Biomarkers found for COVID-19 condition in children

A rare but serious inflammatory condition that affects children who contract COVID-19 produces a distinctive pattern of biomarkers that may help physicians predict disease severity and also aid researchers in developing new treatments, according to a new study.

Exploring the past: Computational models shed new light on the evolution of prehistoric languages

A new linguistic study sheds light on the nature of languages spoken before the written period, using computational modeling to reconstruct the grammar of the 6500-7000 year-old Proto-Indo-European language.

Evidence mounts that MMR and Tdap vaccines strengthen protection against severe COVID-19

Laboratory and retrospective analyses suggest that MMR and Tdap memory T cells are activated by SARS-CoV-2 and decrease COVID-19 severity.

Model of SARS-CoV-2 dynamics reveals opportunity to prevent COVID-19 transmission

A structural model of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as the virus fuses with host human cells reveals an opportunity to disrupt dynamics and halt transmission.

Guidance for Health Departments about COVID-19 Testing in the Community

Considerations and recommendations for health departments supporting COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) testing in communities, schools, workplaces, and healthcare settings.

Testing Communication Toolkit

COVID-19 testing resources for health departments and testing locations including fact sheeta and social media sample messages

List of COVID-19 Resources for Correctional and Detention Facilities

List of COVID-19 Resources for Correctional and Detention Facilities

COVID-19 Vaccines for Long-Term Care Facility Residents

Vaccinating LTCF residents will save lives. Making sure LTCF residents can receive COVID-19 vaccination as soon as vaccines are available will help save the lives of those who are most at risk of dying from COVID-19. According to ACIP's recommendations, long-term care facility residents include adults who reside in facilities that provide a range of services, including medical and personal care, to persons who are unable to live independently. The communal nature of LTCFs and the population served (generally older adults often with underlying medical conditions) puts facility residents at increased risk of infection and severe illness from COVID-19

Machine learning algorithm revolutionizes how scientists study behavior

B-SOiD is an open source, unsupervised algorithm that can discover and identify behaviors without user input.

COVID-19 Vaccine Reporting Systems

COVID-19 vaccines have undergone the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. Learn about clinical trials and different safety monitoring systems.

Operational Considerations for Schools

Schools play an important role in educating students about disease prevention within their homes and communities. Many children and adolescents rely on key services provided by schools, such as school meal programs. Schools are considered safe havens for children who might be experiencing various forms of abuse or violence. This document provides suggestions for mitigating risks for COVID-19 transmission in schools in low-resource, international settings

Fighting brain cancer at its root

Researchers identify proteins that drive cancer stem cells. Targeting and suppressing a particular protein called galectin1 could provide a more effective treatment for glioblastoma, in combination with radiation therapy.

COVID-19 vaccine elicits antibodies in 90 percent taking immunosuppressants, study finds

Nearly 90 percent of people taking immunosuppressants to treat autoimmune conditions produce an antibody response to COVID-19 vaccination, but the response is weaker than those generated by healthy people, according to a new study.

How to produce proteins at the right speed

In all eukaryotic organisms, genetic material is stored in the cell nucleus in the form of DNA. In order to be used, this DNA is first transcribed into messenger RNA in the cell cytoplasm, then translated into protein with the help of ribosomes, small machines capable of decoding messenger RNA to synthesize the appropriate proteins. However, the speed with which this mechanism takes place is not uniform: it must adapt to allow the protein to adopt the right configuration. Indeed, a deregulation of the production rate leads to structural defects. The proteins, which are not correctly folded will aggregate, become unusable and often toxic for the cell.

Genomic data reveals new insights into human embryonic development

Genomic scientists have revealed new insights into the process of human embryonic development using large-scale, whole-genome sequencing of cells and tissues from adult humans. The study analyzes somatic mutations in normal tissue across multiple organs within and between humans.

Alcohol can cause immediate risk of atrial fibrillation, research finds

A single glass of wine can quickly -- significantly -- raise the drinker's risk for atrial fibrillation, according to new research.

High virus count in the lungs drives COVID-19 deaths, study finds

A buildup of coronavirus in the lungs is likely behind the steep mortality rates seen in the pandemic, a new study finds. The results contrast with previous suspicions that simultaneous infections, such as bacterial pneumonia or overreaction of the body's immune defense system, played major roles in heightened risk of death, the investigators say.

New artificial intelligence tech set to transform heart imaging

A new artificial-intelligence technology for heart imaging can improve care for patients, allowing doctors to examine their hearts for scar tissue while eliminating the need for contrast injections.

Genes can respond to coded information in signals – or filter them out entirely

Researchers have demonstrated that genes are capable of identifying and responding to coded information in light signals, as well as filtering out some signals entirely. The study shows how a single mechanism can trigger different behaviors from the same gene.

Mentally reattaching to work important for leader success

A new study found that on the days that leaders and managers were better able to reattach to work in the morning, they experienced higher positive moods and work focus and that in turn allowed them to be more successful throughout the day.

Do distressed, help-seeking couples improve on their own? Not much, study says

Does relationship quality continue to worsen, stabilize, or improve for distressed, help-seeking couples before they receive assistance? A team of researchers sought to answer that question in a new study examining what happens to couples who seek online help for their relationship, but have to wait six months before beginning an intervention program.

Telemedicine appointments reduce risk of further illness

Telemedicine appointments combined with in-person visits significantly reduced the risk of further illness for children with medically complex cases.

Parents and Caregivers - What Is Your School Doing to Protect Your Child from COVID-19?

A set of questions parents can ask their school to learn more about their COVID-19 precautions. This page also includes answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) CDC is hearing from parents and caregivers.

COVID-19 County Check Tool: Understanding Community Transmission Levels in Your County

COVID Risk Widget Precautions

Bystander CPR with rescue breathing leads to better outcomes in pediatric cardiac arrest: Study

When children and adolescents go into cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting, CPR with rescue breathing -- rather than CPR using only chest compressions -- leads to better outcomes, according to a new study. The findings support the use of bystander CPR with rescue breathing in children experiencing cardiac arrest.

Research finds ‘very low rates’ of dental fluoride varnish treatment for young children

Fewer than 5% of well-child visits for privately insured young children included a recommended dental fluoride varnish application, despite mandatory insurance coverage for this service, according to a new study.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Severe Allergic Reactions

Learn about the types of allergic reactions you should watch out for, like anaphylaxis, and what to do if you experience one after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

What to Know About HIV and COVID-19

Although the risk of serious illness from COVID-19 for people with HIV is not known, people with HIV may have concerns and questions related to their risk.

Novel assessment of platelet-rich plasma treatment shows efficacy in patients with osteoarthritis

A pilot study combined wearable technology and patient-reported outcomes to assess the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment in osteoarthritis (OA), finding significant improvements.

Improving strength, stretchiness and adhesion in hydrogels for wound healing

Scientists use the adhesive capabilities of mussels as a model for simultaneously optimizing the strength, stretchiness and adhesion of GelMA hydrogels, a feat not obtained in previous attempts.

New study examines ‘Achilles heel’ of cancer tumors, paving the way for new treatment strategies

Researchers have uncovered a weakness in a key enzyme that solid tumor cancer cells rely on to adapt and survive when oxygen levels are low.

Turning cameras off during virtual meetings can reduce fatigue

Feeling drained after a day of virtual meetings is worse for those who keep their cameras on throughout those meetings, according to new research. The study also shows the effects are often stronger for women and newer employees.

Breast milk proven to enhance heart performance in premature babies

New research demonstrates the beneficial effect of breast milk consumption on cardiovascular health and early cardiovascular development in premature infants.

How a racing heart may alter decision-making brain circuits

In an effort to understand how the internal state of the body influences the brain's decision-making processes, scientists analyzed the data from a previous study pre-clinical study. They found that two of the brain's decision-making centers contain neurons that may exclusively monitor the body's internal dynamics. Furthermore, a heightened state of arousal appeared to rewire one of the centers by turning some decision-making neurons into internal state monitors.

At least 80% of opioid overdoses aren’t fatal, but how do they affect the brain?

Scientists still know little about how opioid overdoses affect the brain and cognition. Researchers found that, while evidence exists to support a link between overdose, cognitive impairment and brain abnormalities, more research is needed in this area.

Hobit turns immune cells into killers

Against infections, tumors and inflammations, immune cells are locally positioned as rapid reaction forces in the organs of the body. On site, they specialize and take on various tasks.

Researchers identify new biomarkers to detect consumption of emerging illicit drug

A team of researchers has come up with a new solution to boost the surveillance of designer drug abuse. The team has identified three new urinary biomarkers that could be used to detect consumption of ADB-BUTINACA, an emerging synthetic cannabinoid which is a type of new psychoactive substance. The innovative approach used to identify the biomarkers can be applied to other existing and new synthetic cannabinoids.

Integrated treatment for depression and heart failure improves quality of life and mood

Results suggest that simple measures, such as depression care administered by phone, can make a big difference for patients recovering from heart failure.

AI helps to spot single diseased cells

Researchers developed a novel artificial intelligence algorithm for clinical applications called 'scArches'. It efficiently compares patients' cells with a reference atlas of cells of healthy individuals. This enables physicians to pinpoint cells in disease and prioritize them for personalized treatment in each patient.

Low-sodium salt prevents stroke

Replacing salt with a low-sodium alternative lowers the risk of stroke in people with high blood pressure or prior stroke, according to recent research.

Drug delivery capsule could replace injections for protein drugs

Researchers have developed a capsule that can carry large protein drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies, and inject them directly into the lining of the stomach.

One in two pregnancies are affected by iron deficiency, yet many women don’t get a simple screening test to check

Half of pregnant women who had a simple blood test to check their iron stores had low iron levels, and one in four had severe iron deficiency, according to a new article. But despite how common iron deficiency is, 40% of pregnant women in this large regional study never had their iron levels checked, and women of lower socioeconomic status were less likely to get tested. Researchers said the findings underscore the need to revisit clinical guidelines to ensure that ferritin testing, the standard measure of iron deficiency, is included as a routine part of maternal care and pregnancy health screenings.

Unease beyond the uncanny valley: How people react to the same faces

If humanoid robots with the same appearance are mass-produced and become commonplace, how will human beings react to them? In a series of six experiments, scientists examined peoples' reactions when presented with images of people with the same face. Their results reveal a new phenomenon they call the clone devaluation effect -- a greater eeriness associated with cloned faces than with different faces.

Finerenone improves outcomes in patients with mild-to-moderate kidney disease and diabetes

Finerenone reduces the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with mild-to-moderate kidney disease and type 2 diabetes. Diabetic kidney disease develops in approximately 40% of patients with diabetes and is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease worldwide. Some patients progress to end-stage renal disease, but most die from cardiovascular diseases and infections before needing kidney replacement therapy.

Increased survival with eye melanoma in clinical trial

Once it has spread (metastasized), uveal (intraocular or eye) melanoma -- an unusual form of cancer -- has a very high mortality rate. Researchers and doctors show that, in a small group of patients with metastatic uveal melanoma, a new combination treatment can bring about tumor shrinkage and prolonged survival.

How can I avoid heart disease or stroke?

