9 replies to this topic

[Aphrodite]

From New Scientist magazine, Oct. 2009

Twentieth century medicine was phenomenally successful at developing vaccines and antibiotics to fight infectious diseases, taming ancient scourges such as smallpox, tuberculosis and typhoid. In the 1960s and 70s, the prevailing view was that all diseases caused by microorganisms would soon be conquered, leaving only those caused by genetics, unhealthy lifestyles or ageing.


That idea now seems naive, not least because of the rise in antibiotic resistance. And there's another reason that no one even considered back then. A growing number of diseases that were thought to be down to genetics or lifestyle turn out to have an infectious origin.


Take stomach ulcers. Long thought to be triggered by stress, it emerged in the 1980s that many cases are caused by a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. Now a short course of antibiotics is all that's needed to cure the condition, and in the west stomach ulcers are on the decline.


Since then, researchers have unearthed the unexpected infectious origins of several other diseases. In some the explanation is unique, but in others common mechanisms are at work.


For example, several autoimmune diseases arise because infection with a microbe triggers an immune attack, which cross-reacts with similar molecules from the host, causing the immune system to attack human tissues. And several cancers may be caused by viruses, sometimes because they insert themselves into our DNA and disrupt the genes that usually stop cells multiplying out of control.


The idea that lifelong conditions such as type 1 diabetes and obesity could be caught as easily as a cold is spine-chilling. Yet it raises the tantalising possibility that they could be treated with antibiotics or antiviral drugs, or possibly even prevented with a vaccine. So which of the following illnesses will be next to go the way of stomach ulcers?


6 diseases that may have an infectious etiology:


1) Is obesity caused by a chicken virus?

2) Are the Coxsackie B enteroviruses (CBV) responsible for diabetes?

3) Is schizophrenia a result of a parasite that lurks in cat feces?

4) Is the mouse mammary tumour virus the root cause of breast cancer in women?

5) Can the streptococcus bacterium lead to OCD?

6) Is a virus similar to the xenotropic murine leukaemia virus (XMRV) a cause of prostate cancer in men?



Thoughts?

[FunkOdyssey]

I don't think they are the origin of ALL disease, but certainly a vastly larger share of disease than they are given credit for.

[Mind]

I don't think it is as cut and dried as people would like to make it out.

When it comes to the obesity "virus", Dr. Dhurandhar found that 30 percent of obese people carried antibodies to the virus, while only 4 percent of lean people had anti-bodies to the virus. Even if there is direct causation (not proven yet - only correlation), that still leaves 70% of obese people being obese for other reasons - most likely from eating too much and laying on the couch all day. Convincing people that they can get a vaccine and never be fat is dangerous territory. And I am not saying Dr. Dhurandhar is promoting this method of treatment, but you know how people run with ideas like this.

In the case of the stomach ulcers, it is great that it can be cleared up with anti-biotics, however, the fact that ulcers are strongly correlated with chronic stress, and stress impairs immune function, makes me think this treatment is just a band-aid and not treating the root cause. 30% of U.S. adults, and 50% of the world's population are estimated to carry Helicobacter pylori, yet only 1 in 6 ever develops an ulcer.

[Chaos Theory]

In the case of the stomach ulcers, it is great that it can be cleared up with anti-biotics, however, the fact that ulcers are strongly correlated with chronic stress, and stress impairs immune function, makes me think this treatment is just a band-aid and not treating the root cause. 30% of U.S. adults, and 50% of the world's population are estimated to carry Helicobacter pylori, yet only 1 in 6 ever develops an ulcer.

This almost seems like a chicken vs egg scenario to me. Take for example some common skin infections: acne or folliculitis. There are specific bacteria associated with each of these, p. acnes and staph. These bacteria can be found on nearly every persons skin, yet they only cause issues in some. The diseases can also be treated by directly fighting the bacteria with anti-biotics, or it can be (sometimes) permanently cured at the genetic level through accutane. So what is the cause? Genetics or pathogen? Remove either and the ailment disappears.

I would agree that targeting the bacteria in any of these situations is likely overlooking the genetic component. At the very least though, it offers us more treatment options and may lead to better understanding of these diseases, and ultimately a real cure.

[rwac]

This almost seems like a chicken vs egg scenario to me. Take for example some common skin infections: acne or folliculitis. There are specific bacteria associated with each of these, p. acnes and staph. These bacteria can be found on nearly every persons skin, yet they only cause issues in some. The diseases can also be treated by directly fighting the bacteria with anti-biotics, or it can be (sometimes) permanently cured at the genetic level through accutane. So what is the cause? Genetics or pathogen? Remove either and the ailment disappears.

Sounds like Vit A deficiency causes an inadequate immune response, which in turn results in an infection.

Genetics merely determines how you respond to a deficiency.

[Chaos Theory]

Sounds like Vit A deficiency causes an inadequate immune response, which in turn results in an infection.

Genetics merely determines how you respond to a deficiency.

Sounds like? Do you have any medical evidence to back up the claim that acne is a result of a vitamin A deficiency? Secondly, if we are to assume that accutane works due to the fact that it is a Vitamin A derivative, why would a course of the drug provide permanent relief (for some) long after the drug is no longer being taken.

[rwac]

Secondly, if we are to assume that accutane works due to the fact that it is a Vitamin A derivative, why would a course of the drug provide permanent relief (for some) long after the drug is no longer being taken.

It's fat soluble, so people store it in the liver.
I imagine large doses of Vit A replenish the stores, so the problem goes away for a while.
Permanently, if people are taking sufficient retinol/carotene.

Also, did you know that retinol and retinoic acid are also used for acne ?

[Lufega]

Accutane IS a vitamin A derivative. I didn't know it was also used for Cancer. According to the Wiki, high doses of vitamin A duplicate the effect of accutane, with the risk of toxicity, however.

I am also starting to believe that infections play a role in most if not all diseases. I am doing research for class on Preeclampsia and found that several viruses (cytomegalovirus, EBV, Herpes simplex) are implicated as causative. You can add this to the list.

Also, research on another subject, Dermatomyositis, which a friend of mine has, is also implicated as having a viral origin. All this really makes you wonder. Maybe what we need is more research on antivirals and less on all the other stuff.

[Mind]

Accutane IS a vitamin A derivative. I didn't know it was also used for Cancer. According to the Wiki, high doses of vitamin A duplicate the effect of accutane, with the risk of toxicity, however.

I am also starting to believe that infections play a role in most if not all diseases. I am doing research for class on Preeclampsia and found that several viruses (cytomegalovirus, EBV, Herpes simplex) are implicated as causative. You can add this to the list.

Also, research on another subject, Dermatomyositis, which a friend of mine has, is also implicated as having a viral origin. All this really makes you wonder. Maybe what we need is more research on antivirals and less on all the other stuff.

Remember, correlation does not mean causation.

[Chaos Theory]

Secondly, if we are to assume that accutane works due to the fact that it is a Vitamin A derivative, why would a course of the drug provide permanent relief (for some) long after the drug is no longer being taken.

It's fat soluble, so people store it in the liver.
I imagine large doses of Vit A replenish the stores, so the problem goes away for a while.
Permanently, if people are taking sufficient retinol/carotene.

Also, did you know that retinol and retinoic acid are also used for acne ?

So the logic being presented here is that any time a given substance treats a disease, it is reasonable to conclude that the origin of that disease is a direct result of a deficiency of the treatment substance.

HIV must be the result of a deficiency in antiretrovirals. Common bacterial infections must be caused by a deficiency in penicillin.

I'm sorry, maybe this logic only extends to diseases which coincidentally can be treated through toxic megadoses of vitamins. Pyridoxine can be used to treat some poisoning. I conclude poisoning is a result of pyridoxine deficiency.

Edited by Chaos Theory, 23 October 2009 - 07:48 PM.