Cold and flu viruses can live on surfaces for a few hours to days. Hard surfaces, like stainless steel and plastic, can keep viruses infectious longer. Viruses can spread through respiratory droplets ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about health and U.K. health policy. Although it's often thought of as a disease of the past, tuberculosis is still found ...

Bacteremia, or blood poisoning, occurs when bacteria overcome the body's immune defenses. Bacteremia can worsen into sepsis, a condition that accounts for more than 1 in 3 hospital deaths per year.

Bacteria that rarely tumble are likely to get trapped by obstacles, slowing dispersion. Bacteria that tumble frequently often “retrace their steps,” also slowing dispersion. Dispersion is maximized by ...

Scientists have uncovered a surprising twist in how bacteria share genes—including those that spread antibiotic resistance.