Beth Marie Mole
@bethmariem.bsky.social
Senior Health Reporter at Ars Technica. PhD in microbiology. Microbes, infectious diseases, public health, questionable puns. (she/her) beth.mole@arstechnica.com | bethmm_ars.02 (Signal)
There's been a lot of pointing to cuts to CDC's FoodNet amid the cyclosporiasis surge, suggesting the cuts hurt responses. They didn't. The cuts are bad for other reasons, but FoodNet is not for real-time detection/response. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...
How much did CDC cuts really impact this cyclosporiasis outbreak?
The cuts would have little effect on the current situation, a former agency official said, but do constrain CDC's ability to track longer-term disease trends and risks.
washingtonpost.com
This story by my esteemed Ars colleague @bethmariem.bsky.social is a journey, y'all. :) Surprised doctors find 10-inch worm in man’s groin during elective surgery. arstechnica.com/health/2026/...
Surprised doctors find 10-inch worm in man's groin during elective surgery
Oddly, it wasn't the first time this had happened to the man.
arstechnica.com
Musk says not a single person has died due to him axing USAID. Sadly, part of my job involves tracking aid spending. So here’s a thread with just some of the people who lost their lives because of USAID cuts
"That’s according to a new study that pulled data from more than 1 million patients in a US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health system." from @bethmariem.bsky.social arstechnica.com/health/2026/...
Heart protection from COVID shots remains amid updates, study finds
Despite continued benefits, anti-vaccine rhetoric has driven down vaccination.
arstechnica.com
Kenyan court extends block on US Ebola for 3 weeks. Two people died in protests against the facility. Public anger is palpable as the US offloads health risks to Kenya The US plan is unlawful & dangerous www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/the-...
Opinion | Here’s Everything Wrong With the Offshore Ebola Quarantine Plan
Clinical, ethical, and legal issues abound
medpagetoday.com
More good reporting from @bethmariem.bsky.social ...
Grant Jacobs BioinfoTools/NotJustDNA 🔬🧬🖥️✍️📚🇳🇿@notjustdna.bsky.social · 2mo ago🦠 Analysis of Texas measles outbreak shows just how dangerous virus is – “About 1 in 5 cases were hospitalized and most of those developed complications.” – Looking at a study just out by Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report From Beth Mole at ArsTechnica
Kenyan healthcare workers are pushing back hard against reported plans for the U.S. to establish Ebola quarantine/treatment facilities in Kenya for exposed American personnel during the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in Central/East Africa.
Since we're now navigating 𝘌𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴 (but not Ebola virus..) yet again, just to clarify: "𝘌𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴" is the genus. E.g., "𝘉𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘨𝘺𝘰 𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴" being the species, with the virus itself being "Bundibugyo virus". Similarly, "𝘡𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴" as the species, "Ebola virus" the virus.
1. #WHO has declared the #Ebola #Bundibugyo outbreak in NE DRC a public health emergency of international concern, aka a PHEIC. Yet another sign this is likely to be a very challenging outbreak. So far there've been 8 confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases & 80 suspected deaths.
Epidemic of Ebola Disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda determined a public health emergency of international concern
Pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 12 - Determination of a public health emergency of international concern, including a pandemic emergency of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), the Di...
who.int
WHO@who.int · 3mo agoUnder the IHR (2005), @drtedros.who.int, the Director General of WHO, having consulted the States Parties where the event is occurring, has determined that the Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in DRC & Uganda constitutes a public health emergency of international concern bit.ly/3P4ZDac
Here we go: Official declaration from the DRC that "laboratory analyses conducted by the National Institute of Biomedical Research on May 14, 2026, on 13 blood samples, have confirmed 8 positive cases of Ebola virus disease, Bundibugyo strain" 5 samples had too little volume to be analyzed
Get your vaccinations. TL;DR: Vaccines later in life may boost what was previously considered "innate immunity" as you age. arstechnica.com/health/2026/... via @bethmariem.bsky.social
Routine vaccines may cut dementia risk—experts have startling hypothesis on how
Vaccines may be training a part of our immune system long thought to be untrainable.
arstechnica.com
RFK Jr wants “government-run farms where Black youth would be “reparented” away from their families” I am so fed up of people telling me to “find common cause” with RFK Jr & his MAHA movement. Absolutely nope.
