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.

Australia, which has been battling rising cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza since June, has reported its first H5 bird flu detection in a mammal in South Australia.

A seal found dead at Beachport, about 310 km (190 miles) south of Adelaide, was confirmed as the country’s first mammalian detection of H5 bird flu. The seal had no visible signs of injury. The authorities warned the virus could trigger more deaths among the species as it continues to spread.

Also Read: Eli Lilly’s Foundayo Launched In UK: Is the GLP-1 Pill Better Than Wegovy, Mounjaro?

Another suspected H5 detection has been reported in a long-nosed fur seal at Pages Conservation Park, a key breeding ground off Kangaroo Island. The case is yet to be confirmed. The site has also recorded a mass mortality event among birds.

“Once the H5 bird flu is spreading in the natural environment, it is not possible to avoid significant losses,” federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said.

H5 In Mammals: Are Humans Staring At A 'Catastrophic Pandemic'?

Also read: Australia’s H5N1 Detection Marks End Of Last Virus-Free Continent

H5N1 is a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza that can spread rapidly among poultry and wild bird populations, causing severe disease and high mortality rates in birds.

While human infections remain rare, they can occur through direct and unprotected contact with infected birds, animals, or contaminated environments.

Bird flu viruses generally do not spread easily among humans. Even when a rare bird-to-human jump occurs, the virus has so far not been able to spread efficiently from human to human because it is not well adapted to human cells.

Speaking to HealthandMe, Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, former President of IMA Cochin and Convener of the Research Cell, Kerala, shared that since H5 virus is primarily adapted to birds, the obvious concern is whether it can adapt to mammals.

While similar incidents globally in recent years are adding to the concern, he noted that infections in mammals show that the virus is taking steps towards infecting a wider range of living beings.

Although risks to humans continue to be low, Dr Rajeev said that it is vital to “keep a close watch on this evolution".

"If this virus hypothetically gains the ability to spread efficiently among human beings, we are looking at a catastrophic pandemic. What makes a human pandemic so devastating is that our immune systems have no prior exposure to this virus.”

He noted that among the isolated human cases reported worldwide, the death rate is typically 50% or higher.

"A typical scenario for a bird-to-man jump of the virus would be a child who comes into contact with a sick hen in the backyard, or a farmer who handles dead birds without precautions,” Dr Rajeev warned.

How Can H5 Bird Flu Be Prevented?

To prevent a future pandemic from this virus, the key thing will be to reduce opportunities for the virus to jump from birds to mammals—which is why mass culling of infected poultry remains a standard practice.

Health authorities recommend the following precautions:

• Avoid direct contact with sick or dead wild birds and other animals whenever possible.
• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) if handling sick or dead birds or animals is unavoidable.
• Avoid touching surfaces contaminated with bird droppings, saliva, mucus, litter, or bedding from infected or suspected animals.
• Do not consume raw milk or raw milk products, particularly from animals suspected or confirmed to be infected with avian influenza.
• Report sick or dead birds to local authorities if encountered.

Australia’s Response To H5 Bird Flu

Read More: Australia Reports More H5 Bird Flu Cases: Does It Have Pandemic Potential?

About 45% of Australia’s roughly 850 bird species are endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else on Earth, according to government data.

To protect these, Australia has announced vaccination for its vulnerable native birds.

“The priority species will be identified based on vulnerability to the H5 bird flu and the potential conservation impact,” Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said.

Three newborn babies died after a fire broke out inside the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Amravati District Women’s Hospital in Maharashtra early Monday, August 24.

The fire reportedly began around 3:15-3:30 am after a ventilator sparked or exploded, although the exact cause is yet to be known. The three infants died after suffering severe burns and smoke inhalation.

Around 39 newborns were receiving treatment in the NICU at the time. Doctors and other hospital staff rushed to evacuate the babies. Six critical infants were shifted to a nearby super-speciality hospital.

The incident has highlighted one of the most difficult challenges during a NICU fire, i.e., moving critically ill newborns without interrupting the life support they depend on.

Newborns On Ventilators Cannot Simply Be Evacuated

For a critically ill newborn, a ventilator may be continuously delivering carefully controlled oxygen and pressure to keep the lungs functioning.

Disconnecting the baby from the ventilator, even temporarily, can cause oxygen levels to fall rapidly, particularly in premature babies or those with severe respiratory distress. A baby may also be connected to several other devices at the same time, including:

• Intravenous lines delivering medicines or fluids
• Cardiac and oxygen monitors
• Feeding tubes
• Central or arterial lines
• Other respiratory-support equipment

Also read: Lindsay Clancy Trial: What Postpartum Psychosis Really Looks Like, From A Survivor

Babies On Ventilator Need Portable Life Support

In an emergency like fire, there may not be enough time or equipment to transfer every baby individually to a transport incubator. That creates a difficult balance between maintaining life support and getting the baby away from smoke, heat and flames as quickly as possible.

