Deadly measles outbreak hits Northeast as state records first deaths in 35 years

Pennsylvania confirmed two measles-related deaths on Tuesday, according to the state’s department of health.

This marks the first losses related to the highly contagious virus within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 35 years.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) confirmed that both Lancaster County individuals were unvaccinated, noting that the best way to prevent measles infection is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

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The MMR vaccine administered over two doses can boost a person’s immune system and provide 97% lifetime protection, according to health officials.

In a press release, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen shared her "deepest sympathies" with the "loved ones who are facing this unimaginable loss."

"Because measles was largely eliminated in the Commonwealth for more than three decades, people are not familiar with this disease and don’t fully understand the potential severity of the illness," she said in the statement. "We want to ensure that every Pennsylvanian has the information they need to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities."

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"As a physician, I want to make sure that people understand the MMR vaccine is safe and provides the best protection we have against measles."

The state's DOH has confirmed 393 cases of measles in 28 counties so far in 2026.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that can be fatal in one to three patients per 1,000 cases, data shows.

The virus can cause long-term health problems, including pneumonia and brain swelling. Nearly 20% of individuals who contract measles are hospitalized.

Measles spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, spreading the virus through respiratory droplets. It can remain infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after the person leaves the area, experts caution.

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Early measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. A measles rash follows a few days later, starting on the head and spreading down to the rest of the body.

Symptoms can start seven to 21 days after exposure. Those who believe they were exposed to measles should contact a healthcare provider.

Dr. Jesse Goodman, former FDA chief scientist in Washington, D.C., spoke with Fox News Digital about the MMR vaccine, calling it "extremely safe and highly effective."

"The vaccine prevents millions of measles deaths worldwide annually, including hundreds that used to occur in the U.S.," he said. "There is no evidence that MMR vaccine causes any chronic illnesses, including autism."

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Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, Maryland, agreed that Pennsylvania's 35-year streak without a measles-related death "wasn't luck."

"It was the vaccine working so completely that an entire generation of parents grew up never seeing what this virus does to a child’s lungs or brain," he told Fox News Digital. "That protection is increasingly not valued, and this is the predictable result when the population turns their back on a life-saving technology."

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, previously emphasized the highly contagious nature of measles amid elevated case counts across the U.S.

"Measles is so contagious that up to 90% of susceptible people who are exposed to an infected person will become infected," he told Fox News Digital, stressing the importance of community protection. "We need a 95% vaccine coverage rate to ensure herd immunity," he said.

The herd immunity threshold is a mathematical estimate based on how contagious a disease is and how effectively immunity from vaccination or prior infection prevents its spread, according to Siegel.

"In this case, two-dose vaccination is almost 100% effective, and natural immunity after a measles infection is generally lifelong," the doctor said. "This isn’t about personal choice, it’s about community protection. We need to protect those who can’t have a live virus vaccine because they are immunocompromised or pregnant."

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Major brain changes that occur around age 50 could impact dementia risk

The brain may undergo a notable shift at midlife, as new research suggests that its protective immune cells begin to decline and are increasingly replaced by inflammatory cells at around age 50.

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego; New York Genome Center; and University of California, Irvine, found that these brain changes may help explain why aging increases the chances of neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative disease, including dementia.

The study analyzed postmortem tissue from the hippocampus – the portion of the brain that is responsible for learning and memory – in 40 neurologically healthy adults, ranging from 20 to 95 years of age.

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"The most striking change was that after about age 50, the brain’s resident immune cells, called microglia, appear to be increasingly replaced by immune cells that enter from the bloodstream," first author Nathan Zemke, Ph.D., principal investigator at the UC San Diego Center for Epigenomics, told Fox News Digital.

"Microglia normally protect the brain by clearing debris and responding to injury, but the incoming cells carry stronger inflammatory signals."

The researchers believe this shift may contribute to chronic inflammation linked to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s.

They also noted the deterioration of cells involved in maintaining the blood-brain barrier – the protective filter that helps keep harmful substances out of the brain – as well as widespread changes in DNA and gene activity.

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One of the most exciting implications of the study, according to Zemke, is that the replacement immune cells originate in the blood, which means they are more accessible than cells already deep inside the brain.

"It may eventually be possible to modify blood-derived immune cells so that they are more protective and less inflammatory when in the brain," he said. "That could provide an entirely new way to approach Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases without having to directly manipulate cells within the central nervous system."

Although these findings are still in early stages, Zemke said, gaining a better understanding of why this immune-cell replacement happens – and why it happens earlier in some people than others – could lead to new strategies for preserving brain health during aging.

