Phage , the virus that cures

[William Gaatjes]

Hi Gibson, i read something interesting that may have a strong implication on how to handle in the future autoimmune diseases.
As it turns out, the inoculation against measels may have prevented humanity from overlooking a perhaps ancient practice which we now only see in the movies as magic but is just a very smart trick of healing in sequence and that the enemy of my enemy is my friend for a moment : The measels.
As it turns out, by accident Dutch researchers and English researchers sort of stumbled on something in the dutch biblebelt where measle vaccination does not occur.
The children had a very weird symptom after healing from the measles infection. They lost there memory cells for previously encoutered diseases. And that may be interesting to counter auto immune diseases acquired through molecular mimicry.

The dutch Amsterdam UMC and Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge is researching it since 2019. It is in dutch, so you have to translate.

Hoe mazelen het immuunsysteem wist

Mensen worden niet alleen ziek van mazelen, het virus houdt ook flink huis in het immuunsysteem (afweersysteem) van patiënten, zeggen onderzoekers van Amsterdam UMC.

amsterdamumc.org

"
Not only do people get sick from measles, the virus also has a major impact on the immune system of patients. This increases the chance of another illness after the children have measles. Researchers from Amsterdam UMC and the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge have mapped out how the measles virus paralyzes the immune system. They will publish Thursday in Science Immunology.
"

Why do i come up with ancient practice that we only see in movies ?
Well, let's think of the following scenario : Sometimes sick people where brought to a healer. The healer gave them something, a potion that fights the disease but the potion also will kill them. So after killing the disease, the potion must be neutralized...

Perhaps many diseases can be cured that way as when i was talking with my friend in the gym ,we talked about how certain parasites fight of other parasites...

What is your take on it ?

 

[William Gaatjes]

Look, more mounting evidence what the cause is of multiple sclerosis.

A very common virus may be the trigger for multiple sclerosis

Scientists have long linked the virus that causes mono to MS.

arstechnica.com

It is now a question to why it happens.
Here is a postulation :
There may a way : What i read, is that with some people the EBV virus seems to hide in sleeping memory b cells.
What if something happens to such a cell that it reactivates and starts pumping out antibodies that lock on to the proteins of the myelin sheet of the nerve fibers ?
What if it is a coinfection ? 2 virus infections at once ? The EBV virus is inside a resting memory b cell. Then an RNA virus infects the cell which also has some trick up it's sleeve similar to reverse transcriptase. Somewhere inside the b memory cell, antibodies are created as explained in a simple way here :

Immune system vs. virus: Why omicron had experts worried from the start

How the immune system targets viruses and shapes viral evolution.

arstechnica.com

A coinfection inside an infected memory b-cell might be the cause of multiple sclerosis.

The big questions are : Is there a protein on the EBV virus that looks similar like for example myelin basic protein ? And is it molecular mimicry ?
Or is there just something weird going on in the antibody production department inside the (EBV) infected memory b cell ?

EBV = Epstein Barr Virus = Human herpes virus 4 [HHV-4]
Also, EBV is known for mono AKA kissings diseases AKA (ziekte van Pfeiffer).

 

[Gibsons]

So let's see -
I personally have zero concerns about Sarscov2 integrating in the human genome. For me or humanity in general.

EBV causing MS - three possible mechanisms are:
1 antigen mimicry - Abs against various EBV proteins cross react to self proteins. there are documented examples of this.
2 EBV causes or allows B cells to migrate to CNS, causing inflammation from there. We know the migration happens, whether that's necessary for MS to develop, who knows.
3 immortalized/infected B cells are less subject to control or anti inflammatory mechanisms. Kind of hand waving here, but EBV does immortalize B cells.

These could all be working together, they aren't mutually exclusive. And of course there are almost certainly things going on that we don't know about or even suspect.

This was a huge, important discovery imo. Pinning down causes of autoimmunity has been problematic.

 

[William Gaatjes]

So let's see -
I personally have zero concerns about Sarscov2 integrating in the human genome. For me or humanity in general.

EBV causing MS - three possible mechanisms are:
1 antigen mimicry - Abs against various EBV proteins cross react to self proteins. there are documented examples of this.
2 EBV causes or allows B cells to migrate to CNS, causing inflammation from there. We know the migration happens, whether that's necessary for MS to develop, who knows.
3 immortalized/infected B cells are less subject to control or anti inflammatory mechanisms. Kind of hand waving here, but EBV does immortalize B cells.

These could all be working together, they aren't mutually exclusive. And of course there are almost certainly things going on that we don't know about or even suspect.

This was a huge, important discovery imo. Pinning down causes of autoimmunity has been problematic.

