Low-dose CT chest scans could help detect pneumonia in at-risk patients while exposing them to only small amounts of radiation, a new study has found. The research, published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, shows that ultra-low-dose scans can effectively detect pneumonia in patients with compromised immune systems, enabling doctors to treat the infection before it becomes life-threatening. According to the researchers, these scans expose patients to just 2% of the radiation dose used in a standard CT scan.

"This study paves the way for safer, AI-driven imaging that reduces radiation exposure while preserving diagnostic accuracy,” lead researcher Dr Maximiliano Klug, a radiologist with the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, said in a news release. He added that CT scans are the gold standard for detecting pneumonia but there are concerns regarding the risk posed by repeated exposure to radiation. There is a solution- ultra-low-dose CT scan. However, the problem is that these scans can be grainy and hard to read, researchers said.

Study Gives Solution To This

To overcome that, Klug's team developed an AI program that could help "de-noise" low-dose scans, making them sharper and easier to read. Between September 2020 and December 2022, 54 patients with compromised immune systems who had fevers underwent a pair of chest CT scans -- a normal dose scan and an ultra-low-dose scan. The AI program cleaned up the low-dose scan, and then both sets of images were given to a pair of radiologists for assessment. Radiologists had 100% accuracy in detecting pneumonia and other lung problems with the AI-cleaned low-dose scans, but 91% to 98% accuracy in examining the scans that hadn’t been improved through AI, results show.

"This pilot study identified infection with a fraction of the radiation dose," Klug said. "This approach could drive larger studies and ultimately reshape clinical guidelines, making denoised ultra-low dose CT the new standard for young immunocompromised patients.

How Can You Detect Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill with fluid or pus and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. The symptoms can range from milk to severe, which includes:

Coughing with or without cough

Fever

Chills

Trouble breathing

Chest pain, especially when breathing deeply or coughing

Sweating or chills

Rapid heart rate

Loss of appetite

Bluish skin, lips, and nails

Confusion.

How to detect Pneumonia in coughing newborns and toddlers?

Pneumonia can severely affect newborns and young children as their lungs are comparatively more sensitive. As per Dr Goyal, young children can cough for various reasons including seasonal infections and tonsillitis, which is very common in this age group. But if they look visibly irritable and have poor sleep patterns, then parents must reach out to an expert. "I am not saying that parents must visit a hospital but any local paediatrician would be able to detect pneumonia in your kid.

Two more children from Rajasthan's Salumbar district have fallen victim to the mysterious illness that officials now suspect to be viral encephalitis.

Since April 1, six children have died, including Deepak Meena (4), Seema (4), a one-year-old unidentified girl from Simor village, Laxman Meena (4), Kajal Meena (2), and Rahul Meena (4), within one or two hours of showing similar symptoms.

Also Read: Former US Senator Ben Sasse Opens Up About Battle With Terminal Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer

According to health department officials, Raunak Ved (4) and Divyansh (2) were taken to a hospital on Wednesday evening after they developed high fever and vomiting.

“Soon after reaching the hospital, the doctor declared both of them dead. Although their symptoms were quite similar to those of the previous six cases, there were some differences in the pattern. It could be some different health issue, but we have yet to ascertain that. We have collected their samples and sent them for testing,” Salumber’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), Mahendra Parmar, said.

With the additional cases, the death toll has gone up to 7 toddlers in Ghata and Lalpura villages.

Speaking to the media, Salumber’s district collector, Muhammed Junaid, said that two teams from the health department have been monitoring the situation constantly for the last few days.

“They have collected blood, stool, and saliva samples from children with suspected symptoms. Their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. We suspect it could be a kind of viral encephalitis, but we are yet to get the test report from NIV,” Junaid said.

All children reportedly experienced a sudden onset of fever that worsens rapidly, and claimed the lives of children within 24 hours.

The Health officials noted that at least 85 children were hospitalized with similar symptoms.

“The survey was conducted in 120,961 houses across the Udaipur division, during which over 940 children were found with similar symptoms. At least 75 of them were taken to a hospital. Anti-larval activity has also been carried out in 5,532 places after medical teams suspected viral encephalitis,” Junaid said.

What Is Encephalitis?

Encephalitis is the inflammation of the brain, caused by viral or bacterial infections, or by immune cells mistakenly attacking the brain.

People with encephalitis often show mild flu-like symptoms such as

• fever,
• fatigue,
• headache,
• body aches,
• confusion,
• seizures,
• changes in behavior or personality.

Types of Encephalitis

• Viral or Infectious Encephalitis: It is the most common type of encephalitis that is caused by various viruses, including the West Nile virus, herpes simplex virus, Epstein-Barr virus, or varicella zoster virus. An individual may experience symptoms ranging from mild flu-like illness to severe neurological problems.

• Autoimmune Encephalitis: This is a rare condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the brain cells due to a tumour or infection. While symptoms can vary widely, signs may include cognitive impairment, behavioural changes, and seizures.

• Bacterial or Fungal Encephalitis: While this type of encephalitis is less common, it can be life-threatening, especially for individuals with compromised immune systems. It may occur due to a complication caused by some other infections, such as meningitis. Symptoms can include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, confusion, and seizures.

How To Prevent?

The risk of getting encephalitis can be reduced by protecting oneself from mosquito bites and staying up-to-date with vaccinations.

