Ancient mummy DNA provides scientific evidence that colonization brought smallpox to the Americas
Ancient mummy DNA recovered in Chile has yielded the firmest evidence yet that European colonization brought smallpox to the Americas.
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Disease or Syndrome: Smallpox
Medical news and research articles
History shows quarantine can be a blip—or mark some people forever
Her name was Mary Quarantine Chapman. Seriously. To the best of my knowledge, Mary is the only Australian named after the experience of being detained to limit the spread of infectious disease.
Jun 23, 2026
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How Aboriginal nations fought 1830s smallpox
As Aboriginal nations mounted a series of coordinated and strategic campaigns to defend Country against invading settlers, the smallpox epidemic spread across the southeast from 1830 to 1832.
Jun 2, 2026
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Pentagon drops flu vaccine requirement for US military
Flu shots will no longer be required for every U.S. service member.
Apr 22, 2026
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Did the British unleash biological warfare against Washington's troops?
George Washington had a problem in the winter of 1777. Smallpox was devastating the already undermanned Continental Army, and much-needed new recruits were being quarantined for a month as a precautionary measure. In addition, ...
Mar 18, 2026
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World creeps closer to eradicating human Guinea worm cases, with just 10 last year: Carter Center
There were only 10 reported cases of Guinea worm infections confined to three countries in 2025, a historic low announced Friday by The Carter Center.
Jan 31, 2026
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Africa no longer facing mpox emergency: regional health chief
Africa is no longer in the grip of a public health emergency over mpox though the viral infection "remains endemic in several settings," the head of region's disease monitoring centers said Saturday.
Jan 24, 2026
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How the US withdrawal from WHO could affect global health powers and disease threats
Hours after Donald Trump began his second term as United States president on Jan. 20, 2024, he signed an executive order to end American membership in the World Health Organization (WHO) after one year. This restarted a process ...
Jan 21, 2026
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WHO chief lifts global mpox emergency
Mpox no longer represents a global public health emergency, the WHO said Friday, following a steady decline in cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other affected countries.
Sep 5, 2025
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The plague is so 14th century: Why—and how much—we should worry today
The plague—aka the Black Death, aka the Great Pestilence—is rarely contracted today, yet it recently infected a South Lake Tahoe resident. But before you put on your 17th century "air-purifying" beaked mask, let's find out ...
Aug 25, 2025
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