There are 13 article(s) tagged Infectious Disease:

• September 2025

  • Memphis school students diagnosed with highly contagious, viral illness

    Memphis-Shelby County Schools said several cases of the disease were confirmed at Sherwood Elementary.

    By Aisling Mäki September 05, 2025

• August 2025

  • Lyme disease unlikely in Memphis, but be aware of other tick-borne illnesses

    Most local cases of Lyme disease result from travel to other parts of the country where the illness is endemic. But Mid-Southerners do need to be aware of several other tick-borne illnesses that can be contracted locally. 

    By Aisling Mäki August 04, 2025

• April 2025

  • Shelby County makes at-home HIV testing available to all residents

    Shelby County Health Department’s new pilot program will allow all county residents aged 14 and up to order a free, at-home HIV testing kit once every six months. 

    By Aisling Mäki April 16, 2025

  • Measles case was a false alarm

    Two weeks after announcing the first local case of measles, the Shelby County Health Department announced it has determined it not to be measles.

    By Aisling Mäki April 08, 2025

  • Whooping cough case confirmed in Memphis

    Whooping cough, or pertussis, has been on the rise nationally in recent years, and Shelby County has reported five cases so far in 2025. 

    By Aisling Mäki April 07, 2025

• March 2025

  • Tennessee confirms its first measles case

    Amid a national measles outbreak, the Tennessee Department of Health says a Middle Tennessee resident is the state’s first confirmed measles case this year. 

    By Aisling Mäki March 21, 2025

• September 2024

  • Tennessee confirms first measles case since 2019

    Health officials in Kentucky and Tennessee are working together to evaluate exposures to the measles. 

    By Aisling Mäki September 12, 2024

• August 2024

  • Memphis researchers lead the fight against dangerous fungi

    With fungal infections on the rise and becoming more resistant to treatments, Dr. Brian Peters leads a research lab at UTHSC that is at the forefront of the fight against dangerous fungi.

    By Aisling Mäki August 05, 2024

• July 2024

  • Amid nationwide decline, Memphis stays an HIV hotspot

    Shelby County ranks second nationally with new HIV infections, behind Miami. Tennessee Department of Health estimates show HIV rates in Shelby County have increased 36% overall since 2018, while new cases among people ages 15-19 have risen 40%.

    By Aisling Mäki July 30, 2024

  • Stigma, limited sex ed contribute to teen HIV uptick in Shelby County

    Chris Sinnock, a social worker at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, cites bias against condoms and dating apps as two of the elements contributing to the spread of HIV.

    By Aisling Mäki July 29, 2024

• August 2023

  • Shelby County reports this year’s first human case of West Nile virus in Tennessee

    Most cases of West Nile virus, which is spread by infected mosquitos, cause no symptoms and go undetected. But it can cause serious illness and death.

    By Aisling Mäki August 01, 2023

• April 2020

  • The Extra Podcast: Dr. Stephen Threlkeld on the impact of coronavirus on the Memphis area

    The Daily Memphian's Eric Barnes talks to infections disease expert Dr. Stephen Threlkeld about COVID-19 and its impact on Shelby County.

    By Eric Barnes April 21, 2020

• February 2020

  • Epidemiologist: Why I fear the coronavirus COVID-19

    COVID-19 is both highly infectious and mildly to moderately lethal, similar to the 1918 influenza pandemic that infected nearly a quarter of the world population.

    By Manoj Jain February 19, 2020