Blog Posts

Written by Ariyan Darvish, Edited by Rushlenne Pascual Introduction Waterborne diseases are illnesses caused by the contamination of water by pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and parasites. They can be contracted by drinking or bathing with contaminated water and can also cause diarrhea and vomiting. Such diseases are usually more prevalent in less developed countries with lower quality water treatment and sewage facilities, however waterborne diseases are still present in

Written by Jazmine Kim, Edited by Maya King Introduction Viral infections are extremely common diseases that most people can experience through their lifetime. Research has shown a strong correlation between viral infections, cognitive dysfunction, and neuroinflammation.1 Neuroinflammation is the immune system’s response to disease and injury within the brain and spinal cord. When viral infections occur, the body releases inflammatory molecules to fight the virus, but when th

Written by Nathan Lee, Edited by Nikhil Chakravarty Introduction: The Captain of All These Men of Death Tuberculosis has followed humanity in its shadows for as long as recorded history has been kept. Currently, tuberculosis holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest documented human infectious disease in the world, and in addition to possibly being the oldest, it has consistently been one of the deadliest. German microbiologist Robert Koch, who first isolated Mycobacter

Written by Ava Smith, Edited by Han Trieu Tuberculosis Introduction Tuberculosis is a disease that can cause persistent cough, chest pain, and fever.6 Amongst individuals in the United States, it has become highly misunderstood and underestimated. Many Americans don’t know what Tuberculosis is, and the majority of those who do falsely believe that it is an eradicated disease, much like Smallpox.1 However, in 2023, tuberculosis was the leading cause of death from infectious d

Written by Risa Nguyen, Edited by Olivia McCollum What are prions? Prions are infectious agents that degrade the nervous system. They differ from many other pathogens in that they are not living organisms, as prions lack genetic material. Prions are misfolded proteins that bind to normal proteins in a host’s cells and force them to misfold. Sometimes, prions can be transmitted by consuming meat from an infected animal.1 The most common example of prion transmission is caused

Written by Wynter Cheng, Edited by Caitlin Subijanto On a warm evening in many tropical cities, the faint buzz of a mosquito can feel like nothing more than a minor annoyance. However, for millions of people worldwide, this innocent sound can signal something far more serious. Contributing to 20,000–40,000 deaths and 400 million infections annually, dengue fever has quietly become one of the fastest-growing infectious diseases globally. Moreover, in 21 countries, climate cha

Written by Kaja Carlsen-Brown, Edited by Olivia McCollum Introduction - What is rabies? It may be tempting to pet the adorable, tail-wagging dog on the side of the street that appears to be completely harmless. However, there is a possibility that the dog has been infected by the dangerous rabies virus. Rabies is a zoonotic virus, meaning transmission to humans comes from animals. The time from exposure to symptoms, the incubation time, is unpredictable and the symptoms of ra

Written by Emma Nakazato, Edited by Caitlin Subjianto Overview Many people have heard of Salmonella before, but what really is it? Where does it come from, and how does it seem to never go away? Salmonella bacteria often contaminate water and food, causing an infection known as salmonellosis, which primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract. Common symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, and most individuals recover within a few days to a week without treatmen

Written by Jessica Lopez, Edited by Olivia N. McCollum Background Autoimmune diseases are debilitating and painful conditions where the immune system targets the body’s tissues. 1 These conditions occur in women up to four times more than in men. 2 In spite of these findings, many immunotherapy options responsible for treating autoimmune diseases have decreased efficacy in women. 1 Raising awareness of autoimmune diseases in relation to women can lead to increased inclusio

Written by Jocelyn Chamu, Edited by Rushlenne Pascual Introduction In the US, the number of people who live with autoimmune diseases makes up 8% of the population, and as of 2024, 80% of patients diagnosed with autoimmune diseases are women. 1 Of the more than 80 autoimmune diseases known, a significant gap exists in research and treatment for patients. Addressing this can be challenging, given that funding toward autoimmune disease research is allocated to cancer, Alzheime

Written by Ariyan Darvish, Edited by Christopher LeBoa Introduction Hemolytic Anemia is an autoimmune disease where red blood cells are destroyed by the immune system at a rate faster than the body replaces them. This occurs when the body mistakenly recognizes blood cells as foreign substances and destroys them. The disease is rare, affecting one to two people per 100,000 people every year. 1 AIHA can be classified as primary vs. secondary or warm vs. cold. AIHA is considere