As much as 90% of the risk of a heart attack, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease (PAD) can be explained by smoking, poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, raised blood lipid levels, diabetes, psychosocial factors, or alcohol. These guidelines focus on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), which affects the arteries. As the inside of the arteries become clogged up by fatty deposits, they can no longer supply enough blood to the body. This process is the main cause of heart attacks, strokes, PAD and sudden death where arteries become completely blocked. The most important way to prevent these conditions is to adopt a healthy lifestyle throughout life, especially not smoking, and to treat risk factors.

Staying home, having access to primary care, and limiting contagion hubs may curb COVID-19 deaths

Staying home and limiting local travel, supporting access to primary care, and limiting contacts in contagion hubs -- including hospitals, schools, and workplaces -- are strategies that might help reduce COVID-19-related deaths, according to new research that analyzed the first wave of the epidemic in Italy.

Four-in-one blood pressure pill: Safe and much more effective than usual hypertension treatment, study finds

The first large-scale, long-term trial of a new strategy using combinations of very low-doses in one capsule, has demonstrated significantly improved control of high blood pressure -- the leading cause of heart attack and stroke.

Want to play college sports? A wealthy family helps

It takes more than athletic talent to play varsity sports in college, at least for most young people, a new study suggests. Researchers found that U.S. high-school athletes were much more likely to play sports in college if they came from higher-income families with well-educated parents and attended wealthier schools.

Monoclonal antibody treatment combo reduces hospitalization among high-risk patients with COVID-19

In an observational study, researchers report that the combination of casirivimab and imdevimab -- two monoclonal antibody treatments under Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization -- keep high-risk patients out of the hospital when infected with mild to moderate COVID-19.

Insights into how a stroke affects reading could help with rehabilitation

Researchers, looking at the ability of people to sound out words after a stroke, found that knowing which region of the brain was impacted by the stroke could have important implications for helping target rehabilitation efforts.

Perceptions of supernatural beings reveal feelings about good and bad in humans

What transpires in comedies and cartoons when a character has a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other is not far off from people's perceptions of the real world, finds a new study.

Eating walnuts daily lowered 'bad' cholesterol and may reduce cardiovascular disease risk

Healthy older adults who ate a handful of walnuts (about ½ cup) a day for two years modestly lowered their level of low-density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol levels. Consuming walnuts daily also reduced the number of LDL particles, a predictor of cardiovascular disease risk. The study explored the effects of a walnut-enriched diet on overall cholesterol in elderly individuals from diverse geographical locations and spanning two years.

COVID-19 antibody study shows downside of not receiving second shot

A new study shows that two months after the second Pfizer/Moderna vaccination, antibody response decreases 20 percent in adults with prior cases of COVID-19, and tests how well current vaccines resist emerging variants. The study also showed that prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2 does not guarantee a high level of antibodies, nor does it guarantee a robust antibody response to the first vaccine dose. This directly contradicts the assumption that contracting COVID will naturally make someone immune to re-infection. The findings further support vaccination (and two doses), even for people who have contracted the virus previously.

Light-to-moderate coffee drinking associated with health benefits

Up to three cups of coffee per day is associated with a lower risk of stroke and fatal heart disease, according to new research.

Drones could deliver defibrillators to cardiac arrest victims faster than ambulances

A feasibility study has found that drones can be used to deliver life-saving defibrillators to people with suspected cardiac arrest in the community.

'Humanized' mouse model selects better match for organ transplant

A 'humanized' mouse model equipped with the immune system of a patient who needs an organ transplant beats current measures for identifying the best potential living donor, scientists report.

Neurons in visual cortex of the brain ‘drift’ over time

New research reveals that neurons in the visual cortex -- the part of the brain that processes visual stimuli -- change their responses to the same stimulus over time. Although other studies have documented 'representational drift' in neurons in the parts of the brain associated with odor and spatial memory, this result is surprising because neural activity in the primary visual cortex is thought to be relatively stable.

A new model for group decision-making shows how 'followers' can influence the outcome

From small committees to national elections, group decision-making can be complicated -- and it may not always settle on the best choice. That's partly because some members of the group do research on their own, and others take their cues from the people around them. A new mathematical framework predicts that decision-making groups have a critical threshold of people who get their information from others. Below that threshold, the group chooses the high-quality outcome. Above it, the group can end up choosing the better or worse option.

Scientists developing contraceptive that stops sperm in its tracks

Engineered antibodies immobilize sperm in animal study, paving the way for nonhormonal contraceptive for women.

Artificial intelligence re-stained images of tissue biopsy expedite diagnoses

In lifesaving situations, expedient and accurate diagnostic tools are critical to aid pathologists in examining biopsied tissue samples looking for signs of diseases. Engineers found a new path to achieve that with virtual re-staining of tissue images that is both faster than human-performed special stains and just as accurate.

Researchers use stem cells to make insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells

The human body can be genetically inclined to attack its own cells, destroying the beta cells in the pancreas that make insulin, which helps convert sugar into energy. Called Type 1 diabetes, this disorder can occur at any age and can be fatal if not carefully managed with insulin shots or an insulin pump to balance the body's sugar levels.

Climate change challenge: Terminology used by scientists confounds public

A new study finds that U.S. residents struggle to understand terms frequently used by scientists to describe climate change.

Old habit-controlling neurons may also help the brain learn new tricks

In a study of rodents, scientists discovered that a part of the brain traditionally thought to control typing the old sequence may also play a critical role in learning the new one. The results suggest that this process involves a delicate balance in the activity of two neighboring neural circuits: one dedicated to new actions and the other to old habits.

AI algorithm solves structural biology challenges

Researchers develop machine learning methods that accurately predict the 3D shapes of drug targets and other important biological molecules, even when only limited data is available.

Your sense of smell may be the key to a balanced diet

When we smell food, we are more likely to eat -- but new findings suggest eating food also impacts our sense of smell, which could bias what we eat next. Imaging shows that brain's response to odors similar to a recent meal is less 'food-like' than its response to a different food odor. Interplay between smell and food intake may have evolutionary benefit in helping humans diversify diet

Ending prices with '.99' can backfire on sellers

Setting a price just below a round number ($39.99 instead of $40) may lead consumers into thinking a product is less expensive than it really is -- but it can sometimes backfire on sellers, a new study shows.

Environmental pollution may contribute to racial/ethnic disparities In Alzheimer’s disease risk

Fine particle pollution may be one reason why Black women have double the risk of developing Alzheimer's than white women, suggests new research. Data shows that older people are more likely to develop dementia if they live in locations with high PM2.5, and African American populations are more likely to live in neighborhoods near polluting facilities. Even when controlling for other risk factors, this study found that Black women still had roughly two times greater a risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than white women, and it also found that they had higher exposure to PM2.5.

Embryonic development in slow motion

Roe deer are among the few mammals whose embryos go into a particularly long period of dormancy. Using modern molecular methods, researchers have shown for the first time what exactly happens in the embryo during this phase. They have identified signals that control the embryo`s awakening.

Recommendation to Pause Use of Johnson & Johnson's Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine

A review of all available data at this time shows that the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine's known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks.

Simple safety measures reduce musical COVID-19 transmission

Researchers have found that while playing musical instruments can emit the same levels of potentially COVID-laden airborne particles as singing, simple safety measures, such as masking instruments, social distancing and implementing time limits, significantly reduce this risk.

COVID-19 in children with cancer: Severe disease and disrupted treatment

Scientists from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the International Society of Paediatric Oncology report results from the Global Registry of COVID-19 and Childhood Cancer.

The risk of developing a disease linked to genetics tends to decrease with age

People often get sicker as they grow older, but new research finds that the impact of a person's genes on their risk of getting sick actually wanes with age.

What's the cost of self-control? New study tabulates the bill

A team of researchers has identified measures we take in order to skirt having to exert self-control in our daily lives -- findings that offer new insights into what motivates human behavior.

COVID-19 vaccine potency dips, but remains effective disease deterrent, study finds

COVID-19 vaccines remain effective, but their potency has diminished in recent months, according to a nationwide U.S. study at eight sites.

Reporting COVID-19 Vaccinations in the United States

Information on COVID-19 vaccination data reported in CDC's COVID Data Tracker.

COVID-19 Vaccines that Require 2 Shots

If you receive a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you will need 2 shots to get the most protection.

Symptomatic COVID patients are more contagious, study finds

Individuals with COVID-19 are most likely to spread the virus to close contacts two days before the onset of symptoms to three days after symptoms appear, and the risk of transmission is highest when patients had mild or moderate disease severity, according to a new study.

Study confirms virus variants reduce protection against COVID-19

A laboratory study finds that blood serum drawn from people previously vaccinated or naturally infected show 'significantly reduced' defense against two variants of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Researchers said that their findings emphasize the importance of vaccinations combined with maintaining public health measures to cut off the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

COVID-19 Children's Eagle Book Coloring Storybook

The COVID-19 Eagle Book is a free coloring book that teaches children to protect their communities from COVID-19.

Biomarker may help predict benefits of immunotherapy

A group of researchers reported that a specific pattern, or 'signature,' of markers on immune cells in the blood is a likely biomarker of response to checkpoint immunotherapy. Within this immune signature, a molecule LAG-3 provided key information identifying patients with poorer outcomes.

Men and women of Roman Herculaneum had different diets, new research shows

Archaeologists examining the Herculaneum skeletal remains of the victims of Vesuvius say they have helped shed new light on the eating habits of ancient Romans -- with food differentiated along gender lines and revealing women ate more animal products and locally grown fruit and vegetables while the men dined on more expensive fish.

How firefighters deal with heat stress and fatigue

A new study asked more than 470 firefighters how they recover in the field, especially in situations of greatest heat stress.

Potentially safer approach to opioid drug development

Opioids are powerful painkillers but their use is hindered because patients become tolerant to them, requiring higher and higher doses, and overdoses can cause respiratory depression and death. A recent study contradicts existing thinking about how opioid drugs cause tolerance and respiratory depression, and suggests a new, balanced approach to developing safer analgesics.

COVID-19 County Check Tool: Understanding Community Transmission Levels in Your County

COVID Risk Widget Precautions

MOGONET provides more holistic view of biological processes underlying disease

To fully utilize the advances in omics technologies to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the biological processes underlying human diseases, researchers have developed and tested MOGONET, a novel multi-omics data analysis algorithm and computational methodology. Integrating data from various omics provides a more holistic view of biological processes underlying human diseases. The creators have made MOGONET open source, free and accessible to all researchers.

A game changer: Virtual reality reduces pain and anxiety in children

Randomized clinical trial shows that engaging in virtual reality can significantly reduce pain and anxiety in children undergoing intravenous catheter placement.

Tribal Communities

Ongoing mitigation guidance, mitigation guidance, and prevention and support for tribal communities.

Young athletes with history of concussions may have more changes to their brains

A new study suggests athletes with a history of concussion may show more brain injury from a later concussion, particularly in middle regions of the brain that are more susceptible to damage, when compared to athletes with no history of concussion.

Add it up: Could this test equal a way to determine dementia risk?

People whose scores on a dementia risk test indicated a less brain-healthy lifestyle, including smoking, high blood pressure and a poor diet, may also have the following: lower scores on thinking skills tests, more changes on brain scans and a higher risk of cognitive impairment, according to a new study.

