Bird Flu in Humans: How H5N1 Spreads, What Has Been Reported and Why Experts Watch It Closely
Bird flu in humans is uncommon and, so far, spreads mainly from infected birds or dairy cattle to people who have close, unprotected contact…
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Blog Category
Screening & Prevention
Articles on screening and prevention: which cancer, heart and metabolic tests are recommended, at what age and how often, and what happens when a screening result is abnormal.
The PET Scan: How It Works and Why It Is Ordered: Explained Calmly
A PET (positron emission tomography) scan is an imaging test that uses a tiny amount of a radioactive tracer, usually a sugar-like compound, to…
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Shingles Vaccine Age: When Shingrix Is Recommended and Why Timing Matters
In the United States, the CDC recommends the Shingrix shingles vaccine for all adults aged 50 and older, and for adults 19 and older…
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Measles in Adults: Who Is Actually Protected, Who Needs an MMR Booster and How Immunity Is Checked
Most adults are protected against measles if they were born before 1957, have written proof of two MMR doses, or have a blood test…
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Lung Cancer Screening: Who Qualifies for Low-Dose CT and Why It Matters
In the United States, annual lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT scan is recommended for adults ages 50 to 80 who have at…
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Colonoscopy Prep: The Complete Guide to Getting It Right the First Time
Most people get colonoscopy prep right by following three steps: eat low-fiber foods for two to three days beforehand, switch to clear liquids the…
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Dense Breast Tissue: What Your Mammogram Report Means and Why Supplemental Screening Is Discussed
Dense breast tissue means a mammogram shows more glandular and fibrous tissue than fat; it is common, affecting about half of women over 40.…
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Lactose Intolerance and Hydrogen Breath Tests: How Diagnosis Really Works
Lactose intolerance is usually confirmed with a hydrogen breath test: you drink a measured lactose solution, then breathe into a device every 15 to…
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Tumor Markers (CEA, CA-125, AFP): What They Screen and What They Cannot Prove
Tumor markers such as CEA, CA-125, and AFP are substances, usually proteins, measured in blood that can rise with certain cancers. Doctors use them…
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Upper Endoscopy: What to Expect Before, During and After
An upper endoscopy is a short procedure, usually 15 to 30 minutes, in which a doctor passes a thin, flexible camera through your mouth…
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The Galleri Test and Liquid Biopsies: Multi-Cancer Blood Tests, Honestly Assessed
The Galleri test is a prescription-only blood test that screens for a DNA signal shared by more than 50 cancer types. In studies it…
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Why Measles Is Back: How Outbreaks Start When Vaccination Dips, and What Protects a Family
Measles outbreaks return when the share of people protected by two MMR doses slips below roughly 95 percent, letting one imported case spread through…
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Nipah Virus: Why Outbreaks Alarm Scientists: Transmission, Symptoms and What Travelers Should Know
Nipah virus is a bat-borne infection found in parts of South and Southeast Asia that spreads through contaminated fruit or date palm sap, infected…
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Cancer Screening Tests by Age: What Evidence-Based Guidelines Recommend
Evidence-based guidelines recommend cervical cancer screening starting at age 21, mammograms every one to two years beginning at 40, colorectal cancer screening from 45…
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RSV Vaccine for Adults: Who Is Eligible, How It Works and What Side Effects Were Recorded
RSV vaccines for adults are given as a single dose and are recommended in the US for everyone aged 75 and older, and for…
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Capsule Endoscopy: Swallowing the Camera: How the Pill Scan Works
Capsule endoscopy uses a vitamin-pill-sized wireless camera that you swallow with water. As it travels through the digestive tract, it captures thousands of images…
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The PPD Skin Test: How TB Screening Works and How Results Are Read
A PPD test, also called a tuberculin skin test, screens for tuberculosis infection. A tiny amount of purified protein derivative is injected just under…
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Virtual Colonoscopy: The CT Alternative and Its Honest Trade-offs
Virtual colonoscopy, also called CT colonography, screens for colorectal cancer using a low-dose CT scan instead of a scope. It requires the same bowel…
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