Nearly 100 people aboard Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas contracted norovirus during a two-week voyage from San Diego to Miami, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

The highly contagious gastrointestinal illness affected 94 of the 1,874 passengers, with four crew members also reporting symptoms. The ship docked at PortMiami early Thursday.

Norovirus is the most common cause of diarrhea and vomiting, and foodborne illness in the United States, leading to sudden vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain, according to the CDC. It recommends regular hand washing with soap and water over hand sanitizer alone for prevention.

The outbreak began a few days after the ship's stop in Mexico. Passenger Joshua Pettit and his father, Bob, were among those who fell ill. In an interview with CBS News, Joshua recalled the sudden, violent nature of the illness and how it affected his father.

"Saturday night after dinner he started to feel nauseous. And it came out of him very suddenly," Joshua recalled. "We were at a lounge. And he threw up before he could even get into the bathroom in the lounge. So it just comes that quick." His father, Bob, added, "It's very fast. Violently."

Bob Pettit was given medication and placed in isolation within his stateroom, a standard protocol to prevent further spread of the virus.

The ship's crew quickly ramped up safety measures, like serving passengers at the buffet instead of allowing them to serve themselves, Joshua Pettit said.

Beyond the dining hall, the cleaning efforts intensified across the vessel.

"It's fairly normal to see someone always cleaning on a cruise ship," Joshua noted. "But now we're seeing four to six people fanatically wiping every handrail, chair, when someone would get up. Wiping the arms. They had been doing all the handles in the hallway. Tables, anything anybody touches, they're out in full force."

Norovirus outbreaks are common on cruise ships and often begin when a single infected person boards the vessel. Dr. Aileen Marty, an infectious disease professor at Florida International University in Miami, said rapid fluid loss is the primary concern.

"You're going to be losing fluids up and down. And that lead due to a situation where you can become severely dehydrated," she said. This fluid loss can be particularly serious for those with compromised immune systems, the very old, or infants, Marty added.

Royal Caribbean reported the outbreak to the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) on Sept. 28.

The CDC defines an outbreak as an instance where 3% or more of a ship's passengers or crew report gastrointestinal illness symptoms, a threshold easily exceeded on the Serenade of the Seas.

The company implemented its outbreak response plan, which included isolating the sick, extensive disinfection and collecting samples for testing.

The CDC is monitoring the situation and reviewing the ship's procedures remotely. This marks the year's second norovirus outbreak for Royal Caribbean, following a similar one on the Navigator of the Seas in July.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more information on norovirus prevention and symptoms.

SOURCES: CBS News, Oct. 2, 2025

The study of ancient diseases has rapidly evolved from educated guesswork into a rigorous scientific field, thanks to advances in paleopathology, ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis, and biomolecular archaeology. Through these methods, scientists have uncovered concrete evidence of infectious diseases that afflicted prehistoric hominids and early humans long before recorded history. Far from being a modern phenomenon, disease has been a constant companion throughout human evolution.

One of the earliest confirmed cases of infectious disease in the hominid fossil record comes from a 500,000-year-old Homo erectus specimen found in Turkey, which shows skeletal lesions consistent with brucellosis-a bacterial zoonotic disease that today is transmitted through unpasteurized dairy or contact with infected animals. This is one of the oldest direct pieces of evidence suggesting that early hominids contracted zoonotic infections, likely from their close interactions with wild animals and scavenged carcasses. The discovery fundamentally supports the idea that cross-species disease transmission predates agriculture by hundreds of thousands of years.

Tuberculosis (TB) also has ancient roots. In a particularly well-studied case from a 9,000-year-old Neolithic site in the Eastern Mediterranean, researchers found human skeletal remains with characteristic spinal deformities linked to Pott's disease, a form of TB. Molecular testing confirmed the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex DNA, making this one of the earliest validated cases of TB in humans. The discovery challenges previous assumptions that TB emerged after animal domestication and instead suggests a much older, possibly pre-agricultural, human-pathogen relationship.

Even more striking is the genetic evidence showing that the tuberculosis pathogen predates Homo sapiens. Molecular clock analyses estimate that Mycobacterium tuberculosis could have co-evolved with human ancestors in Africa over 70,000 years ago. This finding indicates that TB was likely circulating in small, mobile populations of prehistoric humans and their hominid relatives long before the advent of settled farming communities, contradicting the earlier model that population density was necessary for its survival.

In recent years, scientists have also uncovered direct evidence of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for plague, in ancient human remains from the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age periods, dating back over 5,000 years. Genome sequencing from these remains, found across Europe and Siberia, revealed early strains of plague that lacked the flea-borne transmission gene (ymt), indicating that these early epidemics likely spread through respiratory droplets rather than flea bites. These discoveries not only push the timeline of plague emergence back several millennia but also suggest that its method of transmission and virulence have significantly evolved over time.

Further supporting the widespread impact of plague in prehistory, a large study in Scandinavia analyzed DNA from 108 individuals and found that nearly 17% were infected with Y. pestis at the time of their death. This aligns with archaeological evidence of sudden, large-scale population declines during this period. The correlation strongly suggests that epidemic disease played a key role in shaping prehistoric population dynamics and could have contributed to the Neolithic population collapse in northern Europe.