Researchers identify genetic cause of endometriosis and reveal potential drug target

New research offers insight into how to treat endometriosis. The researchers performed genetic analyses of humans and rhesus macaques to identify a specific gene, NPSR1, that increases risk of suffering from endometriosis. The results reveal a potential new nonhormonal drug target that may lead to improved therapy.

Widespread tumor suppression mechanism stops cancer progression by interfering with cancer cell metabolism

A Wistar study shows the tumor suppressor Parkin, whose levels are reduced in different cancer types, causes acute metabolic and oxidative stress, suppresses mitochondrial trafficking, and blocks tumor cell movement, reducing primary and metastatic tumor growth.

Sample Social Media & Graphics

Customizable social media messages and graphics for school districts and schools to share information about COVID-19 testing programs with student, parents, and staff.

What You Should Know About COVID-19 Testing in Schools

What you should know about COVID-19 testing in schools.

Sample Letters for Schools

Customizable sample letters for school districts and schools to share information about COVID-19 testing programs with parents and staff.

Questions & Answers on School Testing

As schools go back to in-person learning, many offer free, regular COVID-19 testing for students and staff.

CDC's COVID-19 Weekly Partner Calls

CDC's COVID-19 Weekly Partner Calls provide a broad base of partners with updates on the latest guidance, hot topics, and scientific insight on CDC's COVID-19 response efforts. Each week the call focuses on a specific topic, diving deeply to provide more information, followed by a Q&A portion of the call. Questions are accepted ahead of time from the general public, and though not all questions are able to be answered during the call, as many are answered as possible.

School Testing for COVID-19

Ongoing Mitigation Guidance, mitigation guidance, and prevention and support for schools and child care programs.

New study gives insight into how often COVID-19 spreads through households

A new study demonstrates how quickly COVID-19 can spread through a household, and provides insight into how and why communities of color have suffered disproportionately from the pandemic.

Exposure to tobacco smoke in early life is associated with accelerated biological aging, study finds

A new study analyzes the association between more than 100 environmental exposures and the 'epigenetic clock' of over 1,000 children in six European countries.

New research finds gender differences in fear and risk perception during COVID-19

New research suggests that men and women worry about the impact of COVID-19 in far different ways. For example, men are more likely to be concerned about financial consequences from COVID-19 while women report greater fear and more negative expectations about health-related outcomes.

In hot weather, outdoor laborers work less -- when economy is growing

A new analysis suggests that U.S. workers in industries that expose them to weather conditions work fewer hours per day when temperatures surpass 90 degrees Fahrenheit -- but only during periods of economic growth.

Baby detector software embedded in digital camera rivals ECG

Facial recognition is now common in adults, but researchers have developed software that can reliably detect a premature baby's face in an incubator and remotely monitor its heart and breathing rates - rivaling ECG machines and even outperforming them. This is the first step in using non-contact monitoring in neonatal wards, avoiding skin tearing and potential infections from adhesive pads.

Daily Activities

Know how to safely participate in daily activities while protecting yourself and others from COVID-19.

Sibling's likelihood of autism diagnosis impacted by age gap, study finds

Mothers of children with autism who delayed their subsequent pregnancy by 2.5 to three years reduced the likelihood of their next child also being diagnosed on the spectrum, new research shows.

Why do short-lived lung infections lead to long-lasting lung damage?

Researchers have found that two populations of stem cells in the lung multiply during and after a viral respiratory infection, sometimes triggering a detrimental remodeling process that can cause persistent lung disease long after the virus has been cleared.

Psychological capital may be the antidote for working in a pandemic, study suggests

Just like the COVID-19 vaccine protects against contracting the contagious virus, the collective elements of self-efficacy, optimism, hope and resiliency helps inoculate employees from the negative effects of working through a pandemic, according to a new study.

Contact Tracing Resources for Health Departments

CDC general principles for COVID and what CDC is doing to support contact tracing.

'Nanopore-tal' enables cells to talk to computers

Researchers have introduced a new class of reporter proteins that can be directly read by a commercially available nanopore sensing device.

Selected Adverse Events Reported after COVID-19 Vaccination

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines, and these vaccines will undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. CDC recommends you get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you are eligible. Adverse events described on this page have been reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

Previous COVID-19 Forecasts: Hospitalizations

Learn about COVID-19 forecasts and modeling for new hospitalizations.

v-safe COVID-19 Vaccine Pregnancy Registry

This registry collects health information from pregnant people who get vaccinated. This helps to expand vaccine safety data to further ensure vaccine safety.

Portable MRI provides life-saving information to doctors treating strokes

When patients exhibit stroke symptoms, doctors must quickly make a life or death determination: Are their symptoms caused by a clot that can be treated with blood thinners or by bleeding in the brain, which may require surgery? A new study shows that a portable MRI device can help identify such intracranial hemorrhages, potentially life-saving information particularly in areas or scenarios where access to sophisticated brain imaging scans are not readily available.

Large genetic analysis identifies numerous gene variants linked with differences in food intake

A team of researchers have identified more than two dozen genetic regions that may affect individuals' food intake.

Using your smartwatch to reduce stress

An engineering researcher has modified a smartwatch to reduce stress. The new technology monitors sweat to infer brain stress and, when detected, sends a message through the smartwatch to calm down.

Teaching an old dog new tricks: An existing drug opens new possibilities for treating childhood leukemia

A new study has shown that the tumor-inhibiting gene TET2 is silenced in a large fraction of cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children. The scientists show that the gene can be reactivated by treatment with an existing drug, 5-azacytidine. The results suggest that 5-azacytidine may function as targeted therapy for ALL in children.

Scientists discover a fundamental feature of aggressive lymphomas

New research has revealed a new fundamental feature of aggressive B-cell lymphomas which could open the door to further research into early detection and treatment of the disease.

Evolutionary ‘arms race’ may help keep cell division honest

Certain proteins may have evolved to tamp down 'cheating' during meiosis, the cell-division process that gives rise to eggs and sperm. While chromosomes can tip the scales in their favor of winding up in an egg, the team's new work identifies a mechanism that keeps the odds closer to 50-50, possibly reducing the likelihood that chromosomal abnormalities will arise during egg production.

Combination of mask wearing and keeping windows open is best for reducing COVID-19 risk in cars, new study finds

New research has confirmed that keeping car windows open to draw in fresh air is key to reducing the risk of contracting the virus in vehicle environments -- but there are trade-offs.

There’s a bright side to being a ‘Debbie Downer’

New research shows that keeping busy with a variety of activities can elicit both positive and negative emotions, and some of the relationship could depend on your age. A new study finds that engaging in diverse daily activities is associated with a diverse set of emotions.

Breast milk of mothers who received COVID-19 vaccine contains antibodies that fight illness

The breast milk of lactating mothers vaccinated against COVID-19 contains a significant supply of antibodies that may help protect nursing infants from the illness, according to new research.

Early-warning system for sepsis shown to improve survival rates and cut hospital stays

Emergency room patients who were flagged by an artificial-intelligence algorithm for possibly having sepsis received antibiotics sooner and had better outcomes, according to a study conducted by physician-researchers.

A novel gene involved in male infertility: ZFP541

A new gene that controls the completion of meiosis in spermatogenesis has been discovered. Until now, details of the mechanism that inactivates the expression of genes involved in the meiotic program during spermatogenesis had not been clarified. The researchers believe that this may lead to an advancement in reproductive medicine, like identifying causes for infertility from azoospermia or spermatogenic defects.

Report shows adult brain tumor incidence rates are decreasing but 5-year survival rates remain low

A new study found that incidence rates for malignant brain and other central nervous system (CNS) tumors declined by 0.8% annually during 2008 through 2017 in the United States for all ages combined.

High cholesterol fuels cancer by fostering resistance to a form of cell death

A research team has identified how breast cancer cells use cholesterol to develop tolerance to stress, making them impervious to death as they migrate from the original tumor site.

Health Equity in Action

Health Equity in Action

Community, Work, and School

Preventing COVID-19 spread in schools, workplaces, and communities.

COVID-19 in Newly Resettled Refugee Populations

Refugees to the United States, especially those who are recently resettled, may be in living or working conditions that put them at higher risk of getting COVID-19.

Studying mosquito immune cells could improve understanding of disease transmission

A recent study led by an entomologist explores the different kinds of cells that make up mosquito immune systems. The research could shed light on how mosquitoes transmit malaria.

Farmed carnivores may become 'disease reservoirs' posing human health risk

Carnivorous animals lack key genes needed to detect and respond to infection by pathogens, a study has found. Farming large numbers of carnivores, like mink, could allow the formation of undetected 'disease reservoirs', in which a pathogen could spread to many animals and mutate to become a risk to human health.

Weight gain isn’t inevitable when you start college

Researchers found that first-year college students do pack on pounds, but implementing healthy patterns early can help stave off that weight gain.

Viruses leave traces long after infection, research finds

Viruses do not always kill the cells they infect. Researchers have discovered in experiments with mice that cells have the power to self-heal and eliminate viruses. However, these cells undergo long-term changes. The findings may provide a hint as to why cured hepatitis C patients are more susceptible to liver cancer for years after.

How adolescents used drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Among adolescents ages 10 to 14 in the U.S, the overall rate of drug use remained relatively stable in the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, one change was a decreased use of alcohol, but an increased use of nicotine and misuse of prescription drugs.

Age-related decline in two sirtuin enzymes alters mitochondrial dynamics, weakens cardiac contractions

The potential protective effect of sirtuin enzymes in age-related diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, remains an area of intense investigation. Now, researchers has determined that sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) levels decline in aging hearts, disrupting the ability of cardiac muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) to contract in response to ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Drinking sufficient water could prevent heart failure

Staying well-hydrated throughout life could reduce the risk of developing heart failure, according to new research.

Stress from rising population numbers may cause a decline in human fertility

A predicted population drop at the end of the century could be explained by stress from meaningless social interactions.

Hospital-acquired COVID-19 tends to be picked up from other patients, not from healthcare workers

The majority of patients who contracted COVID-19 while in hospital did so from other patients rather than from healthcare workers, concludes a new study.

Researchers developing new cancer treatments with high-intensity focused ultrasound

While doctors have used low-intensity ultrasound as a medical imaging tool since the 1950s, experts are now using and extending models that help capture how high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) can work on a cellular level.

It’s never too late to get active

A study in more than 30,000 heart patients shows that becoming active later in life can be nearly as beneficial to survival as continued activity.

Reversal of lung fibrosis in mouse model suggests a novel therapeutic target for pulmonary fibrosis

Researchers have reversed lung fibrosis in a mouse model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Mice were given bleomycin for 12 days to establish lung fibrosis, and then treated daily until 21 days with ABT-199, whose medical form is known as Venetoclax, a medication approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for use in several forms of leukemia. Control bleomycin mice had lung fibrosis with widespread collagen deposition. The bleomycin mice that received ABT-199 had normal lung architecture at 21 days and no collagen deposition. These results suggest a novel therapeutic target to reverse fibrotic remodeling in the lungs.

Statistics say large pandemics are more likely than we thought

The COVID-19 pandemic may be the deadliest viral outbreak the world has seen in more than a century. But statistically, such extreme events aren't as rare as we may think, asserts a new analysis of novel disease outbreaks over the past 400 years. A newly assembled record of past outbreaks was used to estimate the probability of a pandemic with similar impact to COVID-19 is about 2 percent in any year. And that probability is growing.

