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February 13, 2013 Until now, a new SARS-like virus showed little signs of being contagious. Only 10 cases have been reported, and all appeared to originate in the Middle East. Health officials now say a British resident likely caught the virus from a family member in the U.K., indicating that the virus can spread between people.

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February 12, 2013 The world is close to wiping out polio, as the number of new cases is at an all-time low. But recent violence against polio vaccinators threatens to reverse this progress. Recently, gunmen killed nine polio vaccinators in Nigeria, mirroring attacks in Pakistan in December.

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February 10, 2013 Chagas' disease, which is transmitted by the "kissing bug," occurs mainly in Latin America. But the illness is on the rise in the U.S. Health economists now estimate that Chagas costs the world about $7 billion annually, which is more than the cost of cervical cancer or cholera.

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February 7, 2013 Money to fight HIV and tuberculosis worldwide went through a huge growth in the early 2000s. But donations have plateaued in the past few years, economists say, as governments tighten their budgets. The U.S. is still the biggest contributor to global health, giving about $10 billion in 2010.

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February 6, 2013 Thousands of kids have been exposed to toxic levels of lead around illegal gold mines in northern Nigeria. After months of delay, the Nigerian government has released money to clean up the lead in these areas.

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February 5, 2013 Researchers are using data from Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social media sites. There are, however, questions about the accuracy of the reports coming from Syria.

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February 4, 2013 A study in South Africa finds that an experimental vaccine against TB didn't help protect infants very much against either infection with TB or development of disease. The results were a setback, but researchers say the field remains promising.

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February 1, 2013 Drug-resistant tuberculosis is on the rise worldwide, but identifying the disease has been difficult and time-consuming. Touted as a "game changer" in the fight against TB, a new tool cuts diagnostic times from weeks to hours and doesn't require a lab.

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January 30, 2013 The bacteria that live in humans' guts influence weight gain and health. By studying twins in Malawi, scientists have found that changes in this microbial community may also turn malnutrition into a fatal condition.

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January 29, 2013 That famous stiff upper lip has carried the Brits through tough times, but it can be a risky trait when it comes to health. An international survey finds the British often delay seeking help for serious symptoms of cancer because they're embarrassed or worried about wasting the doctor's time.

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January 24, 2013 To help the an indigenous community in Central America preserve their culture and traditions, journalism students have built a website exploring how the tribe uses medicinal plants to treat everything from a cold and sunburns to cancer.

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January 23, 2013 After researchers created versions of the bird flu virus that could spread more easily, critics began to worry that the work could spawn a pandemic if a virus escaped from the lab. After halting their work for more than a year, scientists now say the benefits outweigh the risks, and they are set to restart their experiments.

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January 20, 2013 For years, British environmental activist Mark Lynas vandalized genetically modified food crops. Then, he had a change of heart. He went in front of the world to reverse his position, telling the anti-GMO lobby to "get out of the way and let the rest of us get on with feeding the world sustainably."

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January 19, 2013 After a decades-long campaign, Guinea worm remains in only four countries, and eradication is in sight. But health workers say that recent violence in Mali is hindering efforts to stamp out the last few cases there.

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