Beyond bacterial infections, paleogenetic studies have also shed light on ancient treponemal diseases-caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, which includes modern syphilis, yaws, and bejel. Ancient DNA from skeletal remains in the Americas, some dating back 9,000 years, confirmed the presence of treponemal infection, supporting the idea that these diseases were circulating in pre-contact populations. The genetic diversity of these strains indicates that treponemal disease was already well-established in human populations long before the age of transatlantic exploration.

The parasite story is also embedded in our evolutionary past. Genetic analysis of lice suggests that pubic lice jumped to our human ancestors from gorillas roughly 3.3 million years ago. This transfer likely occurred when early hominids began using gorilla nesting areas or interacting with carcasses, providing the ecological bridge for this parasite shift. These lice, which are genetically distinct from head lice, serve as a surprising but reliable evolutionary marker of early human-parasite interaction.

Additional findings from ancient coprolites (fossilized feces) have identified intestinal parasites, including whipworms and roundworms, in prehistoric humans and hominids. Some of these samples date back over 7,000 years and confirm that parasitic infections were endemic in early populations. The discovery of these parasites across geographically diverse prehistoric sites suggests that ancient humans were chronically exposed to these infections regardless of location.

Further evidence of chronic disease in prehistory comes from the widespread presence of skeletal markers such as periostitis and osteomyelitis in early human remains. These conditions, indicative of long-standing infections, show that early humans suffered from bacterial invasions that sometimes spread systemically. In many cases, these individuals survived for extended periods with clear signs of healing, indicating that prehistoric humans had sufficient immune resilience to withstand severe infections even in the absence of modern medical care.

Recent molecular studies of ancient oral microbiomes extracted from dental calculus have also identified DNA from periodontal pathogens, respiratory bacteria, and even antibiotic-resistance genes in prehistoric remains. These findings suggest that pathogenic oral flora, and even microbial resistance traits, have been circulating in human populations for far longer than previously believed.

What all of this data makes abundantly clear is that infectious diseases are not a modern construct born of agriculture or urbanization. Pathogens were already part of the prehistoric human story, shaping genetic susceptibilities, immune system adaptations, and possibly even social behaviors. These discoveries fundamentally challenge the notion that disease was a consequence of sedentary living alone-disease has always been with us.References

• Dudar JC, et al. "Evidence of Brucellosis in a Middle Pleistocene Hominid from Turkey." American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
• Hershkovitz I, et al. "Detection and Molecular Characterization of 9,000-Year-Old Mycobacterium tuberculosis." PLoS One.
• Bos KI, et al. "Prehistoric Pathogen Genomes Reveal the Evolution of Yersinia pestis." Cell.
• Rasmussen S, et al. "Early Divergent Strains of Yersinia pestis in Eurasia 5,000 Years Ago." Cell.
• Spyrou MA, et al. "Yersinia pestis LNBA Genomes Suggest Prehistoric Plague in Scandinavia." Nature Communications.
• Harper KN, et al. "The Origin and Antiquity of Syphilis Revisited." American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
• Reed DL, et al. "Genetic Analysis of Lice Supports Direct Contact Between Modern and Archaic Humans." PLoS Biology.
• Reinhard KJ, et al. "Parasite Remains in Prehistoric Coprolites from North America." American Antiquity.
• Warinner C, et al. "Pathogens and Host Immunity in the Ancient Human Oral Microbiome." Nature Genetics.

The landscape of modern medicine has always evolved with science, technology, and social change. But in 2025, the most aggressive force reshaping healthcare delivery has been political. This year, physicians worldwide have felt a tightening grip of political authority around their clinical autonomy. From reproductive care to mental health access, from Vaccine distribution to gender-related treatment policies, medicine is increasingly at the mercy of lawmakers. These aren't peripheral issues-they're core matters of patient care, ethics, and scientific integrity. The medical community is now reckoning with a difficult truth: politics is no longer outside the clinic; it's in the room with the patient.

In the United States, legislative battles around abortion have reached new levels of complexity. Since the fall of Roe v. Wade, over a dozen states have passed or expanded laws that criminalize doctors for performing or even recommending certain reproductive procedures, even in medically urgent situations. In 2025, several high-profile cases have shown physicians facing prosecution for providing standard miscarriage management or ectopic pregnancy care. The legal environment is now so precarious that hospitals in restrictive states often delay critical care while waiting for legal teams to weigh in. This creates moral distress for physicians, many of whom now practice in constant fear of lawsuits or even arrest-just for doing what they were trained to do.

Outside the U.S., similar trends are unfolding. In parts of Latin America and Eastern Europe, governments have tightened control over what is considered "acceptable" reproductive care, often under the guise of protecting national values or traditional family structures. Physicians in countries like Hungary and El Salvador report mounting pressure to withhold information or restrict access to contraception and abortion, even when it goes against clinical guidelines. Meanwhile, international NGOs trying to provide comprehensive reproductive health services are being blocked or defunded. These constraints have created a two-tiered healthcare system-one for those with means to travel and another for those left behind.

One of the most heated and politically charged areas in 2025 has been gender-affirming care. Several countries have enacted legislation banning or severely limiting this type of care for minors, while others are placing restrictions on adult services as well. As doctors, we're taught to respect patients and evidence-but this issue has become increasingly fraught. Some physicians, myself included, have genuine concerns about the long-term impacts of hormone therapy and surgical interventions in adolescents. We've seen cases where patients later regret transitioning or feel they were rushed into decisions without adequate psychological assessment. These concerns are not rooted in hatred, but in caution, ethics, and a responsibility to "do no harm." Yet raising such concerns today often leads to accusations of bias or professional misconduct. Political and institutional forces seem determined to silence even respectful debate within the medical field, leaving many physicians to navigate these dilemmas quietly, without guidance or support.

