Health

Brain-eating amoeba in water supply spurs Texas city to declare disaster after boy, 6, dies

A city in Texas issued a disaster declaration Saturday after a brain-eating amoeba was found in water supplies, weeks after a 6-year-old boy died after contracting the microbe.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality warned the Brazosport Water Authority on Friday night of the potential contamination of its water supply with Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba.

A “do not use water” advisory was issued initially for eight communities in the greater Houston area to not use any tap water except to flush toilets but was lifted by Saturday for all communities but Lake Jackson.

BRAIN-EATING AMOEBA: WHAT IS IT, AND HOW DO YOU PREVENT CONTRACTING IT?

The agency said late Saturday night that Lake Jackson lifted its “do not use” advisory but a boil water notice remains in effect along with “additional precautionary measures.”

Investigators from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality conduct water sampling in Lake Jackson, Texas on Sept. 26, 2020 after a brain-eating amoeba was detected in the city’s water supply.
(Texas Commission on Environmental Quality)

“TCEQ and city officials are actively working on a plan to flush and disinfect the water system. Until the flushing and disinfecting process is complete, the city remains under the boil notice,” the agency said in a news release. “During this period of disinfection and flushing, boiling the tap water makes it safe for drinking and cooking.”

The city of more than 27,000 residents is the site of the authority’s water treatment plant. The authority’s water source is the Brazos River, with runs through the city located south of Houston.

The advisory also was canceled for two state prisons and Dow Chemical’s massive Freeport works.

According to the agency, the boil-water notice will remain in place until the authority’s water system has been thoroughly flushed and tests on water samples show the system’s water is again safe to use. The authority said in a statement that it was unclear how long it would be before the tap water was again safe.

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City officials said in a news release on Saturday that earlier this month, 6-year-old Josiah McIntyre died after contracting the microbe.

Josiah’s mom, Maria Castillo, told FOX26 her son’s headache turned into vomiting, a fever, and trouble speaking.

“It was weird because he had never complained of a headache before,” she said Saturday.

On Sept. 8, he died from what doctors discovered was Naegleria fowleri.

After his diagnosis, the family had identified two possible water sources where he could have been exposed to the amoeba, one being the Lake Jackson Civic Center Splash Pad and the other being a hose at his home.

The investigation into his death led to the detection of the brain-eating amoeba after heath officials conducted water sample tests, Lake Jackson City Manager Modesto Mundo said in a news release Saturday.

Three of 11 sample tests indicated preliminary positive results for the brain-eating microbe, with one sample coming from the boy’s home hose bib, Mundo said.

According to the city, Lake Jackson uses a combination of well-water and the Brazosport supply, but the manager of Brazosport Water Authority told FOX 26 that their testing came back clear of the amoeba, which is why other cities they serve were lifted from the advisory.

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Grocery store chain Kroger will help to supply the city of Lake Jackson with water during the on-going advisory.

“In light of the ‘do not use’ water advisory affecting areas of Southeast Texas, Kroger has deployed trucks containing 250 pallets of water to the stores that area, including Clute, Rosenberg and Angleton to ensure the affected communities have access to supplies of water,” Clara Campbell, corporate affairs manager of Kroger told FOX26.

Naegleria fowleri, the brain-eating amoeba that causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis, can be caught in warm water locations.
(CDC.gov)

The amoeba can cause a rare infection of the brain called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) that destroys brain tissue and is usually fatal. It usually infects people when contaminated water enters the body through the nose.

The peak season for this amoeba is July, August, and September, where it can be found in many warm freshwater lakes, ponds, canals and rivers in the United States. It is more common in southern states.

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The contamination of U.S. treated public water systems by the microbe is rare but not unheard of. According to the CDC website, the first deaths from Naegleria fowleri found in tap water from treated U.S. public drinking water systems occurred in southern Louisiana in 2011 and 2013.

Naegleria fowleri, the brain-eating amoeba that causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis.
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

While a boil-water notice has been issued for Lake Jackson, officials are recommending the following precautions for all other uses, including bathing and showering:

Do not allow water to go up your nose or sniff water into your nose when bathing, showering, washing your face, or swimming.
Do not jump into or put your head under bathing water.
Do not allow children to play with hoses, sprinklers, or any toy or device that may accidentally squirt water up the nose.
Do run bath and shower taps and hoses for 5 minutes before use to flush out the pipes.
Do keep small, hard plastic/blow-up pools clean by emptying, scrubbing, and allowing them to dry after each use.
Do use only boiled and cooled, distilled, or sterile water for making sinus rinse solutions for neti pots or performing ritual ablutions.
Do keep swimming pools adequately disinfected before and during use. Adequate disinfection means pools: should have free chlorine at 1-3 parts per million (ppm) and pH 7.2-7.8 and hot tubs/spas should have free chlorine 2-4 parts per million (ppm) or free bromine 4-6 ppm and pH 7.2-7.8.
Do place the hose directly into the skimmer box and ensure that the filter is running.
Do not top off by placing the hose in the body of the pool.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Recalled mushrooms linked to salmonella cases across 10 states

Health officials have linked a multi-state salmonella outbreak to a recalled variety of mushrooms that were previously available across 32 states and Canada. The mushrooms, distributed by California-based Wismettac Asian Foods Inc, are a black fungus variety also called wood ear mushrooms.

The outbreak has sickened 41 people across 10 states, four of which required hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The illnesses occurred from Jan. 21 to Aug. 26, and patients ranged in age from 2 to 74 years old. Four illness clusters were traced to restaurants serving ramen in three states, and information pertaining to where the mushrooms came from lead officials to Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc.

There have been 41 illnesses across 10 states, four of which required hospitalization.
(CDC )

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The company has since issued a recall for all Skirakiku brand importuned Black Fungus that was distributed to restaurants out of concern that it may be contaminated with salmonella. The infection can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, with symptoms typically developing within 12 to 72 hours after exposure.

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Health officials said it’s possible that more patients may come forward as it typically takes about two to four weeks for illnesses to be reported through the PulseNet system.

Unapproved drugs found in cognitive supplements: study

Five unapproved drugs were found in over-the-counter supplements advertising better cognitive function, according to a recent study.

The study’s authors said the drugs’ presence “suggest serious risks to consumers and weaknesses in the regulatory framework under which supplements are permitted to be introduced in the U.S.”

Findings were published Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal, Neurology Clinical Practice.

Dr. Pieter Cohen, associate professor at Harvard Medical School, and his team searched through two supplement databases, National Institute of Health’s Dietary Supplement Label Database and the Natural Medicines Database, for products containing drugs not authorized for human use in the U.S.

Five unapproved drugs were found in over-the-counter supplements advertising better cognitive function, per a recent study. (iStock)

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In all, 10 supplements were tested, which resulted in the detection of five unapproved drugs: omberacetam, aniracetam, vinpocetine, phenibut and picamilon.

Some detected drugs were not declared on the label and, in other cases, declared quantities were said to be inaccurate.

“Consumers could be exposed to up to four-fold greater than pharmaceutical dosages and as many as four unapproved drugs when using individual products,” study authors wrote, adding that use of the supplements may pose “serious health risks” due to “unpredictable dosing and lack of clinician supervision.”

While the health risks of the specific supplements were said to be unknown, researchers said the drugs’ adverse effects include a toll on blood pressure, among other things.

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Researchers theorized the continued listing of the products on the databases could be due to “loopholes in the law that permit companies to sell supplements without informing the [Food and Drug Administration] and lack of a system for the FDA to track products on the market.”

According to Nathan Arnold, FDA press officer, among other efforts, the FDA has “proposed legislation to require that all products marketed as ‘dietary supplements’ be listed with FDA and to give the agency enhanced authority to act against non-compliant products and their manufacturers and/or distributors.”

“This would allow FDA to know when new products are introduced, quickly identify and act more effectively against dangerous or otherwise illegal products, and improve transparency and promote risk-based regulation,” Arnold told Fox News in an emailed statement.

Otherwise, the agency’s Dietary Supplement Ingredient Advisory List, which debuted in April 2019, has since had multiple updates, said Arnold.

“We continue to evaluate ingredients for addition to the list, and it remains a valuable tool for faster communication with consumers and industry when we have concerns about the lawfulness of an ingredient in dietary supplements,” he wrote.

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North Dakota rescinds coronavirus quarantine order for close contacts of known COVID-19 cases

Breaking from federally recommended guidelines, North Dakota will no longer require close contacts of known coronavirus cases to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Interim State Health Officer Paul Mariani announced the order was rescinded in a news release on Thursday.

“This pandemic remains a threat. Nationally, 2.9% of reported COVID-19 cases have resulted in death. While that percentage is just over 1% in North Dakota thanks to strong coronavirus response efforts at the state and local levels, cases continue to rise and our state is on track for a record number of deaths of individuals with COVID-19 in September,” Mariani said in a statement. “While this order is being rescinded, we continue to stress the importance of quarantining and isolation to bend the curve back in the right direction in North Dakota. Whenever possible, all close contacts of individuals infected with COVID-19 should avoid contact with others for 14 days past the last day they were in contact with the person who tested positive.”

The now-rescinded order expanded on an existing quarantine order that only required household contacts of a known COVID-19 patient to self-quarantine, according to the news release. Prior to its reversal, the expanded order required close contacts of COVID-19 cases — or those who were within 6 feet of an infected individual “when the cumulative exposure equals fifteen minutes with a 24 period starting two days before illness onset, or two days prior to specimen collection for asymptomatic patients, until the time the patient is isolated” — to quarantine for 14 days. Those who defied the order could face criminal charges.

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The expanded order, which followed guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), faced public backlash, with officials choosing to rescind it “given the public reaction and intense hostility to the penalty provision,” Nicole Peske, a spokeswoman for the North Dakota Department of Health, told the Grand Forks Herald.

State politicians lobbied Republican Gov. Doug Burgum’s office on Thursday to reverse the order, which was made the day prior, the newspaper reported. Many lawmakers and constituents argued it represented “an overreach” by the state government.

“From the beginning, our approach to this pandemic has emphasized personal responsibility and a light touch of government, as evidenced by the fact that we’re one of the most open states, with schools and universities back in session, the economy open and the nation’s sixth-lowest unemployment rate,” Burgum said in a statement.

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“Given the nature of this disease, it takes community collaboration to bend the curve, and in many counties right now as we reach record cases and positive rates, the curve is going the wrong direction. We need a light touch of government with more local leadership and collaboration, and we feel we can better support those efforts by working more closely with local public health and community leaders to identify mitigation strategies that will work and be supported in each community.”

The news comes as the Peace Garden State in the last week has led the nation with the highest number of new COVID-19 cases per capita, according to estimates from the New York Times.

Overall, there are more than 3,500 people in the state known to have a COVID-19 infection, according to Friday estimates, marking “the seventh time in the last eight days the state has reached a new record in active cases,” the Grand Forks Herald reported.

Atlas disputes Redfield coronavirus vulnerability estimate: ‘We are not all susceptible to infection’

A White House adviser refuted CDC director Robert Redfield’s estimate that 90% of Americans remain vulnerable to coronavirus infection, going so far as to suggest it was a misstatement. Redfield’s comments came during a Senate committee hearing when he said preliminary data from the CDC’s large-scale serology testing “show that most Americans have not been infected with the virus and are still vulnerable to the infection, serious illness and death,” later adding “more than 90% of the population remains susceptible.”

But an exchange at a White House press briefing that same day pointed in the opposite direction.

“The immunity to the infection is not solely determined by the percent of people who have antibodies,” Dr. Scott Atlas told reporters, discussing research on different types of immunity, including T-cells.

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“… According to the papers from Sweden, Singapore and elsewhere, there is cross-immunity highly likely from other infections and there is also T-cell immunity, and the combination of those makes the antibodies a small fraction of the people that have immunity,” Atlas said. “So the answer is no, it is not 90% of people that are susceptible to the infection.

“Who are we to believe?” a reporter asked in response, given the conflicting comments between Redfield and Atlas.

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“You’re supposed to believe the science and I’m telling you the science,” Atlas said in response.

“I empathize with the American people who have been told conflicting information from a variety of sources, some of whom should know all the facts but not everybody knows the data …” Atlas said during a recent appearance on Fox News’ Laura Ingraham’s “The Ingraham Angle.”

THANKSGIVING GATHERINGS AMID CORONAVIRUS SHOULD BE SMALL, CDC SAYS

Atlas told Ingraham that immunity from T-cells lasts longer, while antibodies are transient and likely only last for several months.

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Thanksgiving gatherings amid coronavirus should be small, CDC says

With fall officially here and the holidays quickly approaching, a federal health agency has issued a warning over Thanksgiving gatherings amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on its website listed low-risk, moderate-risk and high-risk activities around Turkey Day, recommending families and friends to keep gatherings for the traditional holiday small in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on its website listed low-risk, moderate-risk, and high-risk activities around Turkey Day, recommending families and friends to keep gatherings for the traditional holiday small in an effort to minimize the risk of COVID-19.
(iStock)

“Thanksgiving is a time when many families travel long distances to celebrate together. Travel increases the chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others. If you must travel, be informed of the risks involved,” the CDC states prior to listing what officials consider low risk.

Low-risk activities for Thanksgiving include having a “small dinner with only people who live in your household.”

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For other low-risk activities, the agency advises:

Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others,
Having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family,
Shopping online rather than in person on the day after Thanksgiving or the next Monday,
Watching sports events, parades, and movies from home.

Meanwhile, having a “small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community,” for the holiday was considered a moderate-risk activity.

The CDC also suggested avoid “going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving,” or Black Friday sales the day after the holiday.

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Other recommendations can be found here.

The news comes after the CDC earlier this week discouraged Americans from participating in traditional trick-or-treating and indoor costume parties this Halloween due to the pandemic.

Fox News’s Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.

Wisconsin parents knowingly sending coronavirus-infected kids to school, officials say

Parents in Wisconsin are knowingly sending their kids to school while infected with COVID-19 or experiencing symptoms, health officials said.

Kirsten Johnson, the director of the Washington-Ozaukee Public Health Department, said this week there have been multiple cases of parents lying about their child being infected with the virus, news station WISN reported.

“Something that happened and continued to happen, but happened on the first day of school, which I never in my wildest dreams imagined it would happen, is people sent their known positive kids to school,” Johnson said.

Parents in Wisconsin are knowingly sending their kids to school while infected with COVID-19 or experiencing symptoms, health officials said. (iStock)

She said that parents are also neglecting to get symptomatic children tested for the virus.

STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM AMID CORONAVIVRUS: EXPERTS OFFER SIMPLE TIPS

“What’s also happening, again not in my wildest dreams thought this would happen, is kids become symptomatic, and parents are refusing to test them because they don’t want to quarantine their siblings,” she said.

In the two counties, there are more than two dozen schools where there’s at least one student or staffer positive for the virus, according to figures from the health department’s tracker.

Washington County Board Chairman Don Kriefall said he’s concerned that such behavior will force schools to be shut down.

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“We’re not going to be able to keep our schools open … just a few parents that are irresponsible are going to affect the entire school district,” he said.

However, according to new data from Brown University’s National COVID-19 School Response Data Dashboard, less than 1 percent of teachers and students have become infected with COVID-19 nationwide since classes began.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post.

Dangerous ‘Benadryl challenge’ prompts warning from FDA over high doses of medication

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday released a warning over serious health issues, and even death, tied to higher than recommended doses of over-the-counter antihistamine drug diphenhydramine (Benadryl).

The warning was prompted by a dangerous fad on TikTok, which beckoned teens to partake in a “Benadryl challenge,” or taking doses to the point of hallucination. The death of a 15-year-old Oklahoma teen was associated with the challenge, as well as numerous other hospitalizations, per reports.

“We are investigating these reports and conducting a review to determine if additional cases have been reported,” the FDA wrote, adding that it also contacted TikTok and “strongly urged” removal of the videos from the platform.

The “Benadryl challenge” is a dangerous social media fad on TikTok.
(iStock)

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When used as recommended, Benadryl alleviates symptoms from hay fever, allergies, or the common cold like runny nose and sneezing. However a higher than the recommended dosage can lead to seizures, coma or death, per the FDA.

“In normal doses, Benadryl is safe. In an overdose, Benadryl can cause the heart to beat irregularly, which could eventually lead to the heart stopping. It can also cause seizures and extreme drowsiness, which could be fatal when combined,” Dr. Adam Berman, an emergency medicine physician and toxicologist at Northwell Health/ Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York and associate chair of emergency medicine, previously told Fox News.

Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, the medical director at National Capital Poison Center, also told Fox News that “even though it is available over-the-counter and is generally safe when used as directed on the package insert, serious toxicity can occur when Benadryl is used in larger amounts.”

Johnson-Arbor, a medical toxicology physiciann, added: “Benadryl ingestion can affect the brain (this is why it causes hallucinations that are mentioned in the description of the challenge) but it can also affect the heart. When taken in large quantities, Benadryl can cause heart rhythm problems, cardiac arrest, and death.”

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Johnson and Johnson, the manufacturer of Benadryl, previously issued a statement to Fox News:

“The health and safety of people who use our products is our top priority. The BENADRYL TikTok trend is extremely concerning, dangerous and should be stopped immediately. As with any medicine, abuse or misuse can lead to serious side effects with potentially long-lasting consequences, and BENADRYL® products should only be used as directed by the label. It is our strong recommendation that all medications be kept out of the reach of children at all times. We are working with TikTok and our partners to do what we can to stop this dangerous trend, including the removal of content across social platforms that showcase this behavior.”

The FDA also advised caregivers to store the drug and all other over-the-counter and prescription meds out of kids’ reach and sight, especially during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic when more time at home may result in some experimenting.

“Health care professionals should be aware that the ‘Benadryl Challenge’ is occurring among teens and alert their caregivers about it,” the agency added.

Fox News’s Amy McGorry contributed to this report.

