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CDC June 2026 Health Outlook: COVID Summer Surge Risk, West Nile Early Season, and Salmonella Moringa Alert

Public health surveillance data released by the CDC as of June 5, 2026 offers a mixed picture of the nation’s current disease burden heading into the height of summer. COVID-19 activity is very low nationally, RSV and influenza seasons have ended, and the emergency department burden from respiratory illness is at its lowest point of the year. But officials are tracking several developing concerns that warrant attention from residents, clinicians, and travelers over the coming weeks.

COVID-19: Low Now, But a Summer Surge Is Possible in the South and West

The CDC’s June 5 Respiratory Virus Data update confirms that COVID-19 activity is currently very low across the United States, with declining hospitalizations nationally over recent months. As of June 2, the CDC estimates COVID-19 infections are declining or likely declining in 41 states and growing in only 1 state, according to the agency’s epidemic trend models.

However, the CDC’s 2026 COVID Summer Outlook specifically warns that regions which did not experience substantial COVID activity during the most recent winter months — particularly the South and West — are expected to see increases in summer. The pattern of summer COVID surges in these warmer regions has recurred in multiple years since 2020, driven by people moving indoors to escape heat and, in 2026, by the convergence of World Cup mass gatherings drawing large numbers of international visitors into cities across those exact regions.

People at higher risk of severe COVID outcomes — adults 65 and older, immunocompromised individuals, and those with significant underlying health conditions — should remain aware of updated vaccine recommendations and discuss antiviral treatment eligibility (Paxlovid) with their physician if they test positive.

West Nile Virus: An Unusually Early Season Beginning

West Nile virus activity has been confirmed earlier in the 2026 season than in most prior years, raising concern that peak summer transmission — which typically occurs July through September — could be more intense than average. Positive mosquito pools were confirmed in San Antonio in May (unusually early), in Frisco, Texas in early June, and in New Orleans in early June. Louisiana’s public health response included helicopter-based aerial spraying over parts of New Orleans and surrounding parishes. California confirmed positive mosquito samples across six counties by early June.

West Nile virus has no vaccine and no approved treatment. The CDC recommends using EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus; wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants during peak mosquito hours (dusk to dawn); eliminating standing water around the home; and ensuring window and door screens are intact.

Salmonella in Moringa Supplements: 119 Cases, 36 States

The ongoing CDC alert on Salmonella in moringa leaf supplement products has expanded since initial publication in May 2026. As of the latest update, the outbreak has sickened at least 119 people in 36 states, hospitalized 32, and involves a drug-resistant strain of Salmonella linked to brands including Live it Up, TNVitamins, Doctor’s Pride, MOGO, and Why Not Natural. Anyone currently using a moringa supplement should check the FDA’s active recall list and stop use immediately if their product is on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is COVID activity level in the U.S. right now?

A: As of June 5, 2026, COVID activity is very low nationally. CDC estimates infections are declining in 41 states. However, summer surges are possible in South and West regions.

Q: Is West Nile virus active this summer?

A: Yes. Positive mosquito pools have been confirmed earlier than usual in 2026 in San Antonio, Frisco TX, New Orleans, and six California counties. The early season start suggests potential for above-average transmission in peak summer months.

Q: What should I do about the Salmonella-moringa outbreak?

A: Stop using any moringa supplement and check FDA.gov/recalls for your brand. The outbreak has sickened 119 people in 36 states, with a drug-resistant Salmonella strain linked to several supplement brands.

Q: Who is most at risk from West Nile virus?

A: Adults 60 and older and immunocompromised individuals face the highest risk of neuroinvasive West Nile disease. About 80% of West Nile infections cause no symptoms; approximately 1% cause severe neurological illness.

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June 11, 2026
A Persistent Pesticide Is Linked to Alzheimer’s Risk

How can we avoid the breakdown products of pesticides that may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease as much as if you carried APOE e4, the so-called Alzheimer’s gene?

Although there is a growing list of Alzheimer’s disease susceptibility genes, those genes account for less than half of all Alzheimer’s cases. Here is the “single most compelling” piece of data on the potential control we have over the disease: When it comes to identical twins with the exact same genes, if one gets Alzheimer’s, the other usually does not. So, we have to think about all the other contributing factors beyond just genetics.

There’s a list of chlorinated pesticides, including DDE (a metabolite of DDT), that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified as probable human carcinogens. But in a study—which I’ve mentioned in a video on pesticides and cancer—blood levels of DDE and other pesticides were associated not with increased cancer mortality, but increased risk of other-cause mortality. This led researchers to speculate that this may be due to an associated increased risk of diabetes or dementia. I’ve talked previously about the diabetes link. What about dementia?

A research team at Rutgers found significantly higher blood levels of DDE in Alzheimer’s disease patients compared to controls, as you can see below and at 1:22 in my video Pesticides (DDT) and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Autopsy studies show blood levels are a good proxy for brain levels. Those patients with the highest levels were at about four times the odds of having dementia from Alzheimer’s. And in a petri dish, DDE increases amyloid precursor protein levels in human brain cells, providing a potential mechanism. Below and at 1:48 in my video, you can see the levels of the sticky protein implicated in the development of Alzheimer’s disease before and after DDE is added at the levels one finds circulating in highly exposed individuals among the general population.

Put all these studies together, and there does indeed seem to be a link, consistent with data showing about a doubling of risk for developing dementia among those acutely pesticide-poisoned, as you can see below and at 2:01 in my video.

Among U.S. elders, DDT and its breakdown product DDE are also associated with increased risk of cognitive decline in general, which is shown below and at 2:08 in my video.

