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Query: Louis Pasteur
Coronary artery disease is essentially nonexistent in cultures whose nutrition assures cholesterol levels <150 mg/dl. Patients with advanced coronary artery disease may abolish disease progression through a plant-based diet and cholesterol-lowering medication to achieve and maintain a total cholesterol <150 mg/dl.
A method for culturing cysticerci that allows successful evagination and growth of scolexes from metacestodes of Taenia solium was used to study the survival of cysticerci subjected to low temperatures. Refrigeration of pork muscle infested with cysticerci at temperatures above 0 degrees C did not affect the parasites' survival in culture. Conversely, freezing of meat prevented survival of cysts. A practical procedure to kill cysticerci is the storage of pork muscle for four days at -5 degrees C, three days at -15 degrees C, or one day at -24 degrees C. These simple measures would help prevent the most frequent parasitosis of man's central nervous system.
Two pandemics of heart attack deaths have plagued the world's population during the past 130 years. The first pandemic, induced by beriberi, was caused by the industrial revolution altering the nutritional composition of rice. By 1892 a simple working knowledge, then at hand, could have terminated the beriberi plague; however, orthodox medicine being then enchanted with the false concept that all disease was caused by germs, permitted millions of Asians to die needlessly of beriberi by refusing to tell them to eat rice bran or to drink rice bran tea. A second pandemic of heart attack deaths, called myocardial infarction (MI), struck the developed nations of the Western World in full force after 1930. As a hypothesis, it is suggested that this MI pandemic, still raging today, was caused by a change in food processing that occurred after 1920, when the new oil seed industry introduced into our food three greatly harmful lipid substances. The unnatural trans-trans isomer of linoleic acid, which had never been in human food prior to 1920 and which entered our food in margarines and refined oils, blocked the conversion of natural cis-cis linoleic acid to prostaglandin E1, which tends to prevent MI, both by acting as a vasodilator and by minimizing platelet aggregation. Harmful lactones were also introduced into our food, increasing the risk of MI by decreasing the fibrinolytic activity of our blood. The oil seed industry also introduced into our diet free radical lipid peroxides that make the myocardium more vulnerable to infarction. It is suggested that except for the one in 500 of us who is afflicted by familial hypercholesterolemia, the cholesterol concept of MI is as false today as was the concept in 1900 that germs caused beriberi. It is further suggested that a working knowledge is at hand today that can make death from MI just as rare as death is now from a beriberi-induced heart attack.
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: This study aimed to assess the clinical relevance of contamination of nasal irrigation bottles in patients with recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Secondary investigations to identify the presence of bacterial biofilms on the inner surface of the bottles and to assess different sterilization methods were also undertaken. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, observational. METHODS: Eleven patients with recalcitrant CRS who were already using nasal irrigation as part of their treatment regimen were examined every 2 weeks for a period of 6 weeks. At each visit, a culture sample was taken from their irrigation bottle and middle meatus, and they were given a new irrigation bottle. Irrigation bottles from six patients were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to detect biofilm formation. Finally, new bottles were inoculated with different strains of Staphylococcus aureus and then cleaned with different methods. The bottles were cultured immediately after cleaning and 48 hours later. RESULTS: Overall, 42 of 43 (97%) bottles collected demonstrated bacterial growth. Concurrent sinonasal and bottle infection with S. aureus was seen in 51% of patients during the study. Bacterial biofilms were demonstrated on the inner surface of four of the six irrigation bottles tested. Treatment with Milton's solution (1% NaOCl plus 19% NaCl) and microwaving were found to be effective methods for sterilizing the bottles both initially after the cleaning and 48 hours later. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who irrigate their nose and sinuses commonly contaminate their irrigation bottle, most often with S. aureus, which can be in the biofilm form. Simple cleaning methods could reduce contamination of the bottles.