Lagging chromosomes among causes of infertility

Why do women over 35 have more difficulty getting pregnant? After discovering one of the causes of age-related female infertility, researchers suggest that it will be possible in the future to improve the quality of the eggs of older patients by intervening on the cell cycle level.

Blueprints for how human kidneys form their filtering units

A team of scientists has conducted a comprehensive analysis reconstructing how kidneys form their filtering units, known as nephrons. The team studied hundreds of human and mouse nephrons at various points along their typical developmental trajectories, comparing important processes that have been conserved during the nearly 200 million years of evolution since humans and mice diverged from their common mammalian ancestor. The study details the similar genetic machinery that underpins nephron formation in humans and mice, enabling other groups of scientists to follow the logic of these developmental programs to make new types of kidney cells.

Eyes provide peek at Alzheimer’s disease risk

Amyloid plaques found in the retinas of eyes may be an indicator of similar plaques in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, and may provide a more visible biomarker for detecting disease risk.

Steep rise in cardiac arrests associated with opioid use

A nationwide US study has shown that the rate of opioid-related cardiac arrests has steeply risen and is now on par with the rate of cardiac arrest from other causes. Opioid use disorder, which includes dependence and addiction, affects more than two million people in the US, while opioid overdose is the leading cause of death for those aged 25 to 64 years. This study examined the trends and outcomes of opioid-related cardiac arrest in 2012 to 2018. The US Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) was used to study all hospitalisations for cardiac arrest in active or chronic opioid users compared to cardiac arrests in patients not using opioids.

Mathematical model predicts best way to build muscle

Researchers have developed a mathematical model that can predict the optimum exercise regime for building muscle.

New spontaneous mouse model shows promise for bolstering Sjögren's syndrome treatment

Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that attacks the tear duct and salivary glands, leading to patients suffering unbearable dry eyes and mouth. To date, treatment options have been limited. But this may change thanks to a recently developed mouse model that will help explain the pathogenic mechanisms behind the disease.

Possible antidote for club drug GHB overdose

Diclofenac and other NSAIDs may limit the passage of narcolepsy medication and illicit party drug GHB to the brain, decreasing the potential for fatal overdose, researchers find.

New air routes are vital for organ transplants

Research suggests that introducing new airline routes reduces the discard rate of donated kidneys and increases the number of kidneys sent to transplant centers across the U.S.

COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Country

Search COVID-19 risk assessment by country larger map

Using artificial intelligence for early detection and treatment of illnesses

Artificial intelligence (AI) will fundamentally change medicine and healthcare: Diagnostic patient data, e.g. from ECG, EEG or X-ray images, can be analyzed with the help of machine learning, so that diseases can be detected at a very early stage based on subtle changes. However, implanting AI within the human body is still a major technical challenge. Scientists have now succeeded in developing a bio-compatible implantable AI platform that classifies in real time healthy and pathological patterns in biological signals such as heartbeats. It detects pathological changes even without medical supervision.

Distress signal from fat cells prompts heart to shore up defenses against consequences of obesity

A stress signal received by the heart from fat could help protect against cardiac damage induced by obesity, a new study suggests. The finding could help explain the 'obesity paradox,' a phenomenon in which obese individuals have better short- and medium-term cardiovascular disease prognoses compared with those who are lean, but with ultimately worse long-term outcomes.

New insights on mechanism that could help treat muscle-related diseases

Expression of the MyoD gene combined with exposure to three chemicals causes skin cells to become primitive muscle progenitors that can be maintained indefinitely in the lab and later coaxed into becoming mature muscle cells to treat muscle-related diseases. Skin-derived muscle progenitors are molecularly similar to muscle tissue stem cells, and muscle cells derived from these progenitors are more stable and mature than muscle cells directly converted from skin cells.

Researchers develop novel strategy for tuberculosis vaccine

Innovators have created a novel strategy for developing an effective vaccine for a widespread form of tuberculosis.

PULSAR-integrated radiotherapy with immunotherapy for improved tumor control

Cancer physicians are pioneering a new PULSAR radiation-therapy strategy that improves tumor control compared with traditional daily therapy.

Sequential-combinatorial regimens can make treatment more effective for people with aggressive cancers

A new preclinical study suggests that treating people who have aggressive cancers, including melanoma, pancreatic and colorectal cancers, with immune checkpoint inhibitors, quickly followed with mutation-targeted therapy, can help overcome treatment resistance and help people live longer.

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot

People who have had 2 shots of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines may need to start receiving a COVID-19 booster shot 8 months after their second dose.

They Listen before Talking about Vaccination

Lis and Neetu have worked together for CDC since 2016 on vaccination campaigns for polio, measles-rubella, cholera, and more. When COVID-19 struck, the two led the vaccine confidence and demand team for CDC's COVID-19 response in the US.

Vaccines for COVID-19

Learn about COVID-19 vaccine planning, how vaccine recommendations will be made, and the work going into ensuring the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

Healthcare Facilities That Have Implemented COVID-19 Electronic Case Reporting

Healthcare Facilities That Have Implemented COVID-19 Electronic Case Reporting

Can isometric resistance training safely reduce high blood pressure?

This very accessible and easy to perform intervention could have a strong effect on reducing blood pressure, say researchers.

Fertility:Key protein helps sperm do their job in timely fashion

Researchers detail how a ubiquitous signaling molecule plays a critical role in male fertility, orchestrating key steps that promote sperm motility, survival and fertilization success.

Online product displays can shape your buying behavior

One of the biggest marketing trends in the online shopping industry is personalization through curated product recommendations; however, it can change whether people buy a product they had been considering, according to new research.

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors: Next big thing in blood flow measurement

Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) is used for noninvasive detection of blood flow. However, current DCS devices need to be improved to increase the signal-to-noise ratio for more accurate measurements. Now, researchers have developed a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) -- based DCS device with a high signal-to-noise ratio and high sensitivity for blood flow.

Cognitive rehabilitation improves cognitive impairment in people with multiple sclerosis

Experts in MS research suggest that cognitive rehabilitation is an effective approach to improving MS-related cognitive impairment.

Scientists harness human protein to deliver molecular medicines to cells

Researchers have developed a new way to deliver molecular therapies to cells. The system, called SEND, can be programmed to encapsulate and deliver different RNA cargoes.

How ions get their electrons back

Very unusual atomic states are produced at TU Wien: Ions are created by removing not just one but 20 to 40 electrons from each atom. These "highly charged ions" play an important role in current research. For a long time, people have been investigating what happens when such highly charged ions hit solid materials. This is important for many areas of application in materials research. Therefore it is crucial to know how the charge state of the ions change when they penetrate a material -- but this is exactly what has been impossible to observe directly until now. New measurements at TU Wien (Vienna) show that the ions obey remarkably simple laws.

Study shows uptick in U.S. alcohol beverage sales during COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic months of March 2020 to September 2020, U.S. alcohol retail store sales increased compared to usual trends while food services and drinking places sales decreased markedly during the same period, according to a new study. These results indicate an increase in home drinking in the U.S.

CRISPR screening tool identifies new drug target for leukemia

A CRISPR screening tool identified a new therapeutic target to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that has the potential to leave patients with fewer side effects than current approaches.

Toolkit for Pregnant People and New Parents

Resources and tools to help pregnant people, breastfeeding women and new parents caring for infants to protect their health and help people who serve these communities communicate with them.

Study reveals existing drugs that kill SARS-CoV2 in cells

A new study reveals several drug contenders already in use for other purposes that have been shown to block or reduce SARS-CoV2 infection in cells. The study uses artificial intelligence-powered image analysis of human cell lines during infection with the novel coronavirus.

New study sheds light on how an autoimmune disorder may underlie male infertility

Investigators have found that the absence of autoimmune regulator (Aire) in mice results in fertility problems similar to those affecting men with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type I (APS-1). Aire-dependent central tolerance plays a critical role in maintaining male fertility by preventing autoimmune attack against multiple reproductive targets, they report.

Study of East Africans illuminates new genetic factors underlying human faces

A new study of the genetics underlying facial features finds that East Africans have some unique facial genetics and some that are shared with Europeans. The findings add to our understanding of how genetics shape the human face.

A master gear in the circadian clock

A gene called Npas4, already known to play a key role in balancing excitatory and inhibitory inputs in brain cells, appears to also be a master timekeeper for the brain's circadian clock, new research suggests. The finding broadens understanding of the circadian clock's molecular mechanisms, which could eventually lead to new treatments for managing challenges such as jet lag, shift work, and sleep disorders.

Study could offer hope to Pompe disease patients

Pompe disease is a rare genetic disorder that disables heart and skeletal muscles and can lead to early death if untreated. The only available treatment for the disease is enzyme replacement therapy that must be injected regularly, sometimes every few days, for life. The treatment can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Researchers have now developed a method that could make enzyme replacement therapy more efficient, less expensive and less frequent.

You’re cooler than you think! Hypothermia may go unnoticed when exercising in the cold

An exercise physiology study has demonstrated that perception of core body temperature is altered by low-intensity exercise in cold environments. The findings have provided important information about the role of temperature sensation in thermoregulation and suggest that, during activities performed in the water or in the winter, the possibility of accidental hypothermia should be kept in mind.

New approach identifies T cells in COVID-19 patients

T cells play a decisive role in fighting the coronavirus and preventing infected individuals from becoming seriously ill. They identify and fight the virus directly within the infected cells. Researchers have produced a precise profile of the T cells that respond to SARS-CoV-2 and described them at various stages of the illness. This novel methodological approach may in the future also help to assess the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines or in the development of T cell-based treatments for serious cases.

Anticoagulants help moderately ill COVID-19 patients, study finds

Moderately ill patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have better chances of survival if treated with therapeutic-dose anticoagulation, according to a new study.

A parent’s genes can influence a child’s educational success, inherited or not

A child's educational success depends on the genes that they haven't inherited from their parents, as well as the genes they have, according to a new study.

People with Certain Medical Conditions

People of Any Age with Underlying Medical Conditions

Varying immune cell levels in canine brain tumors could provide therapeutic targets

A new study reveals that high-grade gliomas, or brain tumors, in dogs contained more immune cells associated with suppressing immune response than low-grade gliomas.

Participate in Outdoor and Indoor Activities

Lower the likelihood of being exposed to COVID-19 by meeting people who don't live with you outdoors. Read options for indoor and outdoor activities.

COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Specific Groups

Although the vaccine supply is currently limited, CDC is working toward making vaccines widely available for everyone at no cost. Learn more about your state's plan.

What to Expect at Your Appointment to Get Vaccinated for COVID-19

Because COVID-19 is a new disease with new vaccines, you may have questions about what happens before, during, and after your appointment to get vaccinated. These tips will help you know what to expect when you get vaccinated, what information your provider will give you, and resources you can use to monitor your health after you are vaccinated.

Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People

Interim public health recommendations describing the type of activities people who are fully vaccinated can do once fully vaccinated.

Antibodies block specific viruses that cause arthritis, brain infections

Researchers have found antibodies that protect against specific mosquito-borne viruses that cause arthritis and brain infections. The findings could lead to a universal therapy or vaccine for the viruses.