The politicization of public health has also disrupted our ability to respond effectively to infectious disease outbreaks. In several countries, Vaccine programs have stalled due to partisan interference. In India, for instance, regional governments have delayed the rollout of a new dengue Vaccine due to internal power struggles, despite surging infection rates. In the U.S., routine childhood vaccination rates continue to decline, fueled by political figures who cast doubt on their safety or necessity. Physicians are once again in the position of defending settled science in the face of misinformation, while battling mistrust from patients who view every public health recommendation as a political statement.

Another major impact of politics this year has been on mental health funding and policy. In the wake of post-COVID burnout, economic strain, and social polarization, demand for mental health services has skyrocketed. Yet several governments-particularly in the UK, Italy, and Australia-have cut funding for public mental health programs as part of broader austerity agendas. In practice, this has left general practitioners, emergency room physicians, and pediatricians scrambling to manage complex psychiatric cases without adequate support. Waiting lists have ballooned. Suicide rates have risen in several countries. And physicians are increasingly asked to take on roles they are not fully trained for, simply because the systems meant to support them are collapsing under political pressure.

Even international medical collaboration has suffered. Geopolitical tensions, especially among NATO, BRICS, and non-aligned states, have made global health data harder to access. Projects on infectious disease surveillance, antibiotic resistance, and climate-related health threats have stalled due to nationalism and protectionism. Several governments are now blocking cross-border data sharing unless certain political conditions are met. This slows response time during outbreaks, stifles innovation, and undermines trust among health professionals who once relied on international cooperation to advance their work.

Ultimately, what 2025 has taught us is that medicine cannot remain insulated from politics. Whether we like it or not, our clinical decisions, patient relationships, and professional obligations are now being shaped by external forces-sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly. Physicians must adapt to this new reality. We must stay informed, protect our ethical ground, and advocate where needed. And we must find ways to voice dissent, even within a system that increasingly prefers compliance. The health of our patients-and the integrity of our profession-depends on it.

FRIDAY, Jan. 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with low-risk Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bloodstream infection, early switch to oral antimicrobial therapy is noninferior to intravenous standard therapy, according to a study published online Jan. 17 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Achim J. Kaasch, M.D., from Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg in Germany, and colleagues conducted an international, open-label, randomized, noninferiority trial conducted in 31 tertiary care hospitals involving patients with low-risk S. aureus bloodstream infection. After five to seven days of intravenous antimicrobial therapy, participants were randomly assigned to oral antimicrobial therapy or to continue intravenous standard therapy (108 and 105, respectively). The composite primary end point was the occurrence of any complication related to S. aureus bloodstream infection within 90 days.

The researchers found that the primary end point was met by 13 and 12 percent of participants in the oral switch and intravenous groups, with a treatment difference of 0.7 percentage points (95 percent confidence interval, −7.8 to 9.1; P = 0.013, which met noninferiority). Within the safety population, 34 and 26 percent of participants in the oral switch and intravenous groups, respectively, had at least one serious adverse event.

"This study supports an early switch to oral antimicrobial therapy in patients with low-risk S. aureus bloodstream infection provided a rigorous clinical assessment and close monitoring for complications are done," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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Copyright © 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. 

On March 7, 2025, thousands of scientists, healthcare professionals, and medical researchers gathered in Washington, D.C., and over 30 cities across the U.S. in a coordinated protest known as "Stand Up for Science 2025." The demonstrations were sparked by recent federal policy changes that significantly impact medical research, public health, and evidence-based medicine. Similar protests were held in France and other international locations, highlighting global concerns about the politicization of science.

One of the most controversial aspects of the new policies is the removal of funding for transgender healthcare studies, particularly those focusing on hormone therapy, surgical outcomes, and mental health support. Advocates stress that this research is crucial for improving medical care for transgender individuals and that eliminating funding could worsen health inequalities. Opponents, however, argue that federal funding should not support certain aspects of transgender healthcare, particularly for minors, making this issue highly divisive.

Protesters also criticized the dismissal of government scientists, particularly from agencies such as the CDC, NIH, and FDA, warning that these actions could erode public trust in science. Without independent experts guiding policy, many fear that scientific decision-making will be compromised, potentially affecting how the U.S. responds to future pandemics, Vaccine rollouts, and environmental health threats.

Additionally, significant cuts to cancer, mental health, and infectious disease research have raised alarm. Some speakers at the protests highlighted that drug development and disease prevention efforts could stall without adequate funding. They also warned that patients suffering from chronic illnesses and rare diseases could see fewer treatment options as a result.

Beyond the U.S., scientists and healthcare professionals in France, the U.K., and Canada joined the demonstrations in solidarity, emphasizing that the impact of politicizing science is not limited to one country. Some researchers argue that governments worldwide are increasingly undermining public health policies based on scientific evidence, particularly in areas such as climate change, reproductive health, and pandemic preparedness.

As medicine and science become increasingly entangled in political and ideological debates, physicians face a difficult choice: should they take a stand on policies affecting research and public health, or should they maintain neutrality to preserve the integrity of the medical profession? Some argue that staying silent allows misinformation and harmful policies to go unchallenged, while others fear that activism could further politicize healthcare and erode public trust in medical expertise. What is your take on this ?

