A protein called SAMHD1, produced by dendritic cells, provides resistance of immune cells against HIV. Researchers are currently investigating the mechanism by which SAMHD1 resists HIV infection, but it's been proposed that this protein destroys the free flowing dNTPs, thus depleting virus infected cells of building blocks to replicate the viral genome. This process is termed Nucleotide pool depletion. Or in the words of Dr. Landau "SAMHD1 essentially starves the virus." But the viruses have their own escape strategies - they evolved to not infect SAMHD1 producing cells, but to infect CD4 T-cells, which do not produce such protective proteins. In addition, HIV and related viruses have developed Protein X that directly attacks SAMHD1, allowing it to infect dendritic cells.
I found this article interesting because it has profound therapeutic implications. If we could develop a drug to increase SAMHD1 production in naturally non-producing cells, such as CD4 T cells, therefore counter-attacking HIV's immune evading strategies. In addition, understanding how viral protein X interacts and destroys SAMHD1 could pave the way to developing drugs that prevent viral destruction of these crucial genes.
Michelle Jin
Source:http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120212/Study-reveals-how-SAMHD1-works-to-protect-dendritic-cells-from-HIV-virus.aspx?page=2
Sunday, February 12, 2012
WNV competent mosquito returns to UK
Culex modestus has been found in the marshland of the Thames Estuary. This mosquito has not been seen in the UK since 1945. It is worrisome because it can carry and transmit West Nile Virus.
Scientists are now using satellite imagery to locate habitats where the mosquito is most likely to be found. They will then work on the ground to study the mosquito more and determine whether there is any risk to human health.
WNV has been transmitted to humans occasionally in southern Europe but so far has no human has contracted the disease in the UK.
Elena Jordan
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16988183
Scientists are now using satellite imagery to locate habitats where the mosquito is most likely to be found. They will then work on the ground to study the mosquito more and determine whether there is any risk to human health.
WNV has been transmitted to humans occasionally in southern Europe but so far has no human has contracted the disease in the UK.
Elena Jordan
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16988183
Study Linking Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to Viral Infection Has Been Retracted
In 2009, a study published in Science by Dr. Judy Mikovits linked chronic fatigue syndrome to a viral infection with XMRV. Two years later, in December of 2011, this original study along with one study that supported the findings were retracted within days of each other, and the viral association was discredited. After the study was published, a number of studies failed to confirm the association, and a critical part of the scientific process, replication, was unable to occur.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is defined by a number of symptoms, the most common being profound exhaustion, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and cognitive dysfunction. Up until the publication of Mikovit's study, there was no known cause for CFS. The Center for Disease Control even classifies the syndrome as a psychological disease or a stress-related condition. According to a paper by the CDC, patients' who suffer from CDC tend to disproportionately have "paranoid, schizoid, obsessive-compulsive, avoidant, and depressive personality disorders."
On a side note, following the study's retraction, a legal plague hit the institution and researcher associated with the XMRV study. The main researcher, Dr. Mikovits was jailed for stealing from the lab and charged with being a fugitive. At the same time, the Whittemores, from the Whittemore Peterson Institute for NeuroImmune Disease (the research institution where the original study was performed) are being sued for embezzlement.
The XMRV-CFS association was not the only viral-associated connection that Mikovits proposed. At several conferences, Dr. Mikovits offered the idea that the murine leukemia virus (MLV) is associated with autism.
-Angela Cesena
Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/07/health/fallout-from-fatigue-syndrome-retraction-is-far-and-wide.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&ref=health#
Chronic fatigue syndrome is defined by a number of symptoms, the most common being profound exhaustion, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and cognitive dysfunction. Up until the publication of Mikovit's study, there was no known cause for CFS. The Center for Disease Control even classifies the syndrome as a psychological disease or a stress-related condition. According to a paper by the CDC, patients' who suffer from CDC tend to disproportionately have "paranoid, schizoid, obsessive-compulsive, avoidant, and depressive personality disorders."
On a side note, following the study's retraction, a legal plague hit the institution and researcher associated with the XMRV study. The main researcher, Dr. Mikovits was jailed for stealing from the lab and charged with being a fugitive. At the same time, the Whittemores, from the Whittemore Peterson Institute for NeuroImmune Disease (the research institution where the original study was performed) are being sued for embezzlement.
The XMRV-CFS association was not the only viral-associated connection that Mikovits proposed. At several conferences, Dr. Mikovits offered the idea that the murine leukemia virus (MLV) is associated with autism.
-Angela Cesena
Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/07/health/fallout-from-fatigue-syndrome-retraction-is-far-and-wide.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&ref=health#
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Super Bowl Measles!
Oh man, this story is horrifying but also hilarious.
Someone who mingled with over 200,000 people at the Super Bowl village in Indianapolis has come down with the measles, aka the most infectious disease ever.
There's a chance that he wasn't infectious at the event, which was held on Friday—measles is infectious around 4 days before it becomes a visible rash, and if he's just come down with measles, the people he interacted with should be safe. But who knows what the speed of the news reporting is. Since there's a 10-day incubation period, if he really did spread it, we should see a ton of new cases popping up soon.
The public health department alerted the CDC, but the officials don't seem too worried. This faith in good vaccine coverage may be misplaced, but we can hope that there weren't a large number of kids who attended the party, because the children born in the last decade or so aren't as well immunized as the rest of the population because of parental worries (coughJennyMcCarthy).
Anyways, I look forward to the imminent measles outbreak that will hopefully spur more parents into getting their kids vaccinated!
