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• Actor Jake Gyllenhaal says he contracted a staph infection while filming a fight scene for Road House.
• Staph infections occur when staphylococci bacteria enter the body via a cut or abrasion.
• Staph infections can be mild, but they can also be serious and life-threatening.
• You should see a physician immediately if you experience rapid heart rate, neck stiffness, chest pain, fever, severe headache, or trouble breathing. 

Jake Gyllenhaal has revealed he contracted a staph infection while shooting his latest movie. 

Chatting on Dax Shephard’s Armchair Expert podcast alongside his co-star Conor McGregor, Gyllenhaal shared that while filming a fight scene for Road House, he cut his hand, and it resulted in a staph infection. 

Recalling the scene, he said: “We’re fighting on the floor, fighting around tables, we’re fighting around glass.” 

During the scene, the actor sustained an injury when he placed his hand on glass. “I felt the glass going in my hand. I remember the feeling [and] went, ‘That’s a lot of glass,” he shared. 

Gyllenhaal hurt himself while filming another portion of the film. “I thought [the infection] came from, remember that scene where you come with a piece of wood?” he asked McGregor. 

“I grabbed your arm, and I thought, ‘Oh, maybe I’m injured.’ But my whole arm swelled up. It ended up being staph.”

Staph infections are common, and in some cases, they can be serious. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of infection following an injury.

What are staph infections? 

“All of us have staphylococci bacteria and other bacteria on our skin. This is normal and healthy and part of our microbiome,” explains Daniel D. Rhoads, vice chair of the College of American Pathologists Microbiology Committee. 

“What can become a problem is when the skin’s integrity is compromised, and the bacteria that are normally on the surface of our skin can now contaminate deeper tissue where bacteria do not belong.” 

Sometimes this compromise in the skin can be imperceivable, like a minor cut or small abrasion that you do not even notice. Other times, the compromise is more obvious, as it was for Gyllenhaal. 

Either way, Rhoads says, when we have a cut or abrasion, there is always a risk that bacteria from our skin (in this case, Staphylococcus aureus, also known as S. aureus) or from the environment could not only contaminate the exposed tissue but could also start growing. 

This is a staph infection, and it triggers the body’s immune response, resulting in calor, dolor, rubor, and tumor. 

“Mr. Gyllenhaal described his arm swelling up. That swelling is “tumor.” I would bet that his arm was also red (rubor), hot (calor), and painful (dolor),” Rhoads explains. 

How dangerous are staph infections? 

Staph infections can range in severity. When a bacterial infection like this starts spreading from the local site of the tissue damage toward the middle of the body, Rhoads says it’s “bad news” because it means the immune system is having a hard time curtailing the infection. 

Dr. Linda Yancey, infectious disease specialist at Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston has a helpful analogy in understanding the varying degrees of infection. 

“To say “Staph infection” is like saying “traffic accident.” They range from fender benders to sixteen-car pileups and everything in between,” she explains. 

“Most Staph infections are minor and resolve on their own, but the more severe ones require medical care.” 

Staph infections on the mild end of the spectrum will usually present with a little pain and swelling. Often, the immune system is able to fend off the infection, and it will go away without medical or surgical intervention. 

However, that’s not always the case. “Staph infections are most concerning when they are spreading quickly, and symptoms transition from local tissue inflammation to systemic symptoms, for example, chills and increased rate of breathing,” Rhoads warns. 

In the most extreme cases, which were much more common before we had antibiotics, Rhoads says severe local infections can spread to cause a systemic infection and then death.

How to reduce your staph infection risk 

It can be challenging to prevent staph infections, given that the bacteria that causes them is already present on the skin. However, Yancey says good hygiene is the cornerstone of good health. 

It’s important to regularly – and thoroughly – wash your hands. You should also shower after physical activity. These steps can keep cuts clean and reduce the risk of infection.

Rhoads says, “It’s good to wash cuts and abrasions with soap and water to try to remove bacteria and debris that could be contaminating a new wound.” 

You should also keep any open wounds covered to stop bacteria from entering the skin. 

Meanwhile, sharing towels, razors, and other pieces of personal equipment, such as makeup brushes, is a big no-no. 

“People who share sports equipment, for example football teams, should ensure that equipment is cleaned and sanitized between uses,” Yancey adds. The same rings true if you exercise in a public place, like a gym. 

