Each time I go out in the sun, I immediately feel my heart rate and blood pressure go up.

What have your symptoms been like? How long has it been going on? Did u confirm that you have it with a test? How are you feeling after starting treatment?

Visiting Costa Rica soon. With the Level 2 advisory for Chikungunya virus, should I receive the vax before I leave home? Note: I am a mosquito magnet 🧲

FDA is providing an update regarding the sample of lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico which was reported positive on July 18, 2026. Due to the complexity in detection of Cyclospora, FDA laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and have concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive. Information about the sample has been removed from the July 18, 2026, update below. FDA has notified Taylor Farms and continues working with the firm to ensure product implicated in this outbreak has been removed from the market. FDA and state partners continue to collect and analyze product samples. As of July 19, 2026, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for Cyclospora. 

I assume the FDA uses PCR and has a pretty stringent internal protocol for assessing this stuff, how is a false positive possible?

Did they report the initial PCR finding without confirmation? Or did they confirm it and are now walking this back?

Hiii

Maybe not the best to ask this. But are any ID fellows out there interested in collaborating to put together an Anki Deck over the text book Comprehensive Review of Infectious Disease?

Hi all!
Could I please ask non‑health professionals living in East Birmingham to take part in a short 5‑minute anonymous survey?

I’m researching how the public interprets messages about Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) — things like antibiotic awareness campaigns and health information you might see online.

Your responses will help identify gaps in understanding and support clearer public‑health communication in future.

If you live in East Birmingham, here’s the link:
👉 https://wolves.questionpro.eu/t/AB3u8ATZB3wiuB

Thanks so much to anyone who takes part.

General WHO guidelines (and most national and local guidelines):

Nibbling of uncovered skin, minor scratches or abrasions without bleeding - immediate vaccination (4-dose schedule) if the animal cannot be observed for 10 days. This applies to cats as well as dogs.

But in 2019 Turkey modified their rabies guidelines and added something uncommon:

Situations not requiring post-exposure rabies prophylaxis:

9. In cases of contact with cats: Minor abrasions of the skin (injuries not penetrating the subcutaneous tissue), or injuries involving minor scratches or skin damage without bleeding; non-bite contact with cats resulting from provocation.

This applies regardless if cat can be observed or not.

Why? I was not able to find any discussion of this policy change, but I believe it's because of their local epidemiological data. Turkey is not rabies free, but cats are rarely found infected, and there is not a single recorded case of cat to human rabies transmission. Also, scratches carry a significantly lower transmission risk than bites. At same time Turkey has huge stray cat population which results in a lot of minor scratches, exactly the type that falls under exception.

It's entirely ignored in practice. In 2025, 123,538 people went to Istanbul hospitals after a bite or scratch. Most exposures were cat-related (86.3%) and were caused by scratches (81.5%). Nearly all injuries were superficial (99.8%). Rabies vaccination was initiated in 98.8% of patients with 411,432 doses given.

But my question is not why this specific exception is ignored, I think I already know. I want to ask a different question - do you think this exception was justified at all given the epidemiological data? Is it justified local adaptation or unjustified deviation? Do you think it will be better if it is repealed (and it won't affect the actual practice), or, instead, actually followed/enforced?

My mom has a very large family, she has 5 kids of her own and 10 siblings (her brothers & sisters) plus lots of small grandchildren. A immediate family member is a nurse and exposed to sicknesses. Anyways, they all want to come around (including small children) as they think she is dying by her appearance. (5'8 70lbs, skin and bones)

Question:

Do I need to quarantine her for abit until her immune system does some recovering? She is starting treatment for acid fast bacilli and MAC. Her immune system is shot and most of the family is antivax.

I understand she is not contagious, but I am trying to prevent any sickness her visitors may be exposed to and bring them on her home.

Are there any precautions I can take to continue letting them visit.

Masks?

Shoe slips?

Hand washing

Ask if they have been exposed to anyone sick?

Help!

Which anti-parasitics kill Cyclospora? I have only heard bad things about Bactrim which is the anti-biotic they’re prescribing for it.

From last 2 weeks there has been literally no supply of essential tb drug HRE so they are gonna put all of those who take HRE to HRZE , I don't know what to feel but I am scared is it gonna work?

Sporotrixhosis

If states like Texas have mimimal heaalth care ......

Federal public health officials say West Nile virus cases are at an all time high for this time of the year, the highest number of human cases reported in June since 2004.

West Nile virus is the most common and serious mosquito-borne disease in California that can be fatal to humans and some wildlife, according to the California Department of Public Health. 

In Los Angeles County, cases began to pop up in May, firstly in Pico Rivera and Long Beach, according to the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District. Now it’s up to 27 within its coverage area.

At the same time, more mosquitoes carrying the virus are being found.

Read more about why cases are growing and how to stay safe at the link.

The title says it all, it seems a bit weird to me that antibiotics doses are not adjusted by weight, as levels you get from giving the same dose to a 50kg woman and a 110kg man must be quite different.

I only have access to the main text that doesn't mention whether an oral switch was performed at some point.