Campylobacteriosis is the most common antecedent infection leading to the development of inflammatory neuropathies including Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS) and Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), with alterations in surface proteins and genetic polymorphisms conferring increased risk. Poultry is the most common source of C. jejuni infection in industrialized countries, including the US. There are no data on the prevalence on consumer poultry products of various strains of C. jejuni, including those hypothesized to be associated with neuropathy. To study this, C. jejuni was isolated from fresh broiler chicken products purchased from grocery stores in the Baltimore area. LOS subtypes and specific genetic polymorphisms were determined by PCR and DNA sequencing. The observed relative proportions of LOS subtypes and genetic polymorphisms in the cstII gene (encoding bacterial sialyltransferases involved in LOS synthesis in C. jejuni) were characterized and compared to those reported in published studies of patients with GBS, MFS and uncomplicated enteritis. Commercial poultry products carry a relatively high prevalence of C. jejuni strains that have been associated with neuropathic sequelae. The relative proportions of LOS classes in poultry isolates were similar to those reported in isolates from human enteritis cases, and in some instances also similar to isolates from patients diagnosed with neuropathic disease. In terms of cstII polymorphisms, there were also similarities between isolates from poultry and those from patients with GBS and MFS. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Acrylamide occurs in foods commonly consumed in diets worldwide. It is formed from the reaction of reducing sugars (e.g., glucose or fructose) with the amino acid asparagine via the Maillard reaction, which occurs during heat processing of foods, primarily those derived from plant origin, such as potato and cereal products, above 120°C (248°F). The majority of epidemiological studies concerning potential relationships between acrylamide consumption and different types of cancer have indicated no increased risk, except with a few types that warrant further study. Efforts to reduce the formation of acrylamide in food products have resulted in some successes, but there is no common approach that works for all foods. Reduction in some foods is probably not possible. The results from a major toxicological study (aqueous intake of acrylamide by rats and mice) are in the process of being released. The status of current knowledge in these areas is reviewed.
To study the origin and spread of Yersinia enterocolitica among pigs, fecal and blood samples were repeatedly taken on a fattening farm. A few piglets were found to be already infected on breeding farms. After the piglets were mixed, the infection spread through the whole unit. Eventually, all the pigs excreted the pathogen.
Background In October 2007, a cluster of patients experiencing a novel polyradiculoneuropathy was identified at a pork abattoir (Plant A). Patients worked in the primary carcass processing area (warm room); the majority processed severed heads (head-table). An investigation was initiated to determine risk factors for illness. Methods and Results Symptoms of the reported patients were unlike previously described occupational associated illnesses. A case-control study was conducted at Plant A. A case was defined as evidence of symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and compatible electrodiagnostic testing in a pork abattoir worker. Two control groups were used - randomly selected non-ill warm-room workers (n = 49), and all non-ill head-table workers (n = 56). Consenting cases and controls were interviewed and blood and throat swabs were collected. The 26 largest U.S. pork abattoirs were surveyed to identify additional cases. Fifteen cases were identified at Plant A; illness onsets occurred during May 2004–November 2007. Median age was 32 years (range, 21–55 years). Cases were more likely than warm-room controls to have ever worked at the head-table (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 6.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6–26.7), removed brains or removed muscle from the backs of heads (AOR, 10.3; 95% CI, 1.5–68.5), and worked within 0–10 feet of the brain removal operation (AOR, 9.9; 95% CI, 1.2–80.0). Associations remained when comparing head-table cases and head-table controls. Workers removed brains by using compressed air that liquefied brain and generated aerosolized droplets, exposing themselves and nearby workers. Eight additional cases were identified in the only two other abattoirs using this technique. The three abattoirs that used this technique have stopped brain removal, and no new cases have been reported after 24 months of follow up. Cases compared to controls had higher median interferon-gamma (IFNγ) levels (21.7 pg/ml; vs 14.8 pg/ml, P<0.001). Discussion This novel polyradiculoneuropathy was associated with removing porcine brains with compressed air. An autoimmune mechanism is supported by higher levels of IFNγ in cases than in controls consistent with other immune mediated illnesses occurring in association with neural tissue exposure. Abattoirs should not use compressed air to remove brains and should avoid procedures that aerosolize CNS tissue. This outbreak highlights the potential for respiratory or mucosal exposure to cause an immune-mediated illness in an occupational setting.