DDT was used extensively in the United States from the 1940s through the early 1970s. At its peak, we were churning out about 180 million pounds a year. And it is still in our bodies to this day, contaminating the bloodstreams of more than 90% of Americans, with DDE—the pesticide linked to quadrupling the odds of Alzheimer’s—found at the highest levels of all.

It’s still in our bodies because it’s still in the food supply. In a previous video on the topic, I noted that the levels of DDT, DDE, and other banned pesticides and pollutants were much lower in the breast milk from a vegetarian mother compared to breast milk of her non-vegetarian sister. The largest difference was noted for DDE, which was four times lower in the vegetarian sister. This is what you see across the board for these kinds of pollutants. Below and at 3:20 in my video, you can see the levels of dioxins and PCBs found in beef, chicken, pork, processed meat, eggs, fish, dairy products, and all plant foods put together when food samples were collected from supermarkets across the United States.

These toxins build up in the food chain, so it makes sense that the most contaminated foods are meat, fish, and dairy products. The toxin levels were found to be 5 to 10 times higher in meat, eggs, fish, and dairy compared to plant foods. Unfortunately, cooking doesn’t destroy pollutants like DDE—in fact, it may make them even more concentrated. And this is for a pesticide that may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease as much as if you carried the so-called Alzheimer’s gene APOE e4.

Doctor’s Note

The video I mentioned is Pesticides and Cancer Risk.

For more videos on Alzheimer’s disease, check out the Alzheimer’s topic page.

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June 10, 2026
New York City Reports First Severe Mpox Clade I Case — A More Dangerous Strain Now Showing Up Across America

New York City has confirmed its first case of mpox caused by clade I — the more dangerous variant of the virus — raising concern among public health officials as the more infectious and more severe form of mpox continues to arrive in major U.S. cities. The NYC Health Department issued a formal advisory noting that there is no known local community transmission tied to this case, but health commissioner Dr. Alister Martin confirmed the virus is now present in the city and urged residents to be aware of symptoms and vaccination options.

As of May 9, 2026, the NYC Department of Health reported 79 mpox cases in New York City in 2026 alone, including at least a small number of clade I cases. Nationally, the CDC confirmed more than 20 clade I mpox cases in the United States as of June 2026, all linked to recent international travel or contact with travelers from affected regions in Central and Eastern Africa or Western Europe.

Clade I vs. Clade II: Why This Strain Is More Concerning

Most Americans became familiar with mpox during the 2022 global outbreak, which was caused by clade II — a less severe form of the virus with a survival rate above 99.9%. Clade I is different. According to Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, “Clade I causes more severe symptoms and can be life-threatening.” In the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, clade I has had a case fatality rate significantly higher than clade II. Complications can include severe skin lesions, pneumonia, brain inflammation, and bacterial superinfections.

While clade I spreads through the same routes as clade II — primarily close physical contact, sexual contact, kissing, and contact with infected skin lesions or respiratory droplets at close range — it does not spread through casual airborne contact over long distances. The CDC has assessed the current risk to the general U.S. population as low, but characterizes the risk as low to moderate for men who have sex with men, who accounted for the majority of the 2022 U.S. outbreak.

Who Should Get Vaccinated and What to Watch For

The JYNNEOS vaccine, approved for mpox prevention, provides strong protection against both clade I and clade II. The CDC recommends the two-dose vaccine series for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men aged 18 and older with specific risk factors. Anyone who traveled to or had contact with someone from the DRC, neighboring African countries, or parts of Western Europe reporting clade I cases should consult their healthcare provider immediately.

Symptoms of mpox typically appear 3 to 17 days after exposure and begin with fever, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, and exhaustion, followed by a distinctive rash that progresses through several stages of fluid-filled lesions. Anyone with a new or unexplained rash — particularly after recent travel or close physical contact — should contact a healthcare provider, mention any travel history, and avoid close contact with others until evaluated. NYC offers free mpox vaccination at multiple locations across the five boroughs.

The arrival of clade I mpox in New York City — the nation’s most densely populated metro area — is a reminder that the city’s international connectivity, while a source of enormous economic and cultural vitality, also serves as an entry point for emerging infectious diseases. Whether the public health infrastructure put in place after 2022 remains fully operational under reduced federal staffing is a question officials have not fully answered.

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June 10, 2026
Symptoms of ADHD | Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Deciding if a child has ADHD is a process with several steps. There is no single test to diagnose ADHD, and many other problems, such as sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and certain types of learning disabilities, can also have symptoms similar to ADHD.

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June 10, 2026
OSHA Just Launched the Strongest Worker Heat Protection Enforcement Program in U.S. History — And It Covers Dallas’s Most Heat-Exposed Industries During World Cup Season

In what workplace safety advocates are calling the most meaningful federal action on worker heat protection in American history, OSHA launched a revised and dramatically expanded National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention on April 10, 2026 — replacing the previous NEP that had been in operation since 2022 and extending through April 2031.

The new NEP uses Bureau of Labor Statistics injury data from 2022–2025 to target 55 high-risk industries for proactive heat-hazard inspections, expanding the program from approximately 200 heat inspections per year under its original form to approximately 2,400 per year — representing 6% of all OSHA inspections nationwide. Heat inspections have now increased twelve-fold since the program began.

For Dallas–Fort Worth, whose construction, manufacturing, landscaping, food service, and agricultural sectors employ hundreds of thousands of workers in environments that regularly expose them to heat index readings above 100°F during June and July, this enforcement expansion is the most relevant occupational health development of the summer.

