Jennifer Barrett Assistant Editor

Despite decades of declining mumps incidence, due to widespread vaccination, recent outbreaks in vaccinated adults and communities with high vaccine coverage have prompted concerns about the effectiveness of the current vaccine.

The number of nurse practitioners has more than doubled over the past decade, reinforcing that the NP workforce is growing at an accelerated rate, according to new data released by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Emergency department (ED) visits in the United States for opioid overdoses are up, a sign that the epidemic is worsening, according to a recent CDC report.

In oral testimony before the US House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, addressed influenza response efforts and preparedness.

The American College of Physicians recently issued new guidelines aimed at assisting clinicians in making decisions about targets when using pharmacologic therapy in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Although obesity has been considered a risk factor for severe acute respiratory illness, including more severe cases of the flu, a recently-published study found that weight may not be associated with increased illness severity.

Clinicians should ask these questions to ensure that pediatric patients are receiving the best asthma therapy suited for them.

Although flu activity has decreased, overall influenza-associated illness remains high across most of the United States.

Incorporating a combination of telemedicine support and school-based medication therapy for children with asthma can reduce the amount of asthma-associated emergency room and hospital visits.

Medication adherence is a common barrier for individuals with HIV who have strict dosing schedules.

US influenza activity has been rapidly increasing in the past few weeks, according to recent CDC surveillance data, and health care professionals are prepared to face a challenging flu season this year.

US cancer mortality continues to decrease, resulting in nearly 2.4 million fewer cancer-related deaths, according to the American Cancer Society’s annual report on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival.

Flu activity in the United States continues to increase over the past few weeks, which means that health care providers should continue to be on the lookout when diagnosing ill patients, according to a CDC Health Advisory.

No precautions are needed when administering egg-based flu vaccines to patients with egg allergy, according to an updated influenza vaccine practice guideline from the Influenza Vaccine and Egg Allergy Practice Parameter Workgroup commissioned by Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters (JTFPP).

If current obesity trends continue on the same path, more than half of US children will be at risk of obesity in adulthood, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Influenza activity is on the rise across the United States, with several influenza activity indicators higher than what is typically seen for this time of year.

In the latest update, the ADA makes several key recommendations for diabetes care and management, addressing medications with cardiovascular benefit and treating patients with high blood pressure.

Although time to HIV diagnosis after infection is improving, many Americans are still unaware of their infection status, according to a recently-published CDC Vital Signs Report.

FDA officials have issued a warning regarding the risks associated with kratom use.

In an updated draft recommendation statement, the United States Preventive Task Force (USPSTF) provided guidelines for clinicians on osteoporosis screening to prevent fractures.

An updated clinical guideline provides health care providers with practical advice on the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR).

Fish oil supplementation and fish consumption during pregnancy may provide the same benefit in reducing childhood asthma risk in offspring, according to a recently-published review of 2 studies.

Vaccine coverage for recommended immunizations remains stable and high for US children, according to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. However, there are still gaps in coverage.

Nurse practitioners (NPs) who work in supportive environments are more likely to have their own patient panels than those who work in less supportive environments.

In a report published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, researchers aimed to assess retention in care for children diagnosed with HIV infection.

Adults with asthma who take oral vitamin D supplements, in addition to asthma medications, may reduce their risk of asthma attacks requiring hospital attendance by 50%, according to a recently-published study in The Lancet of Respiratory Medicine.

Although sleep difficulties are common among older adults, most don't address the issue with their health care provider. According to results from the National Poll on Healthy Aging, more than one-third reported using some type of medication to help them sleep at night.

Daily coffee consumption can reduce risk of all-cause mortality in patients who are co-infected with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) by half, according to a recently-published study in the Journal of Hepatology.

Sexually transmitted disease (STDs) cases have hit record numbers in the United States, according to the CDC's annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Report. According to the report, more than 2 million STD cases were reported in 2016.

Infants who are exposed to pet or pest allergens may be less likely to develop asthma during childhood, according to a new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.