Written by Emily Tsai, Edited by Nikhil Chakravarty What is Type 1 diabetes? Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system produces antibodies that attack its own islet cells in the pancreas, misidentifying them as foreign. Since the insulin-producing beta-islet cells in the pancreas are attacked. As a result, the body produces little to no insulin, leaving glucose levels in the liver and overall blood glucose levels unregulated and chroni

Written by Risa Nguyen, Edited by Rushlenne Pascual What is multiple sclerosis? Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an incurable autoimmune disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord. In multiple sclerosis, the body mistakenly attacks myelin, a fatty protective substance that surrounds nerve cells. 1 When the myelin is damaged, the nerve cell is exposed and electric signal communication between nerve cells slows down. 2 The weakened communication caused by degraded myelin can i

Written by Irene Wang, Edited by Olivia N. McCollum Introduction Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder and is the leading cause of disability in young adults ages 20 to 40. 1 The disease occurs when the immune system attacks the myelin sheath, the protective fatty layer that insulates axons in the brain and spinal cord, disrupting communication between the central nervous system and the rest of the body. 2 Symptoms vary from person to person but often include

Written by Nicole Eike, Edited by Caitlin Monica Subijanto Introduction Autoimmune diseases occur when one’s immune system attacks the body’s own tissues. There are over 100 autoimmune diseases, which impact about 8% of Americans 1 , and cases have been rising globally. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by an impaired inflammatory response where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissue. 2 It is associated wi

Written by Emma Nakazato, Edited by Maya Rose Homsy King Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that has serious detrimental effects on the body’s immune system. Lupus causes immune responses that damage the body’s healthy tissues and organs. It is life-threatening and can lead to severe infections, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers.¹ There are some factors that can lead to its development. It is important to identify possible symptoms of lupus,

Written by Wynter Cheng, Edited by Han Trieu Introduction It’s 2025, an age of AI doctors, smartwatches that read your pulse, and cars that drive themselves. Yet tuberculosis (TB), an ancient disease, still kills over a million people each year. 1 Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, TB primarily attacks the lungs, spreading through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Once inside the body, the bacteria can slowly destroy lung tissue, leading to

By Kiki Huang Each year, in the United States, over 1 million women are diagnosed with pelvic inflammatory disease, PID (ACOG). Of those 1 million, the majority of women with new PID diagnoses are under the age of 25 (Hasiya). PID occurs when someone experiences an infection of one or more of the reproductive organs; uterus, ovaries, and or fallopian tubes. PID is primarily caused by bacteria from untreated sexually transmitted infections (STI) which spread to the reproductiv

By Gabriella Ip Introduction Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, known as PCOS, is a hormonal condition that impacts 6-13% of reproductive-aged women and an estimated 70% of women remain undiagnosed according to the World Health Organization. It’s the most common cause of anovulation and infertility, and unfortunately it comes with long-term health problems.(1) PCOS is commonly associated with insulin resistance, since it contributes to the hormonal imbalances and exacerbates metaboli

By Jargalan Chinbat Outline: Overview Symptoms Causes and Risk factors Diagnosis and Stages Treatment and Prevention References Endometrial Cancer Overview Endometrial cancer is a type of cancer that refers to the abnormal overgrowth of the endometrium, the lining of the uterus (womb). While etiology of endometrial cancer remains unknown, an increased level of estrogen hormone may play a role in the buildup of the lining of the uterus (1). It is the most prevalent uterine ca

Written by Courtney Coleman, Edited by Hannah Ryu, Han Trieu, and Gwendolyn Lee Table of Contents Introduction The Brain's Alarm System:...

Written by Paul Yousif, Edited by Nikhil Chakravarty, MPH, Edited by Courtney Coleman Substance use disorders (SUD) are mental illnesses...

Written by Gabriella Ip, Edited by Han Trieu, Edited by Courtney Coleman Introduction Opioid drugs are a class of narcotic pain...

Written by Misha Afnani, Edited by Olivia McCollum, MPH, Edited by Courtney Coleman Racial and ethnic disparities often result in unequal...

Written by Xixi Richards, Edited by Christopher LeBoa, Edited by Courtney Coleman Overview Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary genetic...