The Public Health – Seattle & King County issued an alert after they were notified that an adult with a confirmed case of infectious measles traveled through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after their travels in Europe.

The confirmed infection came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an alert to public health officials warning that the number of U.S. measles cases this year has already matched the entirety of 2023. 

The Seattle & King County alert said that the infectious adult traveled through the international airport on May 10 and 11 and that the person’s measle vaccination status was unclear.

Health officials said the individual resided in Arizona and likely picked up the infectious disease while in Europe. The agency did not specify which country or countries the individual traveled.

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Health officials said the individual used the S Concourse (Gate S1) on May 10 between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. They went through customs to the international arrivals facility baggage claim (Carousel 19).

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On May 11, between approximately 7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., the individual was at the A Concourse (Gate A8).

Measles outbreaks in the U.S. and abroad are raising health experts’ concern about the preventable, once-common childhood virus. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Seattle health officials said that if individuals believe they were exposed at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, they should:

• Find out if you have been vaccinated for measles or have had measles previously. Make sure you are up-to-date with the recommended number of measles (MMR) vaccinations.
• Call a healthcare provider promptly if you develop an illness with fever or with an unexplained rash. To avoid possibly spreading measles to others, do not go to a clinic or hospital without calling first to tell them you want to be checked for measles after an exposure.
• Limit contact with others, especially those without known immunity.

If you were at the locations at the times listed above and are not immune to measles, the most likely time you would become sick would be between May 17, 2024, to June 1, 2024. People who are immuno-compromised may take longer to experience symptoms.

Photo illustration shows skin of a patient afflicted with measles. (iStock)

The health scare at the international airport came after a CDC alert to public health officials said the number of U.S. measles cases this year has already matched the entirety of 2023.  

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“From January 1 to March 14, 2024, CDC has been notified of 58 confirmed U.S. cases of measles across 17 jurisdictions, including seven outbreaks in seven jurisdictions compared to 58 total cases and four outbreaks reported the entire year in 2023,” it said in the release. 

“Among the 58 cases reported in 2024, 54 (93%) were linked to international travel,” the CDC continued, adding that, “Many countries, including travel destinations such as Austria, the Philippines, Romania, and the United Kingdom, are experiencing measles outbreaks.” 

A measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) on a countertop at a pediatrics clinic in Greenbrae, California. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

The CDC describes measles as a “highly contagious viral illness” that “can cause severe health complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), and death, especially in unvaccinated persons.” 

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“To prevent measles infection and reduce the risk of community transmission from importation, all U.S. residents traveling internationally, regardless of destination, should be current on their MMR vaccinations,” it said in the alert. “Healthcare providers should ensure children are current on routine immunizations, including MMR.” 

This month of May, National Geographic has been giving a nod to Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S. — with a new campaign unveiling a series of mental health check-ups in the form of articles, videos, photography and more.

The material includes downloadable phone backgrounds, ASMR nature YouTube videos, sense-soothing Spotify playlists and a “How Stressed Are You?” questionnaire first developed by psychologists in 1983.

The organization also released a series of think pieces about a culture of urgency in America that is apparently leading to burnout; the efficiency and effectiveness of meditation; and multiple takes on experiencing stress.

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“In our ‘always-on’ world, people are more stressed than ever, and the science is clear that chronic stress has a negative impact on our health,” National Geographic editor-in-chief Nathan Lump said in a media release. 

“We aim to help people better understand the effects of stress and encourage them to slow down and take the time to prioritize their mental health,” Lump also said.

He added that he hoped “these resources will encourage and facilitate that behavior.”

The initiative for NatGeo sprouted from a deep dive into how scientists have been attempting to solve stress for generations due to signs that stress can have life-altering consequences, from heart disease to a weakened immune system.

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In an interview with Fox News Digital, NatGeo contributor Yudhijit Bhattacharjee shared details about his research — noting that “stress is all around us.”

“Stress permeates our lives,” he said. “Stress has some serious impacts on our health, our well-being, even how our brains function, how our immune systems function and so on.”