The scale of the unprotected heat exposure in Texas’s workforce is documented in the numbers. The Groundwork Collaborative’s May 2026 report on extreme heat and workers found that in 2023 alone, high temperatures caused an additional 28,000 injuries across the United States. Between 2011 and 2021, 436 work-related deaths from heat occurred nationally. These are the officially counted cases; the true toll is documented to be substantially higher, as the same surveillance failures that produce San Antonio’s one official heat death in five years operate across the broader Texas labor system. The DFW construction boom — driven by data center expansion, commercial development, and residential growth — is creating a large and growing population of outdoor workers whose heat exposure during this summer may be the most intense in the metropolitan area’s recent history, given the AccuWeather forecast for potential triple-digit temperatures beginning as early as June 22.

What the New NEP Actually Requires Employers to Do

The expanded NEP does not yet create a permanent federal heat standard — the OSHA rulemaking process for a final heat standard is ongoing. But it dramatically increases enforcement risk for employers who fail to address heat hazards under the existing General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The revised NEP directs OSHA compliance officers to proactively inspect workplaces in all 55 targeted high-risk industries — including construction, landscaping, warehousing, food processing, and food service — in any geographic area where the heat index reaches 80°F. At Dallas’s summer temperatures, that threshold is crossed virtually every working day from June through September.

In practice, the General Duty Clause enforcement means OSHA can cite employers who fail to provide water (one cup per hour for outdoor workers), rest breaks in shade or air conditioning, acclimatization protocols for new workers or workers returning from absence, and heat illness training.

The Alert Media summary of the 2026 OSHA heat regulations confirms that even without a final rule, “enforcement risk is at an all-time high” — and employers who have not implemented documented heat illness prevention programs face significant citation liability if workers develop heat illness during the 2026 summer season.

For Dallas-area employers in construction, agriculture, and food service — the industries with the most documented heat exposure — the April 10, 2026 NEP launch is a compliance warning that the summer of 2026 will be the most scrutinized heat safety season in Texas workplace history.

The World Cup Dimension: Temporary Event Workers and Highest-Risk Exposures

The World Cup’s June 14 opening in Dallas creates a specific and time-compressed occupational heat safety scenario that the expanded NEP directly addresses: the large temporary workforce deployed for event operations — security personnel, food vendors, transportation workers, equipment handlers, and cleaning staff — who will work extended shifts in outdoor environments around AT&T Stadium and associated fan festival areas during potentially record-setting June heat.

These temporary workers are precisely the population that OSHA’s updated emphasis program identifies as high-risk: they may be new to outdoor work, may not yet be heat-acclimatized, may be working irregular hours that prevent adequate overnight recovery, and may be employed through staffing agencies whose oversight of heat safety protocols is less systematic than direct employers.

Dallas County Health Director Dr. Philip Huang’s confirmed expansion of public health monitoring for World Cup events covers disease surveillance, but occupational heat safety for event workers falls under OSHA’s jurisdiction.

The Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission and the Texas Department of Insurance track heat-related workers’ compensation claims — data that will be particularly scrutinized in the weeks following the World Cup matches. For workers: know your rights under the General Duty Clause — water, rest, and shade are enforceable protections even without a final OSHA heat standard. For employers: the April 10, 2026 NEP is enforcement notice that the 2026 summer will produce heat citation activity at levels not previously seen in Texas.

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June 9, 2026
Exciting News from Mindful: Please Welcome Our New CEO, Joseph Russell

In 2020, tech entrepreneur Matt Dickinson launched Mindfulness.com with teacher Melli O’Brien. Together, they envisioned an accessible, practical resource that could empower people to realize their fullest potential through the transformative power of mindfulness.

For six years, the Mindfulness app and website have been a global hub where beginners, experienced practitioners, and everyone in between can access thousands of practices, meditations, talks, courses, playlists, nature soundscapes, and more.

In 2023, we here at Mindful.org joined up with Mindfulness. As our community knows, we’ve got 15 years of evidence-based editorial content that reaches millions of readers globally with more than 4,000 articles, the 12 Minute Meditation podcast, expert-led courses, an annual print magazine, and a new app. We’ve been the definitive English-language resource for practitioners, clinicians, educators, and researchers since 2009.

We recognize that we’re shepherding a legacy that’s thousands of years old, using the latest tech tools—and we take both the responsibility and the opportunity seriously.

Together, Mindfulness x Mindful brings what few other organizations bring: the very latest in technological developments combined with grounded, human-centered, science-backed mindfulness resources. Our apps are cutting-edge and aim to make accessing mindfulness training seamless, fast, beautiful, and personalized. We also hold the conviction that real human connection is the heart of mindfulness practice in the first place—so we partner with globally-respected writers, teachers, researchers, and thought leaders to bring you articles, guided meditations, talks, courses, and events that are alive with human compassion, wisdom, and creativity.

We recognize that we’re shepherding a legacy that’s thousands of years old, using the latest tech tools—and we take both the responsibility and the opportunity seriously.

A New Chapter

On May 25, 2026, we welcomed Joseph Russell as our new Chief Executive Officer.

Russell brings over 15 years of experience building, scaling, and leading digital products and mobile technology businesses. As co-founder and CEO of DreamWalk, one of Australia’s most recognised app development companies, he helped hundreds of brands and businesses—from Coca-Cola to The Secret—design and launch successful digital experiences. Throughout his tenure, DreamWalk produced dozens of chart-topping mobile applications before it was acquired by multinational advertising group Wellcom in 2012. Russell then re-acquired the brand and relaunched under his leadership in 2017.

Russell has been featured by The Today Show, The Project, The Australian, Lifehacker, and Executive Style, and has written extensively on digital product strategy for Smart Company, B&T Weekly, and Inside Small Business. He has also served as a mentor and advisor to social impact startups through ygap.

“We’re living through a period of extraordinary uncertainty. The research on what mindfulness does for human resilience—our capacity to respond rather than react—has never been more relevant.” — Joe Russell, new CEO of Mindfulness United

As our new CEO, he’s joining Mindfulness United at a pivotal moment for both the company and the broader mindfulness industry.

