U.S. Retreat Complicates Ebola Response in Central Africa: A newly detected Ebola outbreak in central Africa is exposing the consequences of sharp U.S. cuts to global public health programs. The Bundibugyo variant has caused 482 suspected cases and about 116 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since April, with cases also reported in Uganda and possible spread toward South Sudan. There is no approved vaccine or cure for this Ebola strain, making surveillance, protective equipment, labs, and frontline health workers essential. Experts quoted in the article say USAID cuts, CDC disruptions, WHO funding losses, and the shutdown of a key NIH Ebola lab have weakened the response. African scientists are sequencing the virus, but U.S. absence may delay containment of an outbreak that experts say could still be stopped. (The Guardian)
Andes Hantavirus Outbreak Traced on Cruise Ship: CIDRAP reports that a Public Health Alerts analysis has detailed 10 of 11 Andes hantavirus infections linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship. Three patients have died, and two remain hospitalized. The index patient, a Dutch ornithologist, developed symptoms on April 6 and died onboard on April 11; his wife later became ill and died as well. Andes virus is notable because it is the only hantavirus strain known to spread from person to person, although officials say the global risk remains low. Cases occurred among passengers and crew, with symptoms emerging from late April to mid-May. Investigators are still looking for the primary source, focusing on possible rodent exposures before the ship departed. (CIDRAP)
Prehab Before Surgery Cuts Complications: A JAMA news brief highlights a meta-analysis suggesting that patients may do better after surgery when they receive structured exercise or nutrition support beforehand. The review covered 23 randomized clinical trials involving about 2,100 patients and found that “prehabilitation” programs improved outcomes during the three months after surgery. Exercise-focused programs, often involving strength or resistance training and beginning at least one week before an operation, were especially tied to fewer complications. Nutrition programs, including supplements and higher-protein meals, appeared more useful for shortening hospital stays. The findings do not mean every patient needs the same plan, but they strengthen the case for treating the pre-surgery period as a chance to build reserve rather than simply wait. (JAMA Network)
Plant-Based Diet Shows LDL Gains in Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A new Nature Communications trial reports that a whole-food, plant-based diet sharply lowered LDL cholesterol in adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic condition that raises lifetime cardiovascular risk. In the randomized crossover feeding study, 50 adults with genetically confirmed disease ate both a whole-food, plant-based diet and a standard American diet for four weeks each, with a washout period between them. Because the meals were controlled and isocaloric, the comparison was cleaner than in many diet studies. LDL cholesterol fell 17.9 percent on the plant-based diet relative to the standard American diet. The authors argue that diet therapy deserves renewed attention in clinical guidance for this high-risk group, alongside drug treatment where appropriate. (Nature)
Semaglutide May Slow Some Epigenetic Aging Markers: A Nature Communications paper adds a provocative wrinkle to the GLP-1 story: semaglutide may affect biological aging markers, at least in one specific patient group. Researchers conducted a post hoc analysis of a 32-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2b trial in adults with HIV-associated lipohypertrophy. The original trial focused on visceral fat and cardiometabolic measures, not aging clocks, so the authors caution that the findings are exploratory. Still, semaglutide reduced several second- and third-generation epigenetic aging measures, including PhenoAge, GrimAge-related clocks, OMICmAge, RetroAge, and DunedinPACE. The study is small and HIV-specific, but it points to a broader question: whether GLP-1 drugs could someday be studied as gerotherapeutics, not just obesity and diabetes medicines. (Nature)
Early Antivirals Linked to Lower Long COVID Risk: CIDRAP reports on two observational studies suggesting that early oral antiviral treatment may improve recovery from mild Omicron-era COVID-19 and reduce the risk of long COVID. One Japanese registry study followed 7,699 outpatients from 51 hospitals and found that antiviral recipients had a lower adjusted risk of post-COVID condition than patients who did not receive antivirals. Estimated long COVID risk was 21.5 percent among antiviral recipients versus 25.1 percent among nonrecipients, with an adjusted risk ratio of 0.86. A second study found that antiviral use was linked to better patient-reported recovery and less functional impairment by 28 days. Because these were observational studies, prescribing patterns and patient differences remain important caveats. (CIDRAP)
