https://medicalxpress.com/preventive-medicine-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Preventive medicine A drug commonly used to treat epilepsy could be repurposed to significantly boost the response to vaccines in humans, helping protect those for whom the vaccine is less effective, such as older adults or immunocompromised people. A Cambridge-led team showed that the drug more than doubled the number of antibodies against flu and increased 10-fold the number of flu-specific CD8 T cells, a type of white blood cell that kills cells infected by flu. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-repurposed-epilepsy-drug-boost-vaccine.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:40:09 EDT news702040921 A breakthrough in the fight against Lyme disease is moving from the laboratory to the hardware store. Researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio are developing a nontoxic biologic that could soon be available in big-box and home improvement stores. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-toxic-lyme-disease-everyday.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:40:01 EDT news702020461 Celebrating Independence Day with an old-fashioned cookout is as American as apple pie. Unfortunately, the traditional Fourth of July menu wasn't cooked up with nutrition as a priority. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-healthy-4th-july-cookout-sizzle.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:20:01 EDT news702018122 UC Merced researchers successfully measured nicotine use from products such as cigarettes and vaping pens in Central Valley communities, confirming that health education can be backed by hard data from an unusual source: human waste. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-scientists-dip-sewage-track-communities.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 07:20:03 EDT news702013141 Every state, along with Washington, D.C., requires children to obtain certain vaccinations before they can attend school or childcare These mandates date back decades, and many public health experts consider them a foundational defense against infectious disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-efforts-school-vaccine-mandates-wall.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:00:01 EDT news701939550 A study by researchers at the University of Tsukuba published in the American Journal of Health Promotion found that higher daily step counts were associated with improved work performance through reduced stress responses in Japanese workers with remote work arrangements. The findings suggest that increasing walking and overall physical activity may be a practical strategy for reducing stress and enhancing performance among remote workers. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-daily-remote-workers-stress.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 22:00:04 EDT news701954816 A new analysis of state health department data reveals that more than 6,400 Illinois residents were diagnosed with tick-borne diseases from 2004 to 2022. The most commonly reported infections in the state are Lyme disease, occurring across Illinois but at higher rates in northern counties; anaplasmosis, reported most often in northern and southern counties; ehrlichiosis, seen most often in southern Illinois; and spotted-fever group rickettsioses, serious and sometimes deadly infections that also are more prevalent in southern Illinois. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-borne-diseases-month-year-illinois.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 20:40:01 EDT news701963881 New research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) suggests even modest, short-term changes in weather can have a measurable impact on NHS mental health service demand across England. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-short-term-weather-demand-mental.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 19:00:09 EDT news701942412 A target trial emulation found that same-day coadministration of the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines was not associated with a higher risk of serious or clinically meaningful adverse events compared with receiving only an influenza vaccine. Across multiple updated COVID-19 vaccine versions, overall safety outcomes were similar. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-day-administration-covid-influenza-vaccines.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:00:04 EDT news701939579 In 2023, about 2 million adults in New York state reported consuming some form of cannabis. However, only a small portion has a full understanding of cannabis product labeling, which includes ingredients, dosages and whether the products were legally produced in New York, according to a recent study led by Daniel J. Kruger, Ph.D., research associate professor of community health and health behavior in the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-millions-yorkers-consume-cannabis-content.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:20:02 EDT news701955427 Children and older adults are consistently less likely to live near bike lanes, a new study that mapped cycling infrastructure in three Canadian cities over a decade found. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-bike-infrastructure-canada-access-uneven.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:20:04 EDT news701954762 Judging by the claims on the bottles, it's easy to assume a simple zinc tablet is a quick fix for everything from the common cold to low immunity and even male fertility. But do they actually work? And should you be taking them? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-zinc-oysters-ward-colds-boost.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:40:01 EDT news701951942 Mandatory Nutri-Grade front-of-pack labels for beverages have been found in a study to redirect household consumers toward healthier drinks, as well as encourage manufacturers to reformulate their products to include less sugar. Sugary drinks are a major driver of excess sugar intake and chronic disease risk. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-nutri-grade-sugary-consumption-industry.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:03 EDT news701949002 With mosquito populations peaking well above the 10-year average in Saskatchewan and double last year's count at this time, the buzz across Saskatchewan is how bad it will get, and what we can do to help enjoy our time outside. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-mosquitoes-year.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:40:01 EDT news701943781 New research suggests that higher levels of visceral fat, the fat stored deep in the abdomen, could contribute to faster biological aging in middle-aged adults. Adjunct Associate Professors Jennie Hui and Kun Zhu, from The University of Western Australia, were co-authors of the study published in the journal Obesity, which found visceral fat could affect the aging process beyond general measures of obesity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-excess-belly-fat-linked-faster.