Russell was candid about why the timing feels meaningful: “We’re living through a period of extraordinary uncertainty. The research on what mindfulness does for human resilience—our capacity to respond rather than react—has never been more relevant.”

Russell added: “Mindful.org has spent 15 years earning the trust of readers, researchers, and practitioners. When you combine that with an app guided by teachers who helped build the clinical science of mindfulness—that’s something genuinely rare. My job is to bring those two things together and do justice to the groundbreaking products and legacy this team has built.”

Matt Dickinson has faithfully led the work of MU for six years, and we are grateful for his vision and dedication. Reflecting on this transition and why he chose Joe to carry on the work of MU as our new CEO, he said, “Joe brings exactly the combination of skills this company needs at this moment—deep expertise in mobile product and digital growth, a genuine understanding of what it takes to engage an audience, and a personal connection to the mission. We are thrilled to welcome him to the team and excited to see what he builds.”

Joe also recognizes that joining Mindfulness United is a rare opportunity to create genuine, lasting change for millions of people who are hungry for more clarity, calm, wisdom, and connection in a world that often feels fragmented and frantic.

“Mindfulness isn’t a wellness trend,” he says. “These practices have been around for thousands of years. The science is real, the teachers are world-class, and the need has never been greater.”

He says his job is to make sure this platform reaches everyone who needs it.

As the leaders, organizers, developers, designers, creators, and editors that make up the Mindfulness x Mindful team, we’re on board with that, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.

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June 9, 2026
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
What is dystonia?

Dystonia is a neurological disorder that causes muscles to move or tighten on their own, out of a person’s control. These unintentional movements can lead to slow, repeated motions or unusual body positions. These movements can be uncomfortable.

There are several different types of dystonia. Some types affect only one muscle or body part, while other types affect groups of muscles or muscles throughout the body. Dystonia symptoms can in some cases be life-threatening.

Some types of dystonia run in families. Dystonia can also happen because of an unrelated health problem.

Symptoms of dystonia

Dystonia symptoms can be different from person to person, depending on which muscles or body parts are affected or the health problem causing the dystonia symptoms. They can include:

A person with dystonia may have mild symptoms at first that are only noticeable when the person is stressed or tired. Some people with dystonia have symptoms that don’t change much, while others have symptoms that get worse over time.

Sometimes a person with dystonia will only have symptoms while doing specific things. For example, a musician may have dystonia when using one hand to play the piano but not when using the same hand to type on a keyboard.

Dystonia can happen at any age, which can affect what symptoms a person has. Dystonia that begins in childhood is called early-onset dystonia. It usually starts in the arms and legs and may spread to other parts of the body. A child’s symptoms can appear after physical activity and can change during the day.

People who get dystonia during adulthood (adult-onset dystonia) often have symptoms that involve neck and face muscles, but symptoms can also affect other body parts.

Causes of dystonia

Dystonia is caused by changes in how the brain tells the body to move. Dystonia can be classified in different ways, but it is often grouped by cause: for example, idiopathic, genetic, acquired (otherwise known as secondary dystonia), or neuroanatomical dystonia.

Idiopathic dystonia doesn’t have a known cause. Many cases of dystonia are this type.

Genetic dystonia runs in families. Variants (also called mutations) in a small group of specific genes cause genetic dystonia. Examples include DYT1 dystonia and dopa-responsive dystonia. Genetic dystonia symptoms may be different for each person, even among members of the same family. Sometimes a person who inherits one of these dystopia gene variants has no symptoms.

Acquired dystonia, also known as secondary dystonia, happens when the brain is injured or diseased. Many movement disorders and neurological conditions cause this type of dystonia:

Acquired dystonia usually doesn’t spread to other parts of the body. Symptoms often stop getting worse.

Neuroanatomical dystonia is defined by the presence of abnormal or damaged tissue (lesion). For example, it happens when damage to a specific brain area, like the basal ganglia, thalamus, or brainstem, disrupts the signals that tell muscles how to move. Doctors can often see this damage on a brain scan.

Types of dystonia

The many types of dystonia are named for how much of the body they affect:
- Generalized dystonia affects most or all of the body
- Focal dystonia affects a specific part of the body
- Multifocal dystonia affects two or more unrelated body parts
- Segmental dystonia affects two or more parts of the body that are next to each other
- Hemidystonia affects an arm and leg on the same side of the body
Each of these types of dystonia can also include other types of dystonia. For example, focal dystonia can include:
- Cervical dystonia is the most common focal dystonia. It affects a person’s neck muscles, causing their head to turn or pull in a specific direction. Cervical dystonia can happen at any age, although for most people, it first happens in midlife. It often begins slowly and then stays the same over a few months or years. About 10% of people with cervical dystonia may have no symptoms for a period of time. But symptoms often return eventually.
- Blepharospasm is the second most common type of focal dystonia. It affects muscles that make a person’s eyes blink. At first, both eyes blink more than usual. Sudden muscle jerks or tightening can cause a person’s eyelids to close completely. This can create vision loss even though the eyes are otherwise healthy.
- Spasmodic dysphonia, also called laryngeal dystonia, affects muscles that control a person’s vocal cords, making it hard to speak.
- Task-specific dystonia happens during certain repetitive actions and is usually named for the activity involved. For example, “writer’s cramp” affects a person’s hand or forearm muscles only when they are writing. “Musician’s dystonia” happens when a person tries to play an instrument and can affect their hands, mouth, lips, or voice. “Yips” are a type of task-specific dystonia that cause a person’s hands or arms to jerk during precise movements, like putting in golf or throwing a baseball.
Some types of multifocal dystonia also have specific names. The following are common examples of multifocal dystonia:
- Craniocervical dystonia affects muscles of the head, face, and neck.
- Oromandibular dystonia affects muscles of the jaw, lips, and tongue. It can make it hard to open and close the jaw, affecting speaking or swallowing.
Who is more likely to get dystonia?

