Health
Listeria infection linked to deli meats kills 2, infects 28 across US, CDC warns
Two people have died so far due to a listeria outbreak in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerted on Friday.
Listeria is the third-leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the country, according to the health agency.
Twenty-eight people across 12 states have reported illness from listeria infection — with New York and Maryland reporting the highest number of cases.
LISTERIA OUTBREAK KILLS THREE ADULTS IN WASHINGTON STATE, HEALTH DEPARTMENT CONFIRMS
The first illness was reported on May 29, and the most recent was on July 5, per CDC data.
The two deaths occurred in Illinois and New Jersey.
Two people have died so far due to a listeria outbreak in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerted on Friday. (iStock)
In many cases, the bacterial outbreak has been linked to people eating sliced meats purchased at deli counters, the CDC stated.
The bacteria is known to spread easily in delis and in environments where food is prepared.
No specific brands have been identified as of yet — and the CDC noted that officials are investigating.
Symptoms of listeria
The most common symptoms of infection include fever, fatigue and muscle aches.
Some people also experience stiff neck, headache, balance problems, seizures or disorientation, according to the CDC.
HOW TO PREVENT AND TREAT ILLNESSES THAT ARE MOST COMMON DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS
These symptoms are typically reported within two weeks of consuming contaminated food, but could appear before or after that time frame.
Who is at highest risk?
Those who are pregnant, are 65 years of age or older or have a weakened immune system are most vulnerable to listeria, the CDC warned.
“This is because listeria is more likely to spread beyond their gut to other parts of their body, resulting in a severe condition known as invasive listeriosis,” the agency stated in the alert.
Pregnant women infected with listeria could potentially experience premature birth, miscarriage or stillbirth, the CDC warned. (iStock)
Pregnant women infected with listeria could potentially experience premature birth, miscarriage or stillbirth.
It is also possible for the infection to be passed along to the baby, which can be life-threatening.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“Other people with invasive illness – most commonly adults 65 years and older and people with weakened immune systems – usually have infection of the bloodstream (sepsis) or brain (meningitis or encephalitis),” the CDC states.
For most people outside these high-risk groups, the infection is not likely to cause serious illness.
In many cases, the bacterial outbreak has been linked to people eating sliced meats purchased at deli counters, the CDC stated. (iStock)
For those at higher risk, the CDC recommends avoiding eating sliced deli meats unless they are reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F, then cooled before eating.
Refrigeration does not kill the bacteria, the agency noted.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health
The CDC also recommends cleaning all containers and surfaces that may have come into contact with sliced deli meats.
Anyone who experiences listeria symptoms should contact a health care provider immediately, health officials advise. Most people recover with no treatment, but antibiotics may be given for serious cases.
Fox News Digital has reached out to medical experts for comment.
Health
Switching from cigarettes to vapes linked to higher risk of major eye diseases, large study finds
US cigarette smoking drops to record low, vaping and nicotine pouch use surges
Fox News medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel discusses a New England Journal of Medicine study reporting US adult cigarette smoking rates dropped to a record low of 9.9% in 2024. Siegel warns about the addictive nature of vaping and nicotine pouches, which contain high levels of nicotine. He expresses concern over potential GI tract and heart issues, stressing social media’s role in promoting these products to younger generations.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Switching from cigarettes to electronic vapes is often seen as a healthier move, but a massive nationwide study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology suggests that smokeless alternatives could increase the risk of serious eye diseases compared to quitting nicotine altogether.
Researchers from the Korea University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, analyzed health data from a group of 179,273 adults through the Korean National Health Insurance Service, according to a press release.
All participants had smoked traditional cigarettes between 2011 and 2012 and then quit smoking by 2018 or 2019, they reported.
SINGLE WORKOUT CUTS CRAVINGS, OFFERING NEW HOPE FOR SMOKERS TRYING TO QUIT
To ensure a fair comparison, the researchers paired up participants who shared similar backgrounds, including their age, gender, medical history, existing health conditions and general lifestyle habits.
Switching from cigarettes to electronic vapes is often seen as a healthier move, but a large study suggests it could pose a risk to eye health. (iStock)
This process created a balanced group of 32,316 matched participants, who were divided into two categories: complete quitters who stopped using all nicotine products and those who transitioned to smokeless nicotine products, such as vapes.
The researchers followed the participants for an average of 4.6 years to determine whether they developed eye conditions, including cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and focus-related eyesight disorders.
5 WAYS TO PRESERVE YOUR VISION AS YOU AGE, ACCORDING TO AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST
Over the tracking period, the group experienced a total of 6,328 major eye disease events. People who quit nicotine entirely had the lowest disease rate in the study, at 41.1 cases per 1,000 person-years (a measure that accounts for both the number of people in the study and how long they were followed).
In comparison, that rate rose to 44 cases for individuals who had switched over to smokeless alternatives like vapes.
The people included in the study were divided into two main categories: complete quitters who stopped using all nicotine products, and switchers who transitioned to smokeless tobacco or nicotine products, like vapes. (iStock)
Ultimately, the data showed that switching to alternative nicotine products carried a steady 7% increased risk of serious eye diseases compared to quitting nicotine completely.