When to seek medical care 

If you are concerned about a staph infection, Yancey says your first step should be your primary care provider. 

“However, if the infection you are concerned about is a boil or abscess, urgent care or an emergency room is a better choice as they will have the equipment to drain it if needed.” 

It’s essential you seek medical assistance if you notice the infection is getting worse and is spreading quickly or if it’s accompanied by fever, headache, neck stiffness, and/or chest pain, rapid heart, and trouble breathing. 

Oftentimes, staph infections can be treated with antibiotics, though sometimes surgery may be required. 

Takeaway 

Staph infections happen when bacteria enter the body via a cut or abrasion. They can be mild and clear up on their own.

However, staph infections can also be serious and life threatening. If you’re concerned, you should consult a medical professional straight away.

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• Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, revealed she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
• The March 22 announcement follows Catherine’s two-month absence from the public eye to recover from major abdominal surgery for a condition that was previously believed to be noncancerous.
• Catherine, who is married to William, the Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne, has asked for privacy during her recovery.
• Catherine is the latest British royal to reveal she has cancer. King Charles III and former royal family member Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, have recently shared their cancer diagnoses.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, shared on March 22 that she’d been diagnosed with cancer and is currently in the early stages of treatment, undergoing preventive chemotherapy. The type of cancer was not specified.

The announcement was shared in a video message two months after Catherine had stepped away from official public appearances to recover from major abdominal surgery, which Kensington Palace said at the time had been noncancerous.

A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2024

Catherine spent 13 days in a London hospital following the procedure and paused public duties during her recovery.

However, Catherine explained that tests performed after the January 16 surgery revealed a cancer diagnosis.

“This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” said Catherine, 42, who is married to William, the Prince of Wales and the heir to the British crown.

“As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I’ve had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful,” Catherine continued.

World leaders react to Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis

Shortly after Catherine’s announcement, the White House said the administration was “incredibly sad to hear of the news.” 

“Our thoughts are with the Duchess of Cambridge and her family members and friends during this incredibly difficult time, and certainly we wish her a full recovery,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Catherine has “the love and support of the whole country” and has shown “tremendous bravery with her statement.”

Both U.K. and U.S. leaders have urged the public to respect the privacy of the British royal family during this time.

Catherine’s recent absence from the public spotlight drew widespread speculation about what had been a mysterious health condition. As conspiracy theories mounted, Catherine also recently came under fire for sharing a family portrait that had been altered, which was redacted by media outlets around the world.

Privacy for British royals, it seems, has historically never been easy to come by.

Other British royal family members diagnosed with cancer

Catherine’s cancer diagnosis is the latest in a series of recent royal family cancer announcements.

King Charles III is currently undergoing treatment for an unspecified cancer that was discovered during a procedure for a benign prostate enlargement.

Former royal family member Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, is recovering from skin cancer. Ferguson’s melanoma was detected early during reconstructive surgery from a mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis.

“At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope,” Catherine concluded in the video.

Takeaway

Catherine, Princess of Wales, also known as Kate Middleton, shared in a video message that she has cancer.

While the type of cancer was not specified, Catherine revealed it was detected during testing following a recent major abdominal surgery.

Catherine’s cancer diagnosis follows recent cancer announcements made by King Charles and the Duchess of York.

The royal family, as well as world leaders, urge the public to respect the privacy of Catherine and her family during this time.

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• In a new study, researchers found that by targeting a type of protein, they were able to suppress replication of HIV in certain cells.
• This is a potential step toward complete elimination of the virus.
• Experts caution that more study is needed.

A new study published this week in Cell Chemical Biology suggests a path forward for eliminating the so-called viral reservoir cells in people with HIV.

By targeting a type of protein called the Nef protein, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine were able to suppress the replication of HIV in target cells, a potential step toward complete elimination of the virus.

The Nef protein helps HIV-infected cells avoid detection by a person’s immune system.

Why scientists targeted this protein

The Nef protein was long considered “undruggable” because it provides few ways for any antiviral drugs to bind.

Previous Nef inhibitors, which only bind to those proteins, can block some of its functions but were unable to disrupt others that are essential for HIV infection. If a person has stopped taking antiretroviral drugs but reservoir cells remain because the Nef protein is helping them hide, the reservoir cells can eventually reactivate and start producing new virus again.

Dr. Lori Emert-Sedlak, Ph.D., a research associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and one of the study’s authors, told Healthline that their approach to targeting Nef proteins was based on a type of drug called PROTAC drugs that have been successful in attacking cancer cells.

