Cytomegaloviru, Infectious Disease, Pregnancy

Cytomegalovirus lies dormant in most US adults and is the leading infectious cause of birth defects, but few have heard of it

“Why didn’t anyone tell me about this virus?” is a frequent response I hear from parents upon learning their newborn is infected with cytomegalovirus, or CMV. Although more than half of the U.S. population will be infected with CMV by the age of 40 and the disease is common worldwide, few people have ever heard of it.

Brain and Nervous System, Pain Medicine

Brain signatures for chronic pain identified in a small group of individuals

Chronic pain is one of the largest contributors to disability worldwide. Neuropathic pain is caused by damage to the nervous system itself. It most commonly occurs due to injury to the nerves in our bodies, but for the individuals in this study, their pain is thought to originate from the brain itself. This kind of pain does not respond well to current treatments and can be debilitating for people living with it.

Health News

Measles case in King County

Public Health – Seattle & King County is investigating a confirmed measles case in a child. People who were at Aki Kurose Middle School, Pike Place Market, World Market, and HopeCentral Pediatrics & Behavioral Health in Seattle may have been exposed to measles if they were there within the time span that this person passed through while infectious. 

Healthcare Providers, Rural Health, Rural Hospitals

Rural Health Clinics with ‘Head-to-Toe and Womb-to-Tomb’ Care

Rural health clinics are safety net providers whose original mandate was primarily to increase access to care for those on Medicaid or Medicare. They provided primary care and perhaps a few other services. But the Rural Health Clinic program has evolved over the years, and some clinics, like Primary Care Centers of Eastern Kentucky, have expanded their roles quite considerably.