Since the coronavirus pandemic, Bhattacharjee, who’s based in Takoma Park, Maryland, said it’s become “clear” that social isolation is a “big contributor to stress.”

“When we’re significantly stressed, we’re more susceptible to viruses and germs.”

“In the last 10 to 15 years, there’s been a lot more research on precisely how stress affects us,” he said. “We didn’t know, for example, as clearly as we do now, that stress often plays havoc with our immune system.” 

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“When we’re significantly stressed, we’re more susceptible to viruses and germs … and in this post-COVID world, this is definitely very relevant.”

Bhattacharjee’s research also examined how stress can affect adolescents and children.

Aniko Korosi, a researcher at the University of Amsterdam, told NatGeo, “Chronic stress in early life has more serious and lasting effects, because that’s when a lot of connections are being laid down in the brain.”

Experts have discovered, according to Bhattacharjee, that high stress can impede the development of a child’s brain.

“Not much attention has been paid to the impact of stress on babies,” he said. “The stress that parents experience in trying to earn a livelihood, keep a roof over their heads — all of that stress ends up kind of transmitting to their children.” 

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“And while the adults can probably cope with the stress and their brains are already fully formed, it’s the children who are going to end up paying a price that lasts their entire lives.”

Bhattacharjee said NatGeo’s campaign is “drawing attention” to what stress is doing to our bodies and our children, as well as advocating for people to “try out their preferred ways of de-stressing.”

Teaching meditation to people at a young age could make a “big contribution” to society, said a National Geographic contributor (not pictured).  (iStock)

Meditation — a well-known method of de-stressing — has been embraced more openly by the public and is even being introduced to children in schools, NatGeo reported. 

Bhattacharjee assumed that programs like these could make a “big contribution” to society by changing “how humanity responds to day-to-day stress.”

“Scientists are learning exactly how meditation ends up helping to reduce stress and thereby helps to control some of the ill effects of stress,” he said.

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Bhattacharjee considered other activities to be “meditative” in their ability to control stress, such as playing a sport, singing karaoke, spending time with a pet or going for a walk.

“Meditation is kind of a catchall word for a number of contemplative practices and many of them focus on paying attention to one’s breath and one’s thoughts,” he said.

“I think we need to spend some time just with ourselves feeling bored in order to increase our well-being,” said one expert.  (iStock)

The NatGeo contributor said many people today are living in a “frenetic social media environment” while surrounded by issues ranging from environmental to political — making it an opportune time to pay attention to our stress levels and learn how to calm them.

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“This constant seeking of stimulation, this addiction to stimulation, is contributing to the stress,” he said. 

“[Scrolling is] probably not helping … even if you think that it will entertain you. Maybe that’s just adding to our stress load.”

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He added, “I think we need to spend some time just with ourselves feeling bored in order to increase our well-being.”

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• Doctors say Lisa Pisano, who received a pig kidney transplant, is back on dialysis after surgeons removed the gradually failing organ.
• Pisano was the second person to receive a kidney from a gene-edited pig after Richard “Rick” Slayman at Massachusetts General Hospital. Slayman died in early May, about two months after his transplant. Doctors said there was no indication he died as a result of the transplant.
• NYU will further study the explanted kidney for further insight on how it reacted inside a living person.

A woman who received a pig kidney transplant is back on dialysis just 47 days later after surgeons removed the gradually failing organ.

Lisa Pisano was the second person to receive a kidney from a gene-edited pig, and NYU Langone Health announced that she is stable after an operation to remove the organ earlier this week.

The first patient to receive a pig kidney transplant, Richard “Rick” Slayman at Massachusetts General Hospital, died in early May, nearly two months after his transplant. Doctors there said there was no indication he died as a result of the experimental transplant.

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Pisano’s heart and kidneys were failing when, in a dramatic pair of surgeries in April, doctors implanted a mechanical pump to keep her heart beating and then the pig kidney.

At first she seemed to be recovering well. But Dr. Robert Montgomery, who led the transplant, said there were “unique challenges” to managing both the heart pump and new kidney. Her blood pressure dropped too low multiple times for optimal blood flow to the kidney.