One must ensure getting vaccinated against mumps, chickenpox, measles, and rubella. The one-and-done vaccination, MMR vaccinations are given to people early in their childhood.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has issued a warning about a surge in cases of flea-borne typhus, a bacterial infection transmitted by infected fleas, which are often carried by animals such as rats and cats.

In 2025, 220 cases were identified — the highest-ever recorded — with nearly 9 out of 10 requiring hospitalization.

Also Read: Encephalitis Alert In Rajasthan As Mystery Disease Claims 2 More Young Lives

While the disease needs more awareness and urgent prevention, the flea-borne typhus is treatable with antibiotics, especially when diagnosed early.

“Flea-borne typhus can cause serious illness, but it is preventable with simple steps,” said Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County Health Officer, in an official statement.

“With cases at an all-time high and most requiring hospitalization, it’s critical that people take simple steps now, such as routinely using flea control on their pets, avoiding contact with stray animals, and preventing wildlife from living in or around their homes,” Davis said.

The officials noted that people are often exposed in and around their homes when infected fleas are carried indoors on pets or other animals. Fleas that spread typhus are commonly found on stray animals, rodents, and other wildlife such as opossums.

The statement said that cases have been reported across Los Angeles County, including three localized outbreaks investigated in 2025 in Central Los Angeles City, the City of Santa Monica, and the unincorporated neighborhood of Willowbrook in South LA County.

“This marks a continued rise from 187 cases in 2024 and reflects a sustained upward trend in recent years,” it added.

Also read: Former US Senator Ben Sasse Opens Up About Battle With Terminal Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer

Flea-borne Typhus: Symptoms and Treatment

Typhus is an acute febrile bacterial infection caused by Rickettsia Typhi bacteria, which is spread by infected fleas.

Because animals carrying infected fleas often appear healthy, people may not realize they are at risk.

Pets that spend time outdoors can carry fleas into homes and expose household members. People can also become infected through bites or feces of infected fleas, lice, or mites.

However, the flea-borne typhus is not spread from person to person.

The three main types—Epidemic, Murine, and Scrub typhus—all share common symptoms like high fever, headache, and rash.

Other symptoms of flea-borne typhus can include

• body aches
• muscle pain,
• nausea,
• vomiting.

"Some patients can develop severe illnesses in which multiple organ systems can be involved and really can result in death as well," said Medical Epidemiologist Dr. Aiman Halai with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, ABC7 reported.

Flea-borne typhus is treatable with antibiotics, and early diagnosis helps prevent severe illness and hospitalization.

The public health department in Los Angeles urged people to:

• Protect pets: Use flea control year-round
• Avoid stray animals: Don’t feed or handle them
• Keep wildlife out: Secure trash and block entry and hiding points.

In a significant move for public health, Telangana has declared cancer as a notifiable disease and launched a cancer registry.

The state reports about 55,000 to 60,000 new cancer cases every year.

A cancer registry would help the government in having accurate data for preparing better plans to deal with the spread of cancer, said the state Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha.

He noted that the state government has expanded healthcare to treat cancer by establishing Day Care Cancer Centers in district headquarters towns. Further, the government is conducting health checks for 46 lakh members of women self-help groups (SHGs).

In addition, the government would also start Regional Cancer Centers and take measures to detect diseases like cancer through AI.

Is Cancer A Notifiable Disease In India?

A notifiable disease means that it is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The mandatory reporting facilitates surveillance, helps control.

Cancer is not currently a centrally mandated notifiable disease across all of India, as the central government focuses on surveillance through the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP). The NCRP was established in 1981 under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

However, over 17 states and UTs in India have declared cancer a notifiable disease to improve data, registry accuracy, and early detection.

Also read: Cancer Is The 10th Leading Cause Of Death In Indian Children: Study

India operates two primary types of cancer registries to monitor the disease burden:

• Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs): These collect data on all new cancer cases and mortality within a specific geographic area. Nearly 40 PBCRs are covering approximately 16.4 percent of India's population.

• Hospital-Based Cancer Registries (HBCRs) record information on patients diagnosed or treated at specific hospitals. There are currently over 269 HBCRs across the country.

“Cancer is emerging as a major public health problem in India. There is a need to collect accurate and robust data on cancer for planning optimal cancer care services across the country,” Dr (Prof) SVS Deo, Chairman – Surgical Oncology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, told HealthandMe.

The Role Of A Cancer Registry

Dr. Raghav Kesri, Senior Consultant & HOD, Medical Oncology, Yatharth Hospital, Greater Noida, said that cancer registration is significant in determining the types of cancers that are most common in a certain region.

It also allows us to pinpoint the risk factors that might contribute to the increasing number of cancer cases. In India, there are cancer registrations conducted by individual states and the country as a whole.

“These statistics allow us to analyze the trend when coupled with demographics, giving us important information to consider. This is critical knowledge to ensure that we go in the right direction in our health policies, including cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment,” Kesri told HealthandMe.

How To Prevent Cancers

Also read: Are Young Indians At Risk? The Rising Burden Of Early-Onset Cancers

Approximately 60 percent of cancers in India are preventable, including tobacco-related (lung and head and neck cancers), infection-related (stomach, liver, and cervical cancer), and lifestyle-related cancers (breast and colorectal cancers).

Common ways to prevent cancer include:

• Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables
• Avoiding alcohol
• Quit smoking
• Avoiding tobacco consumption
• Stay physically active
• Maintain healthy weight.