Today is the first day of summer in the United States. Over the next few months, it will be important to protect ourselves from the health risks posed by the sun and heat. Regardless of skin color, exposure to the sun carries many dangers to one’s skin—from freckles and wrinkles often associated with aging, to sunburns, benign tumors or cancerous skin lesions. Prolonged heat exposure can also have many negative impacts on one’s health ranging from a rash, exhaustion, fainting, or even death. Although everyone should take precautions to protect their skin, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) encourages those […]
Tag: mosquito-borne illness
Zika Virus Raises Concerns Around the World
A mosquito-borne virus has become a growing concern for Americans and people throughout the world. The Zika virus can affect anyone for up to a week and present with fever, rash, joint pain, red eyes, and other symptoms. However 80% of people afflicted with the virus have no symptoms at all. Zika virus is especially dangerous to pregnant women because it has been associated with babies being born with microcephaly, a neurodevelopmental disorder where the brain does not fully develop and presents with a disproportionately small head. The World Health Organization (WHO) has deemed it a “global health threat.” […]