Reading Room
The reading room includes articles and videos of potential interest to consumers and medical professionals. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the NC Medical Board, its members, and staff. Note: Some links may require registration or subscription.
U.S. sees most single-year measles cases since it declared disease eliminated
STATNews
July 9, 2025
The United States has now recorded more confirmed measles cases this year than in any year in well over a quarter-century — and 2025 is only just past the halfway mark. On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the number of confirmed measles cases in the country had risen to 1,288, exceeding the 1,274 cases reported in 2019, to become the highest single-year total since the United States declared measles eliminated in 2000.
Want to make yourself less appealing to mosquitoes?
NPR
July 8, 2025
When it comes to preventing mosquito bites, many people turn to the obvious solutions: bug sprays or just staying indoors. But there are other effective, science-backed ways to keep those pesky mosquitoes at bay, some of which may surprise you. Sammy Ramsey, a professor of entomology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and Brian Byrd, a professor of environmental health sciences at Western Carolina University, share some of these tactics, which Life Kit has turned into a quiz.
How to find reliable sources of health information
Medical News Today
July 1, 2025
Access to balanced, credible, and inclusive health content from reliable sources allows people to make informed decisions about their health. This may also help people feel more confident going into discussions with their healthcare team. Avoiding misinformation online can be challenging due to the sheer amount of contradictory information available. Misinformation is false or misleading information that may deliberately aim to deceive people. There is no single way to confirm a site’s reliability. However, the following tips and advice can help a person evaluate an online source’s credibility.