Dystonia can happen to anyone at any age. However, some types of dystonia are more likely to affect females than males. Some types of dystonia run in families. Genetic testing can help a person understand their risk of developing genetic dystonia.

People with some neurological conditions or who are taking certain medicines may also be at a higher risk of developing dystonia. People with conditions such as cerebral palsy, Huntington’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease may develop dystonia as another symptom.

How is dystonia diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosing dystonia

Doctors diagnose dystonia based on physical and neurological exams, a person’s personal and family history of disease, laboratory tests, tests that record electrical signals made by muscles, and other tests to rule out any conditions that may cause symptoms similar to dystonia.

Doctors may also use brain scans such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), but some people with dystonia don’t have changes in the brain that can be detected this way. Genetic testing can determine whether a person has a gene variant that could cause dystonia.

Find out more about neurological diagnostic tests and procedures.

Treating dystonia

Few treatments can stop dystonia or keep it from getting worse. But treatments such as botulinum toxin injections, medicines, surgery, and physical therapy can help manage specific dystonia symptoms.

Botulinum toxin injections

Botulinum toxin injections are often the most effective treatment for focal dystonia and help reduce uncontrolled muscle movements. People who get botulinum injections typically get relief a few days after treatment that can last for several months. The medicine daxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm (Daxxify) is a form of botulinum injection that lasts longer between injections for some people with cervical dystonia.

Surgery

Some surgeries can help people with dystonia when other treatments don’t work. One option is deep brain stimulation (DBS), when a surgeon puts small electrodes into parts of a person’s brain that cause dystonia symptoms.

Another small device inside a person’s chest acts like a pacemaker to control the brain implant by sending and fine-tuning electrical signals to the brain and easing symptoms. NINDS-funded researchers are also testing ultrasound as a way to treat the brain without surgery or wires.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy can be helpful for people with dystonia by using splints that hold parts of the body firmly in a comfortable position. Learning how to manage stress may help people with certain types of dystonia.

Biofeedback can also help by showing people body signals (like heart rate or muscle tension) so that they can learn to control them. Speech therapy can help people with voice problems from dystonia, and occupational therapy can help them find easier ways to do daily activities.

What are the latest updates on dystonia?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), which includes NINDS, is the leading federal funder of research on the brain and nervous system, including disorders such as dystonia. NIH supports new and innovative research to better understand, diagnose, and treat dystonia.

NINDS-funded research is learning about specific types of dystonia to help develop new treatments. These include:
- How the immune system affects cervical dystonia.
- Studies on mice that have dystonia symptoms to better understand genetic dystonia (DYT1).
- Development of better ways to diagnose and measure eye-blinking problems in blepharospasm.
- Improvements to DBS surgery for dystonia. For example, one study learned that using DBS to stimulate some parts of the brain worked better than others for certain types of dystonia.
- What goes wrong in brain cells to cause dystonia symptoms. This information may help predict who is at risk and inform future treatments.
- How physical therapy for cervical dystonia affects the brain. This may help explain why physical therapy works for some people and improve treatments for others.
For more information on research about dystonia, check NIH RePORTER, a searchable database of current and past research projects funded by NIH and other federal agencies. RePORTER also has links to publications and resources from these projects.

For research articles and summaries on dystonia, search PubMed, which contains citations from medical journals and other sites.

How can I or my loved one help improve care for people with dystonia?

Consider participating in a clinical trial so clinicians and scientists can learn more about dystonia and related disorders. Clinical research with human study participants helps researchers learn more about a disorder and perhaps find better ways to safely detect, treat, or prevent disease.

All types of participants are needed—those who are healthy or may have an illness or disease—of all different ages, sexes, races, and ethnicities. This helps make sure that study results apply to as many people as possible and that treatments will be safe and effective for everyone who will use them.

For information about participating in clinical research, visit the NINDS Clinical Trials site and NIH Clinical Research Trials and You. Learn about clinical trials currently looking for people with dystonia at ClinicalTrials.gov, a searchable database of current and past clinical studies and research results.

Learn about related topics
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June 8, 2026
Penn Medicine Reports 30% Drop in Breast Cancer Risk with Ozempic and Wegovy

A landmark study published June 2, 2026, in JCO Oncology Practice and simultaneously presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine has produced findings that could reshape how America’s medical community thinks about GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs and how millions of women with obesity approach their own cancer risk.

The study, led by Dr. Elizabeth McDonald, a professor of radiology at Penn and practicing breast radiologist at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center, found that women using GLP-1 medications were approximately 30% less likely to develop breast cancer than women who were not taking these drugs. The finding comes from an analysis of 111,646 women, the largest study of its kind, and the protective effect held even after rigorous statistical matching to control for confounding factors.

The scale and rigor of the Penn Medicine study are what elevate it above prior observational work in this area. Researchers used electronic health records from the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which includes both academic and community medical sites across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, to identify women aged 45 to 80 with a BMI of 25 or above who had undergone breast imaging between January 2022 and June 2025.

Of the 111,646 women in the full cohort, 15,264 (13.7%) had documented GLP-1 medication prescriptions, and 96,382 (86.3%) had no documented GLP-1 exposure. The researchers examined cancer incidence in both the full cohort and a matched cohort of 30,528 women, pairing each GLP-1 user one-to-one with a control patient matched on age, race, ethnicity, BMI, breast density, and diabetes status.

