Flesh-eating parasite case detected in US traveler returning from Central America

The first case of a travel-associated human screwworm infection has been detected in Maryland.

Andrew Nixon, spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, confirmed to Fox News Digital that the patient had recently returned from a trip to El Salvador, a country affected by a screwworm outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked in conjunction with the Maryland Department of Health to investigate the case.

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The CDC confirmed the diagnosis on Aug. 4 after experts reviewed larvae images.

"The risk to public health in the United States from this introduction is very low," Nixon said.

New World screwworm, also known as myiasis, is a parasitic infestation of fly larvae that feeds on live flesh, according to the CDC.

A person can contract myiasis when females drop their eggs on or near a person's wound, nose or ears.

It can also be transferred through ticks and mosquitoes after the fly attaches its eggs to the insects, per the above source.

In the case of an infection, a lump will develop in the person’s tissues as the larvae grow and eat flesh. It can be fatal if not treated at an early stage, health experts warn.

"Myiasis is not common in the U.S.," the CDC states on its website. "Most people diagnosed with myiasis in the U.S. were infected when traveling to tropical areas where myiasis most often occurs." 

Livestock such as cattle, sheep and goats are highly vulnerable, making it a significant economic pest, according to the CDC.

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Reuters reported last week that the CDC had confirmed a case of New World screwworm in Maryland from a person who traveled from Guatemala.

The discrepancy in the reports regarding the origin of the case has not been confirmed.

This summer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a plan to build a sterile fly facility in Texas to combat the pest.

It is estimated that a screwworm outbreak in Texas could cost the state’s economy $1.8 billion in livestock deaths, labor costs and medication expenses, according to Reuters. 

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There have not been any confirmed animal cases this year.

Fox News Digital reached out to USDA for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Young lawyer dies after routine medical scan triggers fatal allergic reaction

A 22-year-old law graduate recently died after suffering a rare but catastrophic allergic reaction during a routine CT scan, shining a spotlight on the risks of a procedure millions undergo every year.

Jam Press reported that Letícia Paul, who had recently earned her law degree and was pursuing postgraduate studies in real estate and business law, went into anaphylactic shock moments after receiving an iodinated contrast dye.

The incident occurred at Hospital Regional Alto Vale in Rio do Sul, in Santa Catarina, Brazil.

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Doctors intubated the young woman and placed her under intensive care, but she died on Aug. 20, less than 24 hours later.

Paul had originally visited the hospital for a scan linked to her history of kidney stones.

In a statement, the hospital said it "regrets the loss and extends its condolences to the family," adding that all procedures followed recommended clinical protocols, per Jam Press.

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According to one study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, approximately 93 million computed tomography (CT) examinations are performed on 62 million patients annually in the U.S.

Contrast-enhanced CT scans are often performed with iodinated dye, helping doctors capture sharper images of organs and tissues. 

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The procedure is generally considered safe, but in rare cases, the contrast can trigger allergic reactions.

"Although rare, medical problems or allergic reactions can happen with contrast material," Mayo Clinic warns. 

"Most reactions are mild and result in a rash or itchiness. More rarely, an allergic reaction can be serious, even life-threatening."

Studies show that severe reactions occur in roughly one in 5,000 to one in 10,000 scans.

While hospitals are typically equipped to handle such emergencies, in some cases, even immediate intervention may not be enough.

Paul’s funeral was held on Aug. 21 in Rio do Sul, followed by cremation in Balneário Camboriú, as reported by NeedToKnow.

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While most people experience only mild symptoms, experts advise patients to alert a healthcare professional if they notice a reaction to contrast material.

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Risk of colon cancer slashed by eating specific types of vegetables, study finds

Including more broccoli in your diet could reduce the risk of colon cancer, new research suggests.

Diet is known to be a key modifiable risk factor for colon cancer — particularly a lack of vegetables and dietary fiber, as well as excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption, according to researchers. 