Researchers develop steerable catheter for brain surgery

A team of engineers and physicians has developed a steerable catheter that will give neurosurgeons the ability to steer the device in any direction they want while navigating the brain's arteries and blood vessels. The device was inspired by nature, specifically insect legs and flagella -- tail-like structures that allow microscopic organisms such as bacteria to swim.

Blood-pressure drugs could improve colorectal cancer survival, study suggests

ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers and thiazide diuretics were all associated with decreased mortality in patients with colorectal cancer.

Key mental abilities can actually improve during aging

It's long been believed that advancing age leads to broad declines in our mental abilities. Now new research offers surprisingly good news by countering this view.

Teens who use cannabis frequently more likely to have premature baby

Teenagers who use cannabis frequently may be more likely to have children born preterm, when they become parents up to twenty years later, finds a new study. The research repeatedly assessed 665 participants in a general population cohort on their tobacco and cannabis use between ages 14 to 29 years, before pregnancy.

Scientists growing more complex and mature heart tissue in the lab

A team led by researchers has generated premature cells that support early heart development but vanish soon after birth.

Heat-controllable CAR T cells destroy tumors and prevent relapse in new study

New research builds on a body of work exploring remotely controlled cell therapies, in which the researchers can precisely target tumors, wherever they are in the body, with a local deposition of heat. The latest study shows the system cured cancer in mice, and the team's approach not only shrunk tumors but prevented relapse -- critical for long-term survival. Further studies will delve into additional tailoring of T-cells, as well as how heat will be deposited at the tumor site.

Resources for Refugee Resettlement Service Providers

CDC COVID-19 guidance for refugee resettlement service providers who interact with refugee clients in a variety of group settings.

Study supports widespread use of better masks to curb COVID-19 indoors

A new study is highlighting a need for widespread use of better face masks and the importance of good ventilation to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 indoors.

Researchers discover hidden SARS-CoV-2 'gate' that opens to allow COVID infection

Unprecedented visualizations of SARS-CoV-2 have allowed researchers to discover how the virus enters and infects healthy human cells. Supercomputing movies have revealed how glycans -- molecules that make up a sugary residue around the edges of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein -- act as infection 'gates' that open to allow access to our cell's receptors.

New study boosts hopes for a broad vaccine to combat COVID-19 variants and future coronavirus outbreaks

New research suggests the feasibility of a 'dream' vaccine that not only protects against SARS-CoV-2 and its known variants of concern, but also future VOCs and other animal coronaviruses with known potential to cause severe disease in humans.

Flawed quality control in the brain

Proteins are the 'tools' of our cells – they are essential to all vital tasks. However, they are only able to do their jobs if they fold correctly and adopt their respective, very specific 3D structure. To ensure that nothing goes wrong with the folding process, it is strictly monitored in the cell. The consequences of a flawed quality control can be seen, for example, in the deposition of misfolded proteins in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Researchers have now developed a mouse line that makes the state of protein balance visible in the mammalian brain for the first time. In this way, the processes of protein quality control can now be studied in healthy and diseased neurons in more detail.

Half of pediatric opioid prescriptions are 'high risk'

A new study suggests that children and young adults are frequently exposed to unsafe opioid prescriptions.

Delta Variant: What We Know About the Science

Delta is currently the predominant strain of the virus in the United States. The Delta variant causes more infections and spreads faster than early forms SARS-CoV-2.

Preparing for Your COVID-19 Vaccination

This information will help you prepare for your COVID-19 vaccination.

Too much time on a computer, watching TV or other sedentary activities raises stroke risk

Adults younger than age 60 who spent eight or more hours a day during their free time using a computer, watching TV or reading and participated in little physical activity had an increased risk of stroke. Boosting physical activity may reduce or eliminate the increased stroke risk from prolonged sedentary time. Public health efforts to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary time in adults younger than age 60 could help to lower their long-term stroke risk.

Experts urge caution, increased education about opioid use for people with heart disease

Opioid overdose is a leading cause of injury-related death for adults ages 25 to 54 in the U.S. Recent data suggest that commonly used opioids for pain management may interfere with medications used to manage and treat cardiovascular disease and stroke.

No significant benefit of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 outpatients with early symptoms, study shows

The final results of the Clinical Trial of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma in Outpatients (C3PO) demonstrate that COVID-19 convalescent plasma did not prevent disease progression in a high-risk group of outpatients with COVID-19, when administered within the first week of their symptoms. The trial was stopped in February 2021 due to lack of efficacy based on a planned interim analysis.

Researchers bioprint an entire active glioblastoma tumor using a 3D printer

The 3D print of glioblastoma -- the deadliest type of brain cancer -- is printed from human glioblastoma tissues containing all components of the malignant tumor. Researchers say the breakthrough will enable much faster prediction of best treatments for patients, accelerate the development of new drugs and discovery of new druggable targets.

How fructose in the diet contributes to obesity

Eating fructose appears to alter cells in the digestive tract in a way that enables it to take in more nutrients, according to a preclinical study. These changes could help to explain the well-known link between rising fructose consumption around the world and increased rates of obesity and certain cancers.

Attractiveness pays off at work — but there’s a trick to level the playing field

A new study found that while a 'beauty premium' exists across professions, it's partially because attractive people develop distinct traits as a result of how the world responds to their attractiveness. They build a greater sense of power and have more opportunities to improve nonverbal communication skills throughout their lives.

Immigrants to Canada may have lower rate of stroke than long-term residents

Immigrants to Canada have a 33% lower rate of stroke than long-term residents, according to a new study.

Federal Register Notice: Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19

Dr. Robert Redfield signed a declaration determining that the evictions of tenants could be detrimental to public health control measures to slow the spread COVID-19

Breastfeeding and Caring for Newborns if You Have COVID-19

Breastfeeding and Caring for Newborns if You Have COVID-19

Daily Activities and Going Out

Going Out

Protecting People with a Temporary Agricultural Work Visa (H-2A Visa)

Get key information for people traveling to the U.S. on a temporary agricultural work visa. These people may be more likely to be exposed to COVID-19.

Requirement for Face Masks on Public Transportation Conveyances and at Transportation Hubs

Effective immediately, CDC is strongly recommending that masks are worn by all passengers on and operators of public transportation conveyances to prevent spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Previous COVID-19 Forecasts: Hospitalizations

Learn about COVID-19 forecasts and modeling for new hospitalizations.

COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens

CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 12 years of age and older to help protect against COVID-19. Children 12 years of age and older are able to get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.

Large Gatherings

Guidance about large gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic

Holiday Tips

Winter holiday gatherings with family and friends are fun but can increase the chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu. Follow these tips to make your winter holidays safer.

CDC's Diagnostic Test for COVID-19 Only and Supplies

How to Get CDC's COVID-19 Diagnostic Test and Supplies

What You Should Know About the Possibility of COVID-19 Illness After Vaccination

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. However, some people who are fully vaccinated will still get COVID-19 if they are exposed to the virus that causes it.

Guidance and Tips for Tribal Community Living During COVID-19

Social Distancing for Tribal Communities with Local COVID-19 Transmission

Communication Toolkit

Translated COVID-19 prevention messages for migrants, refugees, and other limited-English-proficient populations, to reach them in their native languages.

How Much Do You Know about COVID-19 Vaccines?

Take this quiz to test your knowledge and learn about COVID-19 vaccines.

Social Media Toolkit : Variants

Social media posts for your organization to spread accurate information on COVID-19 and its variatns.

Wildfire smoke may have contributed to thousands of extra COVID-19 cases and deaths in western U.S. in 2020

Thousands of COVID-19 cases and deaths in California, Oregon, and Washington between March and December 2020 may be attributable to increases in fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke, according to a new study.

Sensor spies hideouts for ?virus replication

Some types of RNA viruses cloak themselves to hide inside a cell and create copies of themselves. But an enzyme that acts as a virus sensor might be attuned to their whereabouts. A slight variation in their genomic code gives some people's cells the capacity to produce this sensor.  Researchers discovered how this sensor helps cells stop the virus before it multiplies too greatly.

New tumor cell tracking system aims to understand cancer treatment resistance

A team of researchers have developed a new way to tag tumor cells to figure out how they evolve and change over time to resist cancer treatments.

Genetic program protects neurons from degeneration

Researchers have identified a previously unknown genetic program in the fruit fly. The genetic material involved controls the development of the neurons while also protecting them from degeneration. They have hardly changed in the course of evolution over hundreds of millions of years and also exist in a comparable form in humans. Initial data show that they presumably perform similar tasks there. The results may therefore also provide a starting point for new active ingredients for neurodegenerative diseases.

What Tribal Communities Need to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines

Facts about COVID-19 vaccines for American Indian and Native Alaskan tribal communities.

Microbial study reveals extended lifespan of starved bacteria

New research shows how bacteria can overcome starvation situations and survive for an extended period, which has broader implications for chronic infections.

Brain cholesterol regulates Alzheimer's plaques, study reveals

The production of the Alzheimer's-associated, toxic protein amyloid beta in the brain is tightly regulated by cholesterol in the cell membrane, advanced imaging reveals.

Recommendations for Tribal Ceremonies and Gatherings During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Recommendations to help tribal communities, elders, and leaders decide how best to keep their communities safe and work to prevent the spread of COVID-19 when holding tribal ceremonies such as sweat lodge gatherings, seasonal ceremonies, pow wows and rodeos.

Study reveals missing link between high-fat diet, microbiota and heart disease

A high-fat diet disrupts the biology of the gut's inner lining and its microbial communities -- and promotes the production of a metabolite that may contribute to heart disease, according to a new study.

Analysis can predict individual differences in cardiovascular responses to altered gravity

With recent trips to space travel by business moguls like Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson, visiting the edge of space has never been more within the grasp of commercial travel. However, at these altitudes, passengers experience weightlessness, or more generally, altered gravity, that can affect the body's normal physiology.

Novel nanotechnology found to enhance fight against colorectal cancer and melanoma

Researchers recently completed a study that has the potential to improve cancer treatment for colorectal cancer and melanoma by using nanotechnology to deliver chemotherapy in a way that makes it more effective against aggressive tumors.

Researchers identify new gene variants that cause hypertension in pregnant women

An international study has found a unique pair of gene variants that causes sudden onset high blood pressure in pregnant women.

New advances for treating non-small cell lung cancer

A new publication highlights recent breakthrough therapies developed to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The goal of the study is to provide views on how basic science advances will impact clinical research areas to help influence how NSCLC will be managed over the coming decade.

COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People

CDC recommends that moderately or severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least four weeks after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Cancer patients use less marijuana than general public, study finds

A new study shows that between 2013 and 2018, as many U.S. states were legalizing recreational marijuana, cancer patients continued to abstain in large numbers.

New clinical risk management tools are needed to prevent COVID-19 deaths, say experts

A new study exposes the dire need for new clinical risk management tools to help hospital healthcare workers prevent the deaths and intensive care admissions of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) COVID-19 patients with pneumonia, say researchers.

Gender, personality influence use of interactive tools online

A team of researchers found that people considered websites more interactive if they had tools to facilitate communication between users, often referred to as computer-mediated communication, or CMC.

