Search

Amended FDA ban on gay men donating blood criticized 12/23/2014 07:21pm • WASHINGTON -- Since the 1980s, gay and bisexual men have been barred from donating blood in the United States.   The ban went into place in the early days of the AIDS epidemic, which hit the gay community especially hard. Back then, there were no accurate, easy tests for the AIDS virus.  To 5 ways to keep your immune system healthy during the holidays 12/22/2014 02:53am • WASHINGTON -- When it comes to the topic of health and the holidays, most people are focused on limiting the Christmas cookies and eggnog to avoid seasonal weight gain. But the holidays can affect more than just your waistline; this time of year can take a toll on your immune system. Dr. John Yo Tips for getting through a rough flu season 12/19/2014 05:01am • WASHINGTON -- It's the holiday present nobody wants. A lot of adults and children in the area are coming down with the flu. A quick look at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's flu surveillance map tells the tale.  Flu is widespread in Maryland, while there are regional outbreaks re How to Deal With Childhood Diseases as an Adult 12/17/2014 07:00pm • Once we grow up, we leave "childhood" diseases such as measles and chicken pox behind, along with Tinker Toys and hall passes. Right? Wrong. Actress Angelina Jolie had to sit out the premier of her film "Unbroken" after contracting chicken pox. The National Hockey League recently made headlines afte What the NHL mumps scare means for sports and vaccines 12/16/2014 11:29pm • WASHINGTON -- Most of us probably think of the mumps as a childhood disease, an ailment from a generation ago all but eradicated by our vaccinations. But a recent outbreak of the disease at the highest level of professional sports is a reminder of just how easily the disease can spread, and has brou General Contest Rules 12/11/2014 11:48am • WTOP General Contest Rules Dates/Terms/Eligibility WTOP (the"Station") may change the dates and/or terms of the Contest without prior notice. Any material changes will be broadcast on the Station and/or posted on its website (www.wtop.com). The Contest is open to legal U.S. residents, 18 years of Keeping sickness at bay this cold season 12/09/2014 03:49pm • WASHINGTON -- 'Tis the season for the sniffles. Seems like everybody is coming down with a cold -- or worse. Doctors in the D.C. area say they are seeing an uptick in upper respiratory problems, and no family, office or school seems to be immune. "It sort of comes with the territory," says Ma Why Does Ebola Treatment Cost So Much? 12/03/2014 07:00pm • As the media frenzy over Ebola dies down and lives are saved, the focus for public officials and hospital leaders has switched to the cost of treatment. It's astronomically high, but it's also unpredictable -- anywhere from $8,500 to $50,000 per day. Fortunately for Ebola patients treated in the 8 Sneaky Symptoms of Stress 12/02/2014 07:00pm • Are you losing hair? Gaining weight? Sprouting a rash? There's a good chance that the culprit behind these seemingly unrelated physical maladies is nothing more than good, old-fashioned stress. While stress is a normal part of everyday life, it can sometimes trigger a range of unpleasant symptoms th Doctor second Ebola patient to die in U.S. 11/17/2014 08:34am • WASHINGTON -- Dr. Martin Salia is the second Ebola patient to die in the U.S., CBS News reports. Salia was a surgeon who contracted Ebola while working in Sierra Leone. Nebraska Medical Center's biocontainment unit had been treating him since Saturday. The deadly virus has killed more than 5,0 A look at the worst-ever Ebola epidemic by numbers 11/07/2014 09:34pm • MARIA CHENG AP Medical Writer LONDON (AP) -- As the biggest-ever outbreak of Ebola continues to ravage West Africa, here are a few key numbers to get a handle on the epidemic:13,268 and 4,960:According to an update Friday from the World Health Organization, there have been 13,268 Ebola cases and 4,9 Vaccine spray may not work for swine flu in kids 11/07/2014 09:34pm • MIKE STOBBE AP Medical Writer NEW YORK (AP) -- The nasal spray version of the flu vaccine did not protect young children against swine flu last winter and might not work again this year, health officials said Thursday.Preliminary results from three studies found that AstraZeneca's FluMist had little Ebola: Sierra Leone hit by lack of treatment units 11/07/2014 09:34pm • CLARENCE ROY-MACAULAY Associated Press FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) -- The 7-year-old boy's family and friends are praying over his body when the men in yellow protective suits, face shields and masks arrive. The boy had died at his home in Freetown. This same day, the collection team goes into a hou Dallas reaches end of Ebola monitoring period 11/07/2014 06:24pm • NOMAAN MERCHANT Associated Press DALLAS (AP) -- Dallas calmly marked the end of its Ebola crisis on Friday when the last of the 177 people who were being monitored for symptoms of the deadly virus were to be cleared at midnight.Thirty-eight days after Thomas Eric Duncan was diagnosed with Ebola in a UN Ebola chief optimistic of future drop in cases 11/07/2014 01:26am • EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N.'s Ebola chief said an extraordinary global response over the past month has made him hopeful the outbreak could end in 2015, though he cautioned that the fight to contain the disease is not even a quarter done."Until the last case of