Health

Dairy Workers May Have Passed Bird Flu to Pet Cats, CDC Study Suggests

Published

1 year ago

February 20, 2025

Dairy Workers May Have Passed Bird Flu to Pet Cats, CDC Study Suggests

Two dairy workers in Michigan may have transmitted bird flu to their pet cats last May, suggests a new study published on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In one household, infected cats may also have passed the virus to other people in the home, but limited evidence makes it difficult to ascertain the possibility.

The results are from a study that was scheduled to be published in January but was delayed by the Trump administration’s pause on communications from the C.D.C.

A single data table from the new report briefly appeared online two weeks ago in a paper on the wildfires in California, then quickly disappeared. That odd incident prompted calls from public health experts for the study’s release.

The new paper still leaves major questions unanswered, including how the cats first became infected and whether farmworkers spread the virus to the cats and to other people in the household, experts said.

“I don’t think we can say for sure if this is human-to-cat or cat-to-human or cat-from-something-else,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of Public Health.

Officials in Michigan began investigating two households last May when exclusively indoor cats showed respiratory and neurological symptoms and, after death, tested positive for the virus, called H5N1. The officials interviewed the cats’ owners and household members and offered to test them for the virus.

The owners of both cats were dairy workers. The first farmworker did not work with cows directly, and the farm was not known to have infected herds. But the worker reported that many of the barn cats on the farm’s premises recently died. The worker also reported having experienced vomiting and diarrhea before the first household cat became ill.

The second farmworker reported being splashed in the face and eyes with milk and experiencing eye irritation. Both workers declined to be tested.

“This study provides yet more concerning evidence that farmworkers with high-risk exposures may refuse testing,” Dr. Nuzzo said.

“In order to protect people and stay ahead of this virus, we need to remove disincentives for patients to get tested,” she added. “People should not fear that testing positive will cause financial distress or other personal harms.”

In the household of the first farmworker, the first cat to become ill showed decreased appetite, lack of grooming, abnormal gait and lethargy, and quickly deteriorated. She was euthanized on the fourth day of illness.

A second cat in the household developed watery eye discharge, rapid breathing and decreased appetite four days after the first cat became ill. This cat recovered and was not tested for the virus. A third cat had no symptoms and tested negative for the virus 11 days after the first cat became ill.

Neither the cats nor the humans in the household drank unpasteurized milk. How the cats might have become infected is unclear, but experts said that the farmworkers were likely to have become infected with H5N1 at their workplace and to have brought the virus home to their cats.

“If you love your cat, you probably give it head kisses if it lets you,” said Kristen K. Coleman, an infectious disease researcher at the University of Maryland.

Three people in the household — an adult and two adolescents — tested negative for H5N1. Six days after the first cat became sick, one of the adolescents became ill with a cough, sore throat and body aches, and the other reported a cough that was attributed to allergies.

But because the adolescents were tested late — 11 days after the first cat became sick — it was not impossible that they became infected with H5N1 that they picked up from the cats, Dr. Coleman said.

Later in May, a pet cat in the second household developed severe neurological symptoms, including anorexia and minimal movement, and died within a day; the cat tested positive for bird flu after its death.

The cat’s owner transported unpasteurized milk, including from farms with known bird flu outbreaks. According to the study, the owner “did not wear personal protective equipment (PPE) while handling raw milk; reported frequent milk splash exposures to the face, eyes and clothing; and did not remove work clothing before entering the home when returning from work.”

The cat that became ill was known to “roll in the owner’s work clothes,” the study noted.

Virus in raw milk splattered on those clothes may be the source of infection in the cat, said Dr. Keith Poulsen, the director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

“At this point, I think the higher risk is their exposure from raw dairy products,” he said. “There’s so much virus in the milk.”

Of 24 veterinary staff members who were potentially exposed to the infected cats, seven reported symptoms such as nasal congestion and headache. Only five agreed to testing; all were negative.

Dr. Coleman recommended that veterinarians remain alert to the possibility of bird flu infections when they see sick cats. “Pet owners should not have to rely on postmortem sampling to get a diagnosis,” she said.