Researchers solve structure of BRCA2 protein complex important in DNA repair

The initials BRCA2 may be best known for a gene associated with many cases of breast cancer, and the protein encoded by the BRCA2 gene is critical to repairing breaks in DNA. The breakdown of this interaction is a hallmark of many cancers. Now scientists have determined the structure of a complex of two proteins -- BRCA2 together with MEILB2 -- that allows repairs to happen efficiently in cells undergoing cell-splitting, called meiosis. Their results have major implications for cancer and infertility.

New biomarkers may detect early eye changes that can lead to diabetes-related blindness

Researchers have identified new biomarkers that may advance the early detection of diabetic retinopathy, the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in U.S. adults.

Team of disease ecologists documents person-to-person spread of antimicrobial-resistant plague

A team of scientists recently published their findings from a remarkable study involving antimicrobial resistant (AMR) plague.

How to Protect Yourself & Others

The best way to prevent COVID-19 infection is to avoid exposure to this virus and follow these everyday preventative actions.

Social Media Toolkit

Provides messages and graphics to help ensure current, correct messaging from a trusted source, create collateral materials, and share resources regarding COVID-19.

Origins of mutation

The precise transmission of genetic information from one generation to the next is fundamental to life. Most of the time, this process unfolds with remarkable accuracy, but when it goes awry, mutations can arise—some of them beneficial, some of them inconsequential, and some of them causing malfunction and disease.

Football without the fans: Effect of empty stadiums during pandemic

Playing professional football games in empty stadiums had a hugely negative effect on the success of home teams, with home advantage almost halved, according to new research. The study used the unique opportunity presented by the COVID-19 pandemic to test whether home advantage applies when fans are not present in the stands. They found that home teams accrued significantly fewer points and scored fewer goals when crowds were absent.

New blood test improves prostate cancer screening

Researchers recently reported that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could reduce overdiagnoses and thereby improve prostate cancer screening. Now, the same research group shows that the addition of a novel blood test, the Stockholm3 test, can reduce the number of MRIs performed by a third while further preventing the detection of minor, low-risk tumors.

More than one in ten COVID-19 patients infected in hospital in UK's first pandemic wave, study finds

More than one in ten COVID-19 patients in 314 UK hospitals caught the infection in hospital during the first pandemic wave, say researchers conducting the world's largest study of severe COVID-19.

Just 10% of kids with ADHD outgrow it, study finds

Most children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) don't outgrow the disorder, as widely thought. It manifests itself in adulthood in different ways and waxes and wanes over a lifetime, according to a new study.

Researchers pinpoint how PARP inhibitors combat BRCA1 and BRCA2 tumor cells

PARP inhibitors, used to treat patients with cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate and pancreas, work by inducing persistent DNA gaps in tumor cells with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. The discovery offers the potential to monitor tumors for the development of resistance to PARP inhibitor therapy, and to identify drug combinations that could prevent drug resistance and improve the efficacy of cancer therapies.

17-year study of children associates poverty with smaller, slower-growing subcortical regions

New research shows a lasting relationship between childhood poverty, brain development.

How to Select, Wear, and Clean Your Mask

COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Testing Strategies for SARS-CoV-2

This guidance describes and compares different types of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) testing strategies, including their intended use and applications, regulatory requirements, and reporting requirements.

Use of Masks to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19

Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccines Work

COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. are working well based on studies that have looked at how vaccines work in real-world conditions.

Key Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines

Learn the key things you need to know about the new COVID-19 vaccines.

CRISPR gene editing tech lead to new insights about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common of all genetic heart diseases and is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death. It is characterized by an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, which over time can lead to cardiac dysfunction and, ultimately, heart failure.

For psoriasis, targeting skin protein may help control inflammation

Results from a new study reveal that targeting interferon kappa, a protein made by skin cells, may reduce the severity of psoriasis.  Researchers say the findings will bring physicians one step closer to optimizing treatments for patients with the autoimmune disease.

Discovery raises possibility of new medication for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s

Researchers have for the first time demonstrated it's possible to use a synthetic thyroid hormone to regulate a gene implicated in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis.

New technique illuminates DNA helix

Researchers have identified a new way to measure DNA torsional stiffness -- how much resistance the helix offers when twisted -- information that can potentially shed light on how cells work.

Skin cells from frontotemporal dementia patients may prove useful in revealing disease mechanisms and in biomarker and drug research

A new study suggests that skin fibroblasts from frontotemporal dementia patients may be useful in investigating underlying disease mechanisms as well as in biomarker and drug research.

Lyme disease heightens risk of mental disorders, suicidality

A new study reports that patients hospitalized with Lyme disease had a 28 percent higher rate of mental disorders and were twice as likely to attempt suicide. Physicians and patients should be aware of the potential for psychiatric symptoms post-Lyme infection, particularly during the first year after diagnosis.

Study of skull birth defect takes it from the top

A new study presents a detailed cellular atlas of the developing coronal suture, the one most commonly fused as a consequence of single gene mutations, leading to birth defects such as craniosynostosis. With an aim toward advancing new interventions for patients, researchers created the first detailed cell-by-cell description of how this suture develops. They identified 14 distinct types of cells in and around the developing suture and new genes that may be involved in generating and maintaining the stem cells that grow the skull bones on either side of the suture.

Deep learning model classifies brain tumors with single MRI scan

A team of researchers have developed a deep learning model that is capable of classifying a brain tumor as one of six common types using a single 3D MRI scan, according to a new study.

Younger children in a school class at greater risk of long-term negative outcomes like low educational achievement and substance misuse

Those youngest in a class were more likely to experience low educational achievement, substance misuse disorder, and depression in later life. However, younger children with ADHD appeared less at risk of depression.

New technique identifies proteins in the living brain

In the new study, researchers designed a virus to send an enzyme to a precise location in the brain of a living mouse. Derived from soybeans, the enzyme genetically tags its neighboring proteins in a predetermined location. After validating the technique by imaging the brain with fluorescence and electron microscopy, the researchers found their technique took a snapshot of the entire set of proteins (or proteome) inside living neurons, which can then be analyzed postmortem with mass spectroscopy.

Variants of the Virus

Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time.

Do some diabetes drugs reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s?

People taking certain drugs to lower blood sugar for type 2 diabetes had less amyloid in the brain, a biomarker of Alzheimer's disease, when compared to both people with type 2 diabetes not taking the drugs and people without diabetes. The new study also found people taking these drugs, called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, showed slower cognitive decline than people in the other two groups.

Monoclonal antibody may prevent malaria

One dose of a new monoclonal antibody prevented malaria for up to nine months in people who were exposed to the malaria parasite. The small, carefully monitored clinical trial is the first to demonstrate that a monoclonal antibody can prevent malaria in people.

COVID vaccine booster randomized clinical trial in transplant patients proves third shot is very effective

Scientists have conducted a first-in-the-world randomized placebo-controlled trial of third dose COVID-19 booster vaccine for transplant patients that shows substantially improved protection.

People with stroke who walk 30 minutes per day may have 54% lower risk of early death

A new study shows that people who walk or garden at least three to four hours per week, or bike at least two to three hours per week, or the equivalent after having a stroke may have a 54% lower risk of early death from any cause. The study found the most benefit for younger stroke survivors. When people under the age of 75 exercised at least that amount, their risk of early death was reduced by 80%.

Study shows differences in rapidly processing sensory feedback among people with autism spectrum disorder

In an effort to better characterize -- and quantify -- sensorimotor abilities and their impact on the development of people with ASD, scientists have published research that compared the fine motor control and eye movements of more than 200 people from age 5 to 29. The study showed key differences in the ways that individuals with ASD processed or reacted to stimuli compared to those who were more neurotypical, with implications for future research across age range, intelligence and setting.

Treating the ‘root’ cause of baldness with a dissolvable microneedle patch

Although some people say that baldness is the 'new sexy,' for those losing their hair, it can be distressing. An array of over-the-counter remedies are available, but most of them don't focus on the primary causes: oxidative stress and insufficient circulation. Now, researchers have designed a preliminary microneedle patch containing cerium nanoparticles to combat both problems, regrowing hair in a mouse model faster than a leading treatment.

Understanding lung damage in patients with COVID-19

A severe course of COVID-19 disease is not caused by the direct destruction of the lung due to the multiplication of the virus. New research shows that inflammatory processes and the endothelium of the lung are involved.

Food scientists create national atlas for deadly listeria

Among the deadliest of foodborne pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes soon may become easier to track down in food recalls and other investigations, thanks to a new genomic and geological mapping tool created by food scientists.

Assigned classroom seats can promote friendships between dissimilar students, study finds

A study conducted in Hungarian schools showed that seating students next to each other boosted their tendency to become friends -- both for pairs of similar students and pairs of students who differed in their educational achievement, gender, or ethnicity.

Getting oxygenated blood to exercising muscles

Researchers have discovered a certain type of blood vessel cell in muscles that multiplies rapidly upon exercise, thereby forming new blood vessels. Researchers can use this to find novel therapies for vascular disorders of the muscle.

Dendrimers: The tiny tentacles shown to evade our immune response

New research demonstrates that dendrimers, tiny synthetic particles, can avoid detection by our immune system and could be used to develop a new system to deliver drugs into the body without triggering a reaction.

Belief in social Darwinism linked to dysfunctional psychological characteristics, study finds

A new survey study links belief in the concept of social Darwinism with certain dysfunctional psychological characteristics, such as exploitative attitudes towards others, hostility, and low self-esteem.

Human Lyme Borreliosis and Puumala hantavirus infection incidence follow rodent abundance variations in Northern Europe

A recent study shows the association between bank vole abundance variations and the incidence of Lyme Borreliosis and Puumala hantavirus infections. The study showed that the abundance variations of the reservoir hosts of wildlife originated pathogens have importance in estimating the risks these pathogens pose to humans. The results of the work can be taken into account in the risk communication by health authorities.

Covid-19 booster jab in the autumn will offer better protection against variants of concern, suggests new study

Scientists have confirmed that an autumn 'booster' dose of a COVID-19 vaccine will be an effective way to protect people from existing, and potentially future, variants of concern.

What a song reveals about vocal imitation deficits for autistic individuals

A new paper comparing the ability to match pitch and duration in speech and song is providing valuable insight into vocal imitation deficits for children and adults with autism spectrum disorder.

COVID-19 Vaccines for People Who Would Like to Have a Baby

This page uses medical data and research to provide information to males and females who would like to have a baby while getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding

Healthcare personnel who are pregnant or breastfeeding may get vaccinated for COVID-19, but there are many considerations that go into that decision.

COVID-19 Vaccine Monitoring Systems for Pregnant People

Safety monitoring systems are in place to capture information about vaccination during pregnancy. CDC and the FDA are closely monitoring that information.

Pregnant and Recently Pregnant People

Pregnant people need to take steps to protect themselves and stay healthy during the COVID-19.

Global eradication of COVID-19 should not be dismissed, new analysis finds

Eradicating COVID-19 across the globe is theoretically more feasible than for polio but much less so than it was for smallpox, according to an analysis by New Zealand researchers.

Engaging Community Health Workers to Support Home-based care for people with COVID-19 in low-resource settings

This document provides suggestions for how Community Health Workers can support home-based care in low resource settings, including different actions community health workers can take to support patients, their families, and their communities during COVID-19, and how to identify which people are eligible for home-based care.

About COVID-19 Vaccines

What you need to know about vaccines, including frequently asked questions and benefits of getting vaccinated.

