Pop singer Lance Bass recently shared on social media that he has type 1.5 diabetes, also known as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA).

The former NSYNC member was initially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes a few years ago, he wrote in an Instagram post. 

“But when I was first diagnosed, I had a difficult time getting my glucose levels under control even though I made adjustments to my diet, my medications and my workout routine,” he said. “Things just weren’t adding up.”

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Bass then revealed what he referred to as a “plot twist.”

“I recently discovered that I was misdiagnosed and I actually have type 1.5, or latent autoimmune diabetes of adults [LADA].”

Fox News Digital reached out to Bass for comment.

What is type 1.5 diabetes?

Type 1.5 diabetes is considered an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks cells in the pancreas — called beta cells — that secrete insulin, a hormone that helps to regulate glucose levels in the body, according to experts.

The condition is typically diagnosed in individuals age 30 and older and progressively worsens over time.

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“Like type 1 diabetes (T1DM), LADA is an autoimmune disease, but unlike T1DM, the decline in beta-cell function occurs much more slowly,” Dr. Silvana Obici, chief of the Division of Endocrinology at Stony Brook Medicine on Long Island, New York, told Fox News Digital in an email.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) classifies LADA as a subset of Type 1 — “because they are all characterized by autoimmunity and only differ in the rate of beta cell destruction,” said Obici, who has not treated Bass.

Type 1.5 diabetes is considered an autoimmune disease. The body’s immune system mistakenly attacks cells in the pancreas — called beta cells — that secrete insulin, a hormone that helps to regulate glucose levels in the body. (iStock)

The symptoms of type 1.5 diabetes are similar to those of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but there are also some differences.

“Although type 1 is often associated with increased thirst, increased urination, increased hunger and weight loss, these symptoms are less common in both LADA and type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Kevin Peterson, vice president of primary care for the ADA, who also has not treated Bass, told Fox News Digital.

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“Both of these conditions can have a slow onset that is characterized by fatigue, urinary tract infections, blurred vision and mild problems that can sometimes be ignored.”

Unlike type 2 diabetes, LADA is associated with a progressive loss of insulin that can’t be controlled by lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, and may not respond to medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes, Peterson added.

Chance of misdiagnosis

Some 10% of adults with type 1.5 diabetes are initially misdiagnosed as having type 2 diabetes, studies show.

With LADA, “the presentation is often slow, making it difficult to distinguish between the two conditions, especially early in the diagnosis,” said Peterson.

Unlike type 2 diabetes, LADA is associated with a progressive loss of insulin that can’t be controlled by lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. (iStock)

Blood tests are available that can identify the type of diabetes, he noted.

Dr. David Lam, an associate professor in the division of endocrinology, diabetes and bone diseases at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, did not comment on Bass’ case, but agreed that type 1.5 diabetes can be misdiagnosed.

Over 1 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year, with approximately 10% of those having type 1.5.

“Testing for the autoantibodies is not standardized for all patients newly diagnosed with diabetes — it typically occurs because the clinician has a degree of suspicion of the diagnosis,” Lam told Fox News Digital. 

“This is typically based on elements of the person’s clinical history, such as onset of diabetes at a younger age, lower body mass index, or a family or personal history of other autoimmune conditions,” he added.

Treatment and intervention

Although LADA shares some of the same symptoms as type 1 and type 2 diabetes, experts noted that its treatment can be different.

“Early in the course of type 1.5 diabetes, the pancreas may still make enough insulin, so there may be only mild glucose abnormalities,” Lam told Fox News Digital.

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During this period, treatments traditionally used for type 2 diabetes may work, he noted — “but as the condition progresses, and the pancreas’ ability to produce insulin significantly decreases, injected insulin therapy becomes necessary to control blood glucose levels.”

Treatment is also challenging because type 1.5 diabetes progresses at different rates for each individual and can be difficult to predict, Lam noted.

All types of diabetes must be managed with dietary intervention, experts say. (iStock)

Specific medications for the disease will depend on the severity of the beta cells’ deficiency, Obici said.

“If the amount of insulin produced by the beta cells is very low, these individuals will require insulin, as with type 1 diabetes,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“On the other hand, if the beta cells produce some or a substantial amount of insulin, LADA can be treated with a combination of insulin and other medications used for type 2 diabetes, such as metformin, GLP-1 receptor agonists and DPPIV inhibitors.”

All types of diabetes must be managed with dietary intervention, according to Obici.

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“In T1DM and LADA, dietary intervention is focused on helping to keep glycemia under control and to avoid hypoglycemia,” he said. 

“In T2DM, diet and lifestyle modification is focused not only on glycemic control, but also on promoting weight loss.”