The study’s chief limitation is that it studied human brain tissue collected postmortem from different individuals across the adult lifespan, the researchers noted.

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"That allows us to identify strong age-related patterns, but it cannot directly show how the same person’s brain changes over decades or prove that a particular cellular change causes cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease," Zemke said.

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"We also do not yet know what triggers the influx of blood-derived immune cells into the brain. Determining whether changes in the blood-brain barrier, inflammation, genetics, lifestyle or other factors initiate this process will be an important next step."

The researcher emphasized, however, that he would not recommend that people make any specific medical or lifestyle changes based on this study alone. 

"These findings are primarily about understanding the biology of brain aging and identifying new directions for prevention and treatment," he said.

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The timing and extent of the brain changes varied considerably between individuals, suggesting that brain aging is not necessarily a fixed process that happens identically in everyone.

"The next challenge is to understand what drives that variation and whether some of those factors can be modified," Zemke added.

The study also included a small sample of just 40 people and examined tissue only from the hippocampus, meaning the findings may not reflect immune changes throughout the entire brain.

The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, was published in the journal Science.

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Anti-aging supplements taken by millions may undermine cancer treatment, study warns

Over-the-counter anti-aging supplements taken by millions of Americans to boost energy and lessen the side effects of chemotherapy may actually impair cancer treatments, a new study suggests.

Researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine found that popular vitamin B3 derivatives – including nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide (NAM) – could help cancer cells survive chemotherapy.

Those compounds are used by the body to produce NAD+, a molecule that helps cells generate energy and repair damage.

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The study, published in the journal Cancer Letters, examined how these supplements interact with treatments for pancreatic cancer, a particularly deadly form of the disease with a 13% five-year survival rate, according to the American Cancer Society.

While boosting NAD+ levels through dietary supplements can offer health benefits to non-cancerous cells, pancreatic cancer cells may exploit the extra resources to repair damage caused by chemotherapy and avoid cell death, the researchers found.

In both laboratory settings and animal models, the supplements shielded cancer cells against three common chemotherapy drugs: oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and gemcitabine. As a result, tumors survived chemotherapy doses that typically would prove fatal to them.

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"Our findings highlight a potentially concerning role for NAD+-boosting supplements in the context of active cancer, especially when used in conjunction with chemotherapy," said study lead Jordan Winter, a professor at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and co-leader of the developmental therapeutics program at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, in the press release.

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"Our discovery is a call to action for the medical community."

The study notes that these B3 derivatives are not considered dangerous for healthy individuals using them for general wellness. However, the risk becomes significant for patients currently undergoing active cancer therapy.

"This research is a critical reminder that ‘natural’ doesn’t always mean safe, especially in the complex biology of cancer treatment," Winter added.

In light of the findings, the research team recommends that oncology teams begin routinely screening patients for supplement use. They also called for more studies into how NAD+ precursors interact with cancer therapies.

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Winter urged patients currently in treatment to consult their oncologists before taking any over-the-counter supplements.

Because the study relied on laboratory cell cultures and animal models, the findings may not directly translate to how human patients process these supplements during treatment, the team noted.

Additionally, the research focused exclusively on pancreatic cancer, meaning the supplements may not have the same effect on chemotherapy for other cancer types or with different drug combinations.

The study also only evaluated short-term cellular responses under controlled laboratory conditions and not human clinical trials, so it remains unclear how these supplements could affect cancer patients over time.

Fox News Digital reached out to multiple NAD+ supplement manufacturers for comment.

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'Perfect' workout formula can take just 10 minutes a day, Hilaria Baldwin says

Being motivated to work out is one thing, but staying committed to a routine is what yields results, experts say.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, certified yoga and fitness instructor Hilaria Baldwin shared her tips for building an effective exercise routine – and sticking to it.

"One of the most important things about exercise is consistency," said the mother of seven. "For many of us, life gets in the way – we are parents and we work and all the chaos comes in, so bite-sized movements are really important."

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Baldwin revealed that her "perfect" workout routine trifecta always includes cardio, strength training and stretching, even if it’s just 10 minutes per day.

For lasting consistency, a fitness routine should fit naturally into one’s lifestyle and schedule, Baldwin said. She recommends setting aside kid-free, work-free blocks of time for movement and self-care.

Baldwin said she makes time for a daily run as her cardio, which she said helps "work out her lungs." She also incorporates stretching and strength training, which might include physically picking up her kids or toning with weights.

She has also started exercising with her children as a way to blend family time with physical activity.

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The instructor emphasized consistency without overcommitment, noting that doing too much, too soon can lead to burnout.

