Category: Public Health Topics

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a retrovirus originating from the chimpanzee Simian Immunodeficiency Virus ( SIV) that initially passed to humans  who were exposed to infected chimpanzee blood, while hunting them in central Africa, as early as in late 1800’s.

To put it simply, COPD is the result of long-term exposure and inhalation of harmful substances that lead to airway narrowing (or chronic bronchitis) and/or alveolar damage (emphysema).

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that mainly affect the respiratory system. The severity of illness they cause ranges from a common cold to very serious and even fatal respiratory infections. Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath and high fever, whereas in some severe cases and depending on the virus strain, pneumonia, severe acute respiratory...

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that mainly affect the respiratory system. The severity of illness they cause ranges from a common cold to very serious and even fatal respiratory infections. Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath and high fever, whereas in some severe cases and depending on the virus strain, pneumonia, severe acute respiratory...

12th of November has been established as World Pneumonia day since 2009 aiming to increase awareness on pneumonia, one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality especially in children and the elderly.   What is Pneumonia? Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs especially affecting the alveoli that fill with pus and fluid instead...

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the George D. Behrakis Research Lab is sharing some very important information on Breast Cancer.   Breast Cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. It is characterized by the presence of abnormal cells in the breast that grow and divide rapidly and uncontrollably and have the ability to...

The World Health Organization has included air pollution among the top ten threats to public health in 2019.   What is Air pollution?   Air pollution can be defined as the process of various pollutants being dispersed into the air which lead to harmful effects on all living organisms and the environment.1 Pollutants include ozone,...

Smoking, a classified disease, is the greatest epidemic of all time. Although smoking affects the whole body, the respiratory system is the point of entry and main target for the harmful effects of the noxious toxic substances inhaled through various tobacco products. Some of the main known tobacco-induced respiratory diseases include trachea, bronchus, lung cancers...