The result: 35.1% lower odds of breast cancer in the full analysis; 30.5% lower odds in the rigorously matched cohort.

Why the 30% Reduction Is Scientifically Credible

The breast cancer finding is consistent with what GLP-1 drugs do biologically. GLP-1 receptor agonists, the drug class that includes Ozempic (semaglutide), Wegovy (semaglutide), Mounjaro (tirzepatide), and Zepbound (tirzepatide), produce significant weight loss and improve key metabolic measures such as insulin sensitivity, inflammation levels, and sex hormone balance. Each of these changes is independently linked to lower breast cancer risk through well-established biological pathways.

Body fat is not just storage tissue; it is hormonally active. It converts androgens into estrogens through a process called aromatization. In postmenopausal women who are overweight or obese, fat tissue becomes the main source of circulating estrogen. Most breast cancers, about 70 to 75 percent, are estrogen receptor-positive, meaning they grow in response to estrogen. When weight is reduced, fat tissue decreases, aromatization declines, estrogen levels drop, and the growth stimulus for these cancers is reduced. This mechanism is widely accepted and helps explain why obesity increases breast cancer risk and why weight loss lowers it.

GLP-1 drugs also reduce chronic low-grade inflammation, measured through markers such as CRP, which can contribute to a tumor-friendly environment. In addition, they improve insulin resistance, lowering levels of insulin and IGF-1, both of which have been shown to directly promote breast cancer cell growth.

“While our study was observational and does not definitively confirm an association,” Dr. McDonald said, “it does add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that it’s worth investigating these weight-loss drugs as potential cancer prevention tools.”

The Philadelphia Context: Penn Medicine, Penn’s Abramson Center, and What This Means Locally

The Penn Medicine research carries particular significance in Philadelphia, where the study was conducted. The Penn Abramson Cancer Center, consistently ranked among the top cancer hospitals in the United States, is home to a major breast imaging and breast oncology program. The health system spans Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and the electronic health records used in the study reflect a real-world patient population in the greater Philadelphia region, including a wide range of body weight profiles, cancer risk factors, and GLP-1 prescribing patterns.

Philadelphia County has a breast cancer incidence rate above the national average, driven in part by higher obesity rates among women, especially in lower-income areas of North, West, and South Philadelphia. If GLP-1 drugs reduce breast cancer risk by 30% in overweight and obese women, the same group that accounts for much of the county’s burden, the public health impact could be significant. Access becomes the key issue. The women most likely to benefit are also those most likely to face insurance and cost barriers to GLP-1 treatment.

What Women Should Discuss with Their Doctors Now

The Penn Medicine study is observational — it does not prove causality and does not constitute a clinical recommendation to prescribe GLP-1 drugs for breast cancer prevention. Breast cancer prevention currently relies on lifestyle modification, screening adherence, chemoprevention with tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors for high-risk individuals, and prophylactic surgical options for those with BRCA mutations.

What the study does justify is a conversation: women aged 45 to 80 who are overweight or obese, who are considering GLP-1 therapy for obesity or diabetes management, should ask their provider whether the breast cancer risk data adds weight to the clinical rationale for their treatment. For women who are already on GLP-1 medications, this study provides additional scientific support for the value of continued treatment. For oncologists, this data adds a new dimension to the patient conversation about weight management as cancer prevention — one with a specific drug class and a quantified risk reduction.

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June 8, 2026
Virginia Records Highest Measles Count on Record While Major World Cup Gateway Links to Mexico’s Growing Outbreak

A detail buried in the Virginia Department of Health’s June 3, 2026, clinical advisory for healthcare providers deserves much wider attention than it has received: Virginia has seen a record number of measles cases this year, with 77 reported cases as of June 2, 2026.

That figure — 77 confirmed cases by the first week of June — establishes Virginia as a measles hot zone that is directly relevant to the World Cup’s public health trajectory for one specific and overlooked reason: Washington Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia is the federally designated enhanced screening point for all U.S. citizens and nationals who have been present in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within 21 days of U.S. arrival. Every traveler routed through Dulles for Ebola screening is moving through a state that currently has 77 active measles cases — the record annual total in the state’s modern surveillance history.

The VDH advisory also notes that “many [World Cup fans] are likely to travel through international airports in northern Virginia” — capturing the second dimension of Virginia’s World Cup health relevance. Dulles is among the top 10 busiest international airports in the United States and serves as a major gateway for European, Latin American, and African travelers bound for East Coast World Cup venues, including Philadelphia (the closest host city, with matches June 14 through July 4) and the New York/New Jersey area (MetLife Stadium, including the July 19 Final).

Fans arriving at Dulles from Mexico (10,920 cases), Guatemala (6,209 cases), or other measles-active countries, then connecting to domestic flights to Philadelphia or New York, are moving through one of the country’s most active measles states at a peak transmission moment.

Virginia’s 77-Case Record in Context

Virginia’s 77-case record requires context to fully appreciate its significance. The state was not previously considered a high-measles-burden jurisdiction — it was among the states with strong school vaccination compliance and relatively few exemptions. The appearance of 77 confirmed cases as of June 2, 2026, represents a significant outbreak driven primarily by vaccine hesitancy in specific community clusters, with the pattern seen in the VDH advisory consistent with the national picture: most cases occurring in unvaccinated or under-vaccinated individuals, with outbreak chains anchored in communities with lower-than-average MMR coverage.

