Infectious Disease

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More E. coli Illnesses Linked to Tainted Romaine Lettuce

More Americans have been sickened with E. coli after eating romaine lettuce thought to be grown...
Where ‘Superbugs’ Lurk in Your Home – and How to Stop Them

Researchers have learned more about how a “superbug” infection can infiltrate your home — and they...
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Released From Hospital After Health Scare

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was discharged from the hospital on Sunday after being admitted...

More Infectious Disease News

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The HPV vaccine gives parents a chance to prevent their children from developing some...
- Posted November 18, 2019
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- Posted November 15, 2019
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Climate Change Will Hurt Kids Most, Report Warns
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- Posted November 14, 2019
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Health Tip: Treating Post-Nasal Drip
That persistent tickle in the back of your throat may be diagnosed as post-nasal...
- Posted November 12, 2019
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Health Tip: Understanding Toenail Fungus
A toenail fungal infection typically occurs beneath the surface of the nail, says the...
- Posted November 8, 2019
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One Death, 8 Hospitalized in Salmonella Outbreak Tied to Ground Beef
Ground beef tainted with salmonella has led to 10 known infections across six states,...
- Posted November 2, 2019
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Health Tip: Cold, Flu or Allergy?
Determining if you have a cold, the flu or an allergy can be difficult...
- Posted October 29, 2019
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Health Tip: Getting a Tuberculosis Skin Test
A tuberculosis (TB) skin test determines if you have TB germs in your body,...
- Posted October 28, 2019
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Flu Season Is Coming: Here’s How to Protect Yourself
If you don’t want to be one of the 40 million Americans who get...
- Posted October 6, 2019
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Sinus Infections: What You Need to Know
Along with the flu, this is the time of year for sinus infections with...
- Posted October 5, 2019
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Childhood TB Shot May Offer Long-Term Protection from Lung Cancer
A tuberculosis vaccine commonly used in other parts of the world might reduce a...
- Posted October 1, 2019
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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.