Cruciferous vegetables — including broccoli as well as cauliflower, kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts — have previously been identified as risk-reducers, but it was unclear what volume of consumption had this benefit.

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These types of vegetables contain special natural compounds called glucosinolates, which break down into powerful substances called isothiocyanates, the researchers revealed.

Isothiocyanates can help to keep cancer at bay by detoxifying the body, killing damaged cells and slowing or stopping the growth of unhealthy cells.

Chinese researchers analyzed 17 studies that included a total of 639,539 participants, 97,595 of whom were ultimately diagnosed with colon cancer. The studies were pulled from the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases.

Based on the participants’ food questionnaires and cancer status, the study found that consuming cruciferous vegetables was linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer.

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Compared to participants who ate the least amount of the veggies, the group that ate the most had a 17% lower risk of colon cancer.

Eating approximately 20 grams per day was linked to a "significant decrease" in risk, with the decline leveling off at around 40 grams per day.

The findings were published in the journal BMC Gastroenterology.

The researchers noted that the study had some limitations.

"These findings should be interpreted cautiously due to methodological limitations, including heterogeneity in study designs, dietary assessment methods and potential residual confounding," they wrote.

Another limitation is that most studies focused on participants from North America and Asia, where colon cancer rates are higher.

This "limits generalizability to populations with distinct dietary patterns or lower colon cancer prevalence," the researchers wrote.

"Future high-quality prospective cohorts in underrepresented regions (e.g., Africa, South America) are essential for validation."

With nearly two million diagnoses and 903,859 deaths each year, colon cancer is the third most common and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths globally, statistics show.

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, was not involved in the study but shared his input on the findings.

"This is an extensive meta-analysis of close to 100,000 patients, which shows a marked decreased colon cancer risk with a diet high in cruciferous vegetables," he told Fox News Digital.

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"These vegetables are high in fiber, antioxidants and especially glucosinolates, which are converted in the body to bioactive isothiocynates, which are known anti-carcinogens that decrease tumor formation."

Siegel also reiterated the limitations, including the variance in how the diet was determined and the fact that it is mainly based on observational data.

"Still, this is very convincing — and adds to the growing literature showing that not only do ultraprocessed foods increase your risk of colon cancer, but healthier diets high in vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables, decrease that risk."

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The doctor added that he also recommends the Mediterranean diet, which includes these vegetables as a staple.

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Not drinking enough water floods your body with harmful stress hormones

A new study found that hydration is key when it comes to managing stress. 

People who drink less than seven cups, or 1.5 liters, of water per day have a cortisol response to stress that is 50% higher than those who meet water intake recommendations. 

Researchers at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) published the study in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

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Out of 62 healthy males and females, 32 participants were selected with both habitual low fluid intake and habitual high fluid intake.

Subjects who typically drank less than 1.5 liters of fluid per day were considered the "low-fluid" group, while the "high-fluid" group comprised people who drank the recommended amount of two liters for women and 2.5 for men. 

The participants’ fluid intake was monitored over seven days by testing the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and hydration markers with blood and urine.  

The study found that drinking too little water increased stress-related health issues for both men and women. 

Professor Neil Walsh, study lead at LJMU's School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, said in a press release that keeping a water bottle nearby during stress-related times can have potential benefits for your long-term health.

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"Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone and exaggerated cortisol reactivity to stress is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and depression," said Walsh.

A study team member, Dr. Daniel Kashi, said in a release that "both groups felt equally anxious and experienced similar increases in heart rate during the stress test."

He added that "only the ‘low-fluid’ group showed a significant increase in saliva cortisol in response to the stress test." 

 "Although the low-fluid group did not report being thirstier than the high fluid group, they had darker and more concentrated urine, clear signs of poor hydration," said Kashi.

"An important observation was that poor hydration was associated with greater cortisol reactivity to the stress test. Exaggerated cortisol reactivity to stress has been associated with poor long-term health," Kashi added. 

