THURSDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- In experiments with mice, U.S. researchers have discovered why viral infections have more severe consequences in smokers than in nonsmokers. For example, smokers with influenza are more likely to die than nonsmokers with influenza.

The Yale University School of Medicine team found that a combination of cigarette smoke and compounds that mimic viral components caused more severe airway damage in a mouse model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than the compounds that mimic viral components alone.

According to the U.S. government, adults who skip their immunizations for a number of ailments including whooping cough and influenza are creating a health crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 2.1% of adults aged 18 to 64 are immunized against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough, even though since 2006 there has been a combination vaccine that can protect against all three. (Source: WSJ)

The result could be a national push to get doctors to check immunization charts of their adult patients in much the same way they would for those under 18.

I never enjoyed my history classes, as they were filled with memorizing names (mostly men's), obscure dates and battle fields. However, I do remember learning about the bubonic plague and cholera in my public health classes (which was interesting to me), and these are only two of the twelve diseases that are discussed in the book, "Twelve Diseases That Changed Our World" (by Irwin Sherman).

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, Feb. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Widespread flu activity now exists in virtually every state, and many of the infections are being caused by some strains not covered by this year's influenza vaccine, U.S. health officials said Friday.