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19 is associated with a significantly increased risk for fatigue and chronic fatigue, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Quan M. Vu, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues estimated the incidence rates of post-COVID-19 fatigue and chronic fatigue by analyzing electronic health record data for 4,589 patients with confirmed COVID-19 during February 2020 to February 2021 and 9,022 propensity score-matched non-COVID-19 controls. Patients were followed for a median of 11.4 months.

The researchers found that the incidence rate of fatigue and chronic fatigue was 10.2 and 1.8 per 100 person-years, respectively, among COVID-19 patients. The hazard ratios were 1.68 and 4.32 for fatigue and chronic fatigue, respectively, compared with non-COVID-19 controls.

"Our data indicate that COVID-19 is associated with a significant increase in new fatigue diagnoses, and physicians should be aware that fatigue might occur or be newly recognized more than one year after acute COVID-19," the authors write. "The high incidence rates of fatigue reinforce the need for public health actions to prevent infections, to provide clinical care to those in need, and to find effective treatments for post-acute COVID-19 fatigue."

Abstract/Full Text

Copyright © 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

On March 7, 2025, thousands of scientists, healthcare professionals, and medical researchers gathered in Washington, D.C., and over 30 cities across the U.S. in a coordinated protest known as "Stand Up for Science 2025." The demonstrations were sparked by recent federal policy changes that significantly impact medical research, public health, and evidence-based medicine. Similar protests were held in France and other international locations, highlighting global concerns about the politicization of science. One of the most controversial aspects of the new policies is the removal of funding for transgender healthcare studies, particularly those focusing on hormone therapy, surgical outcomes, and mental health support. Advocates stress that this research is crucial for improving medical care for transgender individuals and that eliminating funding could worsen health inequalities. Opponents, however, argue that federal funding should not support certain aspects of transgender healthcare, particularly for minors, making this issue highly divisive. Protesters also criticized the dismissal of government scientists, particularly from agencies such as the CDC, NIH, and FDA, warning that these actions could erode public trust in science. Without independent experts guiding policy, many fear that scientific decision-making will be compromised, potentially affecting how the U.S. responds to future pandemics, Vaccine rollouts, and environmental health threats. Additionally, significant cuts to cancer, mental health, and infectious disease research have raised alarm. Some speakers at the protests highlighted that drug development and disease prevention efforts could stall without adequate funding. They also warned that patients suffering from chronic illnesses and rare diseases could see fewer treatment options as a result. Beyond the U.S., scientists and healthcare professionals in France, the U.K., and Canada joined the demonstrations in solidarity, emphasizing that the impact of politicizing science is not limited to one country. Some researchers argue that governments worldwide are increasingly undermining public health policies based on scientific evidence, particularly in areas such as climate change, reproductive health, and pandemic preparedness. As medicine and science become increasingly entangled in political and ideological debates, physicians face a difficult choice: should they take a stand on policies affecting research and public health, or should they maintain neutrality to preserve the integrity of the medical profession? Some argue that staying silent allows misinformation and harmful policies to go unchallenged, while others fear that activism could further politicize healthcare and erode public trust in medical expertise. What is your take on this ?

The incidence rate of hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection was 4.7 per 100 person-years among men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV who cleared HCV, according to a study published online July 18 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Daniel S. Fierer, M.D., from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study involving MSM with HIV who cleared HCV to examine the incidence of and risk factors for HCV reinfection. The risk behaviors for primary HCV were assessed in New York City, including receipt of semen into the rectum and sexualized methamphetamine use, along with route of use.

The researchers found that 42 reinfections occurred over 898 person-years among 304 MSM with HIV who cleared HCV from 2000 through 2018, for an incidence rate of 4.7 per 100 person-years. Assessing 1,245 postclearance visits, there was only an association for receipt of semen into the rectum with reinfection (hazard ratio, 9.7), but no association was seen for methamphetamine use.

"We found the HCV reinfection rate to be an order of magnitude higher than the primary infection rate, similar to the findings from other cohorts in other countries," the authors write. "Condom use, the most effective currently available intervention to prevent semen ejaculation into the rectum, has not been successful as an HCV prevention strategy. Our results therefore suggest the need for novel interventions to prevent sexual transmission of HCV among MSM."

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text

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Oklahoma meat processor BrucePac is recalling close to 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry that may have been contaminated with the Listeria bacterium.

In an announcement updated this week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), the meat was produced between mid-June and Oct. 8 of this year and "shipped to other establishments and distributors nationwide then distributed to restaurants and institutions."

"FSIS is concerned that some product may be available for use in restaurants, institutions, and other establishments," the agency said.

All of the recalled meats include establishment numbers 51205 or P-51205 either inside or under the USDA mark of inspection on labeling.

Full information on product labeling and the list of products under recall is still being compiled and will be published when available, FSIS said.

"The problem was discovered after FSIS performed routine product testing of finished product containing [ready to eat] poultry products produced by BrucePac and confirmed those products positive for Listeria monocytogenes," an FSIS statement said. "Subsequent FSIS investigation identified BrucePac RTE chicken as the source."

So far there have been no confirmed reports of illness linked to the consumption of the recalled products.

The new recall follows on headlines generated this year by a massive recall of Boar's Head deli meats, most notably liverwurst, that was found to be contaminated with listeria.