The national context as of the CDC’s latest dashboard: 1,983 confirmed measles cases across 40 U.S. jurisdictions as of May 28, 2026, with 30 active outbreaks and 93% of cases linked to ongoing outbreak chains. Virginia’s 77 cases place it above Pennsylvania (5 cases through early February) and most Northeast states, but below the outbreak epicenters of South Carolina, Utah, and Texas. The combination of a record state outbreak AND a major international gateway airport AND proximity to two World Cup host cities creates a public health exposure matrix that the VDH clinical letter addresses directly, urging providers to be alert for travel-related illnesses in patients with any connection to World Cup events, the U.S. Semiquincentennial celebrations planned for Washington D.C. this summer, or other large summer gatherings.

The Dulles Ebola Screening Pathway — and the Measles Irony

The designation of Dulles as the mandatory arrival airport for enhanced Ebola screening creates an unintended epidemiological dynamic that public health researchers have quietly flagged. The logic of the Dulles screening designation is sound: it concentrates enhanced health screening at a single, well-resourced airport rather than distributing it thinly across multiple airports with variable capability. But every traveler routed through Dulles for Ebola screening — who, under the current Bundibugyo outbreak’s transmission biology, is overwhelmingly unlikely to be infected — passes through a terminal environment in a state with 77 active measles cases, potentially sharing air space with other travelers who may be in the pre-rash, contagious phase of measles infection.

The scientific irony is measurable: the disease being screened for at Dulles (Ebola) requires direct contact with blood or body fluids of a symptomatic person to transmit and kills roughly 1 in 3 of those infected. The disease circulating in the state surrounding Dulles (measles) transmits through the air, persists in enclosed spaces for two hours, and was present in 77 confirmed Virginians as of June 2. Ebola’s R0 is approximately 2. Measles’s R0 is 12 to 18. As Dr. Krutika Kuppalli wrote in STAT News: “Infectious disease threats during the World Cup will almost certainly look much more familiar than frightening headlines suggest.” Virginia’s 77-case record makes that observation locally specific and quantitatively concrete.

What Virginia Residents and Dulles Travelers Must Know

The VDH’s directive to clinicians operating near Dulles and across the state is direct: ask patients about travel history and World Cup event attendance; maintain high suspicion for measles in unvaccinated patients with fever and rash; report suspected cases immediately. For travelers transiting Dulles: the airport’s connection to international routes from measles-active countries, combined with Virginia’s active community outbreak, makes it one of the higher-risk indoor air environments for measles exposure in the country right now. Any traveler who cannot document two doses of MMR vaccine should receive vaccination before travel, as PAHO specifically recommends a single dose at least two weeks before traveling to areas with documented transmission.

For residents of the Washington D.C. metro area planning to travel to World Cup matches in Philadelphia — the closest host city at roughly 140 miles — verify MMR vaccination status, ensure any children over 12 months have had at least one dose, and consider that the train corridors connecting Northern Virginia, Washington, and Philadelphia pass through and between multiple states with active measles cases. The public health advice has not changed since the PAHO emergency alert: travelers aged six months and older who cannot provide proof of two MMR doses should receive vaccination, preferably at least two weeks before attending any World Cup event or traveling to areas with active transmission. At this moment, Virginia is one of those areas.

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June 7, 2026
ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
What is ME/CFS?

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), sometimes called ME, is a condition that affects multiple areas of the body. It causes long-lasting, extreme exhaustion that doesn’t get better with sleep. Other symptoms may include dizziness, pain, and problems thinking and sleeping. People with ME/CFS also have a symptom called post-exertional malaise (PEM). This means their symptoms get worse after thinking or moving.

Many people with ME/CFS feel so sick that they can’t leave their beds or their homes, making it difficult to manage everyday life. But researchers are actively studying ME/CFS—providing hope for better ways to diagnose and treat the condition.

Kate’s Story

Kate first got sick when she was 11. When she didn’t get better after an infection she got at school, her doctor diagnosed her with tonsillitis and prescribed an antibiotic, which didn’t help her symptoms.

Over the summer, Kate felt better, and she went back to school in the fall. Not long after, she got sick again. A doctor diagnosed her with an unusual type of pneumonia caused by an infection from bacteria. When antibiotics didn’t help and she was not well enough to go back to school, doctors diagnosed Kate with ME/CFS.

ME/CFS made Kate exhausted after doing very little at all. She also had pain in her neck, head, and chest, could not think clearly, was sensitive to light and noise, and felt sick all over. She had to be homeschooled and could only handle three subjects. Even that was a struggle.

Kate is now 33 years old and still sick with ME/CFS. Over the years, Kate and her healthcare team have tried many different treatments, but none have cured her. Kate has a daily routine, but any new activity must be planned ahead of time to prevent her from feeling even worse. Kate lives with her parents, and it would be hard for her to manage everyday life without their help.

Symptoms of ME/CFS

People with ME/CFS can have a lot of different symptoms. These symptoms can also change over time, either getting better or getting worse. But all people with ME/CFS have the following symptoms:
- Extreme tiredness limiting physical activity that has lasted for more than six months
- Feeling much worse after moving or thinking, called post-exertional malaise (PEM)
- Waking up feeling tired even after getting enough sleep
People with ME/CFS also have one or both of the following symptoms:
- Problems thinking or concentrating
- Dizziness or fainting when standing or sitting up, called orthostatic intolerance (OI)
OI is common for people with ME/CFS. It happens when the body has trouble controlling blood pressure and heart rate when a person changes positions or stands still for too long. OI can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, or a heartbeat that is too fast.

Other symptoms of ME/CFS may include:

ME/CFS affects people differently, and symptoms can change over time. Some people feel better but still need to take things slowly to avoid feeling worse after moving or thinking because of PEM.

People may feel better for a while but then have a flare-up, and some symptoms can get worse. Compared to adults with ME/CFS, children and teens are usually more likely to recover partially or fully from the condition.

