U.S. Hospitals Still Prescribe Too Many Antibiotics: Study

THURSDAY, June 15, 2017 -- About 20 percent of U.S. hospital patients who receive antibiotics experience side effects from the drugs, researchers report.

The new study included nearly 1,500 hospitalized adults who were prescribed antibiotics. The findings revealed that one-fifth of those who experienced antibiotic-related side effects didn't require the drugs in the first place.

'Good' Donor Bacteria Can Last Long Term in Stool Transplant Patients

FRIDAY, June 16, 2017 -- Researchers say their small study offers the first proof that therapeutic donor microbes remain for months or years in patients who've undergone stool transplants.

Medically known as "fecal microbiota transplantation" (FMT), the procedure is used to treat severe diarrhea and colitis caused by repeated Clostridium difficile infections, the researchers explained.

The Water's Not Fine: U.S. Pool-Linked Infection Doubles in 2 Years

THURSDAY, May 18, 2017 -- Families seeking to cool off don't expect to pick up a nasty infection. Yet, outbreaks of a diarrhea-causing parasitic infection have doubled in recent years at swimming pools and water playgrounds in the United States, health officials warn.

At least 32 outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis were reported in 2016, compared with 16 outbreaks in 2014, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Get Ready for Your 'Capsule Robot' Colon Cancer Check

MONDAY, May 8, 2017 -- Not looking forward to your next colonoscopy? Don't worry -- in the future, a tiny capsule less than an inch long may navigate your colon to check for cancer risk, scientists report.

Researchers at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center used magnets to guide the tethered "capsule robot" through a pig's colon.

Arthritis Drug Shows Promise for Ulcerative Colitis

WEDNESDAY, May 3, 2017 -- A new study finds that people with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis who haven't done well on other treatments may find relief with Xeljanz (tofacitinib), a drug currently used to treat arthritis.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. It affects about 700,000 Americans, according to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation (CCF).

Delay a Needed Colonoscopy at Your Own Risk

TUESDAY, April 25, 2017 -- People who wait too long to get a colonoscopy after a "positive" screening test for colon cancer may face a heightened risk of the disease, a new study finds.

The study asked a fundamental question: If a stool test suggests someone might have cancer, how long can someone safely wait to have a colonoscopy? Colonoscopy is a procedure that uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera on the end to allow your doctor to see inside your colon.