FOOD CHOICES THAT CAN BOOST YOUR VISION AND PROTECT AGAINST EYE DISEASE
Most notably, those who switched faced a 24% higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a condition that damages the blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Additionally, those who ditched cigarettes for vapes had a 7% higher risk of developing refractive and accommodation disorders, which affect the eye’s ability to focus clearly.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
“These findings challenge the assumption that substituting noncombustible nicotine or tobacco products for conventional cigarettes is visually harmless,” the researchers noted.
“These findings challenge the assumption that substituting noncombustible nicotine or tobacco products for conventional cigarettes is visually harmless,” the researchers noted. (iStock)
The authors did point out a few limitations of the research. Because this was a study looking back at health insurance data, it cannot definitively prove that vaping directly causes eye damage.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Additionally, the study relied on people filling out questionnaires about their own smoking and vaping habits, which can sometimes lead to underreporting or simple memory errors.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Still, the researchers concluded the findings suggest that replacing cigarettes with alternative nicotine products may not eliminate the risk of certain eye diseases.
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The latest COVID-19 vaccine (2024-2025) has been linked to fewer serious heart-related events among U.S. veterans.
New research confirmed a small reduction in COVID-related cardiovascular events, or COVID-19-associated MACE, due to the vaccine.
MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) is a composite measure of serious heart-related outcomes. It typically includes cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke, and may also include hospitalization for heart failure.
VACCINES FOR FLU AND COVID: SHOULD YOU GET BOTH AT THE SAME TIME?
Using health records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the researchers compared two groups of veterans — one that received the COVID and flu vaccine on the same day (nearly 350,000 people) and another group that received only the flu vaccine (nearly 700,000 people).
For people older than 75, vaccine effectiveness against COVID-associated MACE was 50.7%. (iStock)
Out of more than one million veterans studied, the average age was about 70 and 92% were male, according to a press release.
Within about eight months, the results showed that those who received the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine had a lower risk of COVID-associated major cardiovascular events, with a relative vaccine effectiveness of 37.7%.
The COVID vaccine was linked to a 57.9% lower risk of cardiovascular death, 38.5% lower risk of heart attack and 41.9% lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure, the researchers stated. The result for stroke was not statistically significant.
SCIENTISTS PINPOINT WHY COVID VACCINE MAY TRIGGER HEART INFLAMMATION IN CERTAIN PEOPLE
The benefit was greatest among adults ages 75 and older and those with underlying health conditions. In people over 75, the vaccine was 50.7% effective at preventing COVID-associated MACE.
As the study was observational, it could not prove cause and effect between the COVID-19 vaccine and lower risk of cardiovascular events, but only highlighted an association.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Dr. Glenn Hirsch, cardiologist at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado, called these results “not overall surprising” in an interview with Fox News Digital.
After eight months, those who received the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine had a lower risk of COVID-associated major cardiovascular events. (iStock)
“This result is consistent with previous studies of the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines against infectious diseases [in] preventing cardiovascular events, including heart attack, cardiovascular cause of death or hospitalizations,” he said.
Acute inflammation in the body from infections like COVID-19 increases the risk of cardiovascular events and can cause further complications, according to the doctor.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“This can lead to a higher risk of blood clotting, but can also make arterial plaques susceptible to rupture, which then leads to clot formation to heal a ruptured plaque,” he said. “This clotting can cause a near-total or complete occlusion of an artery, leading to these cardiovascular events.”
“Vaccines either prevent infection or reduce the severity of infection and subsequent inflammation, lowering the cardiovascular risk.”
Acute inflammation in the body from infections like COVID-19 can increase the risk of cardiovascular events, the study suggests. (iStock)
Despite the positive outcome, the overall benefit of the vaccine in this study was less than in previous studies, according to Hirsch, who was not involved in the research.
This could be due to the lower severity of illness seen in more recent COVID-19 variants, as well as immunity from prior infections among unvaccinated people, he noted. There has also been a decline in COVID testing, making it more difficult to link cardiovascular events to the virus.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“The bottom line [is] that there is still evidence of benefit from COVID-19 vaccination like many other infectious disease vaccinations, and people should be encouraged to discuss these with their healthcare team annually,” Hirsch advised.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“This is an observational trial and there can always be some confounding after necessary statistical adjustments and other potential benefits or harms, including adverse effects from vaccines that were not investigated in this study,” he added.
-
Health2 minutes agoSwitching from cigarettes to vapes linked to higher risk of major eye diseases, large study finds
-
Sports7 minutes ago2026 World Cup Odds: Which Nations are Favored to Reach Semifinals?
-
Technology14 minutes agoWorld Cup ticket scams target desperate fans
-
Business17 minutes ago
Snap sued by parents of girl who was raped by man she met on Snapchat
-
Entertainment22 minutes ago‘The Bear’ at closing time: Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White reflect on five seasons
-
Lifestyle29 minutes agoL.A. Affairs: After decades of near-misses, I finally told him: ‘I’m not leaving here without you’
-
Politics32 minutes agoTrump budget request omits funds for L.A. fire relief, prompting criticism from senators
-
Science37 minutes agoEPA touts crackdown on smuggled pesticides in L.A. visit
