News

According to a team of Penn State entomologists, biopesticides -- naturally occurring microorganisms -- might provide an answer to the bed bug problem. Bed bugs need blood meals for growth and development throughout their life cycle. Increased travel, widespread insecticide resistance and changes in management practices have caused a resurgence in those insects throughout North America and Europe. Compounding the problem are concerns about the safety of using traditional chemicals in the domestic environment.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are helping deployed American troops protect themselves against sand flies, which are major pests in Afghanistan, Africa and the Middle East.

While absolute perfection in manufacturing can be difficult to come by, efforts are being made by healthcare-product manufacturers to ensure that the impervious gowns and surgical drapes that healthcare workers count on are indeed providing the anticipated level of barrier protection.

Under the Budget Control Act, most Federal programs face an across-the-board cut in January 2013 if Congress does not enact a plan before then to reduce the national debt by $1.2 trillion. This inaction, and the resulting sequestration, has serious consequences for public health agencies and public health departments.