The kidney lost function until doctors no longer could justify keeping her on immune-suppressing medications, Montgomery said in a statement Friday.

A recent kidney biopsy showed no signs of rejection – the biggest concern in highly experimental animal-to-human transplants – but there was “significant injury” from insufficient blood flow, he said. NYU will further study the explanted kidney for further insight on how it reacted inside a living person.

Montgomery noted Pisano wasn’t a candidate for the life-prolonging heart pump while on dialysis, and her heart disease in turn barred a traditional kidney transplant.

“We are hoping to get Lisa back home to her family soon,” he said. “Her strength and bravery in the face of adversity inspires and drives us as we continue pursuing the hope and promise of xenotransplantation.”

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Pisano told the Associated Press in April that she knew the pig kidney might not work but “I just took a chance. And you know, worst case scenario, if it didn’t work for me, it might have worked for someone else.”

More than 100,000 people are on the U.S. transplant waiting list, most who need a kidney, and thousands die waiting. In hopes of filling the shortage of donated organs, several biotech companies are genetically modifying pigs so their organs are more humanlike, less likely to be destroyed by people’s immune system.

Formal studies of such organs are expected to begin next year. Meanwhile, NYU and other research teams have temporarily transplanted pig kidneys and hearts into brain-dead bodies, with promising results. In addition to the Mass General pig kidney transplant, the University of Maryland transplanted pig hearts into two men who were out of other options, and both died within months.

Your dental health could depend on your gender.

Male and female teeth are very different, according to a TikTok posted by Dr. Ellie Phillips, DDS, an oral health educator based in Austin, Texas. 

Phillips’ viral video, which has amassed more than one million likes, explained the difference between men’s and women’s teeth.

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The dentist, who has worked in the industry for more than four decades, shared that women often tell her that they take great care of their teeth.

“‘I always attend dental cleanings,'” she said, quoting the women she treats. 

“‘I floss, I brush. I do everything I’m told to do, and my teeth have cavities, I have gum disease, gum recession, all these problems.'”

She added, “‘And there is my husband or my fiancé or my boyfriend — he doesn’t even clean his teeth half the time and doesn’t have any of these problems.'”

The importance of pH

When Phillips was in dental school in the 1960s, she was “trained to believe” that the pH of all saliva was 7.

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After using a pH meter to test multiple people over the course of many years, however, Phillips discovered that the pH of women’s saliva was frequently 5.5 or 6.

“Acidic saliva in your mouth … can be the very reason that your teeth are weakening, that you are promoting plaque in your mouth, that you’re getting gum disease,” she said in the video. 

“Acidic saliva is really damaging to oral health.”

Phillips suggested that the assumption of a universal saliva pH was based on studies from the 1950s, when only male dental students were surveyed.

“Even when I went to dental school, [it] was 1% women,” she said. “The rest were men.”

Dr. Dominik Nischwitz, a specialist in biological dentistry in Tübingen, Germany, noted that several studies have suggested that female patients can have significantly lower pH values, meaning their mouths are more acidic.

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“Women also have, generally speaking, a lower saliva flow rate than men,” he told Fox News Digital. 

Saliva’s ideal pH rate is between 7 and 7.4, according to Nischwitz.

“If we can help mothers create a healthy mouth for themselves, we can start to truly affect the global epidemic of dental disease.”

“If the pH of saliva constantly drops below 5.5, the tooth enamel gets demineralized, which means it will be more prone to tooth decay,” he warned. 

“If this is combined with a lower flow rate of the saliva, which can lead to a dry mouth, the tooth becomes weaker, because the remineralization or buffering capacity is too slow.”

Dr. Brandon Mack, DDS, a cosmetic dentist who practices in both New York and Florida, agreed in a response sent to Fox News Digital that acidity in the mouth can lead to worsened bacteria and tooth erosion.

Dr. Brandon Mack, DDS, is a cosmetic dentist and founder of Eden Dental Aesthetics in Florida. (Trenton Butler)

“The saliva’s role is to serve as a buffer system that allows us to keep teeth at a certain level that [is] going to promote health and good probiotics inside the plaque biofilm,” he said. 

