Experiencing severe respiratory infections during the first trimester of pregnancy triples the risk of some cardiovascular defects at birth, a UNSW Sydney study has found.
Whooping cough bacteria are becoming smarter at colonising and feeding off unwitting hosts, strengthening calls for a new vaccine, according to UNSW researchers.
Face masks are a cheap, effective public health "frontline" against epidemics such as swine flu, UNSW infectious disease expert Professor Raina MacIntyre says.
