Sunita Bhaiji was 13 when a mosquito bite changed her life. The mosquito carried a parasite that caused lymphatic filariasis, or elephantiasis. Now in her 60s, Sunita suffers from severe leg swelling. She faces stigma and alienation from close family members and her local community.

Sadly, Sunita is far from alone. Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) impact hundreds of millions worldwide.

Climate change is worsening the spread of NTDs. Rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns fuel their spread. Global efforts to address NTDs have grown, but action remains urgent.

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Seventeen-month-old Zamira fell ill after returning from the Philippines. Back in the United States, she had severe vomiting, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Her symptoms seemed completely out of place for her healthy lifestyle.

The onset was sudden. At first, doctors misdiagnosed her with meningitis. For two months, she stayed in the hospital while they treated her for the wrong condition.

Finally, they found the true cause: tuberculosis meningitis. This form of TB infects the tissue around the brain or spinal cord.

Fortunately, with the correct treatment, Zamira fully recovered. Her ordeal led her mother to urge the world to end tuberculosis. Still, the fight against TB is far from over.

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Karen Terlach, a 64-year-old grandmother, has battled chronic back pain since her 30s. Initially, she tried prescription medications, but the side effects outweighed the benefits. Later, a doctor suggested stretching exercises, which offered some relief.

Karen’s curiosity about stretching soon led her to yoga. The practice transformed her experience with back pain. Now, Karen is training at the Cleveland Clinic School of Yoga to help others ease theirs.

Karen isn’t alone in finding relief through yoga. Many people with chronic back pain have found it both effective and empowering. A recent randomized clinical trial supports yoga’s effectiveness in treating back pain.

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The owner of a Wahiawa duck rescue noticed strange symptoms in her birds. Some showed lethargy, while others had unnatural twitching and twisting of their necks. Initially, she suspected poisoning. However, 20 of her rescued waterfowl and 13 wild zebra doves died.

State officials tested the deceased birds and confirmed avian flu infections. These are the first reported cases of avian flu in Hawaii, making it the last U.S. state to be affected.

Meanwhile, in Vancouver, Canada, a teenager with bird flu showed an alarming mutation. Tests revealed genetic changes that could make human-to-human transmission easier.

Both events have raised concerns among health officials. Experts, however, maintain that the risk of a large-scale pandemic is low.

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In 2022, Jeffrey Todd became one of more than 30,000 U.S. adults to contract mpox. After noticing his first lesion, he found online images of mpox rashes resembling his blemish. He assumed the rash would disappear by morning.

Instead, over two days, more bumps appeared on his right arm and back. A lesion also emerged on his neck. The spots itched, and he experienced fatigue, backaches, and shooting leg pains.

Todd was eventually tested for mpox and started antiviral treatment. However, the process involved a long and frustrating journey of self-advocacy. After 28 days in quarantine, he resolved to raise awareness about mpox. Todd hoped to prevent others from enduring the same ordeal.

Since 2022, mpox cases in non-endemic countries have dropped. Yet, mpox still harms tens of thousands worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) convened a meeting in December 2024 to evaluate whether mpox still constitutes a global emergency.

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