Mack emphasized the question, “Are there influences that disproportionately affect women who shift their acidic environment to a point where it’s going to be more detrimental to the mouth?”

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Although Mack could not confirm whether there is a difference in salivary pH between men and women, he “won’t deny” the potential for some type of “relative correlation of factors that affect women more than men.”

He said, “The quality of saliva is going to vary from individual to individual, and it’s going to depend on how many minerals — like calcium, phosphate and fluorohydroxyapatite — are in that saliva. We also have to consider the flow rate of the saliva, or how much saliva is present, and any kind of conditions that are going to affect men and women differently.”

What’s the solution?

In Phillips’ TikTok video, she recommends taking a daily dose of xylitol, a natural sugar alcohol, to counteract salivary acidity.

“When you put xylitol, even a tiny 1-gram amount, on the tip of your tongue, you will stimulate a flow of saliva into your mouth,” she said.

This extra saliva has “all the minerals you need,” Phillips said, as well as reparative cells for gum health.

Experts stressed the importance of maintaining a neutral oral environment. (iStock)

The expert recommended ingesting xylitol, such as a Zellie’s dental mint, at the end of a meal and then abstaining from eating or drinking for an hour afterward.

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Mack agreed that xylitol is an “incredible tool,” as it doesn’t have any carbs that get “metabolized by acid-loving bacteria. Xylitol promotes pH buffering when the salivary flow is reduced,” he said. 

Mack recommended other products, such as StellaLife kits and xylitol candy and lozenges.

Patients can also take certain medications to increase salivary flow, he added.

It’s “paramount” for women to be included in research studies, a dental health expert emphasized. (iStock)

In addition to taking xylitol, it is crucial to adhere to a healthy lifestyle and eat nutrient-rich foods, Nischwitz recommended.

“It is true that having a xylitol mint will lead to more saliva flow in the short term and is definitely recommended, but it won’t solve it completely if the lifestyle doesn’t support the oral microbiome,” he told Fox News Digital.

“It’s astounding that the microbiome that develops before the age of 4 contributes to up to 40% of the mouth bacteria that we have as adults.”

“Processed foods are usually low in key minerals or can even deplete the body’s minerals due to chelating agents like phytic acid.”

Key micronutrients that help to remineralize teeth include vitamin D3, vitamin K2, magnesium, phosphorus, boron and essential amino acids, according to Nischwitz.

Using more natural toothpaste and ditching the super-acidic, chemical mouthwashes are other factors to consider, an expert recommended. (iStock)

Using more natural toothpaste and ditching the super-acidic, chemical mouthwashes are other factors to consider, he recommended. 

“Instead of chemical mouthwashes, which harm your oral microbiome and make the saliva super acidic, try coconut oil pulling instead,” Nischwitz advised. 

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In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, Phillips reiterated that it is “paramount” for women to be included in research studies.

“Their hormonal fluctuations, menstrual cycles and biological nuances demand far greater attention and accommodation than they currently receive,” she wrote. “I’m thrilled that we’re finally delving into the crucial aspects of women’s oral health as a society.”

The condition of a mother’s oral health during pregnancy has a “direct impact” on her baby’s oral health, which is a “vital yet often neglected conversation,” Phillips said.

Dr. Ellie Phillips, DDS, is an oral health educator and author of “Mouth Care Comes Clean.” “I’m thrilled that we’re finally delving into the crucial aspects of women’s oral health as a society,” she told Fox News Digital.  (Dr. Ellie Phillips)

“It’s astounding that the microbiome that develops before the age of 4 contributes to up to 40% of the mouth bacteria that we have as adults,” she said. 

“If we can help mothers create a healthy mouth for themselves, we can start to truly affect the global epidemic of dental disease that’s upon us.”

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More than half of Americans suffer from dental issues that are most likely preventable, according to Phillips.

“This shift requires us to truly evaluate the current dental industry, start asking the right questions and expand the research on gender differences and effective oral care strategies,” she said.

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Semaglutide medications — including Ozempic and Wegovy — have been shown to reduce the risk of kidney failure and the risk of death among people with kidney disease and type 2 diabetes.