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Health

Eat This Before Bed To Lose Weight Overnight: ‘Second Meal Effect’ Explained

Published

11 hours ago

March 22, 2026

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Eat This Before Bed To Lose Weight Overnight: ‘Second Meal Effect’ Explained

What To Eat Before Bed To Lose Weight and Burn Fat

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Health

The real reasons you’re still exhausted after 8 hours of sleep, according to an expert

Published

12 hours ago

March 22, 2026

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The real reasons you’re still exhausted after 8 hours of sleep, according to an expert

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Getting a full eight hours of sleep and still feeling drowsy? Sleep experts say it’s not just about how much shuteye you get.

Dr. Wendy Troxel, a licensed clinical psychologist and senior behavioral scientist at RAND based in Utah, emphasized the “really important distinction” between quantity and quality of sleep.

SLEEP PATTERNS COULD PREDICT RISK FOR DEMENTIA, CANCER AND STROKE, STUDY SUGGESTS

“Many people will say, ‘Man, I’m sleeping enough, I got seven to eight hours of sleep, but I still wake up feeling groggy and not refreshed,’” she told Fox News Digital during an in-studio interview. “About one in three adults has non-restorative sleep quality.”

Sleep quality could be making you feel groggy, despite the number of hours you slept, an expert said. (iStock)

“There are many factors that can contribute to poor sleep quality, regardless of how many hours you slept,” Troxel noted.

These include drinking alcohol — a “major contributor” to poor quality or disrupted sleep — and consuming caffeine late in the day.

Being stressed or feeling worried about something can also contribute to fragmented sleep, as can phone use at bedtime.

CHANGE TO NIGHTLY EATING HABITS MAY HELP PROTECT YOUR HEART, STUDY SUGGESTS

Troxel addressed the belief that women need more sleep than men, noting that research does support it — though only slightly, by about 10 to 15 extra minutes per night.

“What we absolutely know is that women’s sleep quality often suffers more than men’s,” she said. “They may be getting more non-restorative sleep quality, therefore needing slightly more sleep.”

Women are also twice as likely to have insomnia compared to men, and their risk for sleep disturbances “skyrockets” during the menopausal transition.

Women suffer from poorer sleep quality than men, according to the expert. (iStock)

For those who claim they sleep better with fewer hours of sleep — and feel sleepier when they get the recommended seven to nine hours — Troxel said this is not an indicator that they actually require less shuteye. “It’s simply that their body is not used to it,” she said.

Laboratory studies have shown that sleep deprivation causes impairments in judgment, according to the expert. “That means someone who thinks they’re fine with only four hours of sleep per night likely isn’t aware of the impact sleep deprivation has on their cognition and performance.”

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For those getting less than the recommended amount, Troxel recommends taking small steps toward sleeping longer. That might mean adding about 15 minutes each night to see how it impacts the body, eventually getting into a healthier circadian rhythm.

“You will likely see benefits when you increase your sleep in small increments,” she said.

The expert recommends adding a few extra minutes of sleep each night to work up to a longer duration of rest. (iStock)

Tips for better quality sleep

Quality sleep hinges on following a healthy lifestyle and a consistent sleep-wake schedule, according to experts.

INSUFFICIENT SLEEP LINKED TO MAJOR HIDDEN HEALTH RISK, STUDY REVEALS

Eating a nutritious diet free of foods that cause upset stomach or indigestion, especially in the late evening hours, can help improve sleep quality, Troxel shared.

“You don’t want to be starving at bedtime, but you also don’t want to be trying to fall asleep on a full stomach while your body’s still actively digesting,” she said.

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Exercise helps to promote quality sleep, just as sleep also improves exercise quality. However, it’s best to avoid vigorous physical activity too close to bedtime, Troxel advised.

“Exercise is very stimulating, particularly if it’s in a social environment, and that can disrupt sleep,” she said. “Exercising earlier in the day is better.”

“Those who are natural morning people are more likely to benefit from exercising earlier,” Troxel said. (iStock)

That doesn’t have to mean working out first thing in the morning, Troxel noted, as not everyone’s circadian rhythm supports early wake-ups for exercise.

