Monthly Archives: December 2013

Meningitis outbreak!

I recently received a call from a patient stating that his child was at a Santa Barbara university and there was an outbreak of meningitis.  Indeed, there have been two meningitis outbreaks–one on the West and the other on the … Continue reading

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Want to prevent shingles?

What is shingles?  It is reactivation of latent herpes zoster virus–meaning you’ve had chicken pox in the past and your body holds onto the virus to then let it reactivate.  As we age or as our immune systems becomes weaker, … Continue reading

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Flu vaccines may prevent heart attacks, too!

Immunization against the influenza lowered the probability of heart attack by 45%.  This Australian study  recently published in the journal Heart. It is thought that acute infections, such as influenza, cause an increased production of disease-fighting inflammatory proteins.  It is … Continue reading

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2013 Whooping cough epidemic in Texas

Texas is a southern neighbor for us, Kansans.  Whooping cough has reached epidemic proportions in Texas and is projected to hit a 50-year high!  Nearly 2000 cases of whooping cough have been reported in Texas this year with two infant … Continue reading

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Free HIV testing tomorrow in Wichita

In celebration of Worlds AIDS Day (today!) the Sedgwick County Health Department will offer free HIV testing tomorrow (Monday 12/2/2013).  Two locations are offered. If you are a WSU student or faculty the testing is offered in Ahlberg Hall main … Continue reading

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