“PROTAC stands for proteolysis targeting chimeras, which are ‘two-headed’ small molecules; one end binds selectively to the drug target (HIV Nef in our case) and the other end binds to a cellular machine…that marks the target protein for degradation. The PROTAC, therefore, acts as a bridge between the target protein and this cellular machine,” Emert-Sedlak said.

The research for this latest discovery has been in the works for a long time, she added.

“Discovery and development of small molecules that bind selectively to Nef took us about 10 years, and extending the work to the targeted degrader approach required another 3 years,” Emert-Sedlak said.

Researchers “synthesized more than 500 unique compounds for this project, all of which had to be screened for activity in a battery of biophysical, biochemical, and virological tests,” Emert-Sedlak said. “PROTACs are not trivial compounds for chemists to make and no clear ‘rules’ exist to predict which ones will work in advance. So, each analog must be tested individually, which takes time.”

Does this mean we are close to a cure for HIV?

Experts caution that there will need to be more testing and that the implementation of PROTACs for the treatment of HIV is still a long way off.

The next step would be testing the approach using animal models before any human trials can begin. Dr. Tom Smithgall, Ph.D., a professor at the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and another author of the study, told Healthline that the data behind their research are promising, but there’s still a lot more testing to be done.

“Our results suggest that treatment of an HIV-positive individual with a Nef PROTAC would not only suppress viral growth like existing antiretroviral drugs but also keep the infected cells ‘visible’ to the immune system for elimination,” Smithgall said. “This effect may prevent seeding of a reservoir early in the infection, and therefore might help to eliminate the virus entirely.”

Smithgall said more testing will be needed to verify this is a safe and effective treatment. But if this ends up being a way to treat HIV, it could help eliminate the need for lifelong antiretroviral therapy.

Dr. Monica Gandhi, MPH, a professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco’s Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, told Healthline that achieving a widespread application of PROTAC drugs could be a huge leap forward in the search for a cure for HIV.

“The maintenance of the viral reservoir is our key barrier to achieving HIV cure among individuals living with HIV infection and we have not been able to find strategies yet that could eliminate the reservoir. This new Nef-destroying strategy represents a major advance and could be the ‘holy grail’ we have been looking for in terms of HIV cure,” Gandhi said. “However, there is still a lot of work to be done prior to testing in humans, including testing this strategy in animal models of HIV infection.”

Are there other viruses that PROTACs could be effective against?

One additional potential benefit to developing Nef PROTAC drugs would be applying the mechanics to other viruses — including COVID-19, which also utilizes some of its proteins to avoid detection by the immune system. Smithgall said the template they identified with HIV could be a deterrent for new viruses, but cautioned that it’s not an easy goal to achieve.

“In theory, PROTACs against such proteins may work in combination with existing antivirals and vaccines to help the immune system control the virus, thereby limiting the severity of infection,” Smithgall said.

Smithgall also points out that first, researchers have to find the right molecule to target, which can take a long time. “However, this ‘warhead’ molecule needs only to bind selectively to its target, not inhibit it directly, to construct a PROTAC. In theory, the PROTAC approach can render any protein ‘druggable’ even if it lacks an active site like many targets for current drugs.”

Takeaway

A new study by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine shows promise for PROTAC drugs that can disrupt HIV “reservoirs” — groups of HIV-infected cells that can hide the virus from the body’s immune system.

Over a 10-year period, researchers developed a way to target a type of protein which aid HIV in hiding and can prompt a return of the virus if a person stops taking antiretroviral drugs.

There is still a significant amount of testing and research to be done before PROTACs can be implemented in humans.

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To help you stay safe this spring and summer, we’ve compiled a guide to protecting yourself from tick-borne infections. In this blog, you’ll learn how to avoid tick bites, how to recognise the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease and TBE and when to seek medical assistance.

• A new study looks at how common supplements are associated with mortality risk from heart disease and cancer.
• The study found that women taking calcium and vitamin D had a lower risk of dying from cancer.
• But women had a slightly increased risk of dying from heart disease if they were postmenopausal.

Calcium and vitamin D supplements appear to lower the risk of dying from cancer, and, potentially, slightly increase the risk of dying from heart disease in postmenopausal women, new research suggests. 