"If something's overwhelming, we're not going to do it," Baldwin said. "Ultimately, we are going to be creatures of habit … we are going do what we feel like needs to get done – but starting to think of a workout more like brushing our teeth is really important."

"People are not moving their bodies enough and then we get sick," she went on. "So, the question is, can we do a little bit to prevent that? And obviously not everything can be prevented, but we know that we should move our bodies most days."

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Baldwin advised against "biting off more than you can chew." For example, instead of running three miles as a response to being frustrated about your fitness goals, try running for just 10 minutes – or run for just two minutes at a time and take walking breaks.

"Doing something is better than thinking about it and doing nothing," she added.

The fitness instructor also suggested making exercise a family commitment, helping to reinforce that movement and self-care are priorities.

"As moms, we [often] put ourselves last," she said. "Everybody says put your oxygen mask on first, but we don't do that."

"I think showing our children that we are human and we are worth taking care of is really important – not just for our relationship with them, but how they will treat themselves when they're older."

When life gets busy, she said, it’s easy to make excuses for not working out. Baldwin admitted that on most days, especially in the summer heat, she has "zero interest" in going for a run.

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"But I know that I'm not going to regret it," she said. "It’s just about creating the habit and saying, ‘Okay, I'm going to do this, and it's going to be 30 minutes, and I might hate it, but I’m going to be happy to do it.’"

Baldwin added, "Showing up is the hardest thing. Once you do it and you create a commitment, it completely changes everything."

Baldwin encouraged the public, especially women, to tap into how "special and unique each person’s body is."

"Start loving yourself and loving your body, no matter what outside opinions you feel like people are directing at you," she said. "Feel capable and feel strong and that you're worth investing in."

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Baldwin shared that she herself has struggled "tremendously" with this in her own life. "That is one of the reasons that I show up – to tell my body, ‘I love you, you're worth it.’"

She continued, "Nobody has ever existed who is exactly like you, and no one will ever be exactly like you again. So please live every single day cherishing your body, your unique self, and let's have fun and move together."

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Louisiana girl, 8, dies after contracting suspected brain-eating amoeba linked to lake swim

Lillian Smart, an 8-year-old girl who health officials believe contracted a brain-eating amoeba while swimming in a northern Louisiana lake, died Saturday at a Ruston hospital from an infection linked to the pathogen.

Lillian died one day after celebrating her eighth birthday.

"The injuries to her brain were too severe for her little body to recover from," the Smart family said in a statement posted Sunday morning on Facebook. "Everyone did everything they could to keep her here. We are heartbroken and honestly do not know what to do next. How do we put one foot in front of the other without our girl?"

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The Louisiana Department of Health announced Wednesday that a state resident had been hospitalized after becoming infected with Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic amoeba that can cause a rare and often deadly brain infection.

State health officials have not publicly identified Lillian as the patient referenced in the announcement. Her family, however, said on social media that she had been admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit at a Ruston hospital and identified Naegleria fowleri as the cause of her illness.

The health department said the infection in the case it announced was most likely acquired while the patient was swimming in Lake Claiborne shortly before becoming ill.

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A representative for the Louisiana Department of Health did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Louisiana Department of Health records identify three previous deaths associated with Naegleria fowleri in the state since 2011.

Two happened in 2011. A 20-year-old man in St. Bernard Parish died after using tap water to rinse his sinuses, while a 51-year-old woman in DeSoto Parish died after using tap water for a similar purpose.

In 2013, a 4-year-old boy contracted the amoeba while visiting a home in St. Bernard Parish, where he had played on a slip-and-slide. State officials later reported that CDC testing detected Naegleria fowleri in the parish water system.

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Naegleria fowleri causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM, an extremely rare brain infection that can develop when contaminated water enters the nose and the amoeba travels to the brain. People cannot become infected by swallowing contaminated water.

The amoeba is not found in saltwater or properly chlorinated swimming pools.

Symptoms typically begin with headache, fever, nausea and vomiting before progressing to a stiff neck, seizures and coma. Symptoms generally appear about five days after infection, and the disease can lead to death within about one to two weeks.

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About 97% of people who develop PAM die from the infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC reported two PAM cases nationwide last year. Of the 173 infections documented over roughly the past 90 years, nearly 91% occurred in July and August.

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Popular erectile dysfunction drug linked to eye disease that can cause irreversible vision loss

A drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and enlarged prostate symptoms may raise the risk of glaucoma, a serious eye condition that can cause gradual vision loss, according to new research. 

An international team of researchers analyzed health records from nearly 74,000 men ages 40 and older with lower urinary tract symptoms to examine whether long-term tadalafil use was associated with a greater risk of glaucoma. 

