Health
Legionnaires’ disease outbreak linked to cruise ship hot tubs, CDC says
Recent outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease have been linked to U.S. cruise ship hot tubs, according to reports.
Private outdoor hot tubs on the balconies of two cruise ships were pinpointed as the source of multiple infections between November 2022 and June 2024, as stated in a report last month from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Epidemiologic, environmental and laboratory evidence suggests that private balcony hot tubs were the likely source of exposure in two outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease among cruise ship passengers,” the CDC said in the report.
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Hot tubs can foster Legionella bacteria due to their warm temperatures, which are ideal for bacterial growth, according to Waleed Javaid, MD, epidemiologist and director of infection prevention and control at Mount Sinai Downtown in New York.
Recent outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease have been linked to U.S. cruise ship hot tubs, according to reports. (iStock)
“The bubbling and aerosolization make it easy for bacteria to be inhaled, which is the primary way people get infected,” Javaid, who was not affiliated with the CDC report, told Fox News Digital.
What to know about Legionnaires’ disease
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria.
The bacteria can grow in any area where water sits for a long time, according to Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital on Long Island, New York.
When people swallow or breathe in droplets of water that contain Legionella, they can potentially become ill.
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Although human transmission is possible in rare cases, the disease is not typically spread from person to person, per the CDC.
Infections can lead to severe pneumonia in older people and those with compromised immune systems, Handel warned.
Private outdoor hot tubs on the balconies of two cruise ships were pinpointed as the source of multiple infections between November 2022 and June 2024. (iStock)
“Legionella infections cause symptoms that are similar to other forms of pneumonia — fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and chest pain,” said Handel, who also was not involved in the CDC report.
Some patients may also experience nausea, diarrhea and confusion, the CDC noted.
A medical professional can diagnose the infection with laboratory tests and chest X-rays.
To reduce the risk of bacterial growth and transmission, the CDC recommends that cruise ship staff members apply the stricter public hot tub maintenance and operations protocols when using private outdoor hot tubs. (iStock)
The condition is typically treated with antibiotics. In cases of severe infection, hospitalization may be required for breathing support and IV hydration.
Around 10% of people who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from those complications — and the mortality risk rises to 25% for those who get Legionnaires’ while staying in a health care facility, according to the CDC.
Around 10% of people who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from complications, according to the CDC.
If someone suspects they were exposed to Legionella bacteria, it is important to see a health care professional right away, as early intervention may increase the chances of a full recovery, infectious disease experts told Fox News Digital.
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“If you’ve recently used a hot tub and are worried about Legionnaires’ disease, watch for symptoms like cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches,” which can appear anywhere from two to 14 days after exposure, Javaid advised.
“Act quickly if you notice these signs, especially if you fall into a vulnerable category,” he added.
The CDC’s findings
Twelve cases of Legionnaires’ disease were reported among cruise ship passengers on two different vessels, according to the CDC report.
Out of the dozen sickened individuals, 10 were hospitalized. No deaths were reported.
The cruise ship companies were not identified in the report, and were only named as cruise ships A and B.
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The CDC determined that the private hot tubs were operating in ways that fostered Legionella growth.
These conditions included water running at temperature ranges of 77 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit for several days, “without draining and operating with no residual disinfectant,” according to the report.
The report also noted that individuals could have been exposed without using the hot tubs, which were located near outdoor areas where aerosols could be disseminated.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which can grow in any area where water sits for a long time. (iStock)
Private hot tubs on cruise ships are subject to “less stringent operating requirements than public hot tubs,” the agency noted.
Ships A and B did adhere to the current CDC requirements for operating and maintaining private hot tubs, but these steps were not sufficient to prevent Legionella growth.
The cruise ships cooperated with the investigation and made efforts to mitigate Legionella growth, per the CDC report.
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To reduce the risk of bacterial growth and transmission, the CDC recommends that owners and operators of hot tubs follow safe operation and maintenance procedures to prevent exposure to Legionella.
“Additionally, an automatic disinfectant dosing system, rather than handfeeding disinfectant, is an important design feature to help prevent growth,” the CDC said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital.
Enjoying hot tubs safely
The experts shared steps people can take to minimize exposure to bacteria when using hot tubs.
