Tag: diseases

A toddler was bitten by a tick in central Oslo

Ticks can be found all over European gardens and parks. In Norway, there is a lack of data for urban areas.

Should you be worried about tick bites while travelling in Europe?

Ticks are becoming more common in Europe, and so are the diseases they carry.

Three dead from measles in the USA. The outbreak is spreading to new states

Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. is criticised for not being clear enough about vaccination.

Almost no ME/CFS patients return to work

"The help we have provided to patients through the welfare and healthcare systems has had little rehabilitative effect," says a researcher.

Stomach flu: Why doesn't hand sanitiser work against norovirus?

Norovirus differs from other viruses.

Bird flu in the US leads to higher egg prices and pandemic risk: “Highly likely to spread between humans,” says researcher

Bird flu has led to a massive egg shortage in the USA. Researcher warns that this could affect the production of vaccines against this very disease in humans.

Are Norwegians really the sickest in the world?

When people from Sweden or other countries with lower sickness absence rates than Norwegians start working in Norway, their absence becomes similar to ours. What’s going on with Norway?

Childhood diabetes has increased significantly over 30 years – Norway has one of the highest rates worldwide

Type 1 diabetes is a significant child health issue globally. The farther north you go, the higher the percentage of young people diagnosed with the disease.

Senior physicians are sceptical of rapid tests for chlamydia

Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise among teenagers, with many opting to purchase rapid tests online or in stores. However, several senior physicians are critical of these tests.

Norway considers lung cancer screening: Researchers discovered the silent killer in Arne Larsen's lungs

Lung cancer is often called the ‘silent killer' because many people don’t realise they’re ill until it’s too late. Arne Larsen was fortunate that his cancer was detected before it became life-threatening. Researchers hope that many more lives can now be saved.

New study: Masks reduce the risk of respiratory infections

In a new study, researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) have seen clear results that confirm masks have a protective effect against infection.

Ticks are thriving in Norway: Record number of Lyme disease cases so far this year

According to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, there have never been as many reported cases of the tick-borne disease Lyme borreliosis in the first half of the year as in 2024.

Norwegian kids with diabetes have gained better control over their blood sugar levels

"The new equipment has brought about a true revolution," a Norwegian professor says.

Vaccination protects against long Covid

Researchers have looked at Covid-19 data from 3.9 million Norwegians. The risk of getting long Covid after you first fell ill was 36 per cent lower in people who were vaccinated.

Women who have been in prison face a much higher risk of early death

Many of the deaths could have been avoided, according to a new study.

Physical activity may prevent chronic pain

Being just a little more active seems to be able to reduce the risk of pain later in life, a Norwegian study shows.

Norwegian Institute of Public Health: Children have been more affected by flu after the pandemic

The protection against influenza among the youngest children dropped significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new report from NIPH.

ME/CFS may be caused by an imbalance in the brain

"We may have identified the physiological centre of fatigue," says the researcher behind a comprehensive study that has received a lot of attention.

Long Covid does not cause lasting brain damage, study reveals

Young people with persistent post-infective symptoms from Covid-19 did just as well on tests as others.

Can the BCG vaccine protect against Alzheimer's disease?

It looks promising, says a Norwegian researcher. Influencing the immune system may be able to prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Can Covid-19 lead to poorer memory? A study of over 100,000 individuals faces criticism

When participants assess their own memory, they may think it is worse than it is.

Norwegian study: People who have had Covid-19 have a poorer memory

They also have a worse memory than those who have not had Covid-19.

Dispute over Norwegian ME study: What does it actually show?

For five years, researchers have investigated how ME patients experience Norwegian public health services. The study has received a lot of attention and has been discussed in the Norwegian Parliament. But the study also has its critics.

Some children are born with cells that age faster than normal. A new study suggests that a dietary supplement might help them

The vitamin supplement offers hope to children with this rare disease for which there is no treatment.

Cheap migraine medications worked just as well as more expensive ones

This could be good news for patients, according to a researcher.

He got one of the fastest-growing brain disorders. A new research approach is looking to slow down the disease's progression

Researchers in Bergen have adopted an entirely new approach in Parkinson's research, which might make them the first to slow the disease’s progression. Frans Olaf Borge is a participant in the study, which is nearing a conclusion.

