Opioid use increases risk of infections

According to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center study, opioid users have a significantly increased risk of infections severe enough to require treatment at the hospital, such as pneumonia and meningitis, as compared to people who don't use opioids. People who use opioids have higher risk of invasive pneumococcal diseases.

Invasive pneumococcal diseases are serious infections caused by the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, with mortality ranging from 5 percent to 20 percent. These invasive diseases include a range of illnesses such as meningitis, bacteremia and invasive pneumonia.

The association between opioid use and the risk of invasive pneumococcal diseases was strongest for opioids used at high doses, those classified as high potency and long-acting, which would be the extended release or controlled release formulations," said lead author Andrew Wiese, PhD, MPH, postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Opioids previously described as immunosuppressive in prior experimental studies conducted in animals, had the strongest association with invasive pneumococcal diseases in humans, measuring daily prescription opioid exposure for each study individual and combined that information with Active Bacterial Core (ABC) surveillance system data, which is a VUMC laboratory and population-based surveillance system conducted in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Health and the CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to monitor invasive infectious diseases in Tennessee.

The increase in opioid use has led to an increased interest towards well-known and also previously under- recognized adverse effects associated with opioid use. Previous studies conducted in animal models had demonstrated that certain opioids can cause immunosuppression and render experimental animals susceptible to infections. However, the clinical implications of those observations in humans were unclear.
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ADHD drugs can prevent STI

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ADHD increases the risk of subsequent sexually transmitted infections STIs among adolescent and young adult populations, short- and long-term use of ADHD medication reduced the risk of subsequent STIs among men. ADHD is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder. Increasing evidence supports an association between ADHD and various health-risk behaviors, such as risky driving, substance abuse, and risky sexual behaviors.

Focusing on the occurrence of risky sexual behaviors and the risk of STIs among patients with ADHD, and emphasizing the treatment with ADHD medications may be a protective factor for prevention of STIs. The findings are based on the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, which is a nationally representative database of medical claims and healthcare data from > 99% of the entire Taiwan population.

A cohort of 17,898 adolescents and young adults who were diagnosed with ADHD and 71,592 age and sex-matched non-ADHD controls who did not have STIs prior to enrollment were studied. Adolescents aged 12-17 years and young adults aged 18-29 years were followed from January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2009. The researchers tracked data related to risk of STIs, including HIV, syphilis, genital warts, gonorrhea, chlamydial infection, and trichomoniasis, psychiatric comorbidity, and pharmacologic treatment for ADHD (methylphenidate or atomoxetine).

The researchers found that adolescents and young adults with ADHD had greater incidence of any STI (1.2% versus 0.4%), and developed STIs at a younger age (20.51 ± 4.48 versus 21.90 ± 4.49) as compared to age- and sex-matched peers. They also found that those adolescents and young adults with ADHD had a higher prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity, including disruptive behavior disorder (13.5% v. 0.3%), alcohol use disorders (1.1% versus 0.5%), and substance use disorders (2.5% versus 0.8%). Male short-term (HR 0.70) and long-term (HR 0.59) ADHD medication users had a significantly lower risk of developing any STI during follow-up.
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Habits that increase the risk of cancer

Forty per cent of cancer deaths could be prevented with simple lifestyle changes. Quitting smoking, eating healthier and boozing less would stop the disease. Scientists suggest habits responsible for cancer with tobacco proving the biggest burden. Other habits, includes excessive UV radiation, obesity and not exercising enough can be blamed.

Researchers at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, said the total amount is greater than 38 per cent because many deaths involved two factors. Even 'small improvements' would reduce the risk of dying prematurely from cancer, the Australian researchers claimed. Their findings, which also highlighted irresponsible sun tanning as a cause, were derived from an analysis of cancer deaths.

Obesity and infections were responsible for five per cent of the deaths while not exercising enough was blamed for 0.8 per cent.Dr David Whiteman, lead researcher of the study published in the International Journal of Cancer, found that the bad habits fueled 41 per cent of cancer deaths in men and 34 per cent in women because men smoke and drink more, spend more time in the sun and don't eat healthy foods.