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“Those who are natural morning people are more likely to benefit from exercising earlier,” she said. “If you’re a night owl, don’t expect to love doing a workout first thing in the morning. That might not be consistent with your circadian rhythm.”

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Troxel added that people should not be “sleep-shamed” for adhering to their own internal clocks.

“These cultural trends have these subtle, or not-so-subtle, ways of undermining people’s sleep-wake biology, which is largely out of our control,” she said.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

Top 5 states with the highest number of safe hospitals, according to new report

Published

1 day ago

March 22, 2026

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Top 5 states with the highest number of safe hospitals, according to new report

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Hundreds of hospitals across the country are being recognized for keeping patients safe, and a handful of states stand out for having the highest number of top performers.

Healthgrades, a platform for finding doctors, health care providers and hospitals, released its 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Awards this month, naming 438 hospitals in 40 states that rank among the top 10% nationwide for patient safety.

The analysis highlights centers that excel at preventing serious, avoidable complications during hospital stays based on 13 patient safety indicators.

PATIENT IN CANADA WAITS OVER 12 HOURS IN HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM: ‘I’D RATHER PAY’

Among all states, five had the highest number of hospitals earning the distinction: Texas, Florida, California, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Hundreds of hospitals across the U.S. were recognized for top patient safety performance in a new report. (iStock)

These states led the nation in total award recipients, with counts ranging from 21 to as many as 62 hospitals, according to Healthgrades data cited by MedPage Today. The concentration of high-performing hospitals in these states may be partly driven by size, the outlet noted.

“The prevalence of recipients in a particular state could be related to something as simple as that state having a large number of hospitals,” a Healthgrades spokesperson told MedPage Today.

Nonetheless, the findings point to strong safety performance across several of the nation’s most populated regions, particularly major metro areas such as Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth and New York City.

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Patients treated at these hospitals saw significantly lower risks for some of the most common and serious safety events that account for the majority of in-hospital complications, according to a news release.

The rankings are based on data measuring 13 patient safety indicators, including infections and complications. (iStock)

Compared to other hospitals, patients at award-winning facilities were 52.4% less likely to experience an in-hospital fall resulting in fracture; 57.5% less likely to suffer a collapsed lung related to procedures; 67.8% less likely to develop catheter-related bloodstream infections; and 71.9% less likely to develop pressure sores.

Those four indicators alone make up about 78% of all patient safety events, according to Healthgrades, and if all hospitals performed at the same level as this year’s recipients, more than 100,000 patient safety events could have been avoided between 2022 and 2024.

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“The data behind this year’s Patient Safety Excellence Award highlights how measurable improvements in safety can prevent thousands of complications,” Dr. Alana Biggers, a medical advisor at Healthgrades, said in a statement.

Hospitals were required to report zero cases of serious errors, such as leaving a foreign object behind during a procedure. (iStock)

“Hospitals that prioritize evidence-based safety practices not only achieve better clinical outcomes but also cultivate a culture where patients come first,” Biggers added. “These insights give individuals and families the information they need to make confident and better informed healthcare decisions.”

The award is based on an analysis of Medicare inpatient data, evaluating outcomes such as complications, mortality and preventable safety events. To qualify, hospitals must meet strict clinical thresholds and report zero cases of certain serious errors, such as leaving a foreign object behind during a procedure.

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Overall, 250 hospitals ranked in the top 5% nationwide for safety, including facilities affiliated with major systems such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and HCA Healthcare.

Ten states had no hospitals on the list: Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, North Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming and the District of Columbia.

Some states had no hospitals on the list, highlighting gaps in access to high-quality care. (iStock)

Experts say factors including rural hospital shortages and “care deserts” may contribute to those gaps because patients in underserved areas often face longer travel times and arrive with more advanced conditions.

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Nearly one-third of this year’s recognized hospitals were new to the list, according to Healthgrades, reflecting continued shifts in hospital performance and safety practices across the country.

The full list of hospitals that received the Patient Safety Excellence Award can be found here.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Healthgrades for additional comment.

Deirdre Bardolf is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital.