Health
‘This Is a Dangerous Virus’
When bird flu first struck dairy cattle a year ago, it seemed possible that it might affect a few isolated herds and disappear as quickly as it had appeared. Instead, the virus has infected more than 900 herds and dozens of people, killing one, and the outbreak shows no signs of abating.
A pandemic is not inevitable even now, more than a dozen experts said in interviews. But a series of developments over the past few weeks indicates that the possibility is no longer remote.
Toothless guidelines, inadequate testing and long delays in releasing data — echoes of the missteps during the Covid-19 pandemic — have squandered opportunities for containing the outbreak, the experts said.
In one example emblematic of the disarray, a few dairy herds in Idaho that were infected in the spring displayed mild symptoms for a second time in the late fall, The New York Times has learned. In mid-January, the Department of Agriculture said that no new infections in Idaho herds had been identified since October. But state officials publicly discussed milder cases in November.
That a second bout of infections would produce milder symptoms in cattle is unsurprising, experts said, and could be welcome news to farmers. But reinfections suggest that the virus, called H5N1, could circulate on farms indefinitely, creating opportunities for it to evolve into a more dangerous form — a “high-risk” scenario, said Louise Moncla, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Pennsylvania.
“You could easily end up with endemically circulating H5 in dairy herds without symptoms, obscuring rapid or easy detection,” Dr. Moncla said.
It’s impossible to predict whether the virus will evolve the ability to spread among people, let alone when, she and others said. But the worry is that if bird flu finds the right combination of genetic mutations, the outbreak could quickly escalate.
“I’m still not pack-my-bags-and-head-to-the-hills worried, but there’s been more signals over the past four to six weeks that this virus has the capacity” to set off a pandemic, said Richard Webby, an influenza expert at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Federal officials, too, have subtly altered their tone in discussing the outbreak, now emphasizing how quickly the situation might change.
For the general public, H5N1 is “a low risk, relative to the other risks they face today,” said Dr. Nirav Shah, principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But “100 percent, that could change,” he said. “This is a dangerous virus.”
Health experts emphasize that there are precautions Americans can take: Do not touch sick or dead birds or other animals; get tested if you have flulike symptoms; do not consume raw milk or meat, or feed them to your pets.
If a larger outbreak were to erupt, the federal vaccine stockpile holds a few million doses, although that vaccine might first need updating to match the evolved form of the virus. In either case, officials would have to scramble to produce enough for the population.
The C.D.C. recommends treatment with the antiviral Tamiflu, but studies have shown that the drug does very little to ease illness.
Underlining concerns among many experts is that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who would lead the federal health department if confirmed, was a vocal critic of Covid vaccines and has said the bird flu vaccines “appear to be dangerous.”
Even if the second Trump administration embraces vaccine development, as the first one did when Covid bore down, it’s unclear how many Americans would roll up their sleeves for the shots. Influenza typically affects children and older adults, and pandemic influenza has sometimes hit young adults the hardest. But the mistrust engendered during Covid-19 may make Americans eschew precautions, at least initially.
An evolving threat
Unlike the coronavirus, which caused havoc with its sudden arrival, influenza viruses typically start off in a specific animal species or in certain geographical regions.
When H5N1 emerged in East Asia nearly three decades ago, it mostly sickened birds. In the years that followed, it infected at least 940 people, nearly all of whom had close, sustained contact with infected birds; roughly half of those people died.
But since January 2022, when the virus was detected in wild aquatic birds in the United States, it has affected more than 136 million commercial, backyard and wild birds, helping to send egg prices soaring. It has also struck dozens of mammalian species, including cats both wild and domesticated, raccoons, bears and sea lions.
For at least a year, H5N1 has been infecting dairy cattle, which were not known to be susceptible to this type of influenza. In some cows, it has had lasting effects, reducing milk production and increasing the odds of spontaneous abortions.
And in 2024, the virus infected 67 Americans, compared with just one in the years before, in 2022. The sources of these infections are not all known; one person may have transmitted the virus to someone in their household.
Many of these developments are classic steps toward a pandemic, said Dr. James Lawler, a director at the University of Nebraska’s Global Center for Health Security. But, he noted, “where those were really supposed to trigger accelerated and amplified actions at the federal, state and local level, we’ve just kind of shrugged when each milestone has passed.”
Infections in dairy herds, which first emerged in Texas, appeared to be declining last summer. But in late August, California announced its first case. The state’s figures soon rose sharply, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a public health emergency in December.
“That was sort of a flag to me, like, ‘OK, this hasn’t gone away,’” said Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. “Over the last couple of months, it has felt like the tempo has increased,” she said.
Several other recent events have raised the level of alarm among experts. In early December, scientists reported that in a lab setting, a single mutation helped the virus infect human cells more efficiently.
And late last year two people, a 13-year-old Canadian girl and a Louisiana resident older than 65, became seriously ill; previously, most people infected with H5N1 had not experienced severe symptoms. The Louisiana patient, who had health conditions and cared for sick and dying birds, died in early January.
The girl was placed on life support because of organ failure, but eventually recovered. Scientists still do not know how she became infected; her only risk factor was obesity.
Both patients had contracted a new version of the virus that is distinct from the one in dairy cattle and is now widespread in birds. In both individuals, the virus gained mutations during the course of infection that might allow it to better infect people.
“We are clearly now getting novel viruses forming in the wild bird reservoir,” Dr. Moncla said. “It’s become challenging to keep a handle on all of the various threats.”
Some experts see it as particularly worrisome that the virus seems to be in food sources like raw milk and raw pet food. Domesticated cats have died in numerous states, prompting the recall of at least one brand of pet food and new federal guidelines on pet food quality.
“The raw-pet-food thing to me is, I think, quite alarming,” said Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Pasteurization kills live virus, as does cooking meat at high temperatures. Still, neither procedure is perfect, Dr. Marrazzo noted: “There’s no way that you can police production and sterilization in a way that’s going to make sure 100 percent of the time that food supply is going to be safe.”
A flawed response
In the year since the outbreak began, federal officials have announced other measures to prevent or prepare for a pandemic. But each is deeply flawed, experts said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture was slow to begin testing H5N1 vaccines for cows, leaving interested companies in limbo. Dr. Marrazzo said that the department had released genetic information from virus samples but had not said where or when they were collected — details that would help scientists track the virus’s evolution.
It is also unclear how many herds are reinfected or have been battling monthslong infections. In Idaho, some herds infected in the spring seemed to recover but showed milder symptoms again in November.
“From the data we have to date, we do not see evidence of new infections or reinfections in previously affected herds, but rather a lack of clearance of the original infection,” a spokesman for the U.S.D.A. said in an emailed response. But outside experts said that the trajectory of symptoms suggested a second round of illness.
The U.S.D.A.’s program to test bulk milk began in December — nearly a year after the outbreak began — and still does not include Idaho. Engaging private companies may help the program move faster.
Ginkgo Bioworks, a company that worked with federal agencies during the Covid pandemic, already assesses roughly half the nation’s commercial milk supply for bacteria, antibiotics and other substances.
Adding H5N1 to the list would be straightforward, so “why wouldn’t we just add assays into this infrastructure that we already have?” said Matt McKnight, a manager at the company’s biosecurity division.
Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced $306 million in new funding, about one-third of it for surveillance, testing and outreach to farmworkers.
But farmworkers in some places like the Texas Panhandle are still unaware of what bird flu is, how it spreads and why it should matter to them, said Bethany Alcauter, director of research and public health programs at the National Center for Farmworker Health.
As a result, she said, many workers still do not use protective gear, including in milk parlors where the virus is thought to spread.
Human testing has been voluntary, and infections have been missed. Few farmworkers have opted to be tested, out of fear of immigration officials or their own employers.
“If you don’t look for it, you won’t find it, right?,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, who served as White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator under President Trump. “This is not about lockdowns or restricting activity. It’s about protecting the individual American by empowering them with the information.”
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A specific gut microbe could help with long-term weight-loss goals.
New research published in the journal Nature Medicine tested whether a pasteurized (not live) gut bacterium, called Akkermansia muciniphila MucT, could help people keep weight off after losing it.
The study enrolled 90 overweight and obese adults from the Netherlands in an eight-week, low-energy diet where they were instructed to lose 8% of their body weight, according to a press release.
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The participants then started a 24-week weight-maintenance phase and were randomly assigned to take either the gut bacterium or a placebo.
People taking Akkermansia regained significantly less weight than those taking the placebo, the study found. (iStock)
People taking Akkermansia regained less weight than those taking the placebo, at an average of 2.6 pounds versus 7.1 pounds — a statistically significant difference, according to the study results.
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The researchers noted that the efficacy of the treatment depends on a person’s existing gut microbiome. There were no serious adverse events reported.
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The study’s short duration and small sample size may not be enough to prove long-term benefits, the team noted. Another limitation is that participants ate whatever they wanted instead of following a standardized diet.
The study enrolled 90 overweight and obese adults from the Netherlands in an eight-week, low-energy diet where they were instructed to lose 8% of their body weight. (iStock)
Dr. Peter Balazs, MD, a hormone and weight loss specialist practicing in New York and New Jersey, called this a “well-designed” trial.
“The finding that a single gut microbe, pasteurized Akkermansia, significantly reduced weight regain is particularly compelling,” the expert, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital. “Most probiotics have demonstrated far less efficacy, making these results especially noteworthy.”
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Balazs pointed out that pasteurized Akkermansia isn’t a live probiotic, but works through “components of the bacteria, particularly a protein called Amuc_1100.”
Akkermansia is “not a miracle pill,” an expert noted, although the study results are promising. (iStock)
“This protein helps strengthen the gut barrier, reduce low-grade inflammation and support healthy metabolic function,” he said. “After weight loss, the body naturally tries to regain fat, but Akkermansia appears to help quiet some of those biological signals, making it easier to maintain results over time.”
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While the study results are promising, the doctor cautioned that Akkermansia is not a miracle pill.
“It helps with maintenance, not initial loss,” he said. “Long-term use is plausible; however, it hasn’t been proven beyond 24 weeks. This does not replace diet, exercise or medical advice.”
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The latest beverage trend is far from clean – and it’s raising red flags with doctors.
Known as a “dirty soda,” it’s a soft drink that also includes a combination of added ingredients, such as flavored syrups, creamers, fruit juices and other garnishes. The result is a sweet beverage that’s a combination of a soda, mocktail and dessert.
Dirty sodas can easily deliver 250-400 calories and 55-70 grams of sugar in a single drink – which is often more than double the American Heart Association’s daily added sugar limit, according to Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian.
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“It’s more like a dessert beverage than a soft drink, even if people use diet soda as the base,” she told Fox News Digital.
The drinks are most dangerous for those with insulin resistance, prediabetes or diabetes, Palinski-Wade warned.
A dirty soda is a soft drink that also includes a combination of added ingredients, such as flavored syrups, creamers, fruit juices and other garnishes. (iStock)
“The combination of rapidly absorbed sugar plus cream can cause sharp blood sugar spikes and crashes, driving hunger, fatigue and higher insulin demands,” she cautioned.
The trend is said to have originated in Utah years ago at a specialty soda shop, Swig, reportedly due to people in the Mormon faith seeking an alternative to coffee. The drink was then popularized by social media and TV shows, such as “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” according to Eater.com.
The dirty soda trend is widely credited to Swig, a Utah-based soda shop founded in 2010. The concept reportedly gained popularity in Utah, where many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints abstain from coffee and alcohol, helping create demand for customizable, non-alcoholic drinks.
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“There are multiple soda shops in most suburbs here,” one Utah resident wrote on Reddit. “I have many coworkers who stop at one daily on their way to work [because] they don’t drink coffee, but will drink dirty sodas.”
Trend goes mainstream
Dirty sodas have recently grown in popularity, appearing on many restaurant menus and grocery store shelves. Coca-Cola has launched its Coca-Cola Cherry Float, which is designed to mimic the soda-and-cream experience, while PepsiCo offers a Dirty Mountain Dew Cream Soda.
McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Sonic and Dunkin are among the fast-food brands that include dirty soda options in their beverage line-ups.
Crumbl recently launched a dirty soda that includes multiple sweet ingredients on top of an already sugary soda base. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Perhaps taking the cake is Crumbl, which recently launched a dirty soda that includes multiple sweet ingredients on top of an already sugary soda base.
“Crumbl needs to be stopped,” Dr. Mark Hyman wrote in a recent social media post. “Their new ‘dirty soda’ contains 186 grams of sugar, the equivalent of eating 19 Krispy Kreme donuts. This is a metabolic disaster and should be illegal.”
Experts warn of health risks
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, echoed the warnings about dirty sodas being “very unhealthy.”
“They are loaded with processed sugar, empty calories and saturated fats,” he told Fox News Digital. “They are also highly addictive, especially because of the high sugar content, and are about 400 calories per serving.”
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Over time, regular consumption of these types of sugary beverages can train the brain to seek repeated dopamine and endorphin releases, Siegel warned. This can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, dementia and other chronic illnesses.
An employee prepares a dirty soda at Floso, a drink shop in Salem, Oregon, in July 2024. (Abigail Dollins/Statesman Journal)
Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, echoed that daily added sugars increase the risk of obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
“Additionally, the creamy mix-ins featured in dirty sodas are generally high in saturated fat, another nutrient that should be consumed in limited amounts,” Freirich told Fox News Digital.
