Malaria drugs may help patients with lupus

January 22, 2010 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Drugs used to treat malaria may be useful for patients with lupus, a chronic debilitating "autoimmune" disease, according to according to a new report.

Secondhand smoke may disrupt asthmatic kids' sleep

January 19, 2010 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children with asthma may have a harder time getting a good night's sleep if they live with a smoker.

Up to 80 million Americans infected with H1N1: CDC

January 15, 2010 — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As many as 80 million Americans have been infected with H1N1 swine flu, up to 16,000 have been killed and more than 360,000 hospitalized, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday.

Adults' breathing troubles may begin in childhood

January 14, 2010 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New research hints that how well your lungs function in adulthood and your risk of developing chronic breathing problems is partly determined in childhood.

Peanut allergies less common than tests suggest

January 13, 2010 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Many children who test positive for sensitivity to peanuts may not actually have full-blown allergies to the food, a new study suggests.

Some immunity building up against pandemic flu-WHO

January 8, 2010 — GENEVA (Reuters) - Southern hemisphere countries struck by H1N1 flu last year are now broadly protected against new infections, the World Health Organisation said on Friday.

U.S. EPA proposes stronger smog standards

January 7, 2010 — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. environmental regulators on Thursday proposed stronger standards on lung and heart disease-causing smog that could cost industry up to $90 billion to implement.

Gas stoves show small effect on kids' lung function

January 7, 2010 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While some studies have implicated gas appliances in children's risk of respiratory ills, a new report suggests that gas cooking stoves may have only a small effect on most children's lung function.

Folic acid in late pregnancy tied to child asthma

January 6, 2010 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young children whose mothers took folic acid supplements in late pregnancy may have an increased risk of developing asthma, a new study hints.

WHO chief gets H1N1 flu vaccination

January 5, 2010 — GENEVA (Reuters) - The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has finally been vaccinated against H1N1 flu, a virus expected to infect more people in coming months, the U.N. agency said on Tuesday.

Air pollution may lessen asthma inhaler benefits

December 28, 2009 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Air pollution, which tends to inflame the airways in people with asthma, might also reduce the effectiveness of the rescue inhalers they count on for quick relief of their asthma symptoms, study findings hint.

Farmers' asthma tied to pesticide exposure

December 28, 2009 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Farmers might breathe a little easier after learning that pesticide use does not appear to increase their risk for developing asthma - as long as they wear protective equipment and don't have periods of unusually high exposure.

Do multivitamins curb kids' allergy risk?

December 25, 2009 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Giving multivitamins to kids 5 to 8 years old does not seem to alter their overall likelihood of having allergies, hint findings of a study from Sweden.

U.S. doctors link gene to childhood asthma

December 24, 2009 — BOSTON (Reuters) - A defective gene appears to contribute to most cases of childhood asthma, a finding that could lead to a better understanding of allergies, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

Acupuncture may ease the itch of eczema

December 22, 2009 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An acupuncture session may bring some itch relief to people with the allergic skin condition known as atopic eczema, a preliminary study suggests.