California
Scientists warn of unusual parasite that killed sea otters off California coast
4 sea otters that washed ashore on the California coast died from an uncommon parasite that scientists warn may presumably infect different marine wildlife and people.
There are at present no recognized infections of the Toxoplasma gondii pressure amongst people, in response to a research revealed Wednesday from the California Division of Fish and Wildlife and UC Davis.
However the microscopic parasite may infect any warm-blooded animal or discover its approach into the meals chain, the research stated. That features marine animals like mussels, clams, oysters, and crabs which are consumed uncooked or undercooked, corresponding research writer Melissa Miller with the California Division of Fish and Wildlife stated in a written assertion.
“I’ve studied Toxoplasma infections in sea otters for 25 years, and I’ve by no means seen such extreme lesions or excessive parasite numbers,” Miller stated of the lifeless otters. “We’re reporting our preliminary findings to alert others about this regarding situation.”
Otters are particularly inclined to Toxoplasma an infection, researchers stated, as a result of they discover meals alongside the shoreline and could possibly be uncovered to the parasite’s eggs in rainwater runoff as they feed on marine invertebrates. Sometimes, the parasite is present in wild and home cats and shed by means of their feces, in response to the research authors.
The parasite pressure, dubbed the COUG genotype, was first remoted within the wild from a mountain lion in British Columbia throughout an investigation of the parasite’s outbreak in people in 1995 and a feral pig in jap California, in response to the research authors. The Canadian authorities reported there have been 110 acute human infections recognized and none have been deadly.
The COUG genotype was current in all 4 otters, the research stated.
The primary otter washed ashore in San Simeon in San Luis Obispo County in February 2020, in response to the research. The grownup feminine otter was nonetheless alive, however skinny, unresponsive and groaning. The opposite three otters washed ashore already lifeless from February by means of March 2022 in Cayucos in San Luis Obispo County and in Pure Bridges State Seaside in Santa Cruz County, researchers stated.
Quite a few lesions have been discovered all through the nervous methods within the otters, however have been missing within the mind, which is usually one of many organs affected by the parasite, in response to the research authors.
All 4 otters confirmed apparent indicators of irritation of their physique fats, Miller stated, and beneath the microscope, their tissue was flush with parasites, together with faster-growing and actively multiplying invasive cells.
In any other case the otters have been wholesome adults that had no different extreme illness, in response to the research.
Sometimes, it takes time for the parasite to invade and multiply within the mind, however the sparse variety of parasites within the brains of the 4 otters suggests the an infection unfold shortly, Miller stated.
“We don’t know but the interval between an infection and demise for this pressure,” Miller stated.
Examine writer Karen Shapiro with the UC Davis Faculty of Veterinary Medication stated it was shocking to seek out the parasite in otters as a result of it’s by no means been recorded of their species.
“So, discovering this sort [of Toxoplasma] within the marine setting was very surprising, and notably regarding given the speedy and virulent illness it prompted within the 4 sea otters,” Shapiro stated in an electronic mail.
In people, the parasite may cause miscarriages and neurological illness, the research stated.
The kind of irritation of the fats related to toxoplasmosis has been reported in Hawaiian monk seals, in response to Devinn Sinnott, a graduate scholar at UC Davis Faculty of Veterinary Medication. That pressure has not been decided but and is an energetic space of analysis within the UC Davis lab, Sinnott stated in an electronic mail.
“We nonetheless have a lot to study,” Sinnott stated in a written assertion that accompanied the research. “Bigger-scale research are wanted to know the potential affect of an infection by the COUG Toxoplasma pressure on sea otter populations, how geographically dispersed it’s, how it’s being launched into the ocean and what different animals could be affected.”
California
What California city has the best weather for you? Take our quiz
California has plenty of options when it comes to finding a place with your preferred weather. If you like cool weather, some cities spend nearly the entire year below 70 degrees. If you hate the rain, there are locations that average just a few inches per year.
The Chronicle gathered data about temperature, precipitation, air quality and extreme weather for 61 places across California, including the 20 most populous cities with data available. In total, 53 of the state’s 58 counties are represented in the analysis.
While there may not be a perfect match with everything you’re looking for, this quiz will help pinpoint a place that gets close.
California
California woman dies from Fresno County's first human case of rabies in more than 30 years
A California woman died of rabies after allegedly being bitten by a bat in her classroom, according to Fresno County health officials.
The woman, later identified as Leah Seneng, 60, marks the first human case of rabies in Fresno County since 1992.
“In general, rabies is a disease that affects the brain, and it is very rare. But when it develops, it can cause very serious consequences,” said Dr. Trnidad Solis, Fresno County Health Department’s deputy health officer. “It’s transmitted through saliva; it is not airborne.”
RABIES PATIENT BECOMES FIRST FATAL CASE IN US AFTER POST-EXPOSURE TREATMENT, REPORT SAYS
Seneng, who was an art teacher at Bryant Middle School in Dos Palos, was bitten by the bat when she was attempting to rescue it in her classroom, local outlet ABC30 reported.
She first came into contact with the bat in October, but did not display symptoms until approximately a month later, according to Fresno County health officials. She was admitted to the hospital and died four days later.
PEANUT THE SQUIRREL EARMARKED FOR EUTHANASIA BEFORE BEING CONFISCATED AND WAS RABIES-FREE: REPORT
“The most frequent route of transmission is through the bite of an animal that has rabies. With rabies, unfortunately, there is no cure. So, when symptoms develop, there is no treatment, and often when it develops, it is often fatal. So we want the public to know that prevention is key to preventing rabies infection,” Solis said.
Fresno County officials do not believe there is a threat to public health at this time, but are working with the Merced County Health Department to identify any other possible exposures and administer vaccines.
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Seneng’s coworkers have set up a GoFundMe account to assist her family during this time.
California
Another batch of raw milk from a trendy California brand just tested positive for bird flu
- Two batches of raw milk from a trendy California brand have tested positive for bird flu this week.
- Bird flu has been spreading rapidly among cattle in the US.
- Experts say drinking raw milk is dangerous, and can cause food poisoning.
Another batch of raw milk just tested positive for bird flu in California.
Last Sunday, Fresno-based Raw Farm voluntarily recalled a first batch of cream top whole raw milk with a “best by” date of November 27. By Wednesday, the California Department of Public Health announced that a second batch of Raw Farm cream top, with a “best by” date of December 7 had also tested positive for bird flu, based on retail sampling.
“We’re not making a big deal about it, because it’s not a big deal,” Kaleigh Stanziani, Raw Farm’s vice president of marketing, said in a short video posted on YouTube after the farm’s first voluntary recall was announced earlier this week.
She said there had only been an indication that there might be a “trace element of something possible,” emphasizing that there had been no reported illnesses of Raw Farms cows or positive tests from the cattle.
Raw Farm owner Mark McAfee later told the LA Times that the California Department of Food and Agriculture had requested that his company “hold delivery of further products” until Friday, after conducting thorough testing of two Raw Farms and one creamery on Wednesday. (McAfee could not immediately be reached for comment by Business Insider during the Thanksgiving holiday.)
Raw milk may be helping bird flu spread — but not in the way you might think
Scientists suspect that cross-contamination of raw milk between animals may be one reason the H5N1 virus is spreading rapidly among cows in the US — and could even contribute to the human spread of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions that dairy workers might be able to contract bird flu by infected raw milk splashed into their eyes.
There is no definitive evidence yet that humans can get bird flu from drinking contaminated raw milk. Instead, health authorities generally recommend avoiding raw milk because of other serious health risks, including food poisoning with bacteria like Salmonella, E.coli, or Listeria.
There are no known health benefits of drinking raw milk. Instead, all evidence suggests that pasteurized milk is just as nutritious, and is safer to consume.
Still, raw milk has become a trendy product among some influencers. Gwenyth Paltrow says she has it in her coffee in the morning.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services secretary, says he wants the US Food and Drug Administration to stop its “war” against raw milk.
Over the summer, “Carnivore MD” Paul Saladino released a raw milk smoothie in partnership with the elite Los Angeles health foods store Erewhon featuring unpasteurized (raw) kefir from Raw Farms, and powdered beef organs.
California has some of the loosest rules around raw milk in the country; it’s generally fine for California retailers like health foods stores and grocers to sell it, raw milk products just can’t be transported across state lines, per FDA rules.
Michael Payne, a researcher at the Western Institute of Food Safety and Security, told The Guardian that people consuming Dr. Paul’s $19 smoothie were “playing Russian roulette with their health,” and ignoring pasteurization, “the single most important food safety firewall in history.”
California dairy farms have been seeing an uptick in bird flu cases since August. The state has reported 29 confirmed human cases of bird flu, and all but one of those was sourced back to cows.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first confirmed case of bird flu in a California child from Alameda County. The child had no known contact with infected farm animals, but may have been exposed to wild birds, the California health department said in a statement.
The child had mild symptoms and is recovering well after receiving antiviral drugs.
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