Archive for the ‘research’ Category

Researcher: ‘No Viable SARS-CoV-2 Detected On Surfaces’ in Real Life Situations

https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/laninf/PIIS1473-3099(20)30561-2.pdf

Exaggerated risk of transmission of COVID-19 by fomites

Published Online July 3, 2020 https://doi.org/10.1016/ S1473-3099(20)30561-2

Emanuel Goldman

egoldman@njms.rutgers.edu

Professor of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School – Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103, USA

In my opinion, the chance of transmission through inanimate surfaces is very small, and only in instances where an infected person coughs or sneezes on the surface, and someone else touches that surface soon after the cough or sneeze (within 1–2 h). I do not disagree with erring on the side of caution, but this can go to extremes not justified by the data. Although periodically disinfecting surfaces and use of gloves

are reasonable precautions especially in hospitals, I believe that fomites that have not been in contact with an infected carrier for many hours do not pose a measurable risk of transmission in non-hospital settings.

A more balanced perspective is needed to curb excesses that become counterproductive.

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**Comment**

Earlier studies did not use real life situations.

In this video, Dr. Popper discusses a study that showed passive contact with bleach (what they are wiping shopping carts and everything else down with) was associated with a major increase in self-reported influenza.  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/30/breaking-down-covid-19-face-masks-do-not-work/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Category:

research, Transmission, Viruses

Brain Death Secondary to RMSF Encephalitis

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32426169/

Brain Death Secondary to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Encephalitis

Steven D Rhodes 1, Alicia M Teagarden 2, Brian Graner 3, Riad Lutfi 2, Chandy C John 4
Affiliations expand

Free PMC article

Abstract

A two-year-old female presented with acutely altered mental status following eight days of fever and rash. She had been camping at an Indiana campground 11 days prior to the onset of illness and was evaluated twice for her fever and rash prior to admission. Laboratory evaluation on admission revealed thrombocytopenia, hyponatremia, and elevated transaminases. The patient developed diffuse cerebral edema, and despite intensive care, the edema led to brain death from Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF).

We present this case to highlight the importance of considering RMSF and other tick-borne illnesses in a child with prolonged fever and rash in a nonendemic area and also the difficulty of diagnosis in early stages of disease. A detailed travel history, evaluation of key laboratory findings (white blood count, platelet count, and transaminases), and close follow-up if rash and fevers persist may help to improve detection of RMSF.

If a tick-borne illness such as RMSF is suspected, empiric doxycycline therapy should be started immediately, as lab confirmation may take several days and mortality increases greatly after five days of symptoms.

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**Comment**

This should serve as a stern wake-up call to health professionals on how quickly tick-borne illness cases can go South – in this case, death.

Why they didn’t treat this toddler is beyond me – she had the rash and fever.  

Another important point is Indiana is NOT an endemic area for RMSF, yet she got it – proving AGAIN that doctors need to seriously throw the maps away.  Those maps have been the bane of our existence.  Time and time again they are finding ticks where they shouldn’t be, carrying things they shouldn’t have.

WAKE UP DOCTORS!

How many more have to die?

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/06/30/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever-can-be-deadly-how-to-prevent-diagnose-treat-it/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/08/16/new-tick-causes-epidemic-of-rmsf/  RMSF, normally transmitted by the American dog tick and the closely related Rocky Mountain wood tick, has also been spread by the brown dog tick — a completely different species.  
And here, we discover it’s been found in the Asian Longhorned tick and is capable of being transmitted within ticks through ova.  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/05/05/asian-longhorned-tick-able-to-transmit-rmsf-in-lab-setting-also-transmitted-within-ticks-through-ova/

Category:

research, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Cipro Derivatives Show Promise Against Babesia In Vitro

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32677000/

. 2020 Jul 16.

doi: 10.1007/s00436-020-06796-z. Online ahead of print.

Inhibitory effects of novel ciprofloxacin derivatives on the growth of four Babesia species and Theileria equi

Gaber El-Saber Batiha 1 2, Dickson Stuart Tayebwa 1 3, Amany Magdy Beshbishy 1, David D N’Da 4, Naoaki Yokoyama 1, Ikuo Igarashi 5
Affiliations expand

Abstract

The problems of parasite resistance, as well as the toxic residues to most of the commercially available antipiroplasmic drugs severely weaken their effective, curative, and environmental safe employment. Therefore, it is clear that the development of treatment options for piroplasmosis is vital for improving disease treatment and control. Ciprofloxacin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that targets mainly the DNA replication machinery by inhibiting DNA gyrase and topoisomerase enzymes. As a result, ciprofloxacin is used for treating several bacterial and parasitic infections.

In this study, the efficacy of 15 novel ciprofloxacin derivatives (NCD) that had been developed against drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis was evaluated against piroplasm parasite multiplication in vitro. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of the most effective five compounds of NCD (No. 3, 5, 10, 14, 15) on Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Babesia caballi, and Theileria equi were 32.9, 13.7, 14.9, and 30.9; 14.9, 25.8, 13.6, and 27.5; 34.9, 33.9, 21.1, and 22.3; 26.7, 28.3, 34.5, and 29.1; and 4.7, 26.6, 33.9, and 29.1 μM, respectively. Possible detrimental effects of tested NCD on host cells were assessed using mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH/3T3) and Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cell lines. Tested NCD did not suppress NIH/3T3 and MDBK cell viability, even at the highest concentration used (500 μM).

