MRI scans are strong diagnostics with high-definition images of what lies inside a body. Strong magnetic fields require precaution, as brought out by an instance where a young woman suffered very serious injuries due to an oversight in a metallic core within a silicone sex toy that she happened to have before the MRI scan. This makes a stark reminder about the potentially deadly consequences of missing metal objects when such procedures are being performed. In April 2023, a 23-year-old woman went into an MRI with a silicone plug containing a metal core that was not known.

She thought that the item is made entirely out of silicone according to the advertising. However, the strong magnetic field of the MRI machine interacted with the hidden metal, dragging the object through her body and causing excruciating pain. According to reports from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the scene was harrowing, with the woman screaming in agony and requiring immediate hospitalization. Despite pre-scan screenings, which are routine prior to a scan, the patient did not inform the facility that the object existed because he presumed it was purely non-metallic. This caused serious injuries that led to the patient's law suit against the manufacturer for deceitful misrepresentations of material content.

MRI machines employ magnets between 0.5 to 3 Tesla (T). This is thousands of times stronger than the Earth's magnetic field. The tremendous force causes ferromagnetic materials, like iron and nickel, to be magnetized quickly and become strongly attracted toward the magnet. Objects as small as hairpins or paper clips will accelerate at 40 miles per hour inside the magnetic field.

The force can lead to catastrophic injuries in items lodged within the body, such as metallic implants or foreign objects. Metallic cores within devices, like pacemakers or intrauterine devices, must be disclosed to radiologists to prevent such complications.

How Metal Objects Interact with MRI Fields?

On these claims, Dr. Adam Taylor, a specialist in human anatomy, weighed his words in a international health website and added that the distance away and mass of this object would increase its velocity towards that of sound, "The acceleration would be phenomenal, but with a metallic core, it can't go anywhere near supersonic speeds. As for the size, the magnetic acceleration to the internal soft tissues would ensure that there could be severe intracranial trauma."

The injuries inflicted in this case likely involved damage to major blood vessels, nerves, or organs, highlighting the devastating impact of even minor oversight during an MRI scan.

This is not an isolated case. There are documented cases of metallic objects causing serious damage during MRI scans with a 65-year-old man with schizophrenia swallowed metal objects, including sockets and a hinge pin. The powerful magnetic field during an MRI scan caused the objects to rupture his stomach, resulting in serious injuries.

A toddler who ingested 11 small magnets perforated his bowel while undergoing a scan, making his case unique. In another deadly but extremely rare incident, there have been people who hide a firearm on themselves during MRI procedures. Magnetic attraction can trigger a discharge in a weapon and has led to some fatal injuries.

These cases emphasize the very strong need for adequate screening and patient education prior to an MRI.

Preventing MRI-Related Incidents

Medical professionals have been trained to avoid risks. This is by properly screening a patient for metallic objects. In general, most pre-scan protocols include:

• Patients are interrogated about implants, recent surgery or exposures at work related to metals.
• Radiologists sometimes use handheld metal detectors to search for hidden items.
• People who work with metal, like welders or machinists, will need additional testing to detect microscopic metal fragments within soft tissues or eyes.

The case emphasizes the importance of product labeling by manufacturers, especially those products that are likely to unintentionally cause harm to health. The patient's assumption that her device was 100% silicone points to a larger problem in consumer markets with misinformation.

It also reminds the patients to report any possible dangers to the medical professionals, no matter how the objects look non-metallic. In sensitive cases, patients can request private discussions with healthcare providers to ensure safety without discomfort.

In the end, it is a joint effort from manufacturers, healthcare professionals, and patients that can prevent such tragedies. Manufacturers must ensure truthful marketing, while healthcare providers should educate patients about the dangers of metal objects in MRI settings. For patients, understanding the risks and actively participating in pre-scan disclosures can be lifesaving.

This young woman's experience is a sobering example of the unforeseen dangers posed by MRI machines when precautions are overlooked. It serves as a wake-up call to address gaps in patient awareness, medical protocols, and product transparency. By learning from this incident, the medical community and the public can work together to ensure MRI scans remain a safe and effective diagnostic tool.

India's southern state of Karnataka has reported a suspected case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in a 28-year-old woman who returned from Uganda, which is currently experiencing an Ebola outbreak.

The woman who arrived in Bengaluru from Kampala, Uganda, on May 23, was suspected of infection after developing mild symptoms, including body ache, health officials said..

She was shifted from a hotel to the state-run Epidemic Diseases Hospital on May 26, 2026, according to The Hindu. Her test results are awaited.

Her blood samples and other required specimens were collected today and sent to a specialized laboratory in Pune for detailed testing. Health department officials are currently awaiting the medical report, which is expected by Wednesday.

Authorities said only after the laboratory results arrive can it be officially confirmed whether the woman is infected with the Ebola virus.

Ebola Virus Disease has caused over 900 cases and more than 200 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, as per the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The global health agency has also determined that the deadly outbreak is a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)”.

“With air travel being common and the outbreak already having spread to multiple countries in Africa, it is entirely possible for someone who had contact with a person with Ebola virus disease to get on a flight to another country,” Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, Co-Chairman of the National IMA COVID Task Force and Past President of the Indian Medical Association, Cochin, told HealthandMe.

“All patients with Ebola disease may not know they have it — as the initial symptoms are nonspecific such as fever and body ache. In addition, scarcity of the exact PCR test to diagnose the latest Bundibugyo Ebola virus in Africa makes it possible to miss it entirely,” he added.

India’s Preparedness

The suspected case comes as India has been ramping up screening and surveillance measures across the country, especially at airports and seaports.

Recently, the Karnataka government also issued guidelines for passengers arriving from Ebola-affected countries. As part of the precautionary measures, travelers entering Bengaluru from such nations are required to undergo a 21-day quarantine period.

People showing symptoms have been advised to immediately report to the nearest hospital. The Health Department has also directed strict surveillance and monitoring of suspected cases under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).

Also read: WHO Chief Warns Ebola Epidemic ‘Outpacing Us’; India Intensifies Screening At Airports

Officials have strengthened coordination at airports and other entry points to monitor international passengers. Separate quarantine and isolation facilities, along with referral ambulance services, have also been kept ready.

The Health Department has additionally instructed hospitals to enhance infection-control measures and provide special training to healthcare workers to handle any possible emergency situation.

The country has also issued a travel advisory for citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan.

How Ebola Spreads

Ebola spreads through:

• Direct contact with infected blood or bodily fluids
• Contact with contaminated surfaces or medical equipment
• Unsafe caregiving exposure
• Traditional burial practices involving direct contact
• Certain zoonotic animal exposures.

• fever,
• weakness,
• headache,
• muscle pain,
• vomiting,
• diarrhea,
• sore throat,
• unexplained bleeding.

People suffering from shingles after COVID-19 infection may be at a higher risk of neurological conditions such as Bell’s palsy, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), as well as Myasthenia gravis (MG), according to a large study.

Shingles (also known as herpes zoster) is a painful condition caused by the varicella zoster virus that lives in the nervous system of people who have had chicken pox.

The study, led by researchers from Taiwan and Australia, showed that Bell’s palsy risk increased early after shingles. At the same time, GBS and MG showed delayed increases emerging more than a year later.

GBS, Bell’s palsy, and MG are all neurological conditions that cause muscle weakness, but they affect different parts of the nervous system. While GBS and MG cause widespread muscle weakness, Bell’s palsy is strictly localized to the face.

The findings, published in International Journal of Medical Sciences, highlighted “the need for symptom-based neurological awareness during both early and delayed post-infectious periods,” the researchers said.

What Did The Study Find?

Also read: ‘Heat Dome’ Triggering Record-Breaking May Temperatures In France, UK, Spain

During the COVID-19 pandemic, shingles was reported to occur in people with COVID-19 and in COVID-19 vaccine recipients; shingles vaccination programs were also disrupted.

The increased incidence of shingles following COVID-19 suggests a period of immune dysregulation, but the associated long-term neuro-immunological risks remain unclear.

To better understand this, researchers from Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital and Queensland University of Technology used electronic health records and compared COVID-19 survivors with individuals with and without shingles reactivation over a three-year follow-up period.

The results showed that shingles reactivation after COVID-19 was associated with a significantly increased three-year risk of several neurological disorders.

• The risk of Bell’s palsy increased early and remained consistently elevated throughout the study period.
• Patients showed more than three times the risk compared to those without herpes reactivation.
• The risks of GBS and MG also increased, although these associations appeared later, emerging after the first year of follow-up.

The study suggests that post-COVID shingles "may serve as a clinically relevant marker of neuro-immunological vulnerability, particularly among individuals with metabolic comorbidities", the team said.

Importantly, the researchers noted that "COVID-19 vaccination was not linked to an increased risk of these neurological outcomes".

US FDA Blocked Study Showing COVID And Shingles Vaccines Are Safe

Read More: Donald Trump To Undergo 3rd Annual Medical Check-up Today

Meanwhile, in recent news, officials at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) blocked the publication of several studies supporting the safety of widely used vaccines against COVID-19 and shingles in recent months, according to a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

While the studies found serious side effects to be very rare, the HHS said they were pulled over concerns about their conclusions. These withdrawals aim to limit access to vaccines, reflecting broader policy changes under US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a staunch critic of vaccines.

“The studies were withdrawn because the authors drew broad conclusions that were not supported by the underlying data. The FDA acted to protect the integrity of its scientific process and ensure that any work associated with the agency meets its high standards,” said Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the HHS, which oversees the FDA, in an email to Reuters.

“The design of that study fell outside the agency’s purview,” Nixon said on rejecting the shingles vaccine.