This is how you can avoid food poisoning from leftover rice and pasta

It is only when a large number of bacteria are present that you experience diarrhoea and possibly vomiting. But it is perfectly possible to avoid this without having to throw food away.

Whooping cough cases on the rise: Pregnant women advised to get vaccinated

Denmark has declared a whooping cough outbreak. Norway is also experiencing an increase. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health now wants pregnant women to be vaccinated to protect the baby.

Half of ME patients are dissatisfied with Norway’s healthcare and welfare services

New research reveals patient dissatisfaction. But recovered ME patients are not included in the studies, and that weakens the results, according to a professor at the University of Oslo.

Recovery from ME, long Covid and burnout is possible, according to 50 researchers and doctors

"By saying that chronic fatigue syndrome cannot be cured, patients become insecure, stressed or scared, and they naturally lose hope. This results in poorer health," Silje Endresen Reme says.

Is it dangerous to get Covid-19 multiple times?

People regularly cite one study in particular that says getting repeated infections with Covid-19 is not good. According to Norwegian researchers, however, most of us can stop worrying about it.

Swine fever in Sweden is spreading. Norway offers bounty for reporting sick and dead wild boars

African swine fever has not yet spread into Norway. The Norwegian Veterinary Institute is now urging Norwegians to report any injured, sick or dead wild boar they see.

Do we really need to pick up dog poop?

Yes, according to scientists. But should we also do it while hiking in the woods?

New drug stopped aggressive brain cancer in mice

The mice treated with the new medication had a 100 per cent survival rate. But many promising studies have ended in almost as many disappointments in past years, according to one Norwegian researcher.

Is there a solution to the puzzle that is cancer? The fundamental problem is how our body is constructed, one professor says

The better the treatment, the more cancer there will be in the population.

Why do men get sicker from viruses than women? New study could help explain 'man flu'

Women appear to have fewer, but stronger, natural killer cells.

Keto diet is a miracle cure for some people with epilepsy – but scientists don't know why

When Cathrine Adriaenssens was 33, she had such severe epilepsy that her doctor feared she might die from it. Today she is completely healthy.

This disease can suddenly make you behave very strangely. Afterwards you might not remember a thing.

Not everyone with epilepsy has seizures. And in a lot of cases, we don’t know why the disease occurs.

Zombie fungus controls ants like they’re puppets. Could it make the leap to humans like in ‘The Last of Us’?

In the popular TV series, a fungus has gained the ability to infect people.

Large Norwegian study reveals celiac disease in many people who were unaware they had it

Researcher who led the study found it surprising that so many people were undiagnosed.

Why do so many people have chronic fatigue

In numerous diseases, such as celiac disease and psoriasis, chronic fatigue is actually the biggest problem. But what actually causes it? Professor Roald Omdal believes the fatigue response is an ancient biological protection mechanism.

Patients are being forced to take regular breaks from effective migraine medicine. But how do these expensive injections really work?

Forty years ago, researchers discovered a protein that dilated blood vessels in the brain. It led to a whole new type of migraine medicine.

Risk of autism seven times higher in Norwegian children with immigrant mothers

A study was conducted after health professionals started noticing a concerning pattern.

Alcohol doesn’t prevent heart disease

Numerous studies show that people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol have the lowest risk of heart disease. But according to a new study on Norwegian twins, alcohol is not the protective factor.

Are repeated attacks from the mono-virus making MS-patients sicker?

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder in which most patients experience periodic worsening of their symptoms. A Norwegian professor suggests that recurrent flareups of the virus that causes mononucleosis could be a driver of MS.

People who remained sick long after their COVID-19 infection often had alterations in their intestinal bacteria

Some COVID patients still had poor lung function three months after admission to Norwegian hospitals. These patients also had alterations in their intestinal flora and possible evidence of a leaky gut, a new study shows.

You may have celiac disease without knowing it

Reseachers have found that at least four times as many as those who have been diagnosed with celiac disease have it. Doctors and the public need to be more aware of the vaguer symptoms of this disease, they say.

What gives sick people hope?

