Posted on 11/14/2009 7:04:29 PM PST by neverdem
Many strokes cannot be explained by known risk factors like high blood pressure and smoking, and scientists have speculated that infection could play a role.
A new study is linking cumulative exposure to five common pathogens with an increased risk for stroke. The infections in order of significance are Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2, according to the study, published online on Nov. 9 in The Archives of Neurology. “Each of these common pathogens may persist after an acute infection and contribute to perpetuating a state of chronic low-level infection,” said the paper’s lead author, Dr. Mitchell S. V. Elkind, an associate professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Infectious Burden and Risk of Stroke
"The mean IB(Infectious Burden) index was higher in non-Hispanic black (1.05 [0.31]) and Hispanic (1.07 [0.27]) individuals compared with non-Hispanic white individuals (0.75 [0.41]; P < .001 for both comparisons). It was slightly higher in women (1.02 [0.31]) than men (0.97 [0.36]; P = .002). There was no difference by age."
Translation: women and minorities hardest hit.
Bet each of these raise the CRP level.
P.s... my husband also didn't drink, smoke or do drugs and had his blood pressure always under control...ate a healthy diet and no one was more regular in their doctor appointments than he... and then wham... major cerebral hemmorhage stroke...
If you don't want to confess and make amends for white privilege, this could happen to you.
Race, Violence, and the Columbia Professor
N.B. Columbia University is a little more than two miles south of Columbia University Medical Center where the study was done. I grew up less than two miles north of that medical center, in Inwood. The medical center is in Washington Heights.
Cheers!
Also, keep up with other H1N1 update stories on this thread: H1N1 flu victim collapsed on way to hospital [Latest H1N1 updates downthread] thanks to DvdMom and others.
Bump for later Sunday reading
Some of those are infections that one cannot cure so what good does this knowledge do? Anyone who has ever had a cold sore has a herpes virus, right? And isn’t H Pylori also chronic?
There are all kinds of levels to chronic infections. Some may just sit in the background and never do much of anything. Others may go acute periodically or when the immune system is suppressed. Importantly, since some of these chronic infections can be detected, they might be mitigated over time.
Two known long term troublemakers are polio and chickenpox, both that were at least once common as childhood diseases. In later years, they tend to reemerge with powerful secondary diseases. In chickenpox, for example, the result is called shingles. And there are all sorts of ways to treat and mitigate shingles, and to prevent recurrences.
In the case of some of these other viruses, that might cause stroke, just being aware of susceptibility to stroke could do wonders to avoid it. (Likewise, I might add, some of these long term infections are associated with heart attack as well.)
Thanks for the ping!
I don’t know if you might want to use this for your ping list.
Doctors Learned Why Ukrainians Dying!
All victims of the virus in Bukovyna (22 people at the age of 20-40) died not from bilateral pneumonia, as was previously thought, but as a result of viral distress syndrome, i.e the total destruction of the lungs.
At first the cardio-pulmonary insufficiency comes, and consequently cardiogenic shock is developed, which causes cardiac standstill and death, told the chief of bureau of the Chernivtsi regional forensic examination, doctor of science, Professor Viktor Bachynsky, UNIAN reports.
“During a bilateral pneumonia some morphological picture is observed. As of data of deaths, there is no such morphological picture. The virus, which causes death, is very aggressive, it does not strike the trachea, but immediately gets into the lungs and causes heavy swelling and solid hemorrhage. Mixed types of parainfluenza and influenza A/N1N1 lead to this state. This is a very toxic strain, which has not yet answered to the treatment of the Ministry of Health”, - said Viktor Bachinsky.
According to him, there is a need to change the treatment standards, because those which were used earlier, resulted in nothing – doctors failed to save all people infected with the virus in the reanimation. The belt ventilators did not help also.
For this reason a group of professors of Chernivtsi Medical University appealed to the Ministry of Health and National Security and Defense Council with a demand to review the standards of treatment of patients in Bukovyna. Scientists-morphologists sent to Kyiv reports, studies and analysis of critically ill patients and people who died of virus.
Viktor Bachinsky noted that the virus is extremely toxic, it is able to penetrate not only through respiratory apparatus but also through the eyes. Chernovtsy scientists recommend in any case use masks and even wear protective spectacles. An important condition to prevent deterioration of the situation is also the observance of quarantine regime.
06:19 p.m. Ministry of Health does not consider it is necessary to publish data on the number of confirmed cases of influenza pandemic in the laboratory. “Ukraine is in the A/N1N1 influenza pandemic, and now it does not matter how many of these cases will be detected, we should treat everybody equally,” - said Deputy Minister of Health Vasyl Lazoryshynets at a briefing on Friday.
Vasyl Lazoryshynets also reminded that in Ukraine since the beginning of the epidemic 1,25 mn people became ill with pandemic influenza, influenza and acute respiratory diseases, including 61,000 people - over the past day, which is by 8,500 less than the previous day. 65,615 people are treated in hospital, including 392 - in the reanimation, 60 have artificial pulmonary ventilation.
Since the beginning of the epidemic in Ukraine 239 people died, including 26 people during the last day, most of them are in the Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Lviv and Ternopil Regions. He also said that according to the laboratory data, 14 people died of pandemic influenza, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
06:25 p.m. To date, swine flu in Ukraine is dominant, but not the only strain, said the head of mission of the World Health Organization in Ukraine Yukka Pukkila.
Yukka Pukkila said that the strain of pandemic virus is detected in 22 cases of 34 samples sent to the control laboratory, which collaborates with WHO in London.
At the same time, Yukka Pukkila stressed that, besides Californian flu in Ukraine there is a large number of varieties of acute respiratory viral diseases and many other viruses that infect the respiratory system, reports Liga.
http://blogs.healthfreedomalliance.org/blog/2009/11/14/doctors-learned-why-ukrainians-dying/
People of color are more likely to be vitamin d deficient. Check vitamin d deficiency and infection at PubMed.
Anyone who has ever had a cold sore has a herpes virus, right?
It could be herpes simplex type I or II. Usually, it's type I. CMV is also a member of the herpes family of viruses. Maybe it's useless knowledge. Maybe it will be more useful in the future.
And isn’t H Pylori also chronic?
Yes, if it is left untreated. Since it has been idetified as the cause of most gastrointestinal ulcers, it is usually treated with three different antibotics simultaneously to eradicate it.
You’re welcome, as always, Alamo-Girl!
Also, keep up with other H1N1 update stories on this thread: H1N1 flu victim collapsed on way to hospital [Latest H1N1 updates downthread] thanks to DvdMom and others.
“Some of those are infections that one cannot cure so what good does this knowledge do?”
For me, it’s a reminder that the optional chicken pox vaccine for children is a very good thing.
5 Pathogens Linked to Risk for Stroke
Pathogens are viruses, bacteria, algae, and protozoans that cause diseases in humans, other animals, or plants.
More here for our intellectually curious group:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathogen
. . . . Catching up on the news again. ~ OT Ping because we all need to know these things.
I had Pyloric ulcers for years. Then my doctor finally gave me the combination of 2 antibiotics treatment for one full week. I have never had another ulcer since. I felt sick that entire week but it certainly eliminated that bacteria. Bottom line, I haven’t had ulcers now for over 15 years. CO
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