Can You Die From Herpes? Would a person infected with herpes succumb to the disease? Or, in other words, can you die from herpes? No. You can’t die from herpes. However, having herpes can increase your risk of getting infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which causes AIDS.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tells us more about the link between herpes and HIV: Continue reading “Can You Die From Herpes?”
Can you die from skin cancer? Yes you can! In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2011 — which is the most recent year for which data is available — a little more than 9,000 people in the United States died from melanomas of the skin.
Meanwhile, across the pond in the United Kingdom, a total of 2,148 people died from malignant melanoma in 2012. According to Cancer Research UK, malignant melanoma is the 18th most common cause of cancer deaths, accounting for 1% of all deaths from cancer.
That skin cancer is a deadly disease is evident in today’s news headlines which are reporting that, Colin Bloomfield, a popular BBC radio broadcaster succumbed to skin melanoma. He was only 33 years old. More about Colin from bbc.com:
So there you are savoring the creamy deliciousness of your bowl of ice cream. You take a little scoop and carefully lift it from the bowl to your mouth. Then another scoop. Then another. “Mmmmm. Yum, yum,” you say. “This is the best way to beat the summer heat.”
But days later, you develop a fever and a throbbing headache. So you ask your husband to drive you to the hospital. Good thing he did. The hospital folks discover that you are infected with a bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes. With their help, you eventually trace the damn bacteria to the delicious ice cream you’ve been eating.
You survived the health scare but are still left wondering about the impact of the ice cream listeria infection on your pregnancy. Did the bad bacteria infect your baby or is he safe in his womb sanctuary? Will you carry him to term? You can’t help asking these and similar questions.
Continue reading “Ice Cream Listeria Infection: Signs, Symptoms, and Prevention”
Male BRCA Gene Test: Men Who Carry Faulty BRCA Genes. These days, it is safe to assume that everyone and their grandma are aware of BRCA. This is so because practically all media outlets have talked/written about BRCA genes ever since Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie went public about the fact that she is a carrier of a mutated BRCA gene which causes breast and/or ovarian cancer.
What most of us may not be aware of is this: men can be carriers of the mutated BRCA gene too.
Continue reading “Male BRCA Gene Test: Men Who Carry Faulty BRCA Genes”
Color Genomics BRCA Test: Is Color Test Good or Bad? Color Genomics, a California-based company, is offering a more affordable test for the BRCA genetic mutation which increases a carrier’s risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.
How much is a Color Genomics BRCA genetic test? According to the company, the test (aka Color Test) will cost $249. By point of comparison, the current price tag for other BRCA tests by other companies ranges from a not-bad $475 to a prohibitive $4,000.
Aside from testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2, the Color Test also looks at 17 other genes which are associated with higher risks for breast or ovarian cancer.
Continue reading “Color Genomics BRCA Test: Is Color Test Good or Bad?”
Celebrities With Macular Degeneration or Stargardt’s Disease. Macular degeneration is an eye condition, usually affecting older adults, that leads to vision loss. It is prevalent around the world with as many as 11 million Americans estimated to have some form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Worldwide, an estimated 196 million people will have AMD five years from now or by the year 2020.
Celebrities with macular degeneration include the following:
Continue reading “Celebrities With Macular Degeneration or Stargardt’s Disease”