Thank you, Gibson. That is fascinating. Encouraging the curiosity indeed.

2 EBV causes or allows B cells to migrate to CNS, causing inflammation from there. We know the migration happens, whether that's necessary for MS to develop, who knows.

Now this, Gibson. Is a very improtant clue. What mechanism lies beneath this systematic migration to the CNS ?
How does the migration occur ? Is it just jump in the bloodstream and hope to get there by chance ? Or is it really like an encoded map of the body. To know how to get there and that the EBV hijacks this ?


3 immortalized/infected B cells are less subject to control or anti inflammatory mechanisms. Kind of hand waving here, but EBV does immortalize B cells.

immortalized b cells. I have never heard of that description before. That is like a precursor to a tumor cell ? Yes ?

 

[Gibsons]

Looks like I misremembered a bit about B cells migrating to the brain. They can and do migrate to the brain (so can T cells and other immune cells), it's definitely seen in MS, and thought to be a contributing factor towards disease. It's due to expression of an integrin that allows them to cross the blood brain barrier (there are other ways iirc). But... I'm not sure where I got that EBV actually causes the integrin expression and subsequent migration. I can't find a reference for it. I guess it's possible that it does, but it's just supposition.

immortalization (disclaimer: over-generalizations incoming)

So, cancer 101. If you take a 'normal' cell (good luck defining that, I won't try) from a human and put it in a culture flask, feed and talk to it real nice, it will grow. It will sick to the bottom and divide until it covers the bottom surface of the flask in a single cell layer, then stop. If you take a cell(s) from that, and put it in a new flask, it grows and covers the new flask. Keep repeating this and eventually, the cells stop dividing. How often they divide depends on a few things, but a typical number of divisions might be 50 (called the Hayflick limit). That's a 'mortal' cell, it has a finite ability to divide.

On the other hand, take cancer cells, and they will usually (not always, CLL being a maddening exception for me personally) divide as long as you care to keep dividing and feeding them. That's an immortal cell line, it has an apparently infinite capacity to divide. Most or all of the difference is due to telomerase.

Side note, the cancer cells will also grow on top of each other in piles, compared to the single layer of normal cells. The terms here are 'contact inhibition,' (they grow in a single layer, stop when they contact another cell) and 'transformation' (basically a loss of contact inhibition). So, most cancer cells are usually transformed and immortal.

One reason EBV has been so well studied for so long is that it immortalizes B cells. So in the early days when B cells were starting to get picked apart and we knew almost nothing about telomerase, you could take a B cell from any old source (not really), infect it with EBV, and grow up as many as you cared to. A question that still isn't quite answered: if immortalization is about half of what you need for cancer, why doesn't EBV cause tons of B cell cancers? It's definitely causative in the endemic form of Burkitt's lymphoma, but not much else.

 

[William Gaatjes]

Looks like I misremembered a bit about B cells migrating to the brain. They can and do migrate to the brain (so can T cells and other immune cells), it's definitely seen in MS, and thought to be a contributing factor towards disease. It's due to expression of an integrin that allows them to cross the blood brain barrier (there are other ways iirc). But... I'm not sure where I got that EBV actually causes the integrin expression and subsequent migration. I can't find a reference for it. I guess it's possible that it does, but it's just supposition.

immortalization (disclaimer: over-generalizations incoming)

So, cancer 101. If you take a 'normal' cell (good luck defining that, I won't try) from a human and put it in a culture flask, feed and talk to it real nice, it will grow. It will sick to the bottom and divide until it covers the bottom surface of the flask in a single cell layer, then stop. If you take a cell(s) from that, and put it in a new flask, it grows and covers the new flask. Keep repeating this and eventually, the cells stop dividing. How often they divide depends on a few things, but a typical number of divisions might be 50 (called the Hayflick limit). That's a 'mortal' cell, it has a finite ability to divide.

On the other hand, take cancer cells, and they will usually (not always, CLL being a maddening exception for me personally) divide as long as you care to keep dividing and feeding them. That's an immortal cell line, it has an apparently infinite capacity to divide. Most or all of the difference is due to telomerase.

Side note, the cancer cells will also grow on top of each other in piles, compared to the single layer of normal cells. The terms here are 'contact inhibition,' (they grow in a single layer, stop when they contact another cell) and 'transformation' (basically a loss of contact inhibition). So, most cancer cells are usually transformed and immortal.

One reason EBV has been so well studied for so long is that it immortalizes B cells. So in the early days when B cells were starting to get picked apart and we knew almost nothing about telomerase, you could take a B cell from any old source (not really), infect it with EBV, and grow up as many as you cared to. A question that still isn't quite answered: if immortalization is about half of what you need for cancer, why doesn't EBV cause tons of B cell cancers? It's definitely causative in the endemic form of Burkitt's lymphoma, but not much else.