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 08:40:01 EDT news701939619 A new survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center finds young adults are missing out on the health benefits of having a primary care doctor. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-survey-young-adults-dont-doctor.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:08 EDT news701698677 The most useful thing about a new HIV prevention guide may be a question it never asks: Why do you want to know about pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP? In a pilot study at three clinics, a two-page decision aid helped people choose between a daily pill, long used to prevent HIV, and a newer injectable treatment given every two months, without requiring them to disclose details of their sex lives or explain why they wanted protection. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-hiv-stigma.html Sat, 27 Jun 2026 15:00:02 EDT news701683988 Each unit of cost invested in Helicobacter pylori screening can generate approximately a fivefold return in gastric cancer prevention benefits. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-pylori-screening-fivefold-gastric-cancer.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:20:01 EDT news701691039 The European Commission announced Friday that it was opening an antitrust probe into French pharmaceutical group Sanofi on suspicion it breached the bloc's competition rules in promoting a flu vaccine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-eu-france-sanofi-flu-vaccine.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:00:03 EDT news701691614 Hundreds of people in England who were unknowingly living with HIV are receiving a diagnosis and starting life-saving antiretroviral treatment, thanks to a pioneering NHS testing initiative rolled out in hospital emergency departments (EDs). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-emergency-department-scheme-hundreds-unidentified.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:00:06 EDT news701691108 Researchers at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, have developed a new calculator that estimates a person's risk of developing serious muscle disorders from statins. The tool could help patients and clinicians make more informed decisions about using these widely prescribed medications to prevent heart attacks and strokes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-statin-muscle-side-effects-rare.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:40:01 EDT news701691181 From detecting pneumonia on a chest X-ray to assessing whether a dark spot on the skin is benign or malignant, medical AI systems are playing an increasingly important role in clinical diagnosis. Unfortunately, the models used to train these AI systems are often victims of cyberattacks, specifically membership inference attacks (MIAs), which can lead to people's personal information being stolen or revealed. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-patient-groups-vulnerable-privacy-medical.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 11:20:01 EDT news701690772 Eating your greens could be the secret to breathing easier, with a new study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) revealing that people who eat more vitamin K1-rich foods such as leafy green vegetables may lower their risk of chronic lung disease. The paper is published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-green-power-spinach-kale-chronic.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:20:08 EDT news701687402 Temperatures climb to new record highs every summer. In many parts of Europe, this marks the start of the most dangerous time of year for wildfires. What begins as a natural disaster has far-reaching consequences for the health of people in affected areas. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-wildfires-pose-premature-births-birth.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 09:40:06 EDT news701683893 Brain changes that can eventually lead to dementia may begin many years before anyone notices symptoms such as memory problems, missed appointments or difficulty finding words. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-healthy-diet-difference-people-higher.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 09:00:05 EDT news701674442 When high-profile figures publicly discuss their prostate cancer, the public health impact can be immediate. The media coverage raises awareness. More men may seek information or medical advice. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-celebrities-prostate-cancer.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 08:40:01 EDT news701673841 Exposure to common air pollutants during early pregnancy may increase the likelihood of persistent depressive symptoms throughout pregnancy, according to a new study led by Tracy Bastain and co-authored by Carrie Breton, who recently joined Bursky School of Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-early-pregnancy-air-pollution-exposure.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 08:00:06 EDT news701673361 A rare strain of Ebola that began spreading undetected in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in early April 2026 has now confirmed transmission in Uganda and is potentially on course to reach South Sudan, according to a new modeling study from the World Health Organization (WHO) published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-drc-ebola-outbreak-uganda-high.html Thu, 25 Jun 2026 18:30:02 EDT news701626321 People who are most in danger during the U.K.'s heat wave are among the least likely to have air conditioning at home, researchers have found. With temperatures potentially rising to 40° C (104° F), scientists at the University of Reading have looked at how many homes in England use air conditioning to keep cool, and which households use it most. They studied answers from 15,846 households that took part in the English Housing Survey from 2023 to 2024, as well as undertaking interviews with households already using air conditioning. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-access-air-conditioning-uk.html Thu, 25 Jun 2026 17:30:02 EDT news701623682 Countries experiencing armed conflict tend to report more measles cases, and the elevated risk persists even a year after the fighting, according to new research published in PLOS Medicine. The study links armed conflict to measles in two ways: directly, by disrupting immunization programs, and—more powerfully—indirectly, by eroding a country's economic, educational and health foundations that protect populations from preventable disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-armed-conflict-linked-measles-cases.html Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:27:28 EDT news701620003