Is your destination Vegas? This story might gross you out. Health officials in Sin City confirm the presence of the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease was recently found in water samples from the Egyptian-themed hotel-casino following the death of a guest from the form of pneumonia. more ›

The first human cases of West Nile Virus in LA County this year have been confirmed by health officials. Both victims, described as "middle-aged males who have preexisting health conditions", have been hospitalized and are recovering, according to the Department of Public Health. more ›

While the issue of what to do with the known remaining caches of live smallpox was debated by the international health community this week, the Wall Street Journal took a look at a scab from 1876 after glove-wearing Feds swooped in to a Virginia museum to retrieve it, and the LA Times wondered aloud, "Could smallpox still be lurking in labs and museums?" more ›

When taking photos at the Playboy Mansion, be sure to tag yourself on Facebook so the health department will know to contact you in case of an outbreak. Turns out social media may be good for public health. more ›

Just when you thought it was safe to go to the hospital, or elderly care facility comes the SUPERBUG. This superbug happens to be a "deadly bacteria thought to be resistant to all known remedies." And it's here. In Los Angeles. The Daily Breeze explains that the superbug is technically "a multiresistant form of Klebsiella pneumoniae, also known as CRKP," which "was formally thought to be contained to the East Coast." Thanks a lot, East Coast! more ›

Apparently, all of our trainers, gyms, boot camps and hiking trails are for naught: recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ranked Los Angeles as the least healthy big city in the US. more ›

Utensils down, chefs! Do you know where that cheese was made? If you don't, you could be cooking with what the Los Angeles County Health Officer calls "a recipe for disaster," and that has zero to do with your culinary prowess. A press release issued by the county's Department of Public Health is warning consumers about dairy products, particularly "Latin American-style soft cheese and sour cream, purchased from unlicensed manufacturers or vendors," because they may be full of contaminants. more ›

As of yesterday morning, only 20 cases of Swine Flu have been reported in the US, with 7 of those cases in California. However, there have been no cases logged in either Los Angeles or Orange counties, and local officials want to get the word out that they are working to prevent the infection from spreading. more ›

It's hard to believe, but December 1, 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Today we come together as friends and family, as a city, as a state, as a country, and (most importantly) as a global community to educate and inform on the world AIDS epidemic. While others will (and should) debate the politics of this crisis, we here at the ScientIST feel it’s our duty to share some basic Health 101 behind the virus, transmission, and prevention. We turn to the experts at the Center for Disease Control for the latest in on-going research. more ›

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Now that it’s November and the fall is officially here LA-style (the rain this past weekend totally counts), we feel that it’s our ScientIST duty to gently put aside the upcoming holiday season to focus on YOU. To that end, we hope you’ll join us each Monday this month to discover ways to keep you healthy and sane through butter-laden pecan pies, overbearing relatives, and the seasonal flu. more ›