Health
Alaska man dies from novel animal-borne virus, likely contracted from stray cat
The first fatality from Alaskapox, a type of orthopoxvirus, has been reported on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska.
State officials released a bulletin Feb. 9 detailing that an elderly man contracted the virus in Sept. 2023, likely from an infected stray cat who scratched him.
The man, whose immune system had been suppressed by cancer treatments, first noticed a tender red bump in his underarm. Over the next few weeks, he also experienced fatigue and pain in his arm and shoulder.
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On Nov. 17, the patient was hospitalized with cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection, according to the Alaska Department of Public Health (ADPH).
The man was transferred to a hospital in Anchorage, where a series of tests determined the source of his painful infection. Despite extensive treatment, the patient ultimately died in January 2024 after experiencing malnutrition, acute renal failure and respiratory failure, the bulletin said.
An elderly man contracted the virus in Sept. 2023, likely due to the scratch of an infected stray cat (not pictured). (iStock)
“This is the first case of severe Alaskapox infection resulting in hospitalization and death,” the bulletin stated.
“The patient’s immunocompromised status likely contributed to illness severity.”
What is Alaskapox?
Alaskapox is similar to other orthopox viruses, such as monkeypox and smallpox — but its symptoms are typically not as severe.
It is a zoonotic virus, which is transmitted between people and animals.
Alaskapox is spread by small mammals in Alaska, primarily voles.
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Since the first documented case in Fairbanks in 2015, there have only been six additional cases, including the Kenai Peninsula man who succumbed to the infection.
All cases have affected people who lived in wooded areas and had cared for pets who had been in contact with small mammals.
Skin lesions are a primary symptom of Alaskapox, along with swollen lymph nodes and joint or muscle pain, according to the ADPH. (iStock)
Dr. Aaron Glatt, chair of the department of medicine and chief of infectious diseases at Mt. Sinai South Nassau Hospital in New York, pointed out that although Alaskapox is a type of orthopox virus, it’s “nowhere near” as concerning as smallpox.
“It’s in the same family, but that doesn’t mean it [warrants] the same level of worry for the general public,” he said in a phone call with Fox News Digital.
“I think it’s something we all should be aware of, but it’s not something that presents a major public health disaster.”
It is more similar to monkeypox than smallpox, the doctor said.
“I think it’s something we all should be aware of, but it’s not something that presents a major public health disaster,” Glatt said.
Spread and symptoms
Although there have been no cases of the virus spreading from person to person, the ADPH recommends that people with skin lesions potentially caused by Alaskapox keep the affected areas covered with a bandage and avoid sharing bedding or other linens.
In addition to the skin lesions, infected patients may experience swollen lymph nodes and joint or muscle pain, according to the ADPH.
Alaskapox is similar to other orthopox viruses, such as monkeypox and smallpox, but its symptoms are typically not as severe. (iStock)
Most patients who have had the virus experienced only mild symptoms that resolved on their own within a few weeks.
“It’s usually a very mild infection, but there’s the potential that it could be more serious in the immunocompromised,” Glatt said.
“In that case, any mild infection that would normally not cause serious illness can be much more serious.”
“It’s usually a very mild infection, but there’s the potential that it could be more serious in the immunocompromised.”
“It is likely that the virus is present more broadly in Alaska’s small mammals and that more infections in humans have occurred but were not identified,” the ADPH stated.
“More animal testing is occurring to better understand the distribution of the virus in animal populations throughout Alaska.”
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To Glatt’s knowledge, there are no targeted medications specifically for Alaskapox.
“I’m sure that some of the other viral agents that have been used for monkeypox could theoretically have some benefit, but to my knowledge, nobody has tried that,” he said.
As far as whether Alaskapox could spread to other states, Glatt said it’s unlikely at this point.
The patient who succumbed to Alaskapox lived in a wooded area on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. (iStock)
“If it’s an animal vector and the animal is found mostly in Alaska, it’s going to be seen thereabouts,” he told Fox News Digital.
“I can’t tell you that it couldn’t transmit to another area, but at this point in time, it is not a major public health concern.”
The ADPH noted that this was the first case of Alaskapox identified outside the Interior region of Alaska, which could mean the virus is more widespread in the state than previously thought.
“SOE is working with the University of Alaska Museum and CDC to test small mammals for AKPV outside the Interior region,” the agency stated.
Those who suspect they may be infected with Alaskapox can contact the Alaska Section of Epidemiology at 907-269-8000 to facilitate testing and treatment, per the ADPH.
Fox News Digital reached out to the ADPH for additional comment.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health.
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More than 59% of women may have high blood pressure by 2050, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.
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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.
The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.
More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.
The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.
As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)
Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.
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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”
“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)
Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”
The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.
The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.
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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”
Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.
Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)
Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.
The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.
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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”
“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”
The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.
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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.
“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”
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