Combination treatments of the identified most effective compounds of NCD/diminazene aceturate (DA), /atovaquone (AQ), and /clofazimine (CF) showed mainly synergistic and additive effects. The IC50 values of NCD showed that they are promising future candidates against piroplasmosis. Further in vivo trials are required to evaluate the therapeutic potential of NCD.

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For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/category/babesia-treatment/

Category:

Babesia, research, Treatment

Bartonella Causing Encephalitis

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32675979/

. 2020 Apr 24;33(3):440-441.

doi: 10.1080/08998280.2020.1756141. eCollection 2020 Jul.

Cat scratch disease causing encephalitis

Jerry Fan 1, Hameed Ali 1

Free PMC article

Abstract

Cat scratch disease is often a benign infection caused by Bartonella henselae, which is transmitted from scratches or bites from kittens. Presentations can vary from localized lymphadenopathy to neurologic manifestations. We present a case of a 22-year-old man with a 3-week history of an enlarged inguinal lymph node who presented with status epilepticus.

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**Comment**

Unfortunately, many still consider Bartonella “benign” when for many it is extremely severe and tenacious.  I would consider it as bad if not worse than Lyme in many respects.  Many also do not have lymph node involvement. Some patient’s only manifestation is psychological.

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/category/bartonella-treatment/  There is a checklist within this link of symptoms.

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/05/05/good-news-for-bartonella-patients-identification-of-fda-approved-drugs-with-higher-activity-than-current-front-line-drugs/  My husband and I use Berberine for Bartonella maintenance successfully.

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/24/human-bartonellosis-an-underappreciated-public-health-problem/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/16/5-questions-to-discuss-with-your-physician-when-bartonellosis-is-suspected/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/27/advanced-imaging-found-bartonella-around-pic-line/

 

Category:

Bartonella, research

Study Shows Lyme, Helicobacter Pylori, and Cytomegalovirus Are Risk Factors for All-Cause Mortality in the Elderly

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32648237/

. 2020 Jul 9.

doi: 10.1007/s11357-020-00216-x. Online ahead of print.

Seropositivity for pathogens associated with chronic infections is a risk factor for all-cause mortality in the elderly: findings from the Memory and Morbidity in Augsburg Elderly (MEMO) Study

Marius Zeeb123, Tobias Kerrinnes3, Luka Cicin-Sain4567, Carlos A Guzman4, Wolfram Puppe578, Thomas F Schulz578, Annette Peters19, Klaus Berger10, Stefanie Castell3, André Karch11

Abstract

Immunostimulation by chronic infection has been linked to an increased risk for different non-communicable diseases, which in turn are leading causes of death in high- and middle-income countries. Thus, we investigated if a positive serostatus for pathogens responsible for common chronic infections is individually or synergistically related to reduced overall survival in community dwelling elderly. We used data of 365 individuals from the German MEMO (Memory and Morbidity in Augsburg Elderly) cohort study with a median age of 73 years at baseline and a median follow-up of 14 years. We examined the effect of a positive serostatus at baseline for the following selected pathogens associated with chronic infections on all-cause mortality with multivariable parametric survival models:

  • Helicobacter pylori
  • Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato
  • Toxoplasma gondii
  • cytomegalovirus
  • Epstein-Barr virus
  • herpes simplex virus 1/2, and human herpesvirus 6

We found a reduced survival time in individuals with a positive serostatus for the following pathogens after adjusting for potential confounders:

  • Helicobacter pylori (accelerated failure time (AFT) – 15.92, 95% CI – 29.96; – 1.88)
  • cytomegalovirus (AFT – 22.81, 95% CI – 36.41; – 9.22)
  • Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (AFT – 25.25, 95% CI – 43.40; – 7.10)
The number of infectious agents an individual was seropositive for had a linear effect on all-cause mortality (AFT per additional infection – 12.42 95% CI – 18.55; – 6.30).

Our results suggest an effect of seropositivity for Helicobacter pylori, cytomegalovirus, and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato on all-cause mortality in older community dwelling individuals. Further research with larger cohorts and additional biomarkers is required, to assess mediators and molecular pathways of this effect.

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**Comment**

Recently I posted this article and that Cytomegalovirus, EBV, and Herpes Virus 6 has been found in those with ME/CFS:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/23/cytomegalovirus-ebv-and-human-herpesvirus-6-infections-in-patients-with-me-cfs/

Some have been misdiagnosed with EBV but had Lyme:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/04/11/diagnosed-with-ebv-had-lyme/

Dr. Waisbren, an IDSA founder and Wisconsin Doctor found that his Lyme patients often had high EBV titers:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/07/09/idsa-founder-used-potent-iv-antibiotics-for-chronic-lyme/

Another important finding: The more pathogens a patient tested positive for, the higher the mortality, demonstrating that coinfected patients are sicker.

 

 

 

 

Category:

Lyme, research, Viruses