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Long-term dehydration can lead to more serious health issues such as kidney damage and failure, anxiety and depression, heart problems, and diabetes, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Dehydration triggers the release of the vasopressin hormone, which puts pressure on the kidneys, making it harder to concentrate urine and manage electrolyte balance.  

"Vasopressin also acts on the brain’s stress-response cent[er]" influencing where it can release of cortisol," according to the LJMU release. 

The release added, "This dual role [of] vasopressin helps maintain blood volume and electrolyte balance but also increases cortisol."

While researchers found that water intake recommendations should be followed, additional research and further long-term studies are needed.

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Researchers suggest that monitoring urine color is a good way for people to check their hydration status.

Light yellow urine color typically indicates good hydration. 

"Being hydrated may help your body manage stress more effectively," he said.

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Omega-3 may help to protect women from Alzheimer’s disease, new study says

Omega fatty acids may help protect women from Alzheimer’s disease, revealing why more women are diagnosed, according to a study from King’s College London and Queen Mary University of London.

The research, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, found that women with Alzheimer’s disease had fewer unsaturated fats—especially the healthy ones like omega fatty acids—compared to women without Alzheimer’s.

Researchers analyzed brain inflammation and damage in plasma samples of 841 Alzheimer's disease patients, according to a press release. 

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Using mass spectrometry, researchers sorted 700 groups of lipid molecules found in the blood.

"Saturated lipids are generally considered as ‘unhealthy’ or ‘bad’ lipids, while unsaturated lipid, which sometimes contains omega fatty acids, are generally considered ‘healthy,’" scientists noted in the release. 

They found a steep increase in lipids with "unhealthy" saturated lipids in female Alzheimer’s patients. 

"The lipids with attached omega fatty acids were the most decreased in the Alzheimer’s group," notes the study.

The study demonstrates a link between Alzheimer’s disease and fatty acids, though further research and clinical trials are necessary to confirm the link.

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The first author of the study, Dr Asger Wretlind of the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, said scientists have been aware that Alzheimer’s disease is more common in women.

"Although this still warrants further research, we were able to detect biological differences in lipids between the sexes in a large cohort, and show the importance of lipids containing omegas in the blood, which has not been done before," said Wretlind in the release.

He added, "The results are very striking, and now we are looking at how early in life this change occurs in women."

About two-thirds of the 7 million Americans who have Alzheimer’s disease are women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

About 4.2 million women aged 65 and older have the disease.

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 "Our study suggests that women should make sure they are getting omega fatty acids in their diet – through fatty fish or via supplements," said Dr. Cristina Legido-Quigley, Reader in Systems Medicine, in the release. 

Omega-3 fatty acids support brain health and can be found in fish such as salmon, chia and flaxseeds, walnuts, and supplements, according to the CDC. 

While the study did suggest women with Alzheimer’s had lower levels of some unsaturated fats compared to men, further research is needed, according to Dr. Julia Dudley, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK.

"This includes understanding the mechanisms behind this difference and finding out if lifestyle changes, including diet could have a role," said Dudley.

She added that understanding how Alzheimer’s works in women rather than men could help doctors be more specific with future treatments and health advice.

"Understanding how the disease works differently in women could help doctors tailor future treatments and health advice. Alzheimer’s Research UK is proud to be funding this work that will bring us a step closer to a cure."

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TikTok's viral '6-6-6' walking routine burns fat without grueling workouts

The latest in a long string of TikTok exercise variations has people swearing by the "6-6-6" routine.

Walking trends have exploded across social media, from the 12-3-30 treadmill challenge to the rise of Zone 2 training. 

As Fox News Digital has previously reported, both emphasize sustainable, lower-intensity exercise that burns fat without punishing the body. The 6-6-6 walking method falls into this category.

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"Personally, I use walking as a way to reset — it clears my head, lowers stress and keeps my body moving even on days when I’m not training hard," Los Angeles-based celebrity personal trainer Kollins Ezekh told Fox News Digital.

