Scratching isn’t just a bad habit — it’s an immune defense mechanism. While it fuels inflammation, it also helps fight ...

Mice that were free to scratch their itchy ears saw the number of immune cells go up and levels of infection-causing bacteria decline ...

New research uncovers the dual nature of scratching an itch; although it can worsen skin inflammation, it can also boost ...

Zika virus hijacks the skin of its human host to send out chemical signals that lure more mosquitoes to infect and spread the ...

Scratching an itch can bring a contradictory wave of pleasure and misery. A mouse study on scratching, reported in the Jan. 31 Science, fleshes out this ...