 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Sinusitis / September 2006Hopkins scientists link immune response to 'ghost' parasites and severely congested sinuses
This seems significant. Sounds like a whole new direction. Comments? http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-09/jhmi-hsl090606.php > This seems significant. Sounds like a whole new direction. > Comments? > > http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-09/jhmi-hsl090606.php Larry Klapow has done a lot of research on the immune havoc caused by roundworm infections he'd detected in the sputum of many CFS patients. I'm struck by how incredibly stupid it is for one of those quoted to suggest turning off the body's defense to a parasite that he's assuming "isn't really there." Usually, the tests for pathogens are inadequate, rather than them not being there. Susan > x-no-archive: yes > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Susan Saying someone's theory is "incredibly stupid" is incredibly stupid if you can't prove the theory wrong. :) >> x-no-archive: yes >> [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Saying someone's theory is "incredibly stupid" is incredibly stupid if > you can't prove the theory wrong. :) ...and even if you could prove it wrong, it's not very nice. ;) > ...and even if you could prove it wrong, it's not very nice. ;) LOL... :-) Susan <no fruit cup for me!> > Saying someone's theory is "incredibly stupid" is incredibly stupid if > you can't prove the theory wrong. :) I prefer to think of it as perspicacious. ;-) Susan > x-no-archive: yes > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > "isn't really there." Usually, the tests for pathogens are inadequate, > rather than them not being there. I think you misread the article. The gene they identified is expressed (activated) in patients suffering from sinusitis. AFAIK, whether a gene is expressed is not a function of whether you have an acute infection (unless it's a retroviral infection). It's either what you were born with, or due to some mutagenic factor in your environment. And it will determine how you will react to an infection if you ever get one. Of course, if you have an infection, your immune system will create more white blood cells that may contain that expressed gene, and thus higher levels of the chemical that the gene codes for will be produced. But if the gene wasn't expressed, you wouldn't react that way to the exact same infection. Such a genetic marker could be used to predict years in advance that a certain person has a propensity to develop sinusitis later in life. Anyway, here's a detailed rundown on the two chemicals, interleukin-13 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?cmd=entry&id=147683 and acidic mammalian chitinase http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?cmd=entry&id=606080 The previously noted connection with asthma is discussed in those articles.  SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. > I think you misread the article. The gene they identified is expressed > (activated) in patients suffering from sinusitis. AFAIK, whether a gene [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > white blood cells that may contain that expressed gene, and thus higher > levels of the chemical that the gene codes for will be produced. This is not necessarily true. Some infections, like the ones I have, modulate and even down regulate immune response. They have leapt to a conclusion without knowing for certain that no pathogen exists. I think I read that correctly. Susan > x-no-archive: yes > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Susan Nevertheless, tonight I'm mixing 10% DDT into my irrigation solution. > x-no-archive: yes > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Susan Wouldn't it be obvious if a parasite existed? I would think they are big enough to see with a microscope. Then with all the tissue samples analyzed after millions of sinus surgeries you would think someone would have seen them. > Wouldn't it be obvious if a parasite existed? Not necessarily. Often, like other pathogens, they escape detection by microscopy, serum testing and other meth I would think they > are big enough to see with a microscope. You assume they just float about willy nilly, and will be in the sample under examination. Not so. Then with all the tissue > samples analyzed after millions of sinus surgeries you would think > someone would have seen them. They could be elsewhere, but causing a systemic immune activation, the way roundworms, for example, do. My child was cured of longstanding tick borne diseases with an empiric trial of anti parasitic meds for presumed babesiosis. Babesia are very hard to find in serum and tissue, especially after the acute phase, though they can be passed along in blood donation. Susan > x-no-archive: yes > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > This is not necessarily true. Some infections, like the ones I have, > modulate and even down regulate immune response. We're talking past each other. I'm not referring to immune response. I'm referring to whether a specific gene in your genome is expressed. If you go to the references I cited, and follow the links to the gene map loci, you will see that, as I explained, the presence of these genetic markers is associated with a susceptibility to asthma and allergic rhinitis. Not with a specific acute asthma flare. I was challenged with various killed bacteria vaccines as part of an immunological workup. I reacted better to some things than others (though none so badly as to require treatment for immune deficiency). Some components of my immune system respond better to certain challenges than others. That's the genome I was born with. SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.