Health
Dangerous fungus could spread to parts of US, researchers claim
Some researchers are sounding the alarm about a potentially deadly fungus that could spread throughout parts of the U.S., Europe and Asia.
The study article, which was published in pre-print (not yet peer-reviewed) in Research Square, claims that “rising global temperatures” could lead to severe infections of Aspergillus, a fungal mold that thrives in warm, damp climates.
The resulting infection — called Aspergillosis — can impact humans, livestock and plants, the researchers wrote.
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In the study, scientific models were used to predict where Aspergillus is expected to increase based on different climate scenarios.
Some researchers are sounding the alarm about a potentially deadly fungus that could spread throughout parts of the U.S., Europe and Asia. (iStock)
The researchers predict that the fungus’ prevalence could increase by 77% by the year 2100, potentially exposing millions of people in Europe to the infection.
Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a San Francisco biotechnology company, was not involved in the research but reviewed the findings.
“The study indicates that some global climate change scenarios will result in changes of habitat ranges for certain lung and systemic fungal infections,” he told Fox News Digital.
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Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine and infectious disease at Columbia University in New York, agreed that the study highlights concerns if Aspergillus becomes more prevalent in warmer climates.
“We do know that there are increased cases in regions of the world that are more temperate,” Vyas, who was not part of the study, told Fox News Digital.
“It is likely that levels of human exposure will continue to increase, as will diseases of plants, crops and animals.”
Cornelius Clancy, MD, associate chief of the VA Pittsburgh Health System and opportunistic pathogens at the University of Pittsburgh, said he has seen an increase in fungal infections in humans, as well as fungal diseases in agriculture, horticulture and veterinary medicine.
“Given that Aspergillus is prevalent in the environment and ongoing changes in climate favor growth of Aspergillus in the environment, it is likely that levels of human exposure will continue to increase, as will diseases of plants, crops and animals,” he predicted to Fox News Digital.
Potential risks of infection
For most healthy people, Aspergillus spores won’t cause any adverse effects, the experts noted.
“Most people will typically inhale some spores every day,” Clancy said. “If your immune system is intact, then these spores are usually removed by immune system cells in the airways and lungs and disease does not occur.”
“Rising global temperatures” could lead to severe infections of Aspergillus, a fungal mold that thrives in warm, damp climates, researchers said. (iStock)
But for people whose immune systems respond excessively to proteins in the spores, infection can cause reactions ranging from allergy-like symptoms to invasive disease.
“In persons who are immunosuppressed, such as those receiving cancer chemotherapy, there is a risk of spores invading the lungs and causing Aspergillus pneumonia or other lung infections, which can then spread in the blood to other organs,” Clancy cautioned.
“These are potentially very serious infections in immunosuppressed hosts.”
Allergic reactions and asthma exacerbations can also occur in people who are not known to be immunosuppressed, but who are predisposed to allergies and asthma, he added.
People who are elderly or have asthma are also at a higher risk of severe infection. (iStock)
“In patients whose immune system may be compromised — most commonly as a result of medications for cancer or other conditions — these organisms can invade the lung to cause significant pneumonia, and may even travel throughout the body to cause systemic disease,” Vyas cautioned.
“These patients are typically quite sick and require hospitalization.”
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People who are elderly or have asthma are also at a higher risk, noted Glanville.
“Unfortunately, there is also a global trend toward increases in rates of asthma and general demographic shifts toward a more elderly population in many areas,” he added.
As Aspergillus is an environmental organism associated with soil, it is difficult to fully avoid, experts say. (iStock)
“As clinicians, we worry about this infection because it is both hard to diagnose and even harder to treat,” Vyas told Fox News Digital. “We don’t have great drugs to effect cures for invasive fungal infections, including Aspergillus infections.”
Another obstacle is that some fungi become resistant to drugs over time, the experts agreed.
Prevention and protection
As Aspergillus is an environmental organism associated with soil, it is difficult to fully avoid, according to Vyas.
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Those who are immunocompromised should avoid working with soil unless they have had a discussion with a doctor, he recommends.
“Research into how Aspergillus causes diseases, better ways to diagnose this disease and the development of better treatments is sorely needed,” Vyas added.
“These are potentially very serious infections in immunosuppressed hosts.”
Glanville reiterated that there are anti-fungal treatment options for Aspergillosis, although the infections are often missed during initial diagnosis.
“It would be a good idea to increase medical training to recognize these infections and to subsidize the development of new antifungals,” Glanville recommended.
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People who are known to be immunosuppressed or who are taking drugs that can cause immunosuppression should talk to their health providers about protective measures, Clancy advised.
Health
Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
Health
One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
Health
I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take
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