A hot dog a day keeps the doctor, well, pretty close; experimental treatment helps boy with rare condition walk again; patient in Arizona dies of the plague – Morning Medical Update

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Just one hot dog a day could significantly raise disease risk

If you were thinking about competing for second place to Joey Chestnut in next year’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, that might be — shockingly — ill-advised.

A new analysis of more than 60 studies warns that even small daily servings of processed meats, like a single hot dog, could raise the risk of type 2 diabetes by 11% and colorectal cancer by 7%. Published in Nature Medicine, the research also found that drinking a 12-ounce soda each day was linked to an 8% increased risk of diabetes.

Experimental treatment helps boy with rare genetic condition walk again

Researchers at New York University (NYU) Langone used an experimental treatment to help an 8-year-old boy with a rare, fatal mitochondrial disorder walk again. The treatment, based on a precursor to the enzyme CoQ10 called 4-HB, bypassed the blood-brain barrier and restores energy production in the brain. After Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for compassionate use, the boy regained mobility within months and has remained stable for over a year. The case marks a rare success in translating a biochemical discovery — partly funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) — into life-changing treatment for a devastating childhood disease.

Arizona patient dies from rare case of the plague

A patient in northern Arizona died at Flagstaff Medical Center after showing symptoms of bubonic plague, officials confirmed. The patient received emergency care but did not survive. Health officials say a prairie dog die-off nearby may have signaled the presence of plague-carrying fleas. The bubonic plague is well known for killing millions of Europeans in the 1300s. Though now rare, the plague still appears occasionally in the rural western U.S. and is treatable early with antibiotics. Arizona health agencies are investigating and urging precautions.