Evidence supports a trial period of eliminating colourings and preservatives from the diet
Sarcocystis spp. are parasitic protists acquired when undercooked, cyst-laden meat is consumed. While both Sarcocystis hominis and S. cruzi encyst in beef, only S. hominis is pathogenic to humans. In this study, we used histological methods and novel molecular techniques to determine the regional prevalence and identity of Sarcocystis spp. in retail beef. Of 110 samples, 60 supported amplification of parasite rRNA by PCR. All 41 sequenced representatives were identified as S. cruzi. To compare detection methods, 48 samples were then examined in parallel by histology and PCR, and 16 and 26 samples, respectively, were positive. Five samples positive by initial histologic sections were not amplified by PCR. Fifteen PCR-positive samples did not contain sarcocysts on initial histologic section, but additional sections from these samples revealed sarcocysts in an additional 12 samples. When combined, histology with additional sections and PCR detected 31 positive specimens of the 48 total specimens. We found no evidence of human pathogen S. hominis and confirm that cattle pathogen S. cruzi is highly prevalent in this regional sample. PCR assays may increase the detection sensitivity of Sarcocystis spp. and contribute diagnostic precision.
OBJECTIVES: patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are reported to have in their sera raised levels of antibody specific to Proteus mirabilis. The aim of the study was to verify this and to determine an explanation for it by investigating the frequency of P. mirabilis urinary tract infection in RA patients and matched controls. METHODS: freshly voided urine was examined for the presence, number and identity of infecting bacteria. The levels of antibody in blood and in urine of the IgM, IgA and IgG classes to the common O serotypes of P. mirabilis and the antigens to which they reacted were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting. RESULTS: analysis of urine from 76 patients with RA and 48 age- and gender-matched healthy controls showed that only two (4%) of the control urines but 25 (33%) of those from the RA patients were infected. The commonest infecting organism in the RA patients' urine was Proteus mirabilis which occurred twice as frequently as Escherichia coli. Proteus mirabilis was found in 52% of the infected urines of the RA patients and was always detected as a pure growth and usually in insignificant (< 10(4)/ml) numbers. It is highly improbable that this finding was the outcome of differences in age, physical ability or medication between the RA and control patient groups. Comparison of antibody levels to P. mirabilis by ELISA showed RA patients had raised (P < 0.0001, P = 0.001, P = 0.0063) levels of IgA, IgG and IgM respectively in their sera and raised (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P = 0.0001) levels of IgG, IgM and IgA respectively in their urine compared with the control group. It was not possible to detect an antibody reacting to a P. mirabilis antigen that was specific to the RA patients. CONCLUSION: the results confirm that RA patients have raised levels of antibody to P. mirabilis not only in blood but also in urine and suggest that this arises because RA patients have an asymptomatic, non-significant P. mirabilis bacteriuria more frequently or more prolonged than control patients. This may be the trigger for their RA condition.
The most common clinical manifestation of Lyme disease is the characteristic rash, erythema migrans (EM). In the 1980s EM-like eruptions were reported in Missouri and other southeastern states. The EM-like eruptions, which were of unknown etiology, often followed the bite of the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum) and the rash is called STARI (southern tick-associated rash illness). Although the Lone Star tick is found in the Lyme disease-endemic areas of New England and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, STARI has been reported only once from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. We report a child from Connecticut who visited Long Island, New York, and developed a rash that was thought to be EM. Because the patient failed to respond to antibiotics used to treat Lyme disease, an investigation ensued, and the diagnosis of STARI was established.
