Viruses and bacteria aren't the only microbial pathogens that plague us. Fungal diseases abound, too, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people are unaware of them, even though they result in more than $7 billion in health costs annually.

Experts surveyed 3,600 people across the country and found that a majority had never heard of any of these common fungal diseases: candidiasis (which can be a vaginal yeast infection or oral thrush), aspergillosis (which can cause a clump of mold in the lungs) and blastomycosis (caused by inhaling fungal spores and endemic in the eastern part of the country).

Women were more likely to be aware of fungal infections than men.

Trust in Science

It might not seem like it at times, but the latest 3M State of Science report says people's trust in science is at an all-time high, perhaps due to the pandemic. The report surveyed 1,000 people across 14 countries before the pandemic and another 1,000 in 11 countries from August to October 2020.

Nearly 90% said they now trust science and scientists, and 77% supported increased funding for the field. More than half said science is important to their everyday lives.

Americans were generally reflective of the overall conclusions.

Body of Knowledge

According to Mental Floss, the annual number of worldwide shark bites is 10 times less than the number of people bitten by other people in New York.

Get Me That, Stat!

More than 2.2 million U.S. women live in maternity-care deserts — areas without hospitals that offer obstetric care, birth centers or specialized providers. An additional 4.8 million live in areas with limited access to maternity care. By and large, these areas are in rural counties.

Counts

41: percentage that children who receive flu vaccination are less likely to be hospitalized for flu-related reasons than those who don't get the seasonal shot

Source: Pediatrics

Doc Talk

S.B.I.: Something Bad Inside

Mania of the Week

Onychotillomania: an obsession with picking at fingernails

Best Medicine

There's a new garlic diet going around. You don't lose weight, but you look thinner from a distance.

Observation

"It is astonishing to realize that the human species survived hundreds of thousands of years, more than 99% of its time on the planet, with a life expectancy of only 18 years." — American anatomist and biogerontologist Leonard Hayflick

Medical History

This week in 1941, the first heredity clinic in the U.S. was opened by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Data on human heredity was collected and family counselling offered.

Sum Body

Eight archaic diseases are becoming, well, less archaic. In other words, they're making something of a comeback (or at least resisting going away for good).

1. Scarlet fever

2. Rickets

3. Gout

4. Syphilis

5. Measles

6. Mumps

7. Rubella

8. Polio

It should be noted that for Nos. 4-8, there are perfectly good vaccines to prevent them — if people get vaccinated.

Last Words

"Stopped." — surgeon Joseph Henry Green as he was checking his own pulse on his deathbed

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: adege at Pixabay