“I advise people who are worried to stay informed, but not alarmed,” Javaid said.
“I also advise keeping an eye on the hygiene standards of hot tubs in public spaces, especially if you are someone at higher risk.”
It’s reasonable for cruise-goers to ask questions about how hot tubs are maintained and disinfected, Javaid said, and it’s best to avoid hot tubs that “smell strange or seem poorly kept.”
“The hot, stagnant water has the potential to transmit a number of harmful bacteria and viruses that can cause severe illness in high-risk individuals.”
“Certain populations should exercise extra caution, including individuals of advanced age, smokers, people with chronic lung conditions and immunocompromised people,” the expert added, noting that these groups are particularly vulnerable to Legionnaires’ disease.
Handel echoed that hot tub owners should follow health guidance on maintaining sterile water and machinery.
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“While properly maintained hot tubs can be safe, people who are older or are immunocompromised may want to speak with their medical providers before using one,” Handel cautioned.
“The hot, stagnant water has the potential to transmit a number of harmful bacteria and viruses that can cause severe illness in high-risk individuals.”
Legionella infections can lead to severe pneumonia in older people and those with compromised immune systems. (iStock)
The CDC provided the following general recommendations to Fox News Digital.
“Some general practices to prevent Legionella as well as other waterborne germs at home include flushing faucets and showerheads after not using them or water pressure drops, cleaning and maintaining devices that use water (e.g. humidifiers, nasal rinses, showerhead and faucet aerators, water filters), and checking and flushing water heaters.”
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On a brighter note, Handel noted that there have been some improvements in water treatment and monitoring, which has resulted in Legionella infections becoming less common.
Currently, there are no vaccines for Legionnaires’ disease.
“Legionella infections cause symptoms that are similar to other forms of pneumonia — fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and chest pain,” an expert said. (iStock)
Fox News Digital reached out to four popular cruise lines to discuss their hot tub maintenance protocol, but had not heard back as of publication.
Fox News’ Melissa Rudy contributed reporting.
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A new injectable therapy is showing positive results in reducing melanoma throughout a five-year period.
The personalized mRNA cancer therapy, called intismeran autogene, combined with the cancer immunotherapy drug KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), is a collaboration between Merck and Moderna.
The results from the phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 study were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago on May 27.
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After about a five-year follow-up, the combo drug was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone.
The researchers analyzed data from 157 patients with high-risk stage 3 and 4 melanoma whose cancer had been removed via surgery. The participants were split into two groups — one received the combo therapy and the other only received pembrolizumab, according to a press release.
The therapy was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone after a five-year follow-up. (iStock)
The findings revealed that the combination group saw benefits that were “sustained and durable over time.”
Intismeran autogene is designed using mutations identified in a patient’s own tumor, with the intention of teaching the immune system what the cancer looks like so that it can recognize and attack it.
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According to the researchers, intismeran is “well-tolerated” with a “manageable” safety profile.
The most commonly cited side effects of the personalized mRNA vaccine plus KEYTRUDA were fatigue, injection-site pain, chills, fever and headache. The researchers reported no new long-term safety concerns and no severe vaccine-related adverse events.
The combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study — the final confirmation stage.
Patients with late-stage melanoma have a “significant risk” of cancer recurrence, according to an expert. (iStock)
In a Merck press release from January, Kyle Holen, MD, Moderna’s senior vice president and head of development, oncology and therapeutics, noted that this data highlights the “potential of a prolonged benefit … in patients with resected high-risk melanoma.”
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“We continue to invest in our platform in oncology because of encouraging outcomes like these, which illustrate mRNA’s potential in cancer care,” he said.
Dr. Marjorie Green, senior vice president and head of oncology, global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories, also commented that for many patients with stage 3 or 4 melanoma, there is a “significant risk of recurrence following surgery.”
Researchers confirmed that the combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study. (iStock)
“As such, demonstrating the longer-term potential of intismeran autogene and KEYTRUDA to reduce the risk of recurrence for certain patients with melanoma is a meaningful milestone,” she said.
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The company cited encouraging five-year follow-up data and pointed to upcoming late-stage INTerpath trial results with Moderna in several hard-to-treat cancers.
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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