The researchers concluded that the following eight habits are responsible for 38 per cent of cancer deaths. Researchers at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, said the total amount is greater than 38 per cent because many deaths involved two factors. The habits are-Smoking, Poor diet, Boozing, UV radiation, Obesity, Infections, Inactivity and Hormones.
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HPV vaccine is better than the Pap smear for cancer detection

Testing for cervical cancer using HPV testing in addition to the Pap smear is unlikely to detect cancer cases that wouldn't be found using HPV testing alone. The main goal of cervical screening programs is to detect and treat precancer before cancer develops. Cytology-based screening, known as the Pap test or Pap smear, is used to detect abnormal cells. The Pap test can also find noncancerous conditions, such as infections and inflammation.

Cervical cancer screening guidelines have changed dramatically over the last 15 years, following introduction of testing for the dozen high-risk human papillomavirus HPV types that cause virtually all cervical cancer and its precursors. Despite more research into HPV, and the introduction of preventive HPV vaccines, screening will remain important and comprise many millions of tests annually for decades to come. But improved screening methods have also introduced some confusion, even controversy.

HPV testing is more sensitive than the Pap test for detecting precancer. The HPV test captures the known cancer causing viruses, but there are gynecologists who believe that there may be unknown cancer causing viruses and so continue to do the Pap smear (plus HPV testing). However, reports of rare HPV-negative, Pap-test-positive cancers are motivating continued use of both tests (cotesting) despite increased testing costs.

An HPV test, in which doctors test a cervicovaginal specimen for the presence of the nucleic acids of carcinogenic types of HPV, is more sensitive than the Pap test (a microscopic examination of exfoliated cells) for detection of precancers. Thus, if a single screening method were chosen to complement HPV vaccination, primary HPV testing likely would gradually supplant the Pap test.

The accumulated evidence supports inclusion of HPV testing in screening; thus, the main choice moving forward is between cotesting and primary HPV testing alone. Researchers were searching for realistic performance data to quantify the additional benefit of the Pap test component of cotesting, as the costs of intensive screening of all women using two screening tests are substantial.

The analysis found that HPV testing identified more women subsequently diagnosed with cancer and precancer than the Pap test. HPV testing was statistically significantly more likely to be positive for cancer at any time point, except within 12 months. HPV-negative/ Pap test-positive results preceded only small fractions of cases of precancer (3.5%) and cancer (5.9%); these cancers were more likely to be regional or distant stage than other cases.

Given the rarity of cancers among screened women, the contribution of the Pap test to screening translated to earlier detection of at most five cases per million women per year. Two-thirds (67.9%) of women found to have cancer up to 10 years. The researchers conclude that the added sensitivity of cotesting versus HPV alone for detection of treatable cancer affected extremely few women.
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Vitamin D enhances healing of burns

Patients with severe burns who have higher levels of vitamin D recover more successfully than those with lower levels. Despite improvements in burn care many patients are still at risk of poor recovery. Complications can range from delayed wound healing through to infections. Patients with severe burns are at high risk of infection that may lead to life-threatening sepsis.

Vitamin D is known to have antibacterial actions that may combat infection and therefore aid in wound healing of burn patients. In order to investigate the role of vitamin D in recovery from burn injuries, researchers assessed the recovery progress, over one year, in patients with severe burns and correlated this with their vitamin D levels.

The study found that patients with higher levels of vitamin D had a better prognosis, with improved wound healing, fewer complications and less scarring. The data also showed that burns patients tend to have lower levels of vitamin D. These data suggest that vitamin D supplementation immediately following burn injury may have potent health benefits to the patient, including enhanced antimicrobial activity to prevent infection, and improved wound healing.

Major burn injury severely reduces vitamin D levels and adding this vitamin back may be a simple, safe and cost-effective way to improve outcomes for burns patients. The effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation to improve outcomes in burn patients would need to be verified in clinical trials.