The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) previously investigated the health effects of daily calcium and vitamin D supplementation in postmenopausal women but didn’t notice any significant effects. 

The recent report, published this month in the Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at follow-up death data on those participants to identify the longer-term health effects associated with calcium and vitamin D (CaD) supplementation.

In the United States, older women’s diets tend to lack vitamin D and calcium, past evidence suggests, causing many doctors to recommend supplementation to those in this age group. 

“This study highlights the complex relationship between supplements and biological effects and clinical outcomes, and the need for more research in this field,” Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, told Healthline.

Chen was not involved in the study.

Calcium and vitamin D supplements appear to lower the risk of cancer mortality 

The researchers evaluated health data gathered from the WIH’s trial in addition to National Death Index data to determine if long-term daily calcium and vitamin D supplements impacted women’s risk of cancer or heart disease.

The researchers specifically looked at whether the women, who originally participated in the WIH trial, developed cancer, heart disease, had a hip fracture, or died in the years that followed the trial. 

They found that the women who took calcium and vitamin D supplements had a 7% lower risk of dying from cancer over the course of 22 years compared to those who took a placebo. 

They also discovered that those who took the supplements faced a 6% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The cardiovascular effects were most pronounced in women who’d been taking supplements before they were assigned to take supplements as part of the trial. 

Supplementation appeared to have no notable impact on the overall prevalence of cancer, heart disease, hip fractures, or all-cause mortality.

“This study found a long-term association between calcium and vitamin D supplementation in postmenopausal women and decreased cancer mortality and increased cardiovascular disease mortality, without a difference in all-cause mortality,” Chen explained.

Why calcium and vitamin D can influence your health outcomes

While it’s unclear why, exactly, calcium and vitamin D supplements may impact the development of cancer, some research suggests they decrease tumor invasiveness, impede angiogenesis (or blood vessel formation) in and around tumors, and affect gut functions and bile acid production. 

Past evidence also suggests vitamin D, specifically, increases tumor gene suppression and regulates inflammation in the body. 

It may also decrease cancer cell growth and increase cell death, says Fredrick Schumacher, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor in the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Science at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine.

Schumacher was not involved in the study.

A recent meta-analysis, which looked at the findings from five trials, determined that vitamin D supplementation was linked to 13% reduction in cancer mortality.  

Though evidence on calcium and vitamin D supplementation and heart disease has been mixed, some researchers suspect extra calcium may lead to calcification of coronary arteries, thereby increasing the risk of dying from heart disease. 

Past research has also identified a link between calcium supplementation and a higher risk of coronary heart disease, regardless of whether people also took vitamin D supplements. 

“Coronary artery calcification is when the arteries become hardened and narrowed overtime due to calcium deposits and plaque buildup. This can increase the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes,” Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RDN, CDECS, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian at Entirely Nourished, said.

Routhenstein was not involved in the study.

Should you take calcium or vitamin D supplements?

According to Chen, calcium and vitamin D supplementation is routinely recommended for people who don’t get enough calcium in their diet along with postmenopausal women.

The supplements are primarily used to prevent osteoporosis and fractures in older adults, however, their use has been controversial. 

Doctors often disagree on the optimal doses and regiments of calcium and vitamin D supplementation and some physicians have voiced their concerns about not knowing the long-term health effects, according to past research. 

Routhenstein says calcium supplementation should be used in people who have low calcium levels. 

Not getting enough calcium increases the risk of osteoporosis, which is a risk factor for heart disease, she added.

That said, it’s crucial to be prudent and intentional when taking any supplements. 

For example, the absorption is highest with supplements that are 500mg or less.

“When calcium supplements are used without assessing current calcium intake, the excess may contribute to coronary artery calcium progression,” says Routhenstein.

More research is needed to determine the ideal duration and dosage, Schumacher says.

“The authors report several important observations related to nutrition and long-term health among post-menopausal women, however, these results need to be replicated. Furthermore, the generalizability of these findings need to be evaluated in additional groups, especially more diverse populations,” Schumacher said.

The bottom line:

Calcium and vitamin D supplements appear to lower the risk of dying from cancer, and, potentially, slightly increase the risk of dying from heart disease in postmenopausal women, new research suggests. In the United States, older women’s diets tend to lack vitamin D and calcium, causing many doctors to recommend supplementation in this age group. The new study underscores how future research is needed to better understand the long-term health effects linked to daily supplement use. 

