Latest articles by Rachael Rettner
Maryland woman catches rare tropical bacterial disease from her fish tank
The case is unusual because the woman had never traveled outside the U.S.
How did cement end up in a man's heart?
The cement had traveled through the man's bloodstream after a medical procedure.
Boy dies from rare 'brain-eating' amoeba found in splash pad at Texas park
Water from the splash pad tested positive for Naegleria fowleri.
Why did this man have copper-colored rings in his eyes?
The rings were a clue to the man's rare disease.
Viruses found in Laos bats are closest known relatives to SARS-CoV-2
Strengthening case for natural origin.
World's oldest identical twins are 107 years (and 300 days) old
Guinness World Records certified the title this month.
Wyoming woman catches rare pneumonic plague from cats
Cats are highly susceptible to plague and are a known source of infections in people.
Horse tranquilizer crops up in overdose deaths around US
Half of U.S. states reported detecting the tranquilizer in fatal drug overdose cases in 2019.
Delta-8 marijuana products can be dangerous, health officials warn
Products with delta-8 THC are sometimes labeled in misleading ways, officials said.
Deadly Nipah virus kills boy in India, prompts worries over outbreak
Officials rushed to identify and isolate people who had come into close contact with the patient.
COVID-19 test caused man's 9-month-long brain fluid leak
The patient thought he had allergies.
Health officials quietly moved the date of the 1st US COVID-19 death to January 2020
The first death occurred a month earlier than previously thought.
New 'mu' coronavirus variant could escape vaccine-induced immunity, WHO says
The variant was first detected in Colombia in January 2021.
Flu season will be bad this year, research predicts
The findings underscore the importance of flu shots this year.
Ivermectin won't treat COVID-19, but it might kill you, CDC warns
Ivermectin does not treat or prevent COVID-19, and it can cause deadly side effects.
COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness dropped to 66% against delta, CDC finds
The findings should be interpreted with caution.
Thousands of sand dollars mysteriously wash ashore in Oregon in 'mass die-off'
The sand dollars were alive when they washed in during high tides and became stranded.
How a Salmonella outbreak ravaged a Michigan restaurant for 11 years
Despite several remodels and deep cleanings, the building continued to harbor the bacteria.
Man gets 'flesh-eating' bacterial infection from eating raw oysters
The man spent three weeks on life support.
Here's why you need to wash your hands for 20 seconds, according to physics
The authors created a simple mathematical model to simulate the movement of particles during hand washing.
Child dies from rare brain-eating amoeba in California
The child most likely acquired the infection from swimming in a freshwater lake in Tehama County.
3 men die in manure pit: Here's why it's a 'death trap.'
Decomposing manure produces hydrogen sulfide, methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide.
How deadly is the coronavirus delta variant?
Early data suggests the delta variant may cause more severe disease.