Michelle’s Story

It took four long years for Michelle to get answers about her puzzling and disabling illness. Everything started with a sudden high fever of 104 degrees and several other symptoms. She felt tired, had trouble thinking clearly, had pain in her joints, and felt worse after moving or thinking.

As time passed, Michelle got new symptoms, including dizziness, constant ringing in her ears, rashes, and shaking. She went to many different doctors who did many different tests, but none provided a diagnosis. Michelle felt like some doctors blamed her for her illness, leaving her feeling alone and hopeless. Finally, a doctor who treats hormone problems (known as an endocrinologist) diagnosed Michelle with ME/CFS. But getting her other doctors to recognize and try to manage her diagnosis remains difficult.

Michelle’s ME/CFS symptoms have made everyday life hard to manage. At times she couldn’t get out of bed, couldn’t eat solid food, and was always in pain.

After years of living with the condition, trying different medicines, therapies, supplements, and changes in daily habits, Michelle is only half as active as she used to be. What bothers her the most is not being able to think clearly, persistent pain, and feeling worse after merely moving or thinking.

Michelle can now enjoy short outings, but she keeps her limit to 5,000 steps a day and often uses a wheelchair for longer distances. When she has to stand for a long time, she takes breaks to rest. To avoid having symptoms, Michelle has to think carefully about every choice she makes, like running an errand or going to a family event.

Who is more likely to get ME/CFS?

Because ME/CFS is often undiagnosed, experts don’t know exactly how many people have it. Anyone can get ME/CFS, but it’s more common in women and teenagers.

Different things can trigger ME/CFS, including a mix of one or more of the following:
- Infections: Most often, ME/CFS starts after an infection (from either a virus or bacteria). Many people develop ME/CFS after infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (the main cause of mononucleosis, or “mono”) or SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).
- Immune system changes: In people with ME/CFS, their immune system doesn’t work right. White blood cells may be weaker, the body’s response to injury or illness (known as inflammation) may be overactive, and the immune system may mistakenly attack healthy cells.
- Sometimes people with ME/CFS have a major life event just before their ME/CFS symptoms start, like an accident, injury, surgery, childbirth, or strong physical or emotional strain.
- Scientists who have studied how people with ME/CFS respond to physical activity have learned that their bodies have trouble turning oxygen and food into energy to move.
- Genetics: ME/CFS can run in families. Variants (also called mutations) in a small group of specific genes may also cause ME/CFS. Variants in multiple genes may affect the body’s response to infection or chronic (long-term) pain.
- Non-genetic physical, social, and environmental factors that people in the same household share can also affect who gets ME/CFS.
How is ME/CFS diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosing ME/CFS

Because no single test can diagnose ME/CFS, doctors make a diagnosis by carefully reviewing symptoms, medical history, physical exam findings, and test results, and by ruling out other possible causes. They may also refer a person to specialists to check for other conditions with symptoms like those of ME/CFS. Those specialists could include neurologists, rheumatologists, cardiologists, endocrinologists, sleep specialists, or infectious disease doctors.

Learn more about neurological diagnostic tests and procedures.

Treating ME/CFS

Currently, there is no cure for ME/CFS. But many treatments can help relieve specific ME/CFS symptoms:

Post-exertional malaise (PEM)

A person with ME/CFS can pace themselves by carefully balancing activity and rest. Pacing can help avoid PEM flare-ups (sometimes called “crashes”). Keeping a diary of symptoms and when they happen can help people learn how to pace themselves. Some people with ME/CFS use wearable devices like smart watches or fitness monitors to track activity and heart rate, which may also help pacing and avoiding PEM.

Pain

Doctors may offer over the counter or prescription pain medicines to help people with ME/CFS who have headaches or pain in their muscles and joints.

ME/CFS pain may also be reduced with gentle stretching to loosen muscles, simple strength exercises to keep muscles active, massage, heat, and warm water therapy to help a person relax and move more easily. Some people with ME/CFS get relief from acupuncture.

Mental health

Living with ME/CFS can be challenging, and people with the condition may also have depression, stress, or anxiety. These conditions can often be helped with medicines, counseling, deep breathing, muscle relaxation, massage, yoga, and tai chi. For people with ME/CFS who have trouble with memory, reminders and organizers can make daily tasks easier.

Orthostatic intolerance (OI)

People with ME/CFS who have OI may need to see a specialist, like a cardiologist or neurologist. These doctors can help rule out other health conditions that could cause similar symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, or feeling faint when standing.

If symptoms keep happening but the person doesn’t have a heart or blood vessel condition, a doctor may suggest drinking more fluids, increasing salt consumption, and using special socks or wraps that gently squeeze the legs.

Other strategies for managing symptoms

Rehabilitation specialists, physical therapists, or occupational therapists who are familiar with ME/CFS can help people adjust to daily living with the condition. For example, they may recommend finding ways to make activities easier, such as sitting while doing laundry or showering, taking frequent breaks during the day, and breaking up large tasks into smaller steps.

What are the latest updates on ME/CFS?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), which includes NINDS, is the leading federal funder of research on the brain and nervous system, including disorders such as ME/CFS. NIH supports new and innovative research to better understand, diagnose, and treat ME/CFS.

Many scientists are trying to better understand ME/CFS so they can diagnose and treat the condition better. NIH has developed multiple working groups to address ME/CFS. The Trans-NIH ME/CFS Working Group, formed in 1999, brings together NIH staff to support and share research on ME/CFS.

The NANDS Council Working Group, formed in 2018, helps guide ME/CFS research. Based on a report by the group, the NIH began developing a plan to identify the best research strategies for people with ME/CFS in 2022. In 2024, the working group, along with many different researchers, doctors, advocates, and people with ME/CFS, created the ME/CFS Research Roadmap