When patients were asked where they find hope and strength, their answers surprised researchers.

Hard exercise and sleep deprivation could be bad news for the heart

Young men trained intensively with and without curtailed sleep. A new study shows that with too little sleep, they secreted more of a substance that is a biomarker for potential future heart disease. But the study has major weaknesses, says researcher Stein Ørn.

How likely is it that food can give you an autoimmune disease like diabetes, celiac disease or arthritis?

One popular explanation as to why there’s been a sharp increase in autoimmune diseases is changes in our diet. But diet is only one of many factors that can be important, according to a Norwegian researcher.

Adolescents living with pain experience more stress in everyday life

Norwegian researchers have looked more closely at young people's own experiences with pain.

Adults with ADHD have increased risk of obesity, epilepsy and a number of other diseases

Researcher believes new findings from ADHD research could be significant for treating the condition.

New medicine can stop autoimmune disease in mice

A new substance causes the immune system to stop attacking its own cells. An experiment with mice now shows that the drug prevented diseases similar to arthritis and type 1 diabetes.

Why do some people get restless legs?

Many people are unaware that they have a neurological disorder.

Fewer people used antibiotics, nasal sprays and cough syrup during the pandemic

This finding is probably due to the coronavirus measures, according to the chief physician at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Children who got narcolepsy after the swine flu vaccine struggle with obesity and depression

“This is a lifelong and serious disease,” one researcher says.

Twenty years of sequencing genes… for better or for worse

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: It’s been 20 years since the first draft sequence of the human genome was published in the journals Nature and Science. Sequencing 30 000 genes has changed the world, but in a different way than expected.

Yes, we can prevent future pandemics

OPINION: With new health threats perhaps just an airflight away, we need to ask how countries like Norway can contribute in the global effort to prevent future pandemics.

Surviving cancer in the Nordics: Norwegians with lung cancer live longer than in neighbouring countries, but are more likely to die from melanoma

While mortality due to melanoma has been stable in the rest of the Nordic countries, it has increased somewhat in Norway . “It’s important to go to the doctor early,” says Tom Børge Johannesen from the Cancer Registry of Norway.

«Pandemics affect women and men differently»

The history of and experiences from previous pandemics give us important information about how to handle today’s corona pandemic.

This method identified the sickest coronavirus patients best

Emergency rooms use different ways to determine which coronavirus patients will need intensive care the most. One method more accurately predicted which patients would be hardest hit, according to a new study.

When bathing was medicine:What can we learn from doctors who promoted sea bathing back in the day?

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, Norwegian doctors believed that salt stimulated the nerves and that cold water could boost a person’s metabolism.

Can an extreme low carb diet be used as medicine?

Several studies in recent years have suggested that the ketogenic diet may work against a variety of diseases, such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease and cancer.

Norwegian researchers have tested music therapy for chronic fatigue

Young people who developed chronic fatigue after having mononucleosis were treated using a combination of music therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy in a small Norwegian study. The results give no clear answers.

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is now legal for all pregnant women in Norway. But how does it actually work?

How can a mother's blood test reveal a chromosome defect in the foetus? Knowing how the test works also makes it easier to understand why it doesn't always give an accurate result.

The coronavirus pandemic is now the most-covered topic by the Norwegian media — ever

Over the past 70 years, cancer has been the disease that has been most widely covered by Norwegian media, with some exceptions. But then came the coronavirus.

People who work in open-plan or shared offices get sick more often

Employees in open-plan workspaces take more sick leave than those with their own offices. If you share an office with one or more colleagues, your risk of taking sick leave increases significantly, a new Norwegian study shows.

Nine per cent of Norwegians newly diagnosed with HIV have viruses with resistant mutations

Researchers have recently released the sixth annual Resistance against antivirals in Norway report. 2018 saw no cases of resistant viruses for influenza, hepatitis B or Herpes, but 9 per cent of newly diagnosed HIV cases had viruses with resistant mutations.

Breathing can affect the cleansing of the brain

Breathing rhythms affect how well spinal fluid flows in and around the brain, a new study shows. Cerebrospinal fluid plays an important role in flushing metabolic waste products from the brain. The finding may have an impact on brain diseases such as Alzheimer's.