As of Sept. 26, 10 deaths and 59 hospitalizations nationwide had been linked to contaminated Boar's Head products.

Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, the third-leading cause of death from food-borne illness in the United States. Symptoms typically include a fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Infection may also cause a headache, a stiff neck, confusion or seizures. Pregnant women may experience pregnancy loss or premature birth.

"Listeria is especially harmful to people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older or with weakened immune systems," the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a news release. "[The] CDC always recommends people at higher risk for listeriosis avoid eating meats sliced at the deli or heat them to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot before eating."

More information

Find out more about listeria at the Mayo Clinic.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Agriculture, announcement, Oct. 9, 2024

Copyright © 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

The death toll from listeria linked to tainted Boar's Head deli meats has risen to eight, with five more fatalities reported Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Deaths have now occurred in Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Cases of bacterial illness tied to the recalled meats continue to mount.

"Since the last update on August 8, 2024, 14 more illnesses have been reported bringing the total to 57," the CDC said in an update. "All 57 people have been hospitalized."

It's now the largest listeria outbreak reported in the United States since one linked to tainted cantaloupes in 2011, the agency added.

Some of the suspect product could still be in family refrigerators, since some of the products had sell dates stretching into October.

"Everyone should check their homes for any remaining recalled Boar’s Head products since they can have long a shelf-life," the CDC said. "Look for 'EST. 12612' or 'P-12612' inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels."

On July 30, the recall of Boars Head deli meats broadened to include an additional 7 million pounds of products because they may also have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

The expanded recall is part of an ongoing investigation of ready-to-eat foods made at the company's Jarratt, Va. plant.

According to CBS News, records released by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) showed 69 instances of "noncompliance" noted by the agency at the Jarratt plant over the past year.

According to the FSIS records, mold and mildew were found at sinks used by plant employees to wash their hands, on the outside of steel vats, and in holding coolers between the site's smokehouses.

In other spots around the plant, pooling or leaking water was seen, including one puddle with "a green algal growth" and condensation found to be "dripping over product being held," CBS News reported.

Beyond that, in February FSIS inspectors noted "ample amounts of blood in puddles on the floor" and a "rancid smell" in a cooler used at the plant.

Insect infestations -- flies, "gnat like insects" and "ants traveling down the wall," a beetle and a cockroach -- were all observed by inspectors at the Jarratt plant in June.

In a statement, a Boar's Head spokesperson told CBS News that the company deeply regrets the impact of the recall, and said that said food safety is their "absolute priority."

"As a USDA-inspected food producer, the agency has inspectors in our Jarratt, Virginia plant every day and if at any time inspectors identify something that needs to be addressed, our team does so immediately, as was the case with each and every issue raised by USDA in this report," company spokesperson Elizabeth Ward said.

According to the CDC, "Listeria is especially harmful to people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems," the agency said in a news release. "[The] CDC always recommends people at higher risk for listeriosis avoid eating meats sliced at the deli or heat them to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot before eating."

The expanded recall now includes 71 products made between May 10 and July 29 under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names. The newly recalled items include meat to be sliced at delis and some packaged meat and poultry products sold in stores. Liverwurst, ham, beef salami, bologna and other products are affected.

The listeria investigation was first announced July 22 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At the time, the source or sources of the outbreak were unknown.

As FSIS explained, testing first performed in Maryland spotted a sample of Boar's Head liverwurst product contaminated with listeria.

Besides the liverwurst products, some of the other Boar's Head meats that have been included in the recall include certain lots of Virginia Ham/Old Fashioned Ham, Italian Cappy Style Ham, various types of bologna and beef salami, among others.

"The ready-to-eat liverwurst products were produced between June 11, 2024, and July 17, 2024, and have a 44-day shelf life," FSIS noted. Products were shipped to retailers nationwide.

If consumers find they have any of the recalled products in their fridges, they should discard them or return them to the place of purchase.

"Consumers who have purchased these products are also urged to clean refrigerators thoroughly to prevent the risk of cross-contamination," FSIS added.

Deli owners who find they have the products "should clean and sanitize all food and non-food surfaces and discard any open meats and cheeses in the deli," the agency added.

Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, the third-leading cause of death from food-borne illness in the United States. Symptoms typically include a fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Infection may also cause a headache, a stiff neck, confusion or seizures. Pregnant women may experience pregnancy loss or premature birth.

More information

Find out more about listeriosis at the CDC.

SOURCE: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, news release, Aug. 29 and Aug. 8, 2024 ; U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), news release, July 30, 2024; CBS News

Copyright © 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. 

Four cases of the more infectious variant of mpox have been reported in the U.K., making it the first cluster of infections that have surfaced outside of Africa.

British authorities announced the first case in that country last week, saying the person was being treated at a London hospital after recently traveling to countries in Africa where there are ongoing outbreaks.

"This is the first time we have detected this clade of mpox in the U.K., though other cases have been confirmed abroad," Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency, said in a health alert issued at the time. "The risk to the UK population remains low, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread."

This week, the agency issued an update saying it has identified three more cases in people who lived in the same home as the first patient. They are now being treated at a hospital in London.

“Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact, and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household,” Hopkins noted in the updated alert.

Still, health officials at the National Health Service (NHS) said that they are ready to do more if needed.

"While the risk of catching mpox in the UK remains low, if required the NHS has plans in place to expand the rollout of vaccines quickly in line with supply," Steve Russell, NHS national director for vaccination and screening, noted in the health alert.