Introduction Lipoid pneumonia is a rare form of pneumonia caused by inhalation or aspiration of fat containing substances like, petroleum jelly, mineral oils, few laxatives etc. It usually presents as insidious onset chronic respiratory illness simulating interstitial lung diseases. Rarely, it may present as an acute respiratory illness, specially, when exposure to fatty substance is acute and/or massive. Radiologically, it may mimic carcinoma, acute or chronic pneumonia, ARDS, or a localized granuloma. Diagnosis of LP requires demonstration of lipid laden macrophages in sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or fine needle aspiration cytology/biopsy from lung lesion. Treatment of this illness is poorly defined and constitutes supportive therapy and corticosteroids. Case presentation A 20-year old Indian farmer was referred to us with a diagnosis of non resolving community acquired pneumonia. Respiratory examination revealed signs of consolidation. Chest radiograph revealed findings suggestive of bilateral consolidation. Sputum and blood culture were sterile. He was treated with prolonged course of various antibiotics without any significant response. For evaluation of non resolving pneumonia fibreoptic bronchoscopy was done. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and biopsy from lung lesion showed lipid laden macrophages. Hence diagnosis of lipoid pneumonia was made. Patient was treated with course of corticosteroids with good response. Literature on this rare entity is discussed. Conclusion Lipoid pneumonia is a rare form of pneumonia which rarely present acutely resembling community acquired pneumonia and requires high degree of suspicion for diagnosis. Its treatment is difficult and poorly defined. However, prolonged corticosteroids may be effective.
The rapid increase in obesity and the associated health care costs have prompted a search for better approaches for its prevention and management. Such efforts may be facilitated by better understanding the etiology of obesity. Of the several etiological factors, infection, an unusual causative factor, has recently started receiving greater attention. In the last two decades, 10 adipogenic pathogens were reported, including human and nonhuman viruses, scrapie agents, bacteria, and gut microflora. Some of these pathogens are associated with human obesity, but their causative role in human obesity has not been established. This chapter presents information about the natural hosts, signs and symptoms, and pathogenesis of the adipogenic microorganisms. If relevant to humans, "Infectobesity" would be a relatively novel, yet extremely significant concept. A new perspective about the infectious etiology of obesity may stimulate additional research to assess the contribution of hitherto unknown pathogens to human obesity and possibly to prevent or treat obesity of infectious origins.
Probiotics are widely used to prevent and treat several diseases. Many commercial products are available worldwide. However, there is no clear international or local legislation about them and previous studies showed that most of the tested products are not in conformity with international guidelines. The aim of this study was to determine if products available in the USA market in 2009 were correctly labeled in terms of quantity of viable bacteria, identification of species and cross contamination by species not on the label. Disturbingly, we found that only 4 of 13 products (31%) were in accordance with label claims. Our results suggest the need for adequate control of probiotic production as well as periodical screenings by competent organizations to monitor the effect of storage on product quality.
Researchers, veterinary and health care practitioners, and agricultural producers gathered in Johnston, Iowa, to attend the eighth annual Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety and Health Forum (MRASH), November 2009. Among several focus areas, four plenary talks were given on the current research being conducted examining methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on swine farms in the United States. These focused on prevalence of MRSA on farms, both in swine and in human workers; the presence of MRSA in air samples and in swine barn shower facilities; and the presence of methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus in retail meats. These findings begin to elucidate the overall picture of livestock-associated MRSA in the Midwestern United States.
A two-step method was developed to quantitatively assess the infection rate of the entomophthoraceous fungus, Zoophthora anhuiensis (Li) Humber, on the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer). Firstly, a standard time-dose-mortality relationship, established by modeling data from bioassay 1 at varying conidial dosages (0.4 - 10.4 conidia/mm2) of Z. anhuiensis F97028, was used to yield an estimate of expected mortality probability at a given dosage. Secondly, bioassay 2 was conducted by simultaneously exposing six < or = 4-day-old nymphal colonies to a shower of Z. anhuiensis conidia at each of four dosages (resulting from exposures of 0.3 - 8.0 min). Subsequently, the colonies were separately immersed in a 0.1% chlorothalonil solution for 0.5 min to disinfect all surviving conidia on the host integument from 1 - 12 h after exposure under temperature treatments of 15 and 20 degrees C, respectively. The infection rate during a specific period from the end of the exposure to the immersion was then estimated as the ratio of the observed mortality over the expected mortality probability at a particular dosage. The results showed that the infection of M. persicae from Z. anhuiensis was highly rapid with little difference between aphid colonies maintained at 15 and 20 degrees C before being immersed in the fungicidal solution after exposure. The first 6-hour period after exposure was most crucial to successful infection of the fungus with the infection rate greatly depending on conidial dosages. It took < or = 1 h to infect > 50% of the aphids at a dosage of > 1.5 conida/mm2 and > 90% at > 50 conidia/mm2.