The study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, compared about 37,000 men prescribed tadalafil with a similar group who did not use phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, the drug class that includes Cialis.

Researchers followed the men for up to five years and looked for new cases of glaucoma and high pressure inside the eye, along with whether patients needed treatment for glaucoma.

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Men who used tadalafil were 22% more likely to develop glaucoma than those who did not use the drugs, according to the findings.

They were also 32% more likely to develop high pressure inside the eye and 33% more likely to develop primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common type of the disease.

Dr. Valerie Kattouf, an optometrist at the Illinois Eye Institute who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital that glaucoma can be difficult to notice in its early stages.

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"Glaucoma is an eye condition that especially in its early stages often does not present with visual symptoms," Kattouf said.

As glaucoma progresses, people may gradually lose their side, or peripheral, vision, she said.

"Clinical findings of glaucoma are best detected in a comprehensive vision evaluation," Kattouf added.

Kattouf said people with a family history of glaucoma, high pressure inside the eye or severe nearsightedness may face a higher risk. Those who take Cialis daily over a long period of time may also warrant closer monitoring, she said.

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People who regularly use the medication should have a comprehensive eye exam to establish a baseline for their eye health, according to Kattouf. Doctors can check pressure inside the eyes and perform other tests to look for changes that could signal glaucoma.

The researchers noted several limitations to the study.

The study was observational, meaning it found a link between tadalafil use and glaucoma but could not prove that the medication caused the condition.

Researchers also could not account for changes in medication use or other health conditions that developed over time.

The researchers stressed that the findings do not mean people should stop taking tadalafil. Instead, they said, patients who use the medication long term, particularly those with existing glaucoma risk factors, may benefit from regular eye monitoring.

Fox News Digital reached out to Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Cialis, and the study’s researchers for comment.

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Men face new pressure to stay ‘hot’ as they age — and it’s not just about living longer

Maintaining healthy cholesterol and blood pressure, along with regular physical activity, are widely recommended components of healthy aging.

But as interest in longevity grows, some older adults are looking beyond extending their healthspan — the number of years lived free of disease — to prioritize looking, feeling and remaining physically attractive as they age.

Experts say the desire to maintain one’s appearance — the pursuit of "hotness" — can be psychological, shaped in part by a disconnect between how people feel and the changes they see in the mirror.

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"It really isn't about age," Dr. Krishna Vyas, M.D., Ph.D., a plastic surgeon at Fleckman Plastic Surgery on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, told Fox News Digital.

"I think it's when you look in the mirror and you're like, 'I don't recognize myself. I don't recognize the way I feel. I don't identify with how my appearance isn't concordant with how I feel at that point.'"

Men now account for roughly 15% of all cosmetic procedures, according to data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Social barriers that may have previously prevented men from seeking aesthetic treatment have diminished in the last two decades, Vyas noted.

"In the past, there was a stigma ... men were once shamed or ashamed of seeking out things that improve their appearance, especially in aesthetics, but that barrier has fallen significantly," he said.

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The motivations driving men to pursue "looksmaxxing" — a social media term for enhanced efforts to improve physical appearance — range from maintaining a competitive edge in youth-centric workplaces to addressing subtle signs of aging, such as dark under-eye circles or loss of jawline definition, according to Vyas.

Treatments range from minimally invasive procedures like Botox and laser therapy, to surgical interventions like chest masculinization and liposuction.

"The misconception often is that minimally invasive treatments will fix things and have no side effects," Vyas cautioned, noting that improper or excessive non-surgical treatments can change the normal layers and contours of facial tissue.

Before jumping to aesthetic procedures as quick-fix substitutes for biological health, the surgeon recommends taking the following steps to improve physical appearance.

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Complete abstinence from all forms of nicotine is essential to maintaining microvascular circulation and preventing premature skin breakdown, according to Vyas.

Avoid over-hyped trends and multi-step routines, the experts recommended. Guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology point to two daily essentials: a morning broad-spectrum sunscreen to block photoaging UV rays, and a topical retinoid at night to stimulate cell turnover.

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Maintaining a healthy weight can prevent the chronic, systemic inflammation that is linked to metabolic syndrome, which directly accelerates structural skin and tissue aging.

Intervene early at the first sign of thinning. Evidence-based medical treatments, like FDA-approved finasteride and minoxidil, remain the primary standard for maintaining hair density before follicle loss becomes permanent.

"The real longevity drug is exercise — aerobic and non-aerobic strength training exercises," Vyas said.

"Someone who's looking for a hotspan or a healthspan, because they're so intimately related … I think they should focus on the basics to start ... the foundation is what's most important," the surgeon added.

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