asthma

The incidence of asthma and allergies are on the rise. In the United States alone, asthma rates have doubled since the 1980s. And, according to a recent article by the BBC, doctors once estimated 15 percent of the population had some type of allergy, but now believe the figure is closer to 40. More patients are also suffering from multiple allergies than ever before. The reason for this trend has been widely disputed, but a new study points the finger at a surprising culprit: lice.

They won't win any fashion contests, but the asthma victims taking part in a new study at the Georgia Tech Research Institute could help scientists learn more about the environmental triggers of wheezing attacks.