From 1975 to 1983, six cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) were diagnosed in long-term residents of Two Rivers, Wis; the probability that this occurred due to chance was less than .05. To investigate potential risk factors for ALS, we conducted a case-control study using two control subjects matched to each case patient for age, gender, and duration of residence in Two Rivers. Physical trauma, the frequent consumption of freshly caught Lake Michigan fish, and a family history of cancer were reported more often by case patients than control subjects. These findings support previous studies proposing a role for trauma in ALS pathogenesis and suggest that the causative role of diet should be further explored. Continued surveillance for and epidemiologic investigation of ALS clusters with subsequent retrospective analysis may provide clues concerning the cause of ALS.
Fundamental studies of the laxative action of wheat bran were undertaken in the United States in the early decades of the 20th century. Walker in South Africa extended these studies among African blacks and later suggested that cereal fiber protected them against certain metabolic disorders. Trowell in Uganda elaborated this concept with regard to the rarity of common noninfective diseases of the colon. Another stream of inquiry stemmed from the hypothesis of Cleave who postulated that the presence of refined sugar, and to a lesser extent white flour, caused many metabolic diseases, while the loss of fiber caused certain colonic disorders. Meanwhile Burkitt had collected massive evidence of the rarity of appendicitis and many venous disorders in rural Africa and parts of Asia. In 1972 Trowell proposed a new physiological definition of fiber in terms of the residue of plant foods that resisted digestion by alimentary enzymes of man. Southgate has proposed chemical methods to analyze the components of dietary fiber: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.
We report the annual results of patch testing with lavender oil for a 9-year period from 1990 to 1998 in Japan. Using Finn Chambers and Scanpor tape, we performed 2-day closed patch testing with lavender oil 20% pet. on the upper back of each patient suspected of having cosmetic contact dermatitis. We compared the frequency of positive patch tests to lavender oil each year with those to other fragrances. We diagnosed contact allergy when patch test reactions were + or <+ at 1 day after removal. The positivity rate of lavender oil was 3.7% (0-13.9%) during the 9-year period from 1990 to 1998. The positivity rate of lavender oil increased suddenly in 1997. Recently, in Japan, there has been a trend for aromatherapy using lavender oil. With this trend, placing dried lavender flowers in pillows, drawers, cabinets, or rooms has become a new fashion. We asked patients who showed a positive reaction to lavender oil about their use of dried lavender flowers. We confirmed the use of dried lavender flowers in 5 cases out of 11 positive cases in 1997 and 8 out of 15 positive cases in 1998. We concluded that the increase in patch test positivity rates to lavender oil in 1997 and 1998 was due to the above fashion, rather than due to fragrances in cosmetic products.
Background Dietary exposure to the cyanotoxin BMAA is suspected to be the cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Western Pacific Islands. In Europe and North America, this toxin has been identified in the marine environment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis clusters but, to date, only few dietary exposures have been described. Objectives We aimed at identifying cluster(s) of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Hérault district, a coastal district from Southern France, and to search, in the identified area(s), for the existence of a potential dietary source of BMAA. Methods A spatio-temporal cluster analysis was performed in the district, considering all incident amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cases identified from 1994 to 2009 by our expert center. We investigated the cluster area with serial collections of oysters and mussels that were subsequently analyzed blind for BMAA concentrations. Results We found one significant amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cluster (p = 0.0024), surrounding the Thau lagoon, the most important area of shellfish production and consumption along the French Mediterranean coast. BMAA was identified in mussels (1.8 µg/g to 6.0 µg/g) and oysters (0.6 µg/g to 1.6 µg/g). The highest concentrations of BMAA were measured during summer when the highest picocyanobacteria abundances were recorded. Conclusions While it is not possible to ascertain a direct link between shellfish consumption and the existence of this ALS cluster, these results add new data to the potential association of BMAA with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, one of the most severe neurodegenerative disorder.