Charles Gaba ✡️@charlesgaba.com · 4mo agoHere's the article which includes the actual interview in question. Yes, he absolutely said this and yes, it's in context. wordinblack.com/2025/02/rfk-...
Idaho has the worst vaccination coverage in the United States due to their pathetic vaccine exemption policy, and someone with measles just rolled through the Boise airport. I won’t ask what could possibly go wrong because we already know. Another great piece by @bethmariem.bsky.social
Measles takes a plane to Idaho, which has worst vaccination rate in US
In the 2024-2025 school year, only 78.5% of kindergartners had measles vaccination.
arstechnica.com
My favorite part of going to the doctor is when he touches my forehead holding the glowing orb of light
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 4mo agoQ: Did you post that picture of yourself depicted as Jesus Christ? TRUMP: I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do Red Cross. Only the fake news could come up with that one.
This isn't true. I wish people would stop saying this. Specifically the banned additives. The US actually bans slightly more additives than the EU, just different ones. The EU for example allows cyclamates the US doesn't
Great reporting by @bethmariem.bsky.social . This evidence supports the idea that relying on the flawed local non-governmental hierarchies that led to the drop in vaccination rates doesn't work as well as using your governmental power to blast out the correct information to everyone.
Measles vaccinations rose 291% among New Mexico adults during outbreak
Despite anti-vaccine rhetoric, New Mexico residents embraced life-saving shots.
arstechnica.com
Did a story on what RFK Jr. believes and how it ties into what some are describing as "soft eugenics." We also interviewed @bethmariem.bsky.social who did a piece last year digging into his beliefs. You can listen here or wherever you get your podcasts
How RFK, Jr.’s controversial beliefs are shaping Americans’ health
How Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s ideas about public health—from vaccines to seed oils—are shaping Americans’ health
scientificamerican.com
The 2026 National Science Foundation budget is $8.75 Billion.
First 6 Days of Iran War Cost U.S. $11.3 Billion, Pentagon Says
nytimes.com
Exclusive: White House uses USAID funds for budget director Vought's security, documents show reut.rs/408Bam1
Exclusive: White House uses USAID funds for budget director Vought's security, documents show
The White House budget office is using millions of dollars from the former U.S. foreign aid agency to pay for the security detail of Russell Vought, President Donald Trump's budget chief and an architect of the government overhaul that has cut thousands of federal jobs, according to three documents seen by Reuters.
reut.rs
RFK Jr. says we should check with AI about what to eat and then AI totally dunked on his stupid dietary guidance. Also @bethmariem.bsky.social is doing some downright incredible work, and this article is another tour de force of very professional shade.
RFK Jr. food pyramid site links to Grok, which says you shouldn’t trust RFK Jr.
Grok generated a meal plan to fit RFK Jr.'s food pyramid, then explained why it's bad.
arstechnica.com
Thread. I really liked James Van Der Beek, but he supported RFK jr in the ‘24 election. His wife is a MAHA type health influencer. They moved to TX to a 36 acre ranch in 2020, and he’s worked steadily as an actor. He has two projects out this year. SAG insurance is very good.
James Van Der Beek's Influencer Wife Is Peddling Vaccine Conspiracy Theories on Instagram
Kimberly Van Der Beek, a wellness influencer, uses her platform to post photos of her family, their Texas compound, and Covid misinformation.
rollingstone.com
Kendra "Gloom is My Beat" Pierre-Louis@kendrawrites.com · 6mo agoSteve Jobs had the most treatable form of pancreatic cancer around and he refused conventional treatments which he admitted at the time of his death cost him is life. I'm BEGGING you not to use celebrities who only reveal tiny bits of their medical diagnosis to make a larger point about society
1/ The death of James Van Der Beek is tragic and has understandably reopened fears about colon cancer among younger people. It has also opened a well-deserved conversation about the outrageous realities of healthcare costs. So let’s ground this in data.