This new variant of mpox was first detected earlier this year in eastern Congo. It has also caused outbreaks in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, while single cases in travelers have been reported in Sweden, India, Germany and Thailand, the Associated Press reported.

To date, there have been about 43,000 suspected cases of mpox in Africa, including more than 1,000 deaths, mostly in Congo, the AP said.

In response to the ongoing outbreak, the World Health Organization announced on Wednesday that it had allocated 899,900 vaccine doses to the nine African countries that are struggling mightily with the spread of mpox.

"In recent weeks, limited vaccination has begun in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda," the WHO said in its announcement. "This allocation to the 9 countries marks a significant step towards a coordinated and targeted deployment of vaccines to stop the mpox outbreaks."

In an early sign that the outbreak in Africa might be ebbing, some health officials reported earlier this week that case counts seem to be stabilizing in the Congo, the epicenter of the outbreak.

The World Health Organization first declared the mpox outbreak a global health emergency in August, but recent WHO data has shown the Congo has reported about 200 to 300 lab-confirmed mpox cases every week, down from nearly 400 cases a week in July, the AP reported.

Still, the WHO acknowledged that only 40% to 50% of suspected infections in Congo were being tested and the virus continues to spread elsewhere on the continent, the AP reported.

While doctors are encouraged by the drop in infections in some parts of Congo, they are worried by the small number of vaccine doses the central African nation has received so far to fight the outbreak, the AP reported. WHO has estimated that only 50,000 people have been immunized in Congo, which has a population of 110 million.

“If we miss this opportunity, the likelihood of another significant outbreak increases substantially,” Dr. Zakary Rhissa, who heads operations in Congo for the charity Alima, told the AP.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated Congo needs at least 3 million mpox vaccines to stop the virus, and another 7 million are needed for the rest of the continent.

“We’ve seen how past outbreaks, such as the one in Nigeria in 2017, can lead to larger global events if not effectively contained,” Rhissa noted. That 2017 Nigerian outbreak triggered the 2022 global outbreak of mpox that affected more than 100 countries.

In this latest outbreak, less than half of the people who are most at risk in the Congo have been vaccinated, Heather Kerr, Congo director for the International Rescue Committee, told the AP.

“We only have a tiny amount of vaccines, and nothing for the kids,” she said.

What's most worrying about the new outbreak is that the death rate linked to the new strain of the disease appears higher: About 3 percent of those infected have died, instead of the 0.2 percent observed in the 2022 outbreak.

In 2023, scientists discovered that the mpox virus has gained mutations allowing it to spread more easily between people. Sexual transmission, often through heterosexual prostitution, is a main conduit for infection in Africa.

Dr. Nicole Lurie is executive director for preparedness and response at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a nonprofit that finances vaccine development.

Speaking to the New York Times recently, she said, “this outbreak has been smoldering for quite a long time, and we continually have missed opportunities to shut it down. I’m really glad that everybody is now paying attention and focusing their efforts on this.”

More information

Find out more about mpox at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCE: UK Health Security Agency, health alert, Nov. 6, 2024; Associated Press; WHO, news releases, Nov. 6, 2024 and Aug. 26, 2024; New York Times

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Amid an ongoing outbreak of bird flu in dairy cows, there's been a third case of H5N1 avian flu confirmed in a dairy worker, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

The previous two human cases -- the first in Texas, the second in Michigan, where this latest case also occurred -- involved only a brief discomfort of the eyes, linked to conjunctivitis ("pink eye").

However, this third case is the first to present with more typical respiratory symptoms, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted in a health update.

"The patient reported upper respiratory tract symptoms including cough without fever, and eye discomfort with watery discharge," the agency said. "The patient was given antiviral treatment with oseltamivir, is isolating at home and their symptoms are resolving."

H5N1 has so far not become easily passed between people, and because all three U.S. workers became infected after prolonged contact with dairy cows, the CDC said the case is "another instance of probable cow-to-person spread."

"Given the extent of the spread of this virus in dairy cows, additional human cases in people with higher risk exposures would not be surprising," the agency added.

The CDC is monitoring influenza activity closely in states affected by the H5N1 outbreak and said there's been "no sign of unusual influenza activity in people, including no increase in emergency room visits for influenza and no increase in laboratory detection of human influenza cases."

So, "the risk to members of the general public who do not have exposure to infected animals remains low," the agency stressed.

Besides treating and isolating the infected worker, the CDC said that "household contacts of the patient have not developed symptoms, are being monitored for illness and have been offered oseltamivir."

"No other workers at the same farm have reported symptoms, and all staff are being monitored," the agency added. "There is no indication of person-to-person spread of A[H5N1] viruses at this time."

The CDC believes the identification of this latest human case of H5N1 means systems put in place are working.

"The identification of an additional case of H5 is not surprising and shows the importance of a proactive public health response," the agency said.

Infectious disease experts worldwide have been alarmed, however, that an influenza strain previously isolated to birds has now made its way into mammals such as seals, dolphins, cows and -- as reported earlier this week -- alpacas.

The concern is that a mutation might arise which renders H5N1 easily transmittable among members of another mammalian species -- people.

Right now, the danger seems to be limited to people who have prolonged contact with animals infected with the virus, such as dairy workers.

For these individuals, the CDC recommends they "wear recommended personal protective equipment when interacting with infected or potentially infected animals and monitor their health for 10 days after their most recent exposure."