For those who are told they have type 2 diabetes and are young, not overweight and not responding to pills, a doctor said he recommends asking about being tested for type 1.5. (iStock)

Dr. Brian Burtch, an endocrinologist at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, who was not involved in Bass’ care, told Fox News Digital that his practice sees at least one case of type 1.5 diabetes each month. 

For those who are told they have type 2 diabetes and are young, not overweight and not responding to pills, Burtch typically recommends they ask about being tested for type 1.5.

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“As a physician, it is important to always consider this diagnosis in diabetes patients,” he advised.

Approximately 1.2 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year, with some 10% of those having type 1.5, according to the ADA.

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• The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared the increasing spread of mpox a health emergency, warning the virus might spread across international borders. 
• A new form of mpox that can kill up to 10% of people and may spread more easily was detected in Congo. The new form is harder to spot.
• The World Health Organization director-general said officials were dealing with several mpox outbreaks in various countries with “different modes of transmission and different levels of risk.”

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared this week that the increasing spread of mpox across the continent is a health emergency, warning the virus might ultimately spill across international borders.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization is convening its own expert meeting to consider making a similar emergency declaration over mpox. The U.N. health agency said there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths this year, which already exceed last year’s figures.

So far, more than 96% of all cases and deaths are in a single country — Congo. Scientists are concerned by the spread of a new version of the disease there that might be more easily transmitted among people.

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Here’s a look at what we know about mpox, and what might be done to contain it:

What is mpox?

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there were outbreaks of a “pox-like” disease in monkeys. Until recently, most human cases were seen in people in central and west Africa who had close contact with infected animals.

In 2022, the virus was confirmed to spread via sex for the first time and triggered outbreaks in more than 70 countries that had not previously reported mpox.

Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches. People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.

What’s happening in Africa that’s causing all this concern?

The number of cases has jumped dramatically. Last week, the Africa CDC reported that mpox has now been detected in at least 13 African countries. Compared with the same period last year, the agency said cases are up 160% and deaths have increased by 19%.

Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of a new form of mpox in a Congolese mining town that can kill up to 10% of people and may spread more easily.

Unlike in previous mpox outbreaks, where lesions were mostly seen on the chest, hands and feet, the new form of mpox causes milder symptoms and lesions on the genitals. That makes it harder to spot, meaning people might also sicken others without knowing they’re infected.

WHO said mpox was recently identified for the first time in four East African countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. All of those outbreaks were linked to the epidemic in Congo.

In the Ivory Coast and South Africa, health authorities have reported outbreaks of a different and less dangerous version of mpox that spread worldwide in 2022.

What does an mpox emergency declaration mean?

Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya said the agency’s declaration of a public health emergency was meant “to mobilize our institutions, our collective will and our resources to act swiftly and decisively.” He appealed to Africa’s international partners for help, saying that the escalating caseload in Africa had largely been ignored.

“It’s clear that current control strategies aren’t working and there is a clear need for more resources,” said Michael Marks, a professor of medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “If a (global emergency declaration) is the mechanism to unlock these things, then it is warranted,” he said.

What’s different about the current outbreak in Africa compared to the 2022 epidemic?

During the global outbreak of mpox in 2022, gay and bisexual men made up the vast majority of cases and the virus was mostly spread through close contact, including sex.

Although some similar patterns have been seen in Africa, children under 15 now account for more than 70% of the mpox cases and 85% of deaths in Congo.

Ahead of its emergency meeting on mpox, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said officials were dealing with several mpox outbreaks in various countries with “different modes of transmission and different levels of risk.”

“Stopping these outbreaks will require a tailored and comprehensive response,” he said.

Greg Ramm, Save the Children’s Congo director, said the organization was particularly worried about the spread of mpox in the crowded camps for refugees in the east, noting there were 345,000 children “crammed into tents in unsanitary conditions.” He said the country’s health system was already “collapsing” under the strain of malnutrition, measles and cholera.

Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases expert at Emory University, said it was unclear why children were so disproportionately hit by mpox in Congo. She said it might be because kids are more susceptible to the virus or that social factors, like overcrowding and exposure to parents who caught the disease, might explain it.

How might mpox be stopped?

The 2022 outbreak of mpox in dozens of countries was largely shut down with the use of vaccines and treatments in rich countries, in addition to convincing people to avoid risky behavior. But barely any vaccines or treatments have been available in Africa.

Marks, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that immunization would likely help — including inoculating people against smallpox, a related virus.

“We need a large supply of vaccine so that we can vaccinate populations most at risk,” he said, adding that would mean sex workers, children and adults living in outbreak regions.

Congo has said it’s in talks with donors about possible vaccine donations and has gotten some financial aid from Britain and the U.S.

WHO said it had released $1.45 million from its emergency fund to support the response to mpox in Africa.