In a trial led by UNSW Sydney between June 2019 and May 2021, researchers found that a small weekly dose of semaglutide lessened the likelihood of “major kidney events” by 24%, according to a press release.

The study, funded by Novo Nordisk and published in The New England Journal of Medicine, included more than 3,500 participants with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease from 28 countries.

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The participants received 1.0 mg per week of semaglutide, which is less than what is typically prescribed for weight loss or diabetes, the release noted. 

The median follow-up was 3.4 years.

“It’s the same chemical compound, but we used a lower dose … we did that deliberately because people with kidney disease tend to be more sensitive to the effects and side effects of drugs,” said the study’s lead author, professor Vlado Perkovic of UNSW Sydney, in the release.

“That’s helpful in terms of being able to perhaps have the drug more widely used than might have otherwise been the case given the current supply limitations.”

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The group of people taking semaglutide were also 18% less likely to experience a heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular events, the study found.

Why does semaglutide have this effect?

Patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease are at a significant risk for kidney failure, cardiovascular events and death, according to Dr. Brett Osborn, a neurologist and longevity expert in Florida.

“The recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine highlights semaglutide’s potential to mitigate these risks,” Osborn, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. 

Dr. Brett Osborn, a neurologist and longevity expert in Florida, noted that patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease are at a significant risk for kidney failure, cardiovascular events and death.  (Dr. Brett Osborn)

Semaglutide works by improving glycemic control, Osborn noted — which is crucial in mitigating diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease). 

“It also lowers inflammation — particularly within the blood vessel lining,” he said. 

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This reduces blood vessel damage and improves blood flow through the kidneys.

“Overall, semaglutide offers substantial renal and cardiovascular protection for patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease,” Osborn said.

“At a base level, semaglutide, through indirect mechanisms, improves vascular health. The better blood flow to your organs — be it your heart, brain or kidneys — the longer you are likely to live.”

Semaglutide works by improving glycemic control, one doctor noted, which is crucial in mitigating diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease).  (Getty Images)

Outside the spectrum of diabetes, Osborn said he believes these medications will have a major impact on human health, comparing them to the advent of antibiotics at the turn of the century.

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, also said this was a “very important” study.

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“This lifesaving result is likely due to the metabolic effects of the drug, which helps with reducing inflammation, overcoming insulin resistance, and improving insulin function and glucose metabolism at the cellular level,” Siegel told Fox News Digital. 

“This study has broader implications for all patients who have kidney failure.”

“Improved kidney function means improved heart function, and pressure on the heart from failed kidneys is a major cause of heart attack and death.”

Siegel added, “This study has broader implications for all patients who have kidney failure or are at risk for it.”

Novo Nordisk, the Denmark-based company that makes Ozempic and Wegovy, announced the positive primary results from the trial at the European Renal Association (ERA) Congress in Sweden last week. (LISELOTTE SABROE/Scanpix Denmark/AFP via Getty Images)

Novo Nordisk, the Denmark-based company that makes Ozempic and Wegovy, announced the positive primary results from the trial at the European Renal Association (ERA) Congress in Sweden last week.

“FLOW is the first ever renal outcomes trial with a GLP-1 receptor agonist, and demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in kidney disease progression, cardiovascular death, and all-cause mortality risk with semaglutide 1 mg,” Michael Radin, executive medical director for diabetes at Novo Nordisk, said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. 

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“This study highlights our drive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people living with type 2 diabetes and CKD and to deliver innovations to address current unmet medical needs in CKD pending FDA approval.”

Wegovy is an injectable prescription weight loss medicine that has helped people with obesity. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

To leverage semaglutide as a treatment for kidney disease, there is a need to overcome supply shortages and conduct research about combining the medication with other therapies, the researchers stated in the release.

Novo Nordisk will also need to seek regulatory approval for the drug to be used for chronic kidney disease patients.

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“The challenge is to get these results into clinical practice, to get the drug used by the people who will benefit from it, who will live longer without dialysis, without heart attacks, without strokes, if they take this drug,” Perkovic said.

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