To try it out, begin with a calm six-minute warm-up, accelerate to a brisk walk for 60 minutes, and finish with a six-minute cooldown to transition the body back to a resting state. 

While the workout is often done at 6 a.m. or 6 p.m., that timing is flexible and used primarily to anchor the routine in a daily schedule.

Walking is one of the simplest and most overlooked forms of exercise, Ezekh noted. "For a lot of people, just having that clear framework makes it easier to stay consistent."

As far as risks, he said there aren’t many — but he warned against jumping into the trend too aggressively. Those with knee, hip or foot issues should exercise caution.

"Posture and proper shoes are really important," Ezekh added.

While walking can be a great foundation, the body still needs strength training, mobility and variety, the expert pointed out.

"I’d look at this trend as a starting point, not the finish line," Ezekh said. "Use it to build consistency, then add on."

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"The real benefit is in making movement a part of your lifestyle, in a way that’s sustainable."

Like the 12-3-30 treadmill method, which may burn more fat than running, the 6-6-6 challenge emphasizes consistency over intensity.

For most people, this style of exercise also lands in Zone 2, a training zone that Carmine Ciliento, a fitness manager at Crunch Fitness in New York, previously told Fox News Digital can be achieved by brisk walking.

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Exercise at this intensity burns roughly 65% of calories from fat, according to Cleveland Clinic, making the 6-6-6 method an efficient fat-burning activity without the burnout of extreme training.

As with some of the other popular walking trends, there have been no formal clinical trials of the 6-6-6 routine itself, but walking is already backed by extensive science.

Research from the National Institutes of Health has shown that regular walking improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure and helps manage cholesterol.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. 

This means a single hour-long walk a few times per week can put someone on track to meet that benchmark.

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Brain eating amoeba-infected patient dies, Missouri health officials confirm

A Missouri resident died after being infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba at the Lake of the Ozarks, state health officials announced this week.

The patient, identified only as an adult from Missouri, died Tuesday at a St. Louis-area hospital, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) said in a news release.

Officials confirmed on Aug. 13 that the individual had contracted Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic amoeba that causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) — a rare but nearly always fatal brain infection often referred to as "brain-eating" disease.

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The victim was hospitalized in intensive care before succumbing to the infection, which was believed to have been contracted while water-skiing days before on the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri, Fox News Digital previously reported.

Naegleria fowleri is naturally present in warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers and ponds. The amoeba thrives in river and lake water at 80 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit, especially after storms.

The amoeba infects people when water enters the body through the nose, traveling to the brain where it destroys brain tissue.

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Health officials stressed that the infection is extremely rare. Fewer than 10 cases are reported in the U.S. each year. 

Since 1962, only 167 cases have been documented nationwide, according to the DHSS. Missouri has confirmed just two other cases in its history — one in 1987, and another in 2022.

The department urged residents and visitors to take precautions when swimming or engaging in water sports in warm freshwater. It recommends holding your nose shut or using clips, avoiding stirring sediment in warm shallow water, not dunking your head in hot springs, and using distilled or boiled water for sinus rinses.

Symptoms of PAM can appear within one to 12 days of exposure and may include severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, seizures, confusion and hallucinations. Symptoms are likely to worsen over time, officials noted.

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"Early symptoms should prompt a medical evaluation, as they are also signs of bacterial meningitis," Tammy Lundstrom, chief medical officer and infectious disease specialist for Trinity Health in Michigan, previously told Fox News Digital.

Drinking contaminated water does not present a risk, and the infection does not spread from one person to another, Lundstrom added.

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Treatment usually includes a variety of antifungal medications, as well as antibiotics like rifampin and azithromycin, she said.

No other cases are suspected in the area, the health agency stated in its press release.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services for more information.

Fox News Digital's Melissa Rudy contributed to this report. 

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