Infectious Disease

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Frustrations Mount for U.S. Seniors Seeking Access to COVID Vaccines

Irene Greenhalgh, 83, considers herself a pretty computer-savvy senior, but even she got lost in a...
FDA Approves First Once-a-Month HIV Therapy

The first monthly shots to treat adults with HIV were approved by the U.S. Food and...
Immune System May ‘Remember’ Infections From Previous Coronaviruses

Previous coronavirus infections might prime the immune system to fight the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19,...

More Infectious Disease News

When ICUs Near Capacity, COVID Patients’ Risk for Death Nearly Doubles
When intensive care units are swamped with COVID-19 patients, death rates may climb, a...
- Posted January 20, 2021
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COVID-19 Ups Complication Risks During Childbirth
Women who have COVID-19 during childbirth are more likely to face complications than moms-to-be...
- Posted January 20, 2021
- 6
Dental Practices Rebound as U.S. Dentists Look Forward to COVID Vaccine
The coronavirus pandemic hit dental practices hard early in 2020, as COVID-19 fears kept...
- Posted January 20, 2021
- 5
Getting the COVID Vaccine? A Good Night’s Sleep Will Help
Want to get the most out of your COVID-19 vaccine? Make sure you get...
- Posted January 20, 2021
- 14
If a Nursing Home Resident Gets a COVID Shot, Can Their Families Visit Them Now?
People in nursing homes have been suffering in isolation during the coronavirus pandemic, with...
- Posted January 19, 2021
- 12
COVID Pandemic Shortened U.S. Life Expectancy by More Than a Year
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly shortened life expectancy in the United States, especially among Black...
- Posted January 15, 2021
- 7
Should Your Child Get a COVID Test?
If you’re trying to decide whether to have your child tested for COVID-19, talk...
- Posted January 15, 2021
- 3
3 Steps Could Nearly Eliminate COVID Infections on College Campuses: Study
A combination of mask use, social distancing and routine testing would eliminate nearly all...
- Posted January 15, 2021
- 5
What Happened to the Flu This Year?
The United States has far fewer flu cases than normal, and experts say it’s...
- Posted January 15, 2021
- 7
Shorter COVID Quarantine for College Athletes a Good Idea, Study Finds
After SARS-CoV-2 exposure, a 14-day quarantine is standard among university athletes. But shorter quarantines...
- Posted January 15, 2021
- 5
What Will COVID-19 Look Like Years From Now?
The bad news? COVID-19 may be around for a long, long time. The good...
- Posted January 14, 2021
- 2

Are You Living with Psoriasis?

A growing knowledge of the skin disease called psoriasis is leading to greater treatment choices, including personalized therapies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports.

Psoriasis is an immune system disorder that causes overproduction of skin cells, resulting in scaling, pain, swelling, redness and heat. The condition affects about 7.5 million Americans.

“As we better understand the disease, researchers know more about what specific factors to target in order to develop effective treatments,” FDA dermatologist Dr. Melinda McCord said in an agency news release.

There is no cure for psoriasis, so the main goals of treatments are to stop skin cell overproduction and reduce inflammation. Current therapies include medicines applied to the skin (topical), light treatment (phototherapy), or drugs taken by mouth or given by injection.

Doctors used to take a step-by-step approach, starting patients with mild to moderate psoriasis on topical therapy. If that was ineffective, doctors moved on to phototherapy or drug treatment.