Correctional and Detention Facilities

Resources for Correctional and Detention Facilities

Reporting COVID-19 Vaccinations in the United States

Information on COVID-19 vaccination data reported in CDC's COVID Data Tracker.

New findings on how ketamine prevents depression

The discovery that the anaesthetic ketamine can help people with severe depression has raised hopes of finding new treatment options for the disease. Researchers have now identified novel mechanistic insights how the drug exerts its antidepressant effect.

A novel virtual reality technology to make MRI a new experience

Researchers have created a novel interactive VR system to be used by patients when undertaking an MRI.

Common environmental pollutants damage mucus structure, function

Researchers review recent scientific literature about the effects of particle contaminants on the mucosal system, an internal membrane that serves as the body's lubricant and the first line of defense from infections and toxins. These data establish a clear link between exposure to airborne or waterborne particulate matter and several health conditions.

Computational evaluation of drug delivery reveals room for inhalers improvement

Increased air pollution in recent years has exacerbated health risks for people who suffer from pulmonary diseases and these dynamics underscore the importance of increasing the efficacy of drug delivery devices that administer active pharmaceutical ingredients to treat respiratory illnesses. Researchers describe developing a computational evaluation of drug delivery through both pressurized metered-dose inhalers and dry powder inhalers to determine how the process can be improved.

Examining correlation between occupational noise, heart disease

Hearing conservation programs and policies aim to protect workers from noise-induced hearing loss, but it remains unclear whether stress reactions caused by noise exposure might also lead to other negative health outcomes. Researchers now describe how data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey do not support an association between loud noise exposure and changes in biomarkers for cardiovascular disease or outcomes.

Families and COVID-19

Parents and caregivers are making hard decisions on how to protect their families from COVID-19.

Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination

Answers to commonly asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines, including vaccine cost, availability, and types.

Reporting COVID-19 Vaccination Demographic Data

CDC's COVID Data Tracker provides COVID-19 vaccination data in the United States, including Demographic Characteristics of People Receiving COVID-19 Vaccinations in the United States.

Reporting County-Level COVID-19 Vaccination Data

CDC's COVID Data Tracker provides county-level COVID-19 vaccination data in the United States. This site provides an integrated, county view of key data for monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. It allows users to explore standardized data

Travelers Returning from Cruise Ship and River Cruise Voyages

CDC recommends that all people defer travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide. That's because the risk of COVID-19 on cruise ships is high. Older adults and people with serious chronic medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease, should especially defer travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, because of their increased risk for severe disease.

Register for v-safe

Use this step-by-step guide to learn how you can register for v-safe to report any side effects after your COVID-19 vaccination.

‘Frameshifting’ therapy for mast cell cancers reduces size, spread

A potential new treatment for mast cell cancers reduces the number of mast cells by 'mutating' the messenger RNA (mRNA) before it can deliver instructions for manufacturing the gene responsible for cell proliferation. The method, known as frameshifting, changes the pre-mRNA so that the mature mRNA is degraded and any protein produced from its instructions is altered and inert. In a mouse model, frameshifting directed at the c-KIT gene reduced mast cell tumor size and prevented infiltration into other organs.

Through the looking glass: Unravelling how ions move in phosphate glass

Phosphate glasses are expected to have applications in a variety of fields. To improve their functionality, it is necessary to determine the association between their structure and ion diffusion characteristics. Recently, using first-principles molecular dynamic simulations, researchers have provided novel insights into the ion diffusion mechanisms of phosphate glass, suggesting that ionic conductivity and glass solubility can be manipulated by controlling the morphology of the material.

'Why you gotta be so rude?' Study highlights 'vicious cycle' of workplace incivility

Workplace incivility is on the rise, and a new study found that employees who experience or witness incivilities are more likely to be uncivil to others -- a worrying trend that could intensify as people return to in-person work.

Troubleshooting

Learn what you can do if you have issues with v-safe and how you can reach live v-safe support through phone or email.

Ultraprocessed foods now comprise 2/3 of calories in children and teen diets

Results from two decades of data show ultraprocessed foods have become a larger part of kids' and teens' diets with disparities by race and ethnicity.

Deletion of single gene promotes growth of functional lymphatic valves

A preclinical study unexpectedly identified the gene Foxo1 as a potential treatment target for hereditary lymphedema. Valve loss or dysfunction that disrupts the flow of lymph fluid is strongly associated with lymphedema in patients. But no one has discovered whether new valves can be grown or if defective ones can be fixed. The new study, using a model of human primary lymphedema, shows that both are possible.

Only one human fat cell subtype responds to insulin stimulation

It is well known that fat cells can influence our sensitivity to insulin. Now, researchers have discovered that there are three different subtypes of mature fat cells in white adipose tissue and that it is only one of these, called AdipoPLIN, that responds to insulin. The findings may be relevant for future treatments of metabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes.

Researchers develop real-time lyric generation technology to inspire song writing

Music artists can find inspiration and new creative directions for their song writing with technology.

Beige fat 'indispensable' in protecting the brain from dementia

Beige is considered a calming paint color, and scientists have new evidence that beige fat has a similar impact on the brain, bringing down the inflammation associated with the more common white fat and providing protection from dementia.

Molecular mechanism that mediates a link between fetal conditions and later health

Periconceptional conditions are known to influence the later health of individuals. Fetal growth and development set the framework for future health, but recently it has also been suggested that the individual is epigenetically prepared for the conditions in which he or she will be born. If food or nutrient intake is scarce during pregnancy, the emerging individual seems to be better prepared to absorb energy and nutrients than a similar individual whose developmental conditions have been more favorable.

Cellular filaments keeping the pace

A new model describes the coordination of beating cilia allowing to predict their functional behavior. Researchers analyzed the formation of metachronal waves in arrays of cilia and how external cues might influence them. The model allows to better understand the crucial role that cilia play in many biological processes and lays the foundation for its manipulation. This may ultimately improve the corresponding medical diagnostics and treatments, but also helps in the design of artificial systems used in microscale engineering.

High BMI causes depression – and both physical and social factors play a role

A largescale new study provides further evidence that being overweight causes depression and lowers wellbeing and indicates both social and physical factors may play a role in the effect. With one in four adults estimated to be obese in the UK, and growing numbers of children affected, obesity is a global health challenge. While the dangers of being obese on physical health is well known, researchers are now discovering that being overweight can also have a significant impact on mental health.

Spotting — and hearing — heart attacks before they strike

If heart attacks blared a warning signal, patients would have a better chance of avoiding them. That's the idea behind a new imaging technique.

Physicians are likelier to test for a particular condition if recent patients they saw were diagnosed with the same thing

Emergency department physicians who saw patients with a pulmonary embolism -- a blood clot in the lung -- were about 15% likelier over the next 10 days to test subsequent patients for the same thing.

Different COVID-19 Vaccines

Overview of what you should know about the different COVID-19 vaccines, including vaccine types and how they work to provide protection against COVID-19, which vaccines have been authorized and recommended in the United States, and which are in Phase 3 clinical trials.

COVID-19 Vaccines that Require 2 Shots

If you receive a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you will need 2 shots to get the most protection.

Operational Considerations for Community Isolation Centers for COVID-19 in Low-Resource Settings

This document describes how to set up a Community Isolation Center for COVID-19 patients who are not able to isolate at home, but may not be ill enough to be hospitalized. This document is to be used in global settings, not in the US.

Physical activity protects children from the adverse effects of digital media on their weight later in adolescence

Children's heavy digital media use is associated with a risk of being overweight later in adolescence. Physical activity protects children from the adverse effects of digital media on their weight later in adolescence.

Brain connectivity can build better AI

By examining MRI data from a large Open Science repository, researchers reconstructed a brain connectivity pattern, and applied it to an artificial neural network (ANN). They trained the ANN to perform a cognitive memory task and observed how it worked to complete the assignment. These 'neuromorphic' neural networks were able to use the same underlying architecture to support a wide range of learning capacities across multiple contexts.

Starving pneumonia-causing bacteria of its favorite 'food' holds promise for new antibiotics

Researchers have revealed how the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) obtains the essential nutrient, manganese, from our bodies, which could lead to better therapies to target what is a life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant pathogen.

Why middle-class residents want to stay put after floodwaters recede

Flood disasters like Hurricane Harvey lead some people to move far from the places they had called home. But a new study finds that middle-class people who made long-term plans to stay in their neighborhoods before they flooded are less likely to relocate even if they suffered significant damage.

New study offers insight on how resistance training burns fat

Findings from a new study add to growing evidence that resistance exercise has unique benefits for fat loss. Researchers found that resistance-like exercise regulates fat cell metabolism at a molecular level.

New technology paves way towards personalized antibiotic therapy

Researchers have developed a method for monitoring bacterial responses to antibiotics in health-care settings that opens the door to personalized antibiotic therapy for patients. Using microwave sensing technology researchers have developed a low-cost, contactless, portable and reusable microwave sensor that acts as a fast and reliable evaluation tool for measuring antibiotic resistance.

Growing evidence of vitamin K benefits for heart health

New research has found that people who eat a diet rich in vitamin K have up to a 34 percent lower risk of atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular disease (conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels).

Possible Side Effects After Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. Learn about possible side effects and some helpful tips to relieve side effects.

Unlocking the AI algorithm ‘black box’ - new machine learning technology to find out what makes plants and humans tick

We all have an internal clock but what makes us tick? Scientists have developed new artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology to understand how gene expression regulates an organism's circadian clock.

Microbes turn back the clock as research discovers their potential to reverse aging in the brain

Research introduces a novel approach to reverse aspects of aging-related deterioration in the brain and cognitive function via the microbes in the gut.

Safer Travel Tips for Families with Unvaccinated Children

Some travel activities, like staying at guest lodgings, can increase your risk of getting COVID-19. Your chances of exposure are higher if you come into close contact with others, especially people you don't know, or use shared public facilities.

Innovative coating for blood vessels reduces rejection of transplanted organs

Researchers have found a way to reduce organ rejection following a transplant by using a special polymer to coat blood vessels on the organ to be transplanted. The polymer substantially diminished rejection of transplants in mice when tested. The discovery has the potential to eliminate the need for drugs -- typically with serious side effects -- on which transplant recipients rely to prevent their immune systems from attacking a new organ as a foreign object.

Bio-inspired, blood-repelling tissue glue could seal wounds quickly

Engineers have designed a strong, biocompatible glue that can seal injured tissues and stop bleeding, inspired by the sticky substance that barnacles use to cling to rocks.

Construction COVID-19 Checklists for Employers and Employees

CDC offers the following checklist to share ways construction employers and workers can protect themselves, staff, and communities, and slow the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Vaccine Reporting Systems

COVID-19 vaccines have undergone the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. Learn about clinical trials and different safety monitoring systems.

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)

VAERS is an early warning system used to monitor adverse events that happen after vaccination. Learn how VAERS reports are submitted and reviewed.

Why people snub their friends with their phone

Smartphones have made multi-tasking easier, more understandable, and at times compulsive. But in social settings, these devices can lead to a form of contemporary rudeness called phone snubbing, or phubbing, the act of ignoring one's companions to pay attention to a phone.