"People should also avoid unprotected exposures to animal poop, bedding [litter], unpasteurized [“raw”] milk or materials that have been touched by, or close to, birds or other animals with suspected or confirmed A[H5N1] virus," the agency added.

Raw milk is a special concern, because pasteurization kills off the H5N1 virus. One study released last week found high levels of avian flu virus in raw milk, even after refrigeration.

More information

To find out more about H5N1 avian flu, head to the World Health Organization.

SOURCE: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, news release, May 30, 2024

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Telemedicine is not reliable for assessing Centor criteria for patients with an acute sore throat, according to a study published online Jan. 2 in Infectious Diseases.

Patrycja Woldan-Gradalska, M.D., from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and colleagues compared the interrater reliability of Centor score assessments via telemedicine versus in-person examinations among patients seeking care for a sore throat. Each of the 189 patients initially underwent a telemedicine evaluation, followed by an in-person assessment by an independent physician who was unaware of the outcome of the initial evaluation.

Of the patients, 114 were female and 148 were adults. The researchers found that when comparing assessments of lymph nodes, tonsils, and the total Centor score, agreement was low, with kappa between 0.47 and 0.58. For history of fever and absence of cough, kappa was potentially acceptable. Kappa of the total Centor score was not affected by subgrouping of participants into children and adults.

"The observed undesired agreement between telemedicine and in-person assessment of the total Centor score, along with the potentially undesired agreement for assessments of lymph nodes and tonsils, indicates that telemedicine does not achieve an acceptable level of accuracy," the authors write.

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THURSDAY, Feb. 22, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Accelerated epigenetic aging is seen in women with HIV versus women without HIV, according to a study published online Feb. 15 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Stephanie Shiau, Ph.D., from the Rutgers School of Public Health in Piscataway, New Jersey, and colleagues examined the relationship between accelerated epigenetic aging and musculoskeletal outcomes in women with HIV. The analysis included 118 women with HIV and 72 without HIV.

The researchers found that women with HIV had higher epigenetic age acceleration and lower DNA methylation-estimated telomere length compared with women without HIV. Accelerated epigenetic aging was not significantly associated with bone mineral density, but was associated with lower physical function.

"Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind accelerated aging in people with HIV is crucial for developing targeted interventions and improving the quality of life for those living with the virus," Shiau said in a statement. "The work demonstrates that women living with HIV experience an accelerated aging process at the DNA level, and that this aging process may be linked to functional outcomes. Future studies will need to see whether these findings are observed longitudinally."

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The death toll from listeria linked to tainted Boar's Head deli meats has risen to three, with nine more cases of the bacterial illness reported in the outbreak, an update issued Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

The total case count is now 43.

"All 43 people have been hospitalized and three deaths have now been reported, one from Illinois, one from New Jersey, and, as of this update, one from Virginia," the agency said.

On July 30, the recall of Boars Head deli meats broadened to include an additional 7 million pounds of products because they may also have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

The expanded recall is part of an ongoing investigation of ready-to-eat foods made at the company's Virginia plant.

Testing is turning up more contaminated product.

"The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Division of Food Safety and Inspection collected unopened Boar’s Head liverwurst products from retail stores and the New York State Food Laboratory identified Listeria monocytogenes," the CDC noted in the latest update.

Testing found it to be the same strain linked to the 43 cases of illness.

"Listeria is especially harmful to people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems," the agency said in a news release. "[The] CDC always recommends people at higher risk for listeriosis avoid eating meats sliced at the deli or heat them to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot before eating."

The expanded recall now includes 71 products made between May 10 and July 29 under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names. The newly recalled items include meat to be sliced at delis and some packaged meat and poultry products sold in stores. Liverwurst, ham, beef salami, bologna and other products are affected.

In mid-July, Boar's Head first announced it was recalling all of its liverwurst products because they could be tainted with listeria.

"The company is also recalling additional deli meat products that were produced on the same line and on the same day as the liverwurst and, therefore, may be adulterated with L. monocytogenes," the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said in a statement.

Overall, Boar's Head "is recalling approximately 207,528 pounds of products," FSIS noted at the time.

The listeria investigation was first announced July 22 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At the time, the source or sources of the outbreak were unknown.

As FSIS explained, testing first performed in Maryland spotted a sample of Boar's Head liverwurst product contaminated with listeria.

Besides the liverwurst products, some of the other Boar's Head meats that have been included in the recall include certain lots of Virginia Ham/Old Fashioned Ham, Italian Cappy Style Ham, various types of bologna and beef salami, among others.

"The ready-to-eat liverwurst products were produced between June 11, 2024, and July 17, 2024, and have a 44-day shelf life," FSIS noted. Products were shipped to retailers nationwide.

If consumers find they have any of the recalled products in their fridges, they should discard them or return them to the place of purchase.

"Consumers who have purchased these products are also urged to clean refrigerators thoroughly to prevent the risk of cross-contamination," FSIS added.

Deli owners who find they have the products "should clean and sanitize all food and non-food surfaces and discard any open meats and cheeses in the deli," the agency added.

Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, the third-leading cause of death from food-borne illness in the United States. Symptoms typically include a fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Infection may also cause a headache, a stiff neck, confusion or seizures. Pregnant women may experience pregnancy loss or premature birth.

More information

Find out more about listeriosis at the CDC.

