Archive for the ‘Infectious Diseases’ Category

Michigan State University researchers are suggesting that improper dieting may result in a weakened immune system that can increase your chances of getting hit hard by the flu. When looking at mice receiving adequate nutrition versus a lower calorie diet, those on the diet were not able to produce the amount of immune cells needed to fight an infection, despite consuming adequate quantities of vitamins and minerals. Although this was a mouse study, we probably didn’t need it to tell us why the results make sense on a human scale. Our bodies need energy in order to fight infections, and although vitamins and minerals are necessary, they do not provide the majority of energy we need to fuel our bodies - that role is reserved for carbohydrates, fats and proteins. This is why I always tell my patients to eat well and sleep well during flu season. Therefore, don’t believe the old saying telling you to “starve a fever.” It simply is not true.

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Antibiotics are one of the most important discoveries of modern medicine. However, indiscriminate usage can lead to the rise of antibiotics-resistant bacteria such as MRSA and VRE. Now, physicians are talking about infections due to the bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii, which has been steadily rising in the last three decades. Currently, multidrug resistant A. baumannii has been reported to be around 30%. Risk factors for infection with this bacteria include an extended hospitalization, advanced age, serious comorbid conditions, suppressed immune system, major trauma, invasive procedures (including catheters), and mechanical ventilation.

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News sources are reporting that lawmakers in Papua, one of Indonesia’s poorest provinces, are considering passing a law that would mandate certain “sexually aggressive” HIV-positive people be implanted with microchips so they can be better monitored. This would allow them to be easily prosecuted if they knowingly infect others, a provincial crime that carries a sentence of up to 6 months or a large fine. Prostitution and drug use are believed to be the major cause of HIV infection in Indonesia. In Papua, tribal rituals that encourage partner swapping, along with lack of education about STDs and condom use, are thought to be particular reasons for the high rate of HIV spread. Those who are against the bill say it’s a breach of human rights and support a focus on HIV/AIDS education instead.

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Google released a flu tracking tool this week called Flu Trends. According to Google, certain search terms are good indicators of flu activity. By looking at aggregated search data related to the topic of “flu” Google claims they can estimate flu activity in a particular region two weeks faster than traditional tracking systems. This is because people tend to search for health information relatively early on in their illness, whereas traditional tracking systems rely on data collected after the patient has sought medical attention. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the Google data appears to accurately correlate with CDC data. Earlier warnings allows the medical community to prepare for an increase in sickness and gives people time to get vaccinated, if they haven’t already.

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One of the ways to control the spread of STDs is to notify the sexual partners of a person who has been diagnosed with one. And in the age of the internet one nonprofit group, Internet Sexuality Information Services, is doing just that through a free E-card service that can be used by anyone to contact their sexual partners. The cards, with message such as, “No one wants to be the bearer of bad news…but I got diagnosed with STDs (You might have one, too),” can be sent to up to 6 people anonymously, or they can include contact information with a personalized note. Since inSPOT’s launch in 2004, more than 30,000 people have sent more than 49,500 of the cards. No details about the senders or recipients are stored in order to protect users’ privacy. And while misuse by pranksters is a possibility, fewer than 10 recipients have complained of receiving a message in error since the launch of the service in 2004 .

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Three researchers were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine today. French scientists Luc Montagnier and Francoise Barre-Sinoussi were credited with the discovery of the HIV virus, the virus that causes AIDS. The $1.4 million prize was shared with German physician-researcher Dr. Harald zur Hausen who first discovered HPV, the human papilloma virus, which can cause cervical cancer in women. However, the selection of the recipients was not without controversy. Many consider Dr. Robert Gallo of the US integral in discovery of the HIV virus and should have been a recipient as well. Read more and Share your opinion.

Flu season is here again, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is reminding pregnant women to get their annual flu vaccine because pregnant women have higher rates of illness and death from the flu. If you’ve previously had severe reactions to flu vaccines, an allergy to eggs (flu vaccines are made from chicken eggs), developed Guillan-Barre Syndrome within 6 weeks of receiving the flu vaccine, or currently have a fever, you should speak to a physician prior to receiving the vaccine. What’s your perspective on vaccinations? Share your opinion. Read more.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report today that 60% of Americans have never been tested for HIV. The percentage of persons ever tested for HIV increased from 6.0% in 1987 to 38.0% in 1997, and then plateauing at 38.4% from 1998 to 2000. Since 2001, the percentages have remained stable at approximately 40%. A stunning 2005 statistic showed that of the 1 million people living with HIV in the US at that time, one quarter of them were not aware that they were HIV-positive. This example illustrates the importance of routine HIV screening. Current recommendations suggest clinicians screen only those adolescents and adults who are at increased risk, as well as all pregnant women. Full story.