-Annelise
Someone who mingled with over 200,000 people at the Super Bowl village in Indianapolis has come down with the measles, aka the most infectious disease ever.
There's a chance that he wasn't infectious at the event, which was held on Friday—measles is infectious around 4 days before it becomes a visible rash, and if he's just come down with measles, the people he interacted with should be safe. But who knows what the speed of the news reporting is. Since there's a 10-day incubation period, if he really did spread it, we should see a ton of new cases popping up soon.
The public health department alerted the CDC, but the officials don't seem too worried. This faith in good vaccine coverage may be misplaced, but we can hope that there weren't a large number of kids who attended the party, because the children born in the last decade or so aren't as well immunized as the rest of the population because of parental worries (coughJennyMcCarthy).
Anyways, I look forward to the imminent measles outbreak that will hopefully spur more parents into getting their kids vaccinated!
-Annelise
Monday, February 6, 2012
Fatal Rabies Case in Italy
A 40-year old man in Mantova, Italy was admitted to the hospital a day ago exhibiting symptoms of rabies including fever, myalgias, and respiratory distress. His rabies infection was confirmed and he died soon after. On September 28, 2011, the man was attacked by an aggressive dog and received pretty severe bite injuries in the arm in the north part of India. Despite receiving immediate post-exposure prophylaxis, his rabies was not cured.
He scored a 17 on the Glasgow Coma Score, which is a diagnostic tool used in rabies diagnosis. It questions eye response, verbal response, and motor response. More information is here: http://www.trauma.org/archive/scores/gcs.html
Approximately 36% of the rabies cases worldwide occur in India, or about 20,000 deaths. Though rabies is known well throughout India, immunoglobulin protecting against the disease is the major constraint in protection as it is in extremely short supply.
http://www.promedmail.org/
He scored a 17 on the Glasgow Coma Score, which is a diagnostic tool used in rabies diagnosis. It questions eye response, verbal response, and motor response. More information is here: http://www.trauma.org/archive/scores/gcs.html
Approximately 36% of the rabies cases worldwide occur in India, or about 20,000 deaths. Though rabies is known well throughout India, immunoglobulin protecting against the disease is the major constraint in protection as it is in extremely short supply.
http://www.promedmail.org/
Viral Valentines
In researching for the blog post this week, I must have come across 6 different articles highlighting the infectious dangers of Valentine's day. Valentine's day conveniently coincides with the height of cold-flu season, and since that's coming up and conveniently showcases many of the viruses we've been talking about in class, it's worth a mention.
Among the viral diseases mentioned in just one article are mononucleosis, colds, the flu, and cold sores. This particular article delicately steers clear of any sexually transmitted diseases, but it's Valentine's day so those should probably be included in this list as well. The families represented here might include Herpes, Paramyxo, Picorna, Corona, Papilloma, and Retro, and methods of transmission include direct contact, respiratory, and sexual. Basically, Valentine's day is pretty cool for a virology student.
This particular article shares helpful tips such as "keep your chopstick [and other utensils] to yourself" and "Do Give and Get a Flu Shot – 'It’s the gift that keeps on giving – you protect yourself, your loved one and you stop the virus from spreading to others,” said Parada. “If that isn’t sexy, and say ‘I love you’ I don’t know what does.'"
So enjoy Valentine's day everyone!
http://www.newswise.com/articles/valentine-s-day-is-the-worst-time-to-kiss-says-loyola-infectious-disease-specialist
--Sarah Kaewert
Among the viral diseases mentioned in just one article are mononucleosis, colds, the flu, and cold sores. This particular article delicately steers clear of any sexually transmitted diseases, but it's Valentine's day so those should probably be included in this list as well. The families represented here might include Herpes, Paramyxo, Picorna, Corona, Papilloma, and Retro, and methods of transmission include direct contact, respiratory, and sexual. Basically, Valentine's day is pretty cool for a virology student.
This particular article shares helpful tips such as "keep your chopstick [and other utensils] to yourself" and "Do Give and Get a Flu Shot – 'It’s the gift that keeps on giving – you protect yourself, your loved one and you stop the virus from spreading to others,” said Parada. “If that isn’t sexy, and say ‘I love you’ I don’t know what does.'"
So enjoy Valentine's day everyone!
http://www.newswise.com/articles/valentine-s-day-is-the-worst-time-to-kiss-says-loyola-infectious-disease-specialist
--Sarah Kaewert
All noro on board!
3 cruise ships set sale this weekend after having docked in Florida and Louisiana with norovirus outbreaks. Not too much info is known on whether any passengers were infected (guess we'll have to wait the 72 hours of incubation period!). The spokesperson for the cruise ship said that the ship was cleaned and shouldn't cause the symptoms of upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea.
I wish the article provided more information on the cleaning measures, how many patients went onboard, how many patients were affected by the outbreak, and how many other cruise ships will be docking in the oubreak area.
The spokesperson for the cruise line also said the passengers were warned - this somehow seems like blaming the victim.
But we'll see in a few days what happens! dun dun dun...
Source:http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2012/02/06/3rd_us_cruise_ship_sails_after_virus_outbreak/
-Michelle Jin
I wish the article provided more information on the cleaning measures, how many patients went onboard, how many patients were affected by the outbreak, and how many other cruise ships will be docking in the oubreak area.
The spokesperson for the cruise line also said the passengers were warned - this somehow seems like blaming the victim.
But we'll see in a few days what happens! dun dun dun...
Source:http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2012/02/06/3rd_us_cruise_ship_sails_after_virus_outbreak/
-Michelle Jin
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