Mediterranean Diet Plus Exercise Cuts Diabetes Risk: ScienceDaily covers a major Spanish clinical trial suggesting that the Mediterranean diet becomes more protective against type 2 diabetes when paired with calorie reduction, exercise, and weight-loss support. The PREDIMED-Plus results were based on 4,746 adults ages 55 to 75 who had overweight or obesity and metabolic syndrome but did not have diabetes or cardiovascular disease at baseline. Over six years, participants assigned to a reduced-calorie Mediterranean diet, moderate physical activity, and professional coaching were 31 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those following a standard Mediterranean diet alone. They also lost more weight and waist circumference. The takeaway is not a miracle diet, but a structured lifestyle package with measurable prevention power. (ScienceDaily)
Seven-Day Fast Reveals a Molecular Switch Point: A ScienceDaily story revisits research showing that prolonged fasting triggers major molecular changes only after several days without food. In a seven-day water-only fasting study, researchers tracked roughly 3,000 proteins in the blood of 12 healthy volunteers. The body shifted from glucose to fat burning within the first two to three days, but the broader protein changes associated with organs, metabolism, immune function, and the brain became more noticeable after about day three. Participants lost an average of 5.7 kilograms, including fat and lean tissue; after refeeding, much lean tissue returned while more fat loss remained. The study helps explain why long fasts differ biologically from shorter intermittent fasting windows, though medical supervision matters. (ScienceDaily)
Heart Benefits May Require More Than 150 Minutes: Outside reports on a British Journal of Sports Medicine study suggesting that the standard 150 minutes of weekly moderate-to-vigorous exercise may be more of a minimum threshold than an optimal heart-health target. Researchers analyzed 17,088 UK Biobank participants who wore activity trackers and completed cycling tests to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness. Over nearly eight years, 1,233 cardiovascular events were recorded. Meeting the 150-minute benchmark was associated with about a nine percent reduction in cardiovascular event risk. But larger reductions required much more activity: roughly 560 to 610 minutes weekly for more than a 30 percent risk reduction. The study is observational, so it cannot prove causation, but it strengthens the case for personalized exercise targets. (Outside Online)
Beans and Soy Linked to Lower Hypertension Risk: Health.com summarizes a BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health review linking higher legume and soy intake with lower hypertension risk. Researchers examined 12 prospective studies involving foods such as beans, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, and edamame. After accounting for factors including age, diet, and exercise, people who ate the most legumes had a 16 percent lower risk of high blood pressure, while those who ate the most soy had a 19 percent lower risk. The dose-response details were practical: about 100 grams of legumes per day was tied to a 12 to 14 percent lower risk, while 60 to 80 grams of soy products per day was linked to a 28 to 29 percent reduction. Observational data cannot prove cause and effect. (Health)
Lying-Down Exercises May Improve Balance Quickly: A Health.com report looks at a small PLOS One study suggesting that a simple 10-minute exercise routine performed while lying down may improve balance, agility, and flexibility within two weeks. Participants did a daily low-intensity supine routine designed to coordinate the core and legs, including abdominal contractions and bridge-like movements. The study found gains in postural control and side-to-side movement ability, but not in strength or power measures. The participants were mostly young, healthy adults, so the findings cannot be automatically extended to older adults or people with mobility limitations. Still, the work is interesting because it points to a low-barrier form of movement that might support mobility when standing exercise feels intimidating. (Health)
Keeping Muscle While Losing Weight on GLP-1 Drugs: Scientific American examines a growing concern around GLP-1 drugs: rapid weight loss can include meaningful lean-mass loss, not just fat loss. The article notes that about 25 to 40 percent of weight lost through treatments such as Wegovy and Ozempic can be lean body mass, including muscle. That matters especially for older adults, who already face age-related muscle decline. Researchers and drugmakers are now testing approaches that might preserve or even build muscle during pharmacological weight loss. One candidate, bimagrumab, targets myostatin-related pathways and, in a phase 2 trial combined with semaglutide, shifted more weight loss toward fat rather than lean tissue. For now, resistance training and adequate protein remain the best-supported muscle-protection tools. (Scientific American)
