Flu season is upon us, but there are actually “seasons” for many other infectious diseases. Chickenpox outbreaks peak each spring and polio transmission historically occurred in the summer. In fact, at least 69 infectious diseases vary seasonally. Micaela Elvira Martinez, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University, found this out…
Category: Infectious Diseases
Mosquito-borne illnesses may increase due to global warming
Mosquito bites are such a nuisance. They itch intensely for days, you can’t help but scratch them, and you are left with a scar to remember them by. For much of the world, this is the aftermath of a mosquito bite. But in warm tropical climates, mosquitos are carriers of a variety of microbes pathogenic…
Tricking the Immune System: Antigenic Variation and Host Molecular Mimicry
Halloween has finally arrived and everyone around you has been busy working on their costumes in anticipation for this glorious day of tricks and treats. Come Halloween night, you may not even recognize the faces behind the costumes. How would you tell apart friends with a sweet tooth from foes ready for some tricks? For…