Health

Late summer is still prime swimming season, but think twice before jumping into an inviting river, creek, lake, or pond. No matter how clear and refreshing they might look, these natural bodies of water might contain pathogens that are harmful to your health, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, and toxic algae. Before going into the water, check your local parks or health department website to see if any of your favorite swimmming holes are contaminated. It’s also a good idea to avoid warm, stagnant, brackish, or smelly water, and areas that are close to busy roads or downstream from farms. Finally, make a point not to swim after heavy rains to avoid dirty runoff from surrounding lands. With a little planning, your final swim days of the season will be as safe as they are fun.

Nature Medicine, Published online: 15 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41591-025-00052-6

Health consequences of forced displacements from Gaza

Nature Medicine, Published online: 15 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41591-025-03822-4

A phase 1/2 trial of dual-vector rAAVrh8 gene therapy for GM2 gangliosidosis, administered by bilateral intrathalamic, cisterna magna and intrathecal delivery found a dose-dependent biochemical correction of the disease.

Nature Medicine, Published online: 15 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41591-025-00050-8

A 2-year randomized study shows that a holistic lifestyle intervention — integrating diet and cardiovascular monitoring with physical, social and cognitive activities — can improve cognition in older adults at risk of dementia.

Nature Medicine, Published online: 14 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41591-025-03888-0

A large language model designed for health monitoring provides personalized sleep and fitness predictions, insights and advice.

Nature Medicine, Published online: 14 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41591-025-03875-5

In cohort B of the phase 2 SWOG S1512 trial, pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with unresectable desmoplastic melanoma elicited a complete response rate of 37% and an objective response rate of 89%, supporting a new treatment option for this tumor type.

Nature Medicine, Published online: 13 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41591-025-03880-8

A randomized controlled trial found no difference in paranoid ideations between virtual reality-based and gold-standard cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, in contrast to previous trials using wait-list or passive controls.

Nature Medicine, Published online: 13 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41591-025-03879-1

The menstrual cycle requires tight orchestration between the brain and body, and irregularities can be both the cause and the consequence of wide-ranging health issues. Embracing this complexity, instead of excluding individuals with irregular menstrual patterns from research, could reveal novel brain–body interactions, advance neuroscience and improve health outcomes for those affected.

Nature Medicine, Published online: 12 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41591-025-03872-8

Based on 337 human kidney and plasma samples, the authors generate the first kidney pQTL dataset and explore novel risk loci that are relevant for cardio-kidney-metabolic health.

Nature Medicine, Published online: 12 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41591-025-03866-6

A new study leverages powerful multi-omics techniques to analyze immune dysregulation in smoke-exposed individuals, offering crucial insights for the development of novel diagnostics and interventions.