China Reports Record Outbreak of Painful Mosquito-Borne Virus
Foshan city — in Guangdong Province, just north of Hong Kong — first reported an imported chikungunya case earlier in July, China's national broadcaster CCTV said, citing briefings from local authorities.
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Weight Comes Back When You Stop Taking Drugs Like Ozempic, Study Finds
We've got fresh evidence for how weight can quickly be regained after weight-loss programs stop – but rather than looking at traditional dieting, here the researchers wanted to focus on anti-obesity medications (AOMs), as they continue to be used ever more widely. A team from Peking University in China reviewed 11 previous studies involving a total of 2,466 people. The studies covered a variety of AOMs, including those known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy), which impersonate the natural hormone GLP-1 to control appetite and blood sugar. Overall, the researchers found that AOMs were effective at helping people to lose weight. However, they all had something else in common: the weight tended to come back once the course of drugs was over. Related: "Significant weight regain occurred eight weeks after discontinuation of AOMs and was sustained through 20 weeks," explains the research team, led by first author Han Wu. "Different weight regain was observed in subjects with different characteristics." Of the different types of weight loss treatments covered, it was those in the GLP-1 category that showed the most weight gain after treatment had stopped, driving the rest of the results – though they did account for most of the studies analyzed. Some 20 weeks after stopping their drugs, the participants in the studies had put back on an average of 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds). The team also found that people who lost more weight tended to regain more afterwards too. To help isolate the effects of stopping the medicines, the researchers accounted for several other factors that can also influence weight loss, including levels of exercise and whether or not the individuals concerned had diabetes. Why this is happening isn't clear. Future studies might be able to look at the underlying reasons more closely, but there's the possibility that weight loss somehow rewires the body in a variety of ways that then make it harder to keep to a healthy weight. "The effects of weight cycling on health and systemic metabolism are not thoroughly defined," write the researchers. One of the previous studies looked at in the new analysis was published in 2023, and found that when weekly injections of tirzepatide (or Zepbound) were stopped and participants were switched to a placebo, an average of half the lost weight came back again. It's worth pointing out that this isn't just a problem with weight-loss drugs. It's something that's also been seen in other approaches to staying slim, including gastric bypasses and vertical banded gastroplasty. However, it's another consideration to bear in mind when weighing up AOMs that produce impressive results – there may be a cost to pay later. Questions have already been asked about some of the side effects and health risks that may come with AOMs. For now, the researchers are keen to see new studies carried out, covering bigger sample groups over longer periods of time. It's possible that we can find better ways of supporting people once they come off AOMs – or find healthier alternatives to them. "Studies with longer follow-up duration are required to further investigate the potential factors associated with weight change after discontinuation of treatment," write the researchers. The research has been published in BMC Medicine. Related News This Natural, Zero-Calorie Sweetener Could Be a Secret Weapon Against Cancer Study Confirms Vaccines Protect Everybody – Even The Unvaccinated Scientists Find 2 Existing Drugs Can Reverse Alzheimer's Brain Damage in Mice Solve the daily Crossword
New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Canada's Measles Outbreak Exceeds Cases in the U.S.
Measles cases in Canada have far surpassed those in the United States as health officials in Alberta, a western province that has become a hot spot for the outbreak, have urged the premier to declare a public health emergency to stave off infections. Canada's public healthy agency has recorded about 4,200 measles cases this year, more than three times as many as the 1,300 cases recorded in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The C.D.C. has also ranked Canada among the top 10 countries with the highest number of measles cases. It is the only Western nation on the list. Alberta, which has low measles vaccine rates, has recorded about 1,600 cases. The largely conservative province has a deep and vocal level of skepticism about the public health system and vaccines, with many people mirroring some of the arguments made in the United States by the health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Measles is an airborne virus and one of the world's most infectious diseases, causing flulike symptoms and a rash. Severe cases can lead to hearing loss, pneumonia or swelling in the brain. Three people have died in the United States, while in Canada there has been one death, a premature baby who had contracted the virus in the womb. The spread of measles has slowed in Ontario, the province with the largest number of cases. But health professionals say the opposite is true in Alberta, and many are criticizing the provincial government's public health response. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Medscape
4 hours ago
- Medscape
Rise in STEC Infections Linked to Food and Overseas Travel
A sharp rise in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections was recorded in England in 2024, new figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show. There were 2544 culture-confirmed cases, up 26% from the 2018 cases recorded in 2023. Of these, 564 were STEC serotype O157 and 1980 were non-O157 strains. The UKHSA said the increase was largely due to non-O157 infections, including the largest outbreak linked to contaminated salad leaves. This outbreak resulted in 293 confirmed cases, 126 hospitalisations, 11 cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), and two deaths. Dr Gauri Godbole, a consultant microbiologist and deputy director for gastrointestinal infections at the UKHSA, said: 'While this rise is partly due to one foodborne outbreak, we have been seeing STEC cases gradually increase since 2022.' Travel-Linked Cases Also Rising Travel-related cases increased by 60.5%, from 114 in 2023 to 183 in 2024. The UKHSA said this may reflect changes in international travel patterns or better collection of travel history during investigations. The exact cause remains unclear. Long-Term Trends Between 2015 and 2021, the number of O157 confirmed cases had been following a decreasing trend. However, case numbers had increased in recent years. Non-O157 STEC infections have continued to rise since 2021, nearly tripling since 2019 and continuing a pre-pandemic trend. As in 2023, the highest incidence of STEC cases in 2024 — both 0157 and non-0157 — was among children aged 1-4 years. The UKHSA said this may be due to limited prior immunity, less developed hygiene practices, and a greater likelihood of parents seeking healthcare when young children were symptomatic. Contact with animals, particularly at petting farms, may also be a factor. Causes and Outcomes The main reservoir for STEC is cattle, although it is also carried by other ruminants such as sheep, goats, and deer. Transmission can occur through direct or indirect contact with animals or their faeces, consumption of contaminated food or water, and person-to-person spread. In 2024, the UKHSA and partner agencies investigated five outbreaks of non-0157 STEC. Sources were identified for three: contaminated beef, fresh fruit, and salad leaves. STEC can cause gastroenteritis, with symptoms ranging from mild to bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and dehydration. In severe cases, it can cause HUS. According to the UKHSA, hospitalisation was reported in 27.5% of O157 and 34.3% of non-O157 cases. HUS occurred in 2.1% of O157 and 1.7% of non-O157 cases. There were seven deaths: two from O157 and five from non-O157.