Ebola is a highly lethal viral hemorrhagic fever first identified in 1976. Over the last five decades, it has caused more than 30 localized and widespread outbreaks, primarily in Central and West Africa. The virus takes its name from the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Three strains of the virus — Ebola virus, Sudan virus, and Bundibugyo virus — have caused the largest outbreaks in Africa. Among them, the Ebola virus is considered the deadliest, with fatality rates reaching up to 90% without treatment.

The latest outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, is also highly dangerous, carrying a mortality rate of around 50%. Experts warn that the situation is more concerning because there is currently neither a vaccine nor a proven antiviral treatment specifically for this strain.

These viruses have repeatedly emerged from animal reservoirs and infected humans across several African countries. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone, this marks the 17th Ebola outbreak and the third linked to the Bundibugyo strain. So far over 900 cases have been reported from DR Congo and Uganda. The deaths due to the virus has also crossed 200.

But what actually is behind the periodic recurrence? HealthandMe spoke to two experts, who flagged several factors driving repeated Ebola outbreaks, including:

• Human-animal interaction

• Poverty and lack of food security

• Weak healthcare systems

• Traditional burial practices

• Limited diagnostic facilities

Human-Animal Spillover

Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Co-Chairman of the National IMA COVID Task Force and Past President of the Indian Medical Association, Cochin, explained that Ebola is a zoonotic disease — meaning it spreads from animals to humans, similar to rabies, Nipah virus, and bird flu. He noted that the root of an outbreak is often an animal to human spillover event.

"All of these Ebola outbreaks are eventually tracked back to a spillover and the spillover is believed to be human-animal interaction as in bushmeat trading. These are impoverished areas of Africa which are also conflict-ridden and also short of medical facilities for many reasons, economically backward,” he told HealthandMe, adding that civil unrest often results in shortages of healthcare workers, medical supplies, and access to treatment.

He noted that bushmeat remains a major food source for many communities living in forested regions, where animals such as bats, monkeys, and apes are hunted for survival, because of widespread poverty and food insecurity.

Dr Subramanian Swaminathan, Director of Infectious Disease at Gleneagles Hospital in Chennai, added that this ability of the virus to skip from one group of animals to another entire species has happened again and this probably is because of humans venturing out into the forest and the bushmeat trade.

Why Ebola Spreads Quickly In Communities

The experts noted that Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. Caregivers, family members, and healthcare workers are therefore among the groups at highest risk.

Dr Rajeev pointed out that traditional burial practices in some affected regions continue to contribute to transmission. In many communities, relatives physically wash or touch the bodies of the deceased as a sign of respect and affection.

He noted that health organizations have tried for years to educate communities about safer burial practices, but long-standing customs and social pressure often make behavioral change difficult. In some cases, refusing to touch the body of a deceased family member may be seen as disrespectful, forcing relatives into risky contact with infected bodies.

"There are many forces at play here. conflict, war, ignorance, poverty, lack of food, distrust of health care facilities, customs and beliefs that refuse to go away. These are dangerous. And so it's a difficult situation for these people," the expert told HealthandMe.

Diagnostic Challenges With Bundibugyo Strain

Another major concern is the lack of reliable diagnostic facilities for the Bundibugyo strain. Dr Rajeev explained that test kits designed for the Zaire strain may fail to detect Bundibugyo infections, causing infected individuals to test negative and continue spreading the virus unknowingly.

Dr. Subramanian said the current outbreak strain appears to be genetically different from previous Bundibugyo outbreaks.

“This is not the Bundibugyo variants which have caused outbreaks in the past, this is completely new,” he told HealthandMe. added that genomic sequencing suggests the virus may have crossed from animals to humans again due to increasing human activity in forest regions and bushmeat exposure.

Why Ebola Is Considered So Dangerous

Dr. Subramanian described Ebola as one of the world’s most feared infectious diseases because mortality rates can range from 50% to 80%, depending on the strain.

He explained that symptoms initially appear non-specific, including fever, respiratory symptoms, body ache, and diarrhea, before progressing to severe internal bleeding and multi-organ complications in many patients.

Although Ebola does not spread through casual airborne contact like COVID-19, it spreads efficiently through secretions and bodily fluids, making caregivers and healthcare providers particularly vulnerable. Religious and funeral gatherings can also become amplification points for transmission.

Dr. Subramanian added that there is currently no “perfect treatment” for Ebola. While monoclonal antibodies are still being studied, treatment largely remains supportive and focused on symptom management, infection control, and preventing transmission.

Travel Precautions And Global Risk

The expert advised people to avoid travel to outbreak-hit areas in Zaire and Uganda, particularly border regions. Those who must travel should take strict precautions, while travelers returning from affected areas should remain under observation and quarantine if necessary.

He also urged the public to closely follow updates from scientific organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

However, Dr. Subramanian stressed that Ebola is unlikely to become a global public health crisis on the scale of COVID-19 because it does not spread through airborne transmission.

“It’s more likely to cause a lot of disruption in a small area,” he said. “As of right now there’s really no cause for alarm but there is cause for concern.”