Low vitamin D levels were associated with worse outcomes in burn patients including life threatening infections, mortality and delayed wound healing . It was also associated with worse scarring but vitamin D levels can improve the healing process.
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Immune cells can repair damaged nerves

Immune cells fight infections, in a new study, scientists have discovered how they also help the nervous system remove debris, clearing the way for nerve regeneration after injury. Some immune cells- neutrophils can clean up nerve debris. Neutrophils are one of the most common types of immune cells and known to engulf microorganisms, but they are not associated with peripheral nerve damage caused by diabetes or trauma.

Damaged nerve cells produce a stream of molecular lures that specifically attract neutrophils to injury sites in mice. Damaged mouse sciatic nerves produced hundreds of times the normal amount of two "chemoattractant" molecules, Cxcl1 and Cxcl2, which attach to the surfaces of neutrophils and draw the immune cells into injured tissue.

Once at the injury site, the neutrophils engulf cellular debris caused by the nerve damage, tidying up the area so the cells can repair themselves. Without the cellular clearance mechanism, nerves can't properly regenerate after injury. The experiments included sorting immune cells found at injury sites by molecules on their cellular surfaces, and many hours looking at mouse cells through the microscope.

Several different cells pick up the slack in the absence of macrophages, it was the neutrophil that emerged as a major contributor to debris removal. We also discovered that when we depleted neutrophils, nerve debris clearance was significantly halted in both normal mice and mice lacking a major population of macrophages.

Without neutrophils, nerve cells could not properly clear debris. This could leads to new therapeutics designed to repair nerve cells damaged by neurodegenerative disease. The clearance of debris after an injury is necessary for effective nerve regeneration. Immunostimulant molecules that target neutrophils at nerve injury location might enhance clean-up and promote nerve cell repair. Immunostimulant molecules are used to treat chronic infections and immunodeficiency.
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Immune and nerve cells fight gut infections

Nerve cells in the gut play a crucial role in the body's ability to produce an immune response to infection. The immune system and nervous system worked together to respond to infectious threats.

The immune system and neuronal system don't act independently,
The lining of the gut house many immune system cells, which serve as a defense against parasites and other infections.

It is also loaded with nerve cells, immune system cells in the gut, called group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), are intertwined with nerve cells called cholinergic neurons.

The ILC2 cells have a receptor for a protein called neuromedin U (NMU), which acts as a messenger for the nerve cells. Exposing ILC2 cells to NMU causes the ILC2 cells to multiply rapidly and secrete chemicals called cytokines that may help trigger an immune response or cause inflammation.

Administering NMU to mice infected with a gut parasite triggered inflammation and a powerful
immune response that expel the parasites quickly.

This shows that the NMU-producing nerve cells help the ILC2 cells, enabling them to rapidly and effectively respond to infection. The findings may improve fighting and provision of therapies for inflammatory diseases like asthma, food allergies and inflammatory bowel diseases.
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Genetic variants determined strength of immune system

Genetic differences in human affects cellular response to infections. Defense against microbial pathogens is carried out by white blood cells. White blood cells activate cellular defense programs and repressing the expression of hundreds of genes when they come across microbes.

Human immune system plays a central role in autoimmune inflammatory diseases, cancer, metabolism and aging. The researchers discovered hundreds of genes where the response to immune stimulus depended on the genetic variants possessed by the individual.

These genes demonstrate that genetic variation has an important role in how the human immune system works.
The study discovered genetic variants whose effects on gene regulation was different depending on the different infectious state of the cells.

Genetic disease risk is sometimes driven not by genetic variants causing constant cellular dysregulation, but by causing a failure to respond properly to environmental conditions such as infection.

Researchers analyzed how cells from different individuals respond to infection by measuring gene expression both during the early and late immune response.

 Integrating the gene expression profiles with genome-wide genetic data of each individual, they were able to discovered how genetic variants affect gene expression and how this genetic effect changes with immune stimulus.

Diseases have both genetic and environmental risk factors.
The analyses of gene expression patterns provide comprehensive information about the immune responses and show wide variation among individuals exposed to different pathogens at different time.

The research identified population differences in immune response and demonstrated that immune response modifies genetic associations to disease.
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New way of generating human antibody

Antibodies are blood protein produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen. Antibodies combine chemically with substances which the body recognizes as alien, such as bacteria, viruses, and foreign substances in the blood.

They are produced by the body's B cells to fight infections like bacteria, viruses, and other invasive pathogens. When B cell recognizes a specific pathogen-derived "antigen" molecule, it can proliferate and develop into plasma cells that secrete large amounts of antibody capable of binding to the antigen and fending off the infection.

B cells need a second signal to start proliferating and developing into plasma cells. This second signal can be provided by short DNA fragments called CpG oligonucleotides, which activate a protein inside B cells called TLR9.

But treating patient-derived B cells with CpG oligonucleotides stimulates every B cell in the sample, not just the tiny fraction capable of producing a particular antibody.

Treating patient-derived B cells with tiny nanoparticles coated with both CpG oligonucleotides and the appropriate antigen. using this method, CpG oligonucleotides are only internalized into B cells that recognize the specific antigen, and these cells are therefore the only ones in which TLR9 is activated to induce their proliferation and development into antibody-secreting plasma cells.

 Some of the anti-influenza antibodies produced by the method recognized multiple strains of the virus and were able to neutralize its ability to infect cells.

The method does not depend on the donors having been previously exposed to any of these antigens through vaccination or infection; the researchers were able to generate anti-HIV antibodies from B cells isolated from HIV-positive patients.
Researchers generate therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of infectious diseases and cancer.
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Tremfya drug for treating plaque psoriasis

Plaque psoriasis is an inherited systemic inflammatory disease of immune dysfunction that causes plaques of elevated, scaling and inflamed skin.

The plaques are common on the scalp, elbows, and knees. Genetic and environmental factors are the most causes of the disease.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDAhas approved Tremfya (guselkumab), an interleukin-23 blocker for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

 Tremfya is a medicine that may lower the ability of immune system to fight infections and may increase risk of infections.

Tremfya is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections or pills.

Common side effects of this drug are:
upper respiratory infections, joint pain,
fungal skin infections, headache and diarrhea.
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Regular ejaculation reduces risk of prostate cancer

Regular ejaculation reduces risk of prostate cancer because it prevents inflammation, removes cancer-causing substances and infections.

Researchers examined sexual activities of different men for more than ten years and the results revealed that ejaculating regularly reduces the risk of prostate cancer in men.

Active sex life, healthy diet, regular exercise, 7 hours of sleep, healthy lifestyle and regular medical examination can reduce risk of developing prostate cancer.
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How bacteria prevents ovulation and embryo implanting

Bacteria that causes gum infections can makes conception difficult. Women with bacteria that causes gum disease P. Gingivalis may not become pregnant within 12 months.

Women with the bug, disease of the gum and underlying bone may not become pregnant within 12 months.
Researchers believe that infection in the gums and jawbone leads to inflammation in the body and the inflammation may prevent ovulation.

 Periodontal bacteria may have a systemic effect on conception even before signs of gum disease. Women
of reproductive age are expected to take care of their oral health and attend periodontal evaluations.

Researchers examined 256 healthy non-pregnant women aged between 19 and 42 who had stopped contraception and were trying to get pregnant. The health of their mouths and gums, as well as their reproductive organs, were examined.

 P Gingivalis was detected in the saliva of women who did not become pregnant during the one-year follow-up period than those who became pregnant.

 Researchers discovered that women who either had P. Gingivalis in their saliva or antibodies indicating they had been infected by P Gingivalis, were three times less likely to get pregnant within 12 months.

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How to detect Zika virus from semen samples

A reliable clinical assay that can detect the Zika virus from semen samples has been discovered by scientist. This assay can reduce Zika infection rates and allow couples who are at risk to plan their pregnancy

A total of 100 semen samples were spiked with a recombinant Accuplex ZIKV (SeraCare Life Sciences) at 5 viral copies per ml and processed in Aptima Urine Transport medium (Hologic Inc.) and tested using Aptima® ZIKV assay released under the FDA's emergency use authorization on the fully automated Panther system from Hologic, Inc.

The samples were also tested for West Nile Virus, Chagas and Dengue, recombinant Dengue Virus, recombinant Chikungunya Virus, Human Papilloma Virus, Herpes Simplex Virus 1, Herpes Simplex Virus 2, Chlamydia, and Gonorrhea.

The experiment was repeated three times and in triplicates each time.
The assay was found to be 100% sensitive and 100% specific to ZIKV RNA from semen samples with a limit of detection of 5 viral copies per mL of semen.

 Accurate diagnosis is very important for management of Zika virus and to prevent neonatal infections. Zika infection during pregnancy can cause birth defects.

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Cure for tonsil stones

Tonsil stones are hard deposits form on the the tonsils, in the back of the throat. It is called tonsilloliths.

The deposits are made from calcium salts, bacteria and mucus which can collect on the soft tissue of the tonsils.

If tonsil stones get too big, they can cause difficulty swallowing and can even cause a sore throat.

Tonsils may cause bad breadth,
Tonsil stones consisting of partially calcified debris and rich in anaerobic bacteria, may develop in tonsillar crypts, and be released into the oral cavity.

Good oral hygiene can prevent tonsil stones from forming. Size and shape of
tonsils, having overactive salivary glands, sinus and bacteria infections can increase the risk of developing tonsil stones.

 Apple cider vinegar could help relieve some symptoms of indigestion.

Regular foot test for diabetic patients

Diabetic patients have greater risk of developing problems with their feet, due to the damage high blood sugar can cause to sensation and circulation.

Incurable foot ulcers or any injury can lead to amputation as a result of lack of sensitivity at that part of the body.

Diabetic patients must undergo annual check up, people should also perform the touch toes test to make sure their feet are still sensitive.

The test involves very lightly touching six toes, three on each foot to find out how many of the touches are felt. The touch must be gentle, light as a feather and brief.

If sensation is impaired you may not realise if minor damage has occurred and left untreated may increase the risk of infection.

Visit your doctor as soon as you discovered a cut or have any concerns about your foot and legs.

HIV lesions treatments

HIV alters the body's immune system and this can leads to development of many health problem like skin infections.

Lesions are abnormal growths on the skin, it can grow on the skin of people who are not suffering from HIV, but it is common in people who are HIV positive.

It may develop as side effect of HIV medication, CD4 count is a blood test that measure the level of white blood cells in the body, if CD4 count is very low, the rate of developing skin lesions will be very high.

Common HIV skin lesions:
• Bullous impetigo
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) warts
• Prurigo nodularis
• Molluscum contagiosum
• Herpes simplex lesions
• Kaposi's sarcoma

Treatments
1. Taking antiviral medication according to Doctor's prescription may increase CD4 cells.
2. Eating balanced diet
3. Getting enough rest
4. Regular exercise

How HIV affects the immune system

Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus that causes HIV and later AIDS. Early signs of HIV are: fever, joint pain, sore throat and skin rashes.

A T-cell is a type of lymphocyte - white blood cell that defend the body against disease, HIV infects a cell by attaching itself to T-cell, multiplies its virus and destroy the T-cell.

CD4 count shows the strength of one's immune system which is between 500 1500 for healthy people, being infected with HIV without treatment will reduce the count below 200.

 HIV  exposes the infected person to opportunistic  infections like: pneumonia, toxoplasmosis, thrush, and tuberculosis.

Presently, there is no cure for HIV. Antiretroviral therapy is recommended for people living with HIV virus.

Common side effects of Antiretroviral drugs are: glucose intolerance, kidney failure, hepatitis of the liver, insulin resistance, osteoporosis, anemia and inflamed pancreas.