Integrins. That is interesting. I have to read about that.

Cancer 101. Indeed. I know a little bit of something about that. Telomeres. the regeneration of telomeres. Telomeres also being used as a sort end of sentence instruction when DNA is being read. I purchased this book (see picture) about Henrietta Lacks last year but have not read it yet about the immortal HeLa cells and how aggressive they are. They even grow inside the body of another human and likely also in other mammals a while before the immunesystem will succesfully remove the HelA cells after time. But that starts to sound like transmittable cancers like some Canine versions and Tasmanian devils versions after biting eachother and passing on the cancer cells through open wounds and blood... Some really nazi alike illegal experiments were done using inmates in a prison in the USA. Weird fact is that the HeLa cells came to existence after a uterine cell became infected with HPV-18 and syphilis and got a large amount of chromosomes around 78 of them. She was the poor victim of infidelity from her husband. If only he kept his pecker inside the pants...

That contact inhibition and transformation is interesting. I read somethings about tumors. And it seems that the aggressive ones were comprised of cells that were able to differentiate into cells with specific functions. Like a new organism. Some were more optimized for replication, others were very good at pumping out all kinds of signal molecules for the body to start generating new bloodvessels for the tumor to feed upon to be able to grow faster because of getting more nutrients than the surrounding tissues. A fact used by the current chemical therapies.

Hayflick limit. There are some animals where there is something weird going on with the hayflick limit. But i forgot the animal.
I never knew about normall cells only wanting to grow in 2 dimensions in a flask.

This is also an interesting TED talk by Nobel prize winner Elizabeth Blackburn, about the increased shortening of telomeres because of chronic stress.

The science of cells that never get old

What makes our bodies age ... our skin wrinkle, our hair turn white, our immune systems weaken? Biologist Elizabeth Blackburn shares a Nobel Prize for her work finding out the answer, with the discovery of telomerase: an enzyme that replenishes the caps at the end of chromosomes, which break...

www.ted.com

And i found this useful a while ago , for you Gibson, it is easy material but for us microbiology amateurs and peasants very handy : https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-a-telomere

Home

Discover more about DNA, genes and genomes

www.yourgenome.org

What makes me kind of mad, is that it is known for so long how dangerous EBV is and no one ever bothered to make a vaccine for it before but i guess it was very difficult to impossible create a save one.
They always say it is a perfectly harmless virus while it is obvious it is not. Immortalizes B cells swimming around in the body does not sound very comforting.
I learned that moderna is busy with a trial to start with a EBV vaccine based on the same technique now used for SARS-CoV2 virus : mRNA vaccine.

Moderna doses first subject in Phase I EBV vaccine trial

Moderna has dosed the first subject in the Phase I Eclipse clinical trial of its Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) vaccine candidate, mRNA-1189.

www.clinicaltrialsarena.com

 

[William Gaatjes]

The venereal disease gonorrhea is again spreading enormously and is now also quite resistant to most antibiotics. Gonorrhea is a disease that develops after infection with the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae through sexual contact. In now not so rare cases, the bacteria can also spread to other parts of the body. Also to the brain and thus cause ultimate psychological complaints due to local infections in the brain. And also cause meningitis. Another example is that inflammation of the heart valves can also develop, which can even become chronic, increasing the risk of heart failure. Just to name a few examples.

As gonorrhea becomes untreatable, a repurposed vaccine may prevent it

The effectiveness is modest but could still prevent a large number of infections.

arstechnica.com

"
An existing vaccine that prevents meningococcal disease may also be up to 40 percent effective at preventing gonorrhea infections, which are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, with some strains completely incurable. This discovery is according to a series of studies and commentaries published Tuesday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Though the estimated effectiveness is modest, shots of the vaccine—4CMenB aka Bexsero—could still prevent many infections, researchers reported. The vaccine could prevent more than 100,000 gonorrhea infections over 10 years in the UK, saving an estimated $10.4 million. In the meantime, the vaccine's effectiveness could provide significant clues for vaccine developers to make a more effective gonorrhea-specific shot.
The need for such a vaccine is clear. Not only is gonorrhea quickly becoming more drug-resistant, but it is also on the rise in the US and other countries. The World Health Organization estimates there were more than 82 million gonorrhea cases worldwide in 2020. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there were nearly 680,000 cases in the US in 2020, up 10 percent from 2019 and up 45 percent from 2016.

