Growing numbers of West Nile virus infection cases, fueled by climate change, are sparking fears among citizens and healthcare providers in Europe. A Clinical Insight in the European Journal of Internal Medicine, published by Elsevier, aims to raise awareness and equip medical professionals with the knowledge needed to recognize and manage this emerging disease to avoid further spread and serious health consequences, especially for vulnerable individuals.

The year 2024 broke several temperature records: it was the hottest ever recorded, and its summer was also the warmest to date. A study published in Nature Medicine has estimated that 62,775 heat-related deaths occurred in Europe between 1 June and 30 September of that year. These mortality figures are 23.6% higher than the approximately 50,800 estimated for the summer of 2023, and 8.1% lower than the nearly 67,900 estimated for the summer of 2022. 

About The Study: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, an increase in alcohol consumption per capita was associated with an increase in the suicide mortality rate at the population level and that the association was similar across sexes. As such, alcohol consumption per capita may be a useful target to consider within comprehensive national suicide prevention strategies.

About The Study: The findings of this study underscore the need for routine and consistent screening, monitoring, and treatment of perinatal depression and anxiety. Women who received mental health services had faster reductions in depression over time, highlighting the potential impact for scalable and efficacious interventions during this critical period.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a dangerous malformation of the lungs and diaphragm that causes almost a third of affected babies to die from underdeveloped lungs. So far, there have been no concrete options for treating this malformation with medication. Now, in an international study, paediatric scientists at the University of Leipzig Medical Center have shown that inflammatory cells play a previously underestimated role in the underdeveloped lungs of children with diaphragmatic hernia – both before and after birth. The findings lay the foundation for potential new treatment approaches and have been published in the renowned American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.