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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As colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50, a new report reveals some surprising shifts in the incidence of the disease.
Although rates of CRC have been declining among seniors, those 65 and under are facing a rise in diagnoses, according to a report titled Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026, from the American Cancer Society.
Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new colorectal cancer cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, states the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The disease is rising fastest among adults 20 to 49 years old, at a rate of 3% per year.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50. (iStock)
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. Although that age group is eligible to receive routine screenings, just 37% do so.
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The report also revealed that rectal cancer is on the rise, now accounting for about one-third (32%) of all CRC cases — an increase from 27% in the mid-2000s.
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“After decades of progress, the risk of dying from colorectal cancer is climbing in younger generations of men and women, confirming a real uptick in disease because of something we’re doing or some other exposure,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, in a press release.
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. (iStock)
“We need to redouble research efforts to understand the cause, but also circumvent deaths through earlier detection by educating clinicians and the general public about symptoms and increasing screening in people 45-54 years.”
It is projected that 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and that the disease will cause 55,230 deaths, per the report.
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More than half of CRC cases can be linked to high-risk behaviors, the researchers said. Those include lack of nutrition, high alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.
“These findings further underscore that colorectal cancer is worsening among younger generations and highlight the immediate need for eligible adults to begin screening at the recommended age of 45,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.
When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%. (iStock)
“The report also shines a light on the crucial importance of continued funding for research to help discover new therapies to treat the disease and advance patient care.”
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When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%, the report stated.
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A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
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Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
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“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
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Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
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Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
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