In a press conference Tuesday, Jonathan Mermin, director of the CDC's National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, highlighted the optimism around using 4CMenB to prevent gonorrhea. "There's more research going into that," Mermin noted, "but it does show at least some hope that in the future we could be developing effective and safe vaccines against gonorrhea, which would help us more successfully reverse some of the trends that we've been seeing over the past 10 years."
The effectiveness of a meningococcal vaccine against gonorrhea stems from the fact that the two diseases are caused by related bacteria—Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, respectively. Previous research has suggested that the vaccine could provide cross-reactive immune responses, given that the two microbes share significant amounts of their genetic code and key proteins targeted by the vaccines.

Multipurpose vaccine

In the series of studies published Tuesday, two were case-controlled observational studies looking at the real-world effectiveness of 4CMenB against gonorrhea infections in specific populations in the US and Australia.
In the US-based study, led by the CDC's Winston Abara, researchers used health records of gonorrhea cases in people ages 16 to 23 in New York City and Philadelphia from 2016 to 2018. The cases were matched to others in the same age group who had chlamydia—the control group.
The researchers had records of nearly 168,000 infections (approximately 18,000 gonorrhea infections, 125,000 chlamydia infections, and 25,000 co-infections) among almost 110,000 teens and young adults. Of those, nearly 7,700 were vaccinated with at least one dose—about 4,000 had one dose, and 3,600 had two doses. The researchers estimated that having two doses provided 40 percent protection against gonorrhea, and one dose was 26 percent effective.
In the second study, Australian researchers tapped into data on more than 53,000 teens and young adults who received one dose and 46,000 who received two doses in South Australia as part of a statewide program. Looking at the vaccination status of gonorrhea cases and using chlamydia cases as controls, the researchers estimated that the 4CMenB vaccine was 33 percent effective at preventing gonorrhea.
The studies have several limitations. For instance, the researchers cannot determine how long such protection may last against gonorrhea after vaccination. The studies looked at specific populations, so the estimates may not be generalizable. Still, any modest benefits could significantly impact disease spread, especially in high-risk groups, such as young adults and men who have sex with men (MSM).
In a third study released Tuesday, researchers in the UK modeled the cost-effectiveness of using the meningococcal vaccine 4CMenB to prevent gonorrhea infections. They estimated that vaccinating at-risk MSM could prevent 110,000 cases in the UK over the next 10 years, saving $10.4 million in testing and treatment costs. And those estimates are conservative. The researchers assumed that one dose of the vaccine does not provide any protection. The study also didn't account for extra costs that may be associated with drug-resistant gonorrhea infections.
"With a gonorrhea-specific vaccine likely to take years to develop, a key question for policymakers is whether the meningitis vaccine 4CMenB should be used against gonorrhea infection," lead author of the modeling study, Peter White, of Imperial College London, said in a statement. "Our analysis suggests that giving the vaccine to those at the greatest risk of infection is the most cost-effective way to avert large numbers of cases."

"

 

[William Gaatjes]

I read about something interesting stuff. As we all know cells have mitochondria and these little energyproducers make ATP for our cells to drive the internal processes. ATP is used as a sort of energy carrier in our cells and the full name is Adenosine triphosphate.
As it turns out Chlamydiae bacteria are very large energy consumers of ATP inside cells and are considered ATP energy parasites.
And that might give some clues to some people being extremely tired or something or cells being randomly attacked or weird unexplainable diseases because of certain signalling chemicals being at a too low level to be useful. So these bacteria are a target to look for i woud presume.

The weird thing about Chlamydiae is that they are quite simple. They lack most of the DNA other bacteria have to replicate so they need more of the host cell internal systems to replicate.
And that is why this Chlamydia family attacks a host cell and can only replicate inside a host cell.
To traverse the environment outside the host cell, it forms a sort of spore. an Elementary body. Imagine that the bacteria now is inside a tiny vessel like for exmaple a very tough egg in which it can travel very hostile environments. Before the bacteria becoms active inside the host cell, it turns into a reticulate body. And now it is able to hijack the host cells ATP resources and anything else it needs...


Small excerpt from this source : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553175/
"
The body is a complex organism, and as such, it takes energy to maintain proper functioning. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the source of energy for use and storage at the cellular level. The structure of ATP is a nucleoside triphosphate, consisting of a nitrogenous base (adenine), a ribose sugar, and three serially bonded phosphate groups. ATP is commonly referred to as the "energy currency" of the cell, as it provides readily releasable energy in the bond between the second and third phosphate groups. In addition to providing energy, the breakdown of ATP through hydrolysis serves a broad range of cell functions, including signaling and DNA/RNA synthesis. ATP synthesis utilizes energy obtained from multiple catabolic mechanisms, including cellular respiration, beta-oxidation, and ketosis.