New CRISPR/Cas9 technique corrects cystic fibrosis in cultured human stem cells

Researchers corrected mutations that cause cystic fibrosis in cultured human stem cells. They used a technique called prime editing to replace the 'faulty' piece of DNA with a healthy piece. The study shows that prime editing is safer than the conventional CRISPR/Cas9 technique.

Neurons that respond to touch are less picky than expected

Researchers used to believe that individual neurons were precisely tuned to respond to distinct types of touch. By studying rat whiskers, a team now finds that nearly all primary touch-sensitive neurons respond to an extensive range of motions and combination of motions and forces.

Study identifies molecule that stimulates muscle-building in humans

In a randomized control study of 10 healthy young men, researchers compared how consuming the single amino acid leucine or its two-molecule equivalent, dileucine, influenced muscle-building and breakdown. They found that dileucine boosts the metabolic processes that drive muscle growth 42% more than free leucine does.

Graphene binds drugs which kill bacteria on medical implants

Bacterial infections relating to medical implants place a huge burden on healthcare and cause great suffering to patients worldwide. Now, researchers have developed a new method to prevent such infections, by covering a graphene-based material with bactericidal molecules.

Resuming Business Toolkit

Employers, use this toolkit to plan, prepare, and respond as you reintegrate employees into the workplace.

What You Need to Know about Variants

Since November 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) has reported a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in London and southeast England. This rapid increase in cases has been linked to a different version-or variant-of the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2).

CDC Diagnostic Test for COVID-19

CDC has developed a new laboratory test kit for use in testing patient specimens for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Scientists reverse a key hallmark of motor neurone disease in the laboratory

Scientists have studied how proteins accumulate in the wrong parts of brain cells in motor neurone disease, and have demonstrated how it might be possible, in some cases, to reverse this.

New study examines privacy and security perceptions of online education proctoring services

Educational institutions have had to transition to remote learning and exam taking. This has led to an increase in the use of online proctoring services to curb student cheating. In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers explored the security and privacy perceptions of students taking proctored exams.

The future of medicine is nearer thanks to researchers’ invention

Researchers recently unveiled their discovery of a new process for making RNA. The resulting RNA is purer, more copious and likely to be more cost-effective than any previous process could manage. This new technique removes the largest stumbling block on the path to next-generation RNA therapeutic drugs.

New drug molecules could prevent skin aging caused by sun exposure

Two new molecules that generate minute amounts of the gas hydrogen sulfide have been found to prevent skin from aging after being exposed to ultraviolet light found in sunlight. Sunburn is a major cause of premature aging in skin, and a primary risk factor for skin cancer, and other skin problems associated with aging. Now, an international research team has made inroads towards being able to reverse or delay this damage for the first time.

Potential COVID-19 medication found among tapeworm drugs

From a collection of molecules inspired by anti-parasitic medicines comes a potential drug candidate against COVID-19.

A microRNA network is the putative mediator of reductive stress in the heart

Last year, researchers reported that reductive stress -- an imbalance in the normal oxidation/reduction homeostasis -- caused pathological changes associated with heart failure in a mouse model. Now, researchers describe the putative molecular regulators of this pathological chronic reductive stress -- a microRNA network.

Trials reveal efficacy and safety of oral drug for treating anemia associated with kidney disease

Pooled results from phase 3 clinical trials demonstrate that roxadustat is efficacious and may be comparable to placebo in studies done to date for treating anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease who do not require dialysis.

Do vitamin D supplements offer kidney-related benefits for individuals with high diabetes risk?

In a clinical trial of individuals at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, which is the leading cause of kidney disease, vitamin D supplementation did not have significant effects on kidney health. As participants were not selected according to baseline vitamin D levels, investigators cannot exclude a kidney benefit for individuals with vitamin D deficiency.

Face masks protect against aerosolized toxins from algal blooms, study finds

Intense blooms of toxic algae are becoming common occurrences along the coast of Florida and elsewhere. Results from a new study found that wearing the face mask everyone has become accustomed to during the COVID-19 pandemic may help protect against these airborne toxins too.

Understanding Variants

Detailed explanation on how variants of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) work and change.

To do or not to do: Cracking the code of motivation

By manipulating the dopamine receptors of monkeys and studying their behavior, scientists reveal how our brain makes us feel motivated.

New device can diagnose COVID-19 from saliva samples

A new device can detect SARS-CoV-2 from saliva in about an hour. Researchers report that the diagnostic is just as accurate as PCR tests and can identify COVID-19 variants.

New drug combo shows early potential for treating pancreatic cancer

A team of researchers has developed an immunotherapy strategy that can eliminate pancreatic tumors in mice. The new therapy, a combination of three drugs that boost the body's immune defenses against tumors, is expected to enter clinical trials later this year.

Histone deacetylase inhibitor gel shows promise for the treatment of patients with basal cell carcinoma

Remetinostat, a topical cream and first-in-class inhibitor of histone deacetylation, showed signs of clinical efficacy in patients with basal cell carcinoma.

Novel research identifies gene targets of stress hormones in the brain

Chronic stress is a well-known cause for mental health disorders. New research has moved a step forward in understanding how glucocorticoid hormones ('stress hormones') act upon the brain and what their function is. The findings could lead to more effective strategies in the prevention and treatment of mental health disorders.

Delta Variant: What We Know About the Science

Delta is currently the predominant strain of the virus in the United States. The Delta variant causes more infections and spreads faster than early forms SARS-CoV-2.

H-2A Employer Health Equity Toolkit

Learn what agriculture employers, partner agencies, and partner organizations need to know during COVID-19.​

Protecting People with a Temporary Agricultural Work Visa (H-2A Visa)

Get key information for people traveling to the U.S. on a temporary agricultural work visa. These people may be more likely to be exposed to COVID-19.

Light therapy helps burn injuries heal faster by triggering growth protein

The research found that photobiomodulation -- a form of low-dose light therapy -- sped up recovery from burns and reduced inflammation in mice by activating a protein that controls cell growth and division.

Licensed drug could reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection by up to 70 per cent, lab study reveals

A licensed drug normally used to treat abnormal levels of fatty substances in the blood could reduce infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus by up to 70 per cent, a new study in the laboratory reveals.

Newly developed, bioinspired cell delivery vehicles

A research team has designed nanocontainers made of sugar and protein components. These containers are taken up by cells through natural processes and can thereby transport substances that normally cannot penetrate the cell membrane -- such as drugs or labelled substances for the investigation of cell functions -- into cells.

Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 remain stable, or even increase, seven months after infection

The levels of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein remain stable, or even increase, seven months after infection, according to a follow-up study in a cohort of healthcare workers. The results also support the idea that pre-existing antibodies against common cold coronaviruses could protect against COVID-19.

CDC's Interim Guidance for General Population Disaster Shelters During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Guidance on reducing the risk of introducing and transmitting COVID-19 in general population disaster shelters before, during, or after a disaster.

Lab-grown beating heart cells identify potential drug to prevent COVID-19-related heart damage

Scientists have grown beating heart cells in the lab and shown how they are vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. In a new study, they used this system to show that an experimental peptide drug called DX600 can prevent the virus entering the heart cells.

Cytokine increases production of 'beige fat' to burn more cellular energy

An immune signal promotes the production of energy-burning 'beige fat,' according to a new study. The finding may lead to new ways to reduce obesity and treat metabolic disorders.

Fasting may help ward off infections, study in mice suggests

Fasting before and during exposure to Salmonella enterica bacteria protects mice from developing a full-blown infection, in part due to changes in the animals' gut microbiomes, according to new research.

Using two CRISPR enzymes, a COVID diagnostic in only 20 minutes

Today's gold standard for COVID diagnostics is qRT-PCR, but turnaround is typically more than a day. Newer assays using CRISPR enzymes require initial amplification of RNA, requiring special equipment not available in doctors' offices, workplaces, etc. By combining two different CRISPR-Cas enzymes -- Cas13 and Csm6 -- researchers have created a point of care diagnostic that provides results in under an hour, often in 20 minutes.

Women, early-career academics more likely to feel like 'impostors' in disciplines that prize brilliance, study finds

The more an academic discipline is perceived to require raw talent or 'brilliance' for success, the more both women and early-career academics feel professionally inadequate -- like 'impostors' -- finds a new study of U.S. academics by a team of psychology researchers.

A more complete molecular picture of lung squamous cell carcinoma comes into view

Researchers have developed the largest and most comprehensive molecular map to date of the lung cancer subtype lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Their effort brings proteomic, transcriptomic, and genomic data together into a detailed 'proteogenomic' view of LSCC. Analysis of that data has revealed potential new drug targets, immune regulation pathways that might help the cancer evade immunotherapies, and even a new molecular subtype of LSCC.

Scientists discover inherited neurodegenerative disease in monkeys

Scientists have identified a naturally occurring mutation in nonhuman primates that closely resembles a rare neurodegenerative disease in people. The discovery could lead to the development of new therapies to treat Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease and is the latest in a trove of discoveries made possible by a massive genomic database.

Ovarian cancer: Potential therapeutic target identified

A gene called DOT1L appears to play a role in progression and severity of ovarian cancer, and inhibitors of the DOT1L enzyme may offer a new therapeutic approach for the disease, researchers say in a new study. The need is clear -- despite decades of work to develop new treatment modalities, the five-year survival of patients with advanced ovarian cancer is between 10 and 30 percent.

All in your head: Exploring human-body communications with binaural hearing aids

Wearable technology seems all poised to take over next-generation electronics, yet most wireless communication techniques are not up to the task. To tackle this issue, scientists have delved deep into human-body communications, in which human tissue is used as the transmission medium for electromagnetic signals. Their findings pave the way to more efficient and safer head-worn devices, such as binaural hearing aids and earphones.

Researchers discover new factor in preventing phenylketonuria, offering new treatment strategy

Researchers have discovered a critical new factor in regulating metabolism of the amino acid phenylalanine and, therefore, in preventing the inherited metabolic disorder phenylketonuria. The research suggests a possible avenue for new treatments.

Wearable technology can help in at-home assessment of myoclonic jerks

A new study shows that wearable sensor technology can be used to reliably assess the occurrence of myoclonic jerks in patients with epilepsy also in the home environment.

Brain-inspired highly scalable neuromorphic hardware

Researchers fabricated a brain-inspired highly scalable neuromorphic hardware by co-integrating single transistor neurons and synapses. Using standard silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, the neuromorphic hardware is expected to reduce chip cost and simplify fabrication procedures.

New findings about cancer cell growth may hold promise for future cancer treatments

For a cell to grow and divide, it needs to produce new proteins. This also applies to cancer cells. Researchers have now investigated the protein eIF4A3 and its role in the growth of cancer cells. The study shows that by blocking or reducing the production of this protein, other processes arise that cause the growth and cell division of cancer cells to cease and eventually die.

Vitamin D reduces the need for opioids in palliative cancer

Patients with vitamin D deficiency who received vitamin D supplements had a reduced need for pain relief and lower levels of fatigue in palliative cancer treatment, a randomized and placebo-controlled study shows.

Retinoblastoma resource: Researchers create more accurate research model

Scientists have created a model of the rare pediatric eye cancer that more closely mimics the biology of patient tumors.

What to do if a Student Becomes Sick at School or Reports a New COVID-19 Diagnosis Flowchart

What to do if a Student Becomes Sick at School or Reports a New COVID-19 Diagnosis Flowchart