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• The CDC issued a health alert on March 18 highlighting the global spread of measles ahead of the busy spring and summer travel season.
• The CDC advises families to vaccinate children as young as 6 months against measles if they plan to travel abroad.
• The American Medical Association echoed the CDC’s warning as childhood vaccine exemption rates reached an all-time high.

Health officials are sounding alarm as rising measles cases in the United States and around the world endanger public health. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert to physicians on March 18 to draw attention to the global spread of measles ahead of the busy spring and summer travel season.

The CDC noted that many countries affected by recent measles outbreaks are also travel destinations for American tourists, including the United Kingdom, Austria, Romania, and the Philippines.

The agency recommended families traveling abroad with infants as young as 6 months get their child vaccinated against measles a few months ahead of the routine immunization schedule.

Young children usually receive the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine starting at 12 months.

Measles outbreaks around the U.S., most recently in Chicago, and those around the world are underscored by low vaccination rates.

The CDC added that measles cases are also brought into the U.S. by travelers who become infected while in other countries. 

“As a result, domestic measles outbreaks have been reported in most years, even following the declaration of U.S. measles elimination in 2000. Most importations come from unvaccinated U.S. residents,” the CDC alert stated.

Officials urge people to get vaccinated

Health experts at the American Medical Association (AMA) echoed the CDC’s warning, urging individuals to get vaccinated against measles prior to travel if they’re not already immune. 

“Measles is extremely contagious and can cause life-threatening illness. Vaccination not only prevents infection, measles-related complications and even death, but also helps prevent further spread to loved ones, neighbors, co-workers and others in close contact,” said Dr. Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MPH, president of the American Medical Association, in a statement shared with Healthline.             

Ehrenfeld stressed that when people are not vaccinated against infectious diseases like measles, they put themselves and others at risk of infection, which may lead to severe illness, disability, and even death. 

High-risk groups for serious illness from infectious diseases include:

• children too young to be vaccinated
• cancer patients 
• immunocompromised people

“The overwhelming scientific evidence shows that vaccines remain among the most effective and safest intervention to both prevent individual illness and protect the health of the public,” Ehrenfeld said.

 “The reduction in measles vaccination threatens to erase many years of progress as this previously eliminated vaccine-preventable disease returns.” 

The AMA is reminding doctors to talk with their patients about the health risks of not being vaccinated and to continue to make strong recommendations for following immunization schedules unless exemptions are deemed medically inadvisable. 

“We also urge physicians to educate patients on the signs and symptoms, severity and complications of measles given that many people are unfamiliar with the impact of the disease,” Ehrenfeld said.

Measles outbreaks fueled by low vaccination rates

The CDC warning noted as many as 36 states have low childhood vaccination rates.

Fewer than 95% of kindergarten-age children were vaccinated against measles during the 2022–2023 school year, which is below the threshold for herd immunity to prevent community spread. 

Herd immunity occurs when a significant portion of the population has some immunity (whether vaccinated or with natural infection) against an infectious disease like measles.

The gap in vaccination coverage has left approximately 250,000 kindergartners at risk for measles infection annually over the past 3 years, according to the CDC.

“The level of immunity to measles in the general population in the U.S. is quite high given high vaccination rates (given in childhood since the 1960s) with high natural infection rates prior to the 1960s,”  Dr. Monica Gandhi, MPH, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, told Healthline. 

Population immunity in the U.S. will decline, however, if childhood vaccine rates do not improve, Gandhi warned. 

Should you worry about getting measles?

Measles had been declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, but as cases recirculate, many people may wonder if they’re at risk. 

But vaccinated individuals or previously infected individuals are unlikely to contract measles.

Young children should receive two doses of the measles vaccine, which offers lifetime protection in most cases.

The CDC estimates 97% of people, who have had the recommended two doses of the measles vaccine, are protected against the disease.

Gandhi said some adults may require booster vaccination prior to international travel, prior to college, prior to pregnancy, or during outbreaks.

“The larger population need not be concerned if vaccinations are kept up to date,” Gandhi noted.

Takeaway

Health officials at the CDC and American Medical Association are urging vaccination against measles ahead of the busy spring and travel summer season.

The warning comes as low vaccination rates fuel measles outbreaks in the U.S. and around the world.

While herd immunity against measles remains high in the U.S., this once-eradicated disease puts unvaccinated people and other high-risk groups at risk for infection and severe illness.