The majority of ATP synthesis occurs in cellular respiration within the mitochondrial matrix: generating approximately thirty-two ATP molecules per molecule of glucose that is oxidized. ATP is consumed for energy in processes including ion transport, muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, substrate phosphorylation, and chemical synthesis. These processes, as well as others, create a high demand for ATP. As a result, cells within the human body depend upon the hydrolysis of 100 to 150 moles of ATP per day to ensure proper functioning. In the forthcoming sections, ATP will undergo further evaluation of its role as a crucial molecule in the daily functioning of the cell.
"

Excerpts from this source : https://academic.oup.com/femsre/article/22/2/65/517506
"
Chlamydiae like for example Chlamydia psittaci , are considered energy parasites since they depend on the eukaryotic ATP for their replication
"
and

"
The relationship that chlamydiae establish with host cells is an intimate association that has evolved between two very different forms of life. Once inside the cell, Chlamydia do little damage initially and may even go unnoticed as multiplication progresses. They change their intracellular form of existence and finally they may exert a cytocidal effect on the infected host cell or, under other conditions, persist for extended periods within the surviving host cell [98].
"
Maintaining inside a host cell. And the immunesystem probably not being aware or not ?
But even when not damaging the host cell after replication, there is still ATP stealing i guess...
That is not good... Something to wonder about...

Perhaps a specific member of the Chlamydia family is a cause for Lupus ? Just guessing here.

 

[William Gaatjes]

This is just a postulation, so don't take it for granted right away, but read everything and think about it.
But suppose the more severe cases of SARS-CoV2 went like this:

A little background :
The SARS-CoV2 virus probably comes from caves in China where bats live, but beware:
Caves are often cold and wet, so they can also be good soils for fungi to thrive.
Just look at the bat cases where the bats are overgrown by fungi during hibernation.

SARS-CoV2 is known to be a mycovirus.
Mycoviruses are viruses that infect fungi.
Common : Positive-strand RNA virus.
Corona is also a Positive-strand RNA virus and seems to come from caves where bats also live and those caves are wet and cold and damp.
The corona virus SARS-CoV and its successor SARS-CoV2 have a spike glycoprotein that attacks the ACE2 receptor, where it is suspected that it can also be found on some fungi.
.
The SARS-CoV2 virus may remain active in the digestive system, research shows.
Perhaps in the gut itself where fungi live. Then perhaps especially the large intestine, where the intestinal flora and fauna (bacteria, single-celled organisms and fungi) are located, is a local SARS-CoV2 reservoir.
.
What's the clue?
Bacteria and fungi are actually rivals as far as I know.
We also see it in the toxins that are produced.
Take Penicillin, for example.
Penicillin is an antibacterial substance that was discovered in 1928 by the Scottish physician-bacteriologist Alexander Fleming.
This doctor discovered where the fungus "Penicillium notatum" grew that no bacteria grew.
.
It is now also known that where, for example, the bacterium: "Pseudomonas aeruginosa" grows, the fungus: "Candida Albicans" cannot thrive there.
Now, of course, this is not proof that this is always the case, there are fungi that have absorbed bacteria and that help bacteria to protect them by making toxins against organisms that eat that fungus.
But the idea is clear. The protozoa that is something to think about.
It's kind of like a "Lord of the Rings" battle between different camps in our gut...
.
And the idea is that these fungi and bacteria and protozoa adapt evolutionarily in the gut to live symbiotically from what we eat. And that entire intestinal flora and fauna lives in symbiosis with us again.
That adaptation may again be done by bacteriophages. But that's another topic.
.
All this, this symbiosis of bacteria, fungi and protozoa : Is again kept under control by : The periodic bowel movements, and the immune system of the host or hostess.
For example by people.
.
Now suppose that SARS-CoV2 virus attacks some of those fungi. This disrupts the natural balance.
And some bacteria will dominate. And people become ill and comorbidity can also be explained. Then it is not just a kind of bad cold or flu, but you get a whole range of complaints.
For example a heliobacter pylori infection like I myself had with all these strange complaints that resemble a burnout such as being tired, unable to concentrate and irritable, quickly agitated.
The reason people get sick as they get older is because the immune system gets weaker, opportunistic infectious diseases get a chance.
Then people become ill because tissues are attacked, but sometimes the balance in the gut flora and fauna is also disrupted and we are also attacked by our own unhinged gut flora and fauna.
.
So a conclusion from the postulation is:
The virus attacks the fungi, the intestinal flora and fauna is disturbed. Some bacteria and perhaps protozoa can then thrive and make the host sick because the immune system also has to fight the SARS-CoV2 virus.
So if people get sick from a SARS-CoV2 infection, check them for other illnesses as well. Even as a simple technician, I already made such an assumption 2 years ago.
.
And then there's the story of why the cortisol level is so high. Cortisol is a stress hormone and has a regulating effect on the immune system and healing.
Too much cortisol suppresses the immune system. Perhaps the immune system adapts, but it is not exactly homeostasis.