SOURCE: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, news release, Aug. 8, 2024; U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), news release, July 30, 2024

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Expanding access to obesity medications such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and dual gastric inhibitory polypeptide and GLP-1 receptor agonists could avert 42,000 deaths annually in the United States, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Abhishek Pandey, Ph.D., from the Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis at the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut, and colleagues quantified the annual mortality burden directly attributable to limited access to GLP-1 receptor agonists and dual gastric inhibitory polypeptide and GLP-1 receptor agonists in the United States. The impact of making these medications accessible to all those eligible was estimated.

The researchers projected that more than 42,000 deaths could be averted annually, including more than 11,000 among those with type 2 diabetes, with expanded access.

"Our findings provide compelling evidence for the transformative impact that expanded access to these medications could have on improving the public health of the nation," the authors write. "This underscores the urgency of addressing access barriers, including affordability, insurance coverage, and prescriber awareness. Such policies could galvanize a new era of American well-being and prosperity."

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Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo are racing to try to identify the cause of a mysterious, flu-like illness that has sickened 376 people and left 79 dead in that country.

In an alert posted on the social media platform X on Tuesday, the Congo's Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Security said the origin of the disease, first detected in Kwango province in southwestern Congo, remains unknown.

Symptoms reported by infected people include fever, headache, nasal congestion, cough, difficulty breathing and anemia, the notice added.

Dr. Abraar Karan, an infectious disease physician at Stanford Medicine, told NBC News that the Congo outbreak “does raise alarm bells” because of its location. Humans and wildlife interact to a high degree in that country, and that could raise the risk of a pathogen moving from animals to humans, he explained.

“Many animal infections that transmit from animal to human can cause pretty severe disease,” Karan added.

To try to pinpoint what pathogen is causing the illnesses, local health officials will start screening for common infections like flu or malaria, before testing for less common germs, he explained. If those tests are negative, officials may genetically sequence tissue, blood, mucus or bone marrow from infected people.

But Anne Rimoin, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) who has worked in Congo since 2002, said such efforts may be complicated by a weak health care infrastructure and underlying health issues in some Congo residents, including malaria and malnutrition.

“I think it’s really important to be aware of what’s happening, and I think it’s also really important not to panic until we have more information,” she told NBC News.

“It could be anything," she added. "It could be influenza, it could be Ebola, it could be Marburg, it could be meningitis, it could be measles. At this point, we really just don’t know.”

Other health authorities have said they are working with Congo officials to try to identify the disease causing the outbreak.

World Health Organization spokesperson Tarik Jašarević told NBC News that “we have dispatched a team to the remote area to collect samples for lab investigations."

Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has an office in Congo, told NBC News that it is providing technical assistance to a rapid response team dispatched by a local emergency operations center.

International teams on the ground will also collect information about what risk factors sick people have had in common and who they’ve been in contact with, Amira Albert Roess, a professor of global health and epidemiology at George Mason University in Virginia, told NBC News.

“I think pretty quickly we’ll start to have an answer as to what this is,” Roess said, noting there have been “a lot of deaths, especially in such a short amount of time, with the same types of symptoms.”

More information

The National Institutes of Health has more on pandemics.

SOURCE: Congo Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Security, statement, Dec. 4, 2024; NBC News

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As a bird flu outbreak escalates across the U.S., the Trump administration has paused the release of key public health studies, stalling research that could provide insight into how the virus spreads to animals and people.

The blocked studies were supposed to be published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), a respected journal that has reported on health threats since 1952.

One of the studies examines whether veterinarians working with cattle have unknowingly been infected, and another explores whether people may have passed the virus to pet cats, according to CNN.

These reports could help scientists track and prevent future infections.

But a new memo from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has placed an “immediate pause” on communications. Approval is now required from a presidential appointee before publishing, according to the memo.

“This idea that science cannot continue until there’s a political lens over it is unprecedented,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, a former principal deputy director at the CDC, told CNN. “I hope it’s going to be very short-lived, but if it’s not short-lived, it’s censorship.”

Public health experts warn that delaying research on bird flu could put veterinarians, farmworkers and the public at greater risk.

One study, slated to be published last week in the MMWR, looked at cases in Michigan where dairy workers may have transmitted bird flu to their pet cats.

Dr. Jennifer Morse, medical director at the Mid-Michigan District Health Department and a scientist on the pending study, told CNN she got a note from a colleague last week saying that “there are delays in our publication — outside of our control.”

And this isn't the first time the government has disrupted CDC reports.

During President Donald Trump's first term, CNN noted, White House officials interfered with scientific studies on COVID-19.

“What’s happening now is quite different than what we experienced in covid, because there wasn’t a stop in the MMWR and other scientific manuscripts,” Schuchat told CNN.

CDC insiders say the pause will last until at least Feb. 6, though it’s unclear if publishing will resume as scheduled.

The bird flu has infected at least 67 people in the U.S., and claimed the life of one person in Louisiana earlier this year.

It's affected more than 148 million birds and heightened concern about human transmission.

“Maintaining open lines of communication and continuing research with our federal partners is critical as we fight this outbreak.” Dr. Fred Gingrich, executive director of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, a group for veterinarians specializing in cattle medicine, told CNN.

Schuchat hopes efforts to spin or influence scientific reports won’t happen again.

“The MMWR cannot become a political instrument,” she concluded in a report published by CNN.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the current situation of bird flu.

SOURCE: CNN, media report, Jan. 30, 2025; U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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