Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

US FDA approves Asahi Kasei's ​drug for persistent herpes infections

The US FDA on Friday ​approved Japan's Asahi Kasei's drug for persistent herpes ‌simplex ​virus sores in certain patients with weakened immune systems who have not responded to available antiviral treatments. The oral drug, called pritelivir, was developed by German drugmaker Aicuris, which Asahi ‌Kasei acquired in April

Pope Leo says he will undergo surgery for small growth on lung

Pope Leo said on Sunday that doctors had detected a small growth on his lung during a recent health check and he would be undergoing surgery this week to remove it, ‌in the first health scare of the 71-year-old pontiff's tenure. Leo told pilgrims in St. Peter's Square for his weekly Sunday ‌prayer that the growth was "well-contained" and had been spotted early.

WHO unsure what caused pneumonia that killed plague-lab worker in Russia

The World Health Organization said on Saturday that it still does not know what caused the pneumonia that killed a Russian lab worker at an anti-plague research center in Siberia this month, and ⁠that no ​case of plague had been ⁠registered. The WHO said the Russian state regulator reported that tests of the lab worker and those who came in contact with her were negative for the high-threat ⁠pathogens tested, that her contacts still showed no symptoms, and that no further linked cases of severe pneumonia had been identified.

US measles cases ​rise to 4,080, CDC says

The US CDC on Friday reported 4,080 confirmed measles cases in the country as of ⁠October 8, up 193 from a week earlier. Here are key details:

Health Rounds: Blindness treatment based on Nobel-winning research shows promise

It's Nobel Prize season and today ⁠we ​feature promising early results of a novel technique for treating blindness that made Nobel laureates of three scientists this week. We also report on two studies comparing treatment options presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology meeting. NOBEL-WINNING THERAPY SHOWS EARLY PROMISE ⁠IN BLIND PATIENTS

Philips wins Dutch court battle with shareholders over recall

A Dutch court on Saturday dismissed demands by shareholders of health ⁠technology company Philips for an ⁠investigation into allegations of misleading disclosures and management failures linked to the company's recall of sleep apnea devices. A large group of shareholders had demanded a court inquiry, as they said Philips executives ‌had responded too ‌late to the problems that led to the massive recall and ​had failed to adequately inform investors.