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“If you’re looking for a mocktail or fun non-alcoholic beverage, consider using a base of plain seltzer water for a bubbly drink,” she recommended. “Even with the same add-ins, your end result will contain considerably less sugar, but still taste sweet.”
An orange dirty soda is displayed at the Ross County Fair in Ross County, Ohio. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Kenneth J. Perry, M.D., an emergency physician in Charleston, South Carolina, also noted that dirty sodas represent a continuation of the trend toward highly sugary beverages.
“Their effects are short-lived, prompting individuals to consume excessive amounts,” he warned. “This combination of low nutritional value, high sugar content and poor satiety can have significant health implications.”
Each additional highly sugary beverage consumed daily increases the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease, Perry cautioned.
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The World Health Organization recommends limiting free sugars – such as those found in beverages with added sugar – to less than 10% of total daily energy consumption, the doctor noted.
“Beverages with added sugar are one of the most easily modifiable risk factors for various downstream health issues,” Perry added.
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For those who do decide to try the dirty soda trend, Palinski-Wade recommends choosing a small size, using a diet soda base and limiting it to a rare treat.
“It really belongs in the same category as a cake or a milkshake – occasionally, and in smaller portions.”
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Americans born after 1970 are dying faster than their parents did, data shows.
New analysis from Tufts University reveals that Gen Xers and millennials are failing to outlive their predecessors, dying at higher rates from common chronic illnesses and external causes than previous generations did when they were the same age.
Data shows that U.S. life expectancy has steadily improved for most of the 20th century, meaning each generation generally lived longer than the one before it.
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However, that changed starting with individuals born in the 1950s. While Americans born in the 1940s experienced steadily improving survival rates at every stage of life, those born in the 1950s saw that progress slow or reverse.
The downward trend has continued with each subsequent generation, with the biggest change seen in Americans born after 1970.
While Americans born in the 1940s experienced steadily improving survival rates at every stage of life, those born in the 1950s saw that progress slow or reverse. (iStock)
The research, which tracks 45 years of American mortality data from 1979 to 2019, was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, according to a Tufts press release.
Between the ages of 30 and 49, Americans born after 1970 experience higher death rates from heart disease, cancer and external causes (such as drug overdoses, suicide, homicides and traffic accidents) compared to older generations when they were in that same age bracket.
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Why are younger generations dying sooner?
Because the study focused on mapping patterns rather than conducting clinical trials, researchers say it can’t point to a single definitive cause for the decline.
However, the study points out two distinct issues affecting American life expectancy. The first is generational decline, meaning that newer generations are entering middle age while carrying higher risk factors than their predecessors.
Part of the decline is marked by a slowdown of decades-long progress against cardiovascular disease. (iStock)
Additionally, a separate, nationwide setback began around 2010, negatively impacting almost every living adult simultaneously, regardless of their birth year. Researchers say this period was marked by a slowdown of decades-long progress against cardiovascular disease.
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U.S. life expectancy improved by just 0.26 years between 2010 and 2019. In comparison, the country gained an average of 1.78 years of life expectancy per decade over the previous 50 years, according to the analysis.
This has caused the U.S. to fall further behind on a global scale. The life expectancy gap between the U.S. and the top-performing nation grew from 2.6 years in 1983 to 4.7 years by 2009.
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Shifting health risks
Earlier generations were heavily impacted by cigarette smoking. In contrast, younger generations face rising obesity rates and related conditions, such as colon cancer, data shows.
Because Americans born after 1970 are still in the middle stages of life, the full impact of these elevated mortality rates has not yet fully registered in overall national life expectancy figures. (iStock)
The researchers noted that the rise of the opioid epidemic also significantly accelerated overdose deaths for post-1970 generations starting in the late 1990s.
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The team cited widening economic inequality, social instability and chronic stress as larger issues that could be driving multiple causes of death at the same time.
Because Americans born after 1970 are still in the middle stages of life, the full impact of these elevated mortality rates has not yet fully registered in overall national life expectancy figures, they noted.
Looking ahead, the researchers plan to analyze newly released 2024 mortality data to understand how the pandemic may have affected U.S. mortality trends. (iStock)
“Although this study does not provide direct evidence, we can speculate about some interventions to explore,” lead study author Leah Abrams, an assistant professor of community health at Tufts University, said in the press release.
“To reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease, we may want to address risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Addressing colon cancer mortality among younger individuals may involve related factors and benefit from improving diet.”
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Looking ahead, the researchers plan to analyze newly released 2024 mortality data to understand how the pandemic may have affected U.S. mortality trends.
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