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Oregon’s once presumed youngest coronavirus victim actually tested negative for virus: report

A family is pushing for answers after new testing verified their son, originally deemed Oregon’s youngest coronavirus fatality, was in fact not infected with the virus, according to a media outlet.

Matthew Irvin, 26 of Yamhill County, Ore., fell ill in July, and upon a trip to the hospital, he was suspected of having the virus, was tested for it and then was sent home, according to Fox 12 Oregon.

His step-father reportedly told the outlet the young man’s condition then worsened, and when family members contacted the hospital about re-admission, the family says they were told not to return unless Irvin had difficulty breathing. The young man died at home soon thereafter, said the report.

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Following his death, the family got the test results: negative.

A private autopsy and sample testing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) verified the negative result, according to the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, according to the report.

Irvin’s family is reportedly seeking more information from the state that might reveal more about the young man’s death.

Fox 12 reported reaching out to Oregon Health Authority, questioning whether Irvin’s name was removed from its coronavirus-related death toll. While the local outlet reportedly did not hear back, the agency later posted an entry along with its daily release on Wednesday.

“Updated information is available for Oregon’s 295th COVID-19 death, a 26-year-old man in Yamhill County,” it said. “The updated death certificate does not list COVID-19 disease or SARS-CoV-2 as a cause of death or as a significant condition that contributed to his death, and he is no longer considered a COVID-19 related death or case.”

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Strengthen your immune system amid coronavirus: Experts offer simple tips

This fall and coming winter, protecting yourself against the novel coronavirus in addition to the flu are imperative as the pandemic rages on.

Deaths from the virus in the U.S. surpassed 200,000 earlier this week, and dozens of states across the country are seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases. While the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has stood by his timeline for a possible coronavirus vaccine, (he expects a “safe and effective” vaccine by the end of the year or early 2021), the pandemic is unfortunately far from over.

“We can be greatly helped by [a] vaccine, but it’s not [a] vaccine alone,” Fauci recently said.

“There really is no absolute time I can tell you now unless certain things fall into place. It’s going to depend on the efficacy of the vaccines being tested right now and the uptake in the community of the vaccines,” he added, noting that a vaccine would be in addition to safety measures such as physical distancing and mask-wearing, at least for a while.

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“Food is medicine, and eating fruits and vegetables is now more important than ever,” Dr. Whyte said.
(iStock)

With most Americans likely still vulnerable to a coronavirus infection, experts have pleaded with the public to receive the flu vaccine this year in an effort to keep flu infections low, ultimately preventing hospital systems from becoming overwhelmed treating both flu and COVID-19 patients.

But getting vaccinated is just one (albeit major) factor in keeping yourself and loves ones healthy. So how else can you keep your immune system in tip-top shape?

“The best things you can to do keep your immune system in good shape are exercising (at least 30 minutes five days a week at moderate intensity), eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, getting a good night’s sleep (eight hours, ideally), not smoking, drinking in moderation, and minimizing stress,” Dr. Michelle Lin, an emergency room doctor and professor of emergency medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, told Fox News.

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“We know getting enough exercise and avoiding stress has been more difficult because of COVID, but even a brisk walk outdoors or a home exercise routine can be highly effective in maintaining mental and physical fitness and supporting a healthy immune system,” she added.

Lin also spoke to the importance of hand hygiene, noting that the practice is “always a good habit, but particularly this year: wash your hands, wear a mask especially when indoors, and get a flu shot.”

“In general, there’s not great evidence that supplements or vitamins outside of a varied, healthy diet do much to ‘boost’ immunity,” she said.

Dr. John Whyte, the chief medical officer of the health care website WebMD, echoed Lin.

“We do know the importance of restorative sleep and our immune systems. Getting 7-9 hours of sleep is important to help our body [stave off] infection. After all, what do we do when we have the flu? We stay in bed and sleep,” he said.

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“Being physically active most days of the week is of importance, too. Do some pushups, jumping jacks, [or] jogging in place,” he advised.

Whyte, like Lin, noted that he’s not a “big fan” of supplements, as “our bodies may respond differently when it is in food vs. manufactured in a lab.”

“Food is medicine, and eating fruits and vegetables is now more important than ever,” he added.

In addition to fruits and vegetables, adding healthy fats into your diet — such as olive oil, salmon, avocado, and certain nuts such as almonds, for instance — “may boost your body’s immune response to pathogens by decreasing inflammation,” according to Healthline. Eating more fermented foods or taking a probiotic supplement may also be of benefit, as is limiting your intake of added sugar. Additionally, staying hydrated is important for overall health, according to the health and wellness website.

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