Pamela Moyers Scott, MPAS, PA-C

More than 100 strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) are known to exist, and more than 30 of them are sexually transmitted. HPV infection causes diseases ranging from common warts to invasive cervical cancer.

There has been a lot of attention in the media regarding the health benefits of chocolate. Consequently, many people are wondering if chocolate really is good for them. This is not an easy question to answer because the benefits are relative to the type of chocolate, the processing method used, and chocolate's complex structural components (387 separate chemical compounds and 800 different flavors and scents have been identified).

Osteoporosis is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, especially if it results in a hip fracture. Within the year following hip fracture, 12% to 20% of patients die, more than 30% have permanent disabilities, and more than 50% can never live independently again. Ten million Americans have osteoporosis, and an additional 18 million with osteopenia are at risk.

How do you know whether your patient's ear infection is due to a bacterium or a fungus? What are the different methods of treating these painful conditions? This comprehensive article has the answers.

News reports of medical advances in genetics are appearing in the lay press almost daily. These reports, coupled with women's fear of breast cancer, mean that more women are asking about screening for mutations.

Whole body scanning (WBS) can be defined as a noncontrast CT examination that scans from the mandible to the groin and does not involve any bowel preparation.

The first reason we have Physician Assistant Week is that it allows us to educate the public about our profession. We do this with newspaper articles; displays at medical facilities, community health fairs, and other events; radio interviews; and, occasionally, television interviews. PAs are our own best public education tool. When someone reads about us in the local newspaper, hears us on the radio or TV, or talks to us at community events, this generates more positive publicity for PAs than any national media campaign ever could.

Homocystinuria, an autosomal recessive disorder, is the second most treatable aminoacidopathy.1 Left untreated, it increases risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and stroke. Additionally, homocystinuria increases the risk for failure to thrive, mental retardation, seizure disorders, osteoporosis, ectopia lentis, fatty liver disease, and genu valgum.