Two major changes in the epidemiology of non-typhoidal salmonellosis have occurred during the second half of the 20th century. First, Salmonella typhimurium strains resistant to multiple antibiotics have emerged and spread within populations of food animals. Secondly, Salmonella enteritidis has emerged as a major egg-associated pathogen. This article reviews available data on the origins of the human epidemics.
A historical view on how our agricultural systems evolved and how they are contributing to obesity and disease.
Cows with isolation of Staphylococcus aureus approximately 1 week after calving and milk yield, somatic cell count (SCC), clinical mastitis (CM), and culling risk through the remaining lactation were assessed in 178 Norwegian dairy herds. Mixed models with repeated measures were used to compare milk yield and SCC, and survival analyses were used to estimate the hazard ratio for CM and culling. On average, cows with an isolate of Staph. aureus had a significantly higher SCC than culture-negative cows. If no post-milking teat disinfection (PMTD) was used, the mean values of SCC were 42,000, 61,000, 68,000 and 77,000 cells/ml for cows with no Staph. aureus isolate, with Staph. aureus isolated in 1 quarter, in 2 quarters and more than 2 quarters respectively. If iodine PMTD was used, SCC means were 36,000; 63,000; 70,000 and 122,000, respectively. Primiparous cows testing positive for Staph. aureus had the same milk yield curve as culture-negative cows, except for those with Staph. aureus isolated in more than 2 quarters. They produced 229 kg less during a 305-d lactation. Multiparous cows with isolation of Staph. aureus in at least 1 quarter produced 94-161 kg less milk in 2nd and >3rd parity, respectively, and those with isolation in more than 2 quarters produced 303-390 kg less than multiparous culture-negative animals during a 305-d lactation. Compared with culture-negative cows, the hazard ratio for CM and culling in cows with isolation of Staph. aureus in at least 1 quarter was 2.0 (1.6-2.4) and 1.7 (1.5-1.9), respectively. There was a decrease in the SCC and in the CM risk in culture-negative cows where iodine PMTD had been used, indicating that iodine PMTD has a preventive effect on already healthy cows. For cows testing positive for Staph. aureus in more than 2 quarters at calving, iodine PMTD had a negative effect on the CM risk and on the SCC through the remaining lactation.
Purpose The effect of brewers’ yeast (1,3)-(1,6)-beta-d-glucan consumption on the number of common cold episodes in healthy subject was investigated. Methods In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized, multicentric clinical trial, 162 healthy participants with recurring infections received 900 mg of either placebo (n = 81) or an insoluble yeast (1,3)-(1,6)-beta-d-glucan preparation (n = 81) per day over a course of 16 weeks. Subjects were instructed to document each occurring common cold episode in a diary and to rate ten predefined infection symptoms during an infections period, resulting in a symptom score. The subjects were examined by the investigator during the episode visit on the 5th day of each cold episode. Results In the per protocol population, supplementation with insoluble yeast (1,3)-(1,6)-beta-glucan reduced the number of symptomatic common cold infections by 25 % as compared to placebo (p = 0.041). The mean symptom score was 15 % lower in the beta-glucan as opposed to the placebo group (p = 0.125). Beta-glucan significantly reduced sleep difficulties caused by cold episode as compared to placebo (p = 0.028). Efficacy of yeast beta-glucan was rated better than the placebo both by physicians (p = 0.004) participants (p = 0.012). Conclusion The present study demonstrated that yeast beta-glucan preparation increased the body’s potential to defend against invading pathogens.