent research shows that the herb can inhibit a number of human pathogens including Staphylococcus, Salmonella and Aspergillus.

The Cure for “Listeria Hysteria?” Strengthening Innate Defenses!

All this “Listeria Hysteria” that followed the reports of contaminated cantaloupe reminds me of a Twilight Zone episode. We’re destroying a relatively healthy food by the ton, issuing dire warnings about deadly pathogens, and generally scaring an already scared public, all without taking stock of what’s really going on. I don’t mean to downplay the […]

Diagnosing Lyme Disease: A Simple Point System

Many of the clinical manifestations of Lyme disease are non-specific, constantly shifting, and shared with many other conditions. This makes it very challenging to diagnose accurately. Dr. Joe Burrascano, one of the nation’s leading clinicians focused on Lyme disease, outlines a simple point-based system for making sense of the history, physical exam and symptom patterns.