literature list :

How China's 'Bat Woman' Hunted Down Viruses from SARS to the New Coronavirus

Wuhan-based virologist Shi Zhengli has identified dozens of deadly SARS-like viruses in bat caves, and she warns there are more out there

www.scientificamerican.com

Het mycobioom en de invloed op onze darm-hersenas

Kennis van het mycobioom helpt bij de preventie en behandeling van – in ieder geval – acute en chronische maag- en darmziekten.

www.bonusan.com

The persistence of memory in B cells: Hints of stability in COVID immunity

Studies are small so far, but they’re pointing to decent long-term immune responses.

arstechnica.com

The Mycobiome: A Neglected Component in the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis - PMC

In recent years, the gut microbiota has been considered as a full-fledged actor of the gut–brain axis, making it possible to take a new step in understanding the pathophysiology of both neurological and psychiatric diseases. However, most of the ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Inactivation of Transcription Factor Gene ACE2 in the Fungal Pathogen Candida glabrata Results in Hypervirulence - PMC

During an infection, the coordinated orchestration of many factors by the invading organism is required for disease to be initiated and to progress. The elucidation of the processes involved is critical to the development of a clear understanding of ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Medically important bacterial–fungal interactions - Nature Reviews Microbiology

The human body plays host to interactions between a diverse range of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi. In this Review, Mylonakis and colleagues describe the characteristics of medically important bacterial–fungal interactions and highlight how imbalances in these interactions can...

www.nature.com

What Is White-nose Syndrome? (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

It’s time to fear the fungi

Humans have long been protected from fungal infections. Climate change could ruin that.

arstechnica.com

What Is White-nose Syndrome? (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

 

[William Gaatjes]

Largest bacteria ever found : About 1cm long :

Excerpt:
"
Their findings expand our understanding of microbial diversity in ways microbiologists didn't think possible. Scientists previously hypothesized that the size of bacteria would be limited by several factors, including a lack of intracellular transport systems, reliance on inefficient chemical diffusion, and a surface-to-volume ratio needed to satisfy energy needs. Yet, the volume of a single Ca. T. magnifica cell is at least two orders of magnitude larger than the predicted maximum that a bacterium can theoretically achieve, Volland said.

Volland, Gros, and colleagues are still learning how—and why exactly—Ca. T. magnifica manages its massive size. But, so far, it's clear that Ca. T. magnifica oxidizes hydrogen sulfide from its sulfur-rich environment and reduces nitrate. About 75 percent of its cell volume is a sac of stored nitrate. The sac crushes up against the cell's envelope, limiting the depth that nutrients and other molecules need to diffuse.
While bacteria tend to have free-floating DNA, Ca. T. magnifica appears to have more than half a million copies of its genome bundled up into numerous membrane-bound compartments that the researchers named pepins, after small seeds in fruit. The distribution of pepins throughout the bacteria's outer edges could allow for localized protein production, eliminating the need to transport proteins long distances.
The next step to studying these gargantuan bacteria is for scientists to figure out how to culture them in labs. For now, the researchers have collected new specimens from the mangrove forests every time they run out. But, this has been tricky since they appear to have a mysterious life cycle or seasonality. For the last two months, Gros has not been able to find any. "I don't know where they are," he said.


"

New bacterium roughly the size, shape of an eyelash smashes size record

The discovery greatly expands the scope of known microbial diversity.

arstechnica.com

 

[William Gaatjes]

One could say, we are up for a whole new range of adversaries.
I wrote about a lot of parasites that hijack the host. These are usually simple lifeforms. We see it in the movies, how humans are taken over by parasites. Scary and luckily not reality...
But when we with our high cognitive strength and decision making are competely depleted of focus and mental strength, our reptile brain has a little bit more control over our decision making, through hardwired behavior like found in the amygdala.
Emotional responses that are automated and strengthened through experience and learning.
Keep that thought in mind...

Toxoplasma Gondii is a parasite that what is known, multiplies in the digestive system of cats and also in rodents. It is a parasite that has multiple hosts in its complex lifecycle.
As it turns out, this protozoan parasite has the ability to remove connections between neurons and is able to secrete an enzyme that through intermediate steps let your neurons produce dopamine.
To make you feel happy and create new connections, as i understand it.
Dopamine is generally also known as the feel good and happy neurotransmitter. And probably the main neurotransmitter that lets neurons make connections and strengtens those connections, meaning they are favored as signal path.
But that is just my idea, i am not a neuroscientist.

It makes rodents get all lovable towards predators like the cat. That is what the parasite toxo does with rodents.
Normal response is to get away, now the rodents just want to get busy with cats and give them a big hug.
This is favorable for toxo to be able to end up in the digestive system of the cat once again to be able to find a mate and reproduce in the digestive system of a cat (In general felidae perhaps ?).
Toxo can reproduce in an asexual way that looks like mitosis and in a sexual way like higher lifeforms usually do it.

As is known for a long time, Toxo is also able to infect humans...
And in some cases when it ends up in the amygdala of a human it does strange things there too.

Now, think about, humans can have trauma's, or a past history of disease or a combination of both.
And maybe that evil toxo also ends up in other parts of the brain creating havoc. Creating unusual behavior.

This can happen when the immunesystem is weakened.
For example :
Think SARS-CoV2 like attacks towards the body and the immune system is really starting to get depleted of resources, because we as humans have sometimes a stressful life usually and in reality always because of external factors we do not have control over and we do not take into account because we have to show trust in our surroundings and believes.
SARS-CoV2 with other pathogens : Comorbidity issues may arise.
Also, a constant amount of toxins through an unhealthy lifestyle also does not help the immunesystem.
Eat and drink healthy and everything in moderation.

Anyway, the problem is with this kind of parasitic brain infections, you cannot operate and you cannot take the brain apart to have a closer look, because the connections between the neurons and the neurons themselves are what makes you able to control your body.
And without that brain or when you take it apart, there is nothing to steer anymore. No speech, no arm movements, no taste , no smell, no eyesight. Nothing.

And that is the problem with these kind of diseases. These diseases are known but incredibly difficult to prove how the mechanisms work.
And now we get to the point of mental diseases.
It is know for some time that a lot of mental diseases are really physical diseases through brain infection but hard to prove. See above.
Toxoplasma Gondii is also a possible agent towards depression, schizofrenia, burn out, anxiety disorders and emotional control disorders. Maybe even some adhd alike behavior. Anxiety, is also an important factor to memory impairment. Problems remembering stuff, like you have no short term memory any more all of a sudden.
It is common with a lot of people i have noticed.

Now there are luckily a lot of useful medicines against toxoplasma gondii.
So it seems that if we have a little bit of luck and greed is not the primary motivator....
That people with mental disorders will be screened first for Toxoplasma Gondii or other known viruses or bacteria or other parasites like protozoa or nematodes that infect the brain and cause local or constant low inflammation.
And thereby weakening the cognitive abilities of humans. And if you are not aware of this. You just give up and you do not learn how to excert control once again in your own brain and body.
Because then we really help people with a cure. Even when the cause is a parasite, even then damage may still have been done and some psychotherapy will be needed. To make people aware of what is happening through cognitive training.
Finding out over brain parasites and helping patients getting rid of them, does not automatically mean that there is no need anymore for psychologists.
There are still a lot of traumatic experiences out there that have not been dealt with. And head injuries. The results of sepsis issues...

The great Robert Sapolsky gives an outstanding interview about Toxoplasma Gondii and gives an amazing explanation how Toxo caries a gene that allows it to let you produce dopamine any time it wants too.
And also gives fun anecdotes about how motorcyclists that died in car accidents usually have livers carying Toxo.
Why livers ? Well, transplantation of course. The motorcyclists are deceased and their organs are harvested. And harvested organs are checked for pathogens. And that is how it all fits together again.

Toxo seems to make some people more impulsive in their behavior. But of course, past experiences and other health issues and being tired may all have influence as well.
So do not go to court with the statement : 'Toxo made me do it". It is not going to happen.
But it will have an impact on your overall health and quality of life and life experiences.

edit: removed typo's and added some lines. I really need an on demand spelling check/ corrections and not a forced on spelling check /correction that confuses a lot of people including me. You know, the kind of spelling check with bugs based on geolocation errors or some programmer with the strange perception that everybody wants to be checked and controlled all the time...
It was common a few years ago : Press the button manually for the spelling check... I really hope this returns. If an OS provides such a feature, add an API call to allow manually selection through the programs / apps for spelling checking. Not forced upon. Not a good idea. Forcing on, is not learning people to think and remember how to spell, it is distracting them. Dumbing people down.

 

[William Gaatjes]

Things to learn : Everything we start to learn is already known and used. That gives nice options to discuss about how life came to be in the universe and how life uses the magical properties of quantum mechanics. Even on larger scales. Bad analogy : It is almost like watching fractals. Just think of the diffraction experiment / wave particle duality but it seems to also happen on larger scales. We just do not see it.

 

[William Gaatjes]

And part 2 and 3 :

 

[William Gaatjes]

One could say, we are up for a whole new range of adversaries.
I wrote about a lot of parasites that hijack the host. These are usually simple lifeforms. We see it in the movies, how humans are taken over by parasites. Scary and luckily not reality...
But when we with our high cognitive strength and decision making are competely depleted of focus and mental strength, our reptile brain has a little bit more control over our decision making, through hardwired behavior like found in the amygdala.
Emotional responses that are automated and strengthened through experience and learning.
Keep that thought in mind...

Toxoplasma Gondii is a parasite that what is known, multiplies in the digestive system of cats and also in rodents. It is a parasite that has multiple hosts in its complex lifecycle.
As it turns out, this protozoan parasite has the ability to remove connections between neurons and is able to secrete an enzyme that through intermediate steps let your neurons produce dopamine.
To make you feel happy and create new connections, as i understand it.
Dopamine is generally also known as the feel good and happy neurotransmitter. And probably the main neurotransmitter that lets neurons make connections and strengtens those connections, meaning they are favored as signal path.
But that is just my idea, i am not a neuroscientist.

It makes rodents get all lovable towards predators like the cat. That is what the parasite toxo does with rodents.
Normal response is to get away, now the rodents just want to get busy with cats and give them a big hug.
This is favorable for toxo to be able to end up in the digestive system of the cat once again to be able to find a mate and reproduce in the digestive system of a cat (In general felidae perhaps ?).
Toxo can reproduce in an asexual way that looks like mitosis and in a sexual way like higher lifeforms usually do it.

As is known for a long time, Toxo is also able to infect humans...
And in some cases when it ends up in the amygdala of a human it does strange things there too.

Now, think about, humans can have trauma's, or a past history of disease or a combination of both.
And maybe that evil toxo also ends up in other parts of the brain creating havoc. Creating unusual behavior.

This can happen when the immunesystem is weakened.
For example :
Think SARS-CoV2 like attacks towards the body and the immune system is really starting to get depleted of resources, because we as humans have sometimes a stressful life usually and in reality always because of external factors we do not have control over and we do not take into account because we have to show trust in our surroundings and believes.
SARS-CoV2 with other pathogens : Comorbidity issues may arise.
Also, a constant amount of toxins thorugh an unhealthy lifestyle also does not help the immunesystem.
Eat and drink healthy and everything in moderation.

Anyway, the problem is with this kind of parasitic brain infections, you cannot operate and you cannot take the brain apart to have a closer look, because the connections between the neurons and the neurons themselves are what makes you able to control your body.
And without that brain or when you take it apart, there is nothing to steer anymore. No speech, no arm movements, no taste , no smell, no eyesight. Nothing.

And that is the problem with these kind of diseases. These diseases are known but incredibly difficult to prove how the mechanisms work.
And now we get to the point of mental diseases.
It is know for some time that a lot of mental diseases are really physical diseases through brain infection but hard to prove. See above.
Toxoplasma Gondii is also a possible agent towards depression, schizofrenia, burn out, anxiety disorders and emotional control disorders. Maybe even some adhd alike behavior. Anxiety, is also an important factor to memory impairment. Problems remembering stuff, like you have no short term memory any more all of a sudden.
It is common with a lot of people i have noticed.

Now there are luckily a lot of useful medicines against toxoplasma gondii.
So it seems that if we have a little bit of luck and greed is not the primary motivator....
That people with mental disorders will be screened first for Toxoplasma Gondii or other known viruses or bacteria or other parasites like protozoa or nematodes that infect the brain and cause local or constant low inflammation.
And thereby weakening the cognitive abilities of humans. And if you are not aware of this. You just give up and you do not learn how to excert control once again in your own brain and body.
Because then we really help people with a cure. Even when the cause is a parasite, even then damage may still have been done and some psychotherapy will be needed. To make people aware of what is happening through cognitive training.
Finding out over brain parasites and helping patients getting rid of them, does not automatically mean that there is no need anymore for psychologists.
There are still a lot of traumatic experiences out there that have not been dealt with. And head injuries. The results of sepsis issues...

The great Robert Sapolsky gives an outstanding interview about Toxoplasma Gondii and gives an amazing explanation how Toxo caries a gene that allows it to let you produce dopamine any time it wants too.
And also gives fun anecdotes about how motorcyclists that died in car accidents usually have livers carying Toxo.
Why livers ? Well, transplantation of course. The motorcyclists are deceased and there organs are harvested. And harvested organs are checked for pathogens. And that is how it all fits together again.

Toxo seems to make some people more impulsive in their behavior