When a critically ill newborn has to be moved, medical teams may need to use transport ventilators or other portable equipment that supports respiration. Transport incubators may also provide a controlled environment while allowing a newborn to remain connected to essential monitoring and respiratory support.

Also read: New Mothers Are Turning To AI For Breastfeeding Advice; Experts Warn Of Hidden Risks

Smoke Is A Major Threat Inside A NICU

NICUs also contain multiple electrical devices and medical equipment operating continuously. Oxygenated environments can further fuel the severity of a fire, although oxygen itself does not burn.

Officials have ordered an investigation into the incident to establish exactly how the fire began and whether equipment failure or another factor was responsible. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a high-level inquiry. The tragedy comes amid renewed concerns about fire safety in neonatal units, where patients are among the most vulnerable in a hospital.

The incident demonstrates why NICU fire preparedness needs to account for patients who cannot walk, be carried normally or simply disconnected from machines and rushed outside.

Sunlight brings energy, positivity and vitamin D, but not for two-year-old Mollie Murray from Scotland, who has a rare genetic disorder that makes her “allergic” to the sun.

She is reportedly the only child in the UK known to be living with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), a condition that makes the skin extremely sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light.

The incurable disorder puts Mollie at risk of severe sun damage year-round. She can only safely go outside in protective full-length clothing or after dark.

“She burns all year round and has burnt in November before,” her mother, Kirsty Campbell, 35, a charge nurse, was quoted as saying to The Sun.

“Everyday life is difficult as she needs full protective outerwear for going outside and sun cream every two hours under her clothes.”

UV-Resistant Film Lets Mollie Play In Daylight

Now, thanks to the charity The Archie Foundation, UV-resistant film installed at Mollie’s home last month means she can play indoors during the day without the curtains being closed.

“It means she can do simple things like look outside for the postman or draw in daylight. My ex-partner was having to take playpark equipment into his house as it wasn’t safe outside. She’s so happy running around like a normal child,” her father, Ryan Murray, 34, said.

How Was Mollie Diagnosed?

Mollie was in and out of hospital from infancy with symptoms including seizures and severe reflux.

She first experienced severe sunburn on an overcast day in May 2025. It happened again two months later, eventually leading to her diagnosis with XPF.

Doctors have advised that Mollie is 10,000 times more likely to develop skin cancer than other children. Campbell also uses a UV monitor to check readings in every room and ensure it is safe for Mollie.

The Sun said that her family has been told she may develop neurological impairment and mobility problems in her 40s and 50s, but that she should have a relatively normal childhood.

What Is Xeroderma Pigmentosum?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) describes XP as a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder marked by extreme sensitivity to UV radiation, changes in skin pigmentation, skin cancer and, in some cases, neurological problems.

The condition usually appears in early childhood and significantly increases the risk of skin cancer.

XP affects roughly one in a million people in the US and Europe, although it is more common in some other parts of the world.

XP itself is not cancer, but it can increase the risk of skin cancer by thousands of times. Other cancers may also be more common in people with the condition.

XP is caused by mutations in specific genes that affect the body’s ability to repair UV-induced DNA damage. It is inherited from parents.

Symptoms Of Xeroderma Pigmentosum

• Skin: Severe sunburn even after brief UV exposure, dry or thin skin, early freckles, changes in skin colour, fragile skin and precancerous growths such as actinic keratoses.
• Eyes: Dryness, irritation, light sensitivity and corneal damage, which can potentially lead to vision loss.
• Neurological: Some people may develop difficulty swallowing, loss of reflexes, problems controlling muscles, cognitive decline and hearing loss.

How Is XP Diagnosed And Treated?

XP can be diagnosed through specialised laboratory tests, including studies of cellular sensitivity to UV radiation, chromosomal breakage, complementation studies and gene sequencing.

But there is currently no cure for XP. Management focuses on avoiding UV exposure, monitoring for complications and treating symptoms.

How Mollie’s Family Is Protecting Her

For Mollie’s family, the priority is to protect her while allowing her to experience as much normality as possible. The UV-resistant film has made a small but significant difference, allowing her to look outside, draw in daylight and play indoors without keeping the curtains closed.

Mollie’s family hopes to give her the highest possible quality of life while keeping her safe.