A little less nervous about Covid
The rare and potentially lethal neurological disorder, Guillain-Barré syndrome, is not triggered by Covid nor by vaccination against Covid, recent research suggests.
There was concern during the early months of the Covid pandemic based on anecdotal evidence that there had been an increase in the incidence of a potentially lethal neurological disorder known as Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). In this disease, the body’s own immune system attacks peripheral nerves causing numbness, pain, and paralysis. It can be fatal if not treated promptly.
Pain and numbness often spread upwards from the soles of the feet or the hand...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - January 21, 2021 Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: COVID-19 Source Type: blogs
All you need to know about waterborne diseases
Waterborne diseases are contracted through exposure to contaminated water including drinking water, water used in food preparation, and swimming water.
They can be caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Below is a partial list of waterborne disease pathogens, their microbial classification, and their resulting illnesses.
Classification
Microorganism
Disease
Bacterium
Campylobacter spp.
Campylobacteriosis
Bacterium
Escherichia coli
E. Coli Diarrhea
Bacterium
Legionella pneumophila
Legionnaires’ Disease
Bacterium
Salmonella enterica
Salmonellosis
Bacterium
Salmonella typhi
Typhoid fever
...
Source: GIDEON blog - January 14, 2021 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Kristina Symes Tags: Microbiology News Tips Source Type: blogs
Learn about Guillain-Barr é syndrome with a Medcomic rap
Guillain-Barr é syndrome (GBS) is an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy in which the body’s immune system attacks peripheral nerves. Clinical and epidemiological evidence seems to indicate that most cases are preceded by an infection such as Campylobacter jejuni enteritis, but in many cases, no cause is identified. GBS is characterized by symmetrical muscle weakness that begins in the […]Find jobs at Careers by KevinMD.com. Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now. Learn more. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - March 11, 2020 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/jorge-muniz-and-neil-bobenhouse" rel="tag" > Jorge Muniz, PA-C and Neil Bobenhouse < /a > < /span > Tags: Conditions Neurology Source Type: blogs
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Issues Emergency Order Banning the Sale of All Pets for Four Months
In response to anoutbreak of multi-drug resistant Campylobacter infections associated with the purchase of puppies from pet stores, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has issued a temporary, four-month ban on the sale of all animals by pet stores throughout the Commonwealth.The CDC concluded that the outbreak is being caused by puppies sold by pet stores based on the finding that 88% of the case patients reported contact with a puppy and 71% of these reported contact with a puppy from a pet store.The CDC conclusion is as follows: " Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicate that contact with puppies, especia...
Source: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary - December 19, 2019 Category: Addiction Source Type: blogs
The lowdown on FODMAPs
A low-FODMAPs diet, the abbreviation for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, has been shown to reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, IBS, in studies conducted at Monash University in Australia. It is a diet crafted to remove fructans, fructooligosaccharides (inulin), galactooligosaccharides, lactose, fructose, sorbitol, and mannitol that human bowel flora metabolize and many need to survive. A low-FODMAPS diet is therefore designed to starve bowel flora that metabolize such sugars. You can find a listing of FODMAPS eliminated and permissible foods here.
Does it work to reduce s...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - February 2, 2019 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: News & Updates bowel flora dybsiosiso FODMAP microbiota prebiotic probiotic resistant starch sibo small intestinal bacterial overgrowth Source Type: blogs
Your Gut Bacteria Get Jet Lag Too
Many processes in our bodies are orchestrated on a ~24 hour schedule called the circadian rhythm. Body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, the immune system, melatonin and other hormones, alertness and sleepiness, and much more, rise and fall over the course of a day timed by our internal clock.
When we travel between time zones faster than our internal clock can adjust, we experience jet lag. Our internal clock is out of sync with local time. We notice this with difficulty being alert during the day and difficulty sleeping at night. We might not notice it, but our physical and mental performance may be impaired as we...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - November 13, 2018 Category: Child Development Authors: Alan Greene MD Tags: Dr. Greene's Blog Jet Lag Microbiome Source Type: blogs
Your Gut Bacteria Get Jet Lag Too
Many processes in our bodies are orchestrated on a ~24 hour schedule called the circadian rhythm. Body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, the immune system, melatonin and other hormones, alertness and sleepiness, and much more, rise and fall over the course of a day timed by our internal clock.
When we travel between time zones faster than our internal clock can adjust, we experience jet lag. Our internal clock is out of sync with local time. We notice this with difficulty being alert during the day and difficulty sleeping at night. We might not notice it, but our physical and mental performance may be impaired as we...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - November 13, 2018 Category: Child Development Authors: Dr. Alan Greene Tags: Dr. Greene's Blog Jet Lag Microbiome Source Type: blogs
Does your poop float?
There are a number of explanations for poops that float, some benign, some not.
If you talk to your doctor or explore online discussions about this, you will encounter talk of malabsorption (i.e., inadequate digestive breakdown of various components of diet), pancreatic insufficiency (e.g., inadequate production of pancreatic digestive enzymes due to prior pancreatitis), lactose or fructose intolerance, or excessive consumption of sugars and/or carbohydrates that increase gas content of stools.
But an extremely common and important cause is rarely mentioned: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO. Recall that SIBO ...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - September 25, 2018 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: News & Updates autoimmune bowel flora dysbiosis fibromyalgia grain-free malabsorption psoriasis sibo small intestinal bacterial undoctored Source Type: blogs
Answer to Case 502
Answer:Borreliaspp., relapsing fever group. Molecular studies are needed to definitively identify the causative agent. However, knowing the exposure history of the patient also helps narrow the differential. In this case, we later found out that the patient is from the northwestern part of North America, and therefore this is most likelyBorrelia hermsii,one of the tick-borne relapsing feverBorreliaspecies.The other tick-borneBorreliain North America areB. parkeriiandB. turicatae.These species are transmitted through the bite of a soft-bodied tick in the genusOrnithodoros,and are usually associated with exposure to ' rustic...
Source: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites - July 15, 2018 Category: Parasitology Source Type: blogs
Tropical Travel Trouble 009 Humongous HIV Extravaganza
LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog - Emergency medicine and critical care medical education blog
aka Tropical Travel Trouble 009
The diagnosis of HIV is no longer fatal and the term AIDS is becoming less frequent. In many countries, people with HIV are living longer than those with diabetes. This post will hopefully teach the basics of a complex disease and demystify some of the potential diseases you need to consider in those who are severely immunosuppressed. While trying to be comprehensive this post can not be exhaustive (as you can imagine any patient with a low ...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - July 7, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Amanda McConnell Tags: Clinical Cases Tropical Medicine AIDS art cryptococcoma cryptococcus HIV HIV1 HIV2 PEP PrEP TB toxoplasma tuberculoma Source Type: blogs
Tropical Travel Trouble 004 Bloody Diarrhoea
LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog - Emergency medicine and critical care medical education blog
aka Tropical Travel Trouble 004
A medical student who has just returned from their elective in Nepal presents with 1 week of bloody diarrhoea. He has been in the lowlands and stayed with a family in the local village he was helping at. It started three days before he left and he decided to get home on the plane in the hope it would settle. He is now opening his bowels 10x a day with associated cramps, fevers and has started feeling dizzy.
Questions:
Q1. What is dysentery ...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - March 12, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Neil Long Tags: Clinical Cases Tropical Medicine amoebic dysentery bacillary dysentery e.histolytica entamoeba histolytica shigellosis Source Type: blogs
Bacterial Diarrhea in Norway
As noted in a recent ProMED posting, salmonellosis is the second most common cause of bacterial diarrhea in Norway. The following charts were generated by a multi-graph tool in Gideon www.GideonOnline.com As in many countries, Campylobacter is the leading pathogen in this group. Note that for the past two decades, rates of salmonellosis in Norway have been somewhat higher than those in the United States, while those of shigellosis have been slightly higher in the United States.
The post Bacterial Diarrhea in Norway appeared first on GIDEON - Global Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology Online Network. (Source: GIDEON blog)
Source: GIDEON blog - October 4, 2017 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Dr. Stephen Berger Tags: Epidemiology Graphs Source Type: blogs
Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 189
LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog
LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog - Emergency medicine and critical care medical education blog
Just when you thought your brain could unwind on a Friday, you realise that it would rather be challenged with some good old fashioned medical trivia FFFF…introducing Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 189.
Question 1
In the mid-1980s Alastair Coutts was the surgeon for the Solomon Islands. In 1999 he described one of his more interesting cases in an article published in the BMJ. He used a novel method of stemming a bleeding middle meningeal artery. What everyday s...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - May 12, 2017 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Neil Long Tags: Frivolous Friday Five alastair coutts campylobacter campylobacter jejune Castration chewing gum children coconut water IV fluids robert miles saline Saturday night slaughter stragi del sabato sera ulnar claw ulnar paradox Source Type: blogs
Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 189
LITFL: Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog
LITFL: Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog - Emergency medicine and critical care medical education blog
Just when you thought your brain could unwind on a Friday, you realise that it would rather be challenged with some good old fashioned medical trivia FFFF…introducing Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 189.
Question 1
In the mid-1980s Alastair Coutts was the surgeon for the Solomon Islands. In 1999 he described one of his more interesting cases in an article published in the BMJ. He used a novel method of stemming a bleeding middle meningeal artery. What everyday substan...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - May 12, 2017 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Neil Long Tags: Frivolous Friday Five alastair coutts campylobacter campylobacter jejune Castration chewing gum children coconut water IV fluids robert miles saline Saturday night slaughter stragi del sabato sera ulnar claw ulnar paradox Source Type: blogs
Does H. influenzae need DNA uptake genes to form lab biofilms?
This morning I had another Skype conversation with the (most recent) former post-doc.We mostly talked about the toxin/antitoxin work. One question that came up was whether the antitoxin knockout strain was unable to form simple biofilms as well as to take up DNA.The kind of biofilm I mean is a simple film of cells that might stick to the surface of the glass or plastic container the cells are being cultured in. Formation of such films depends on the species (do its cells have a sticky surface), on the genotype (how much of the sticky substances are being produced), on the container properties (glass? polystyren...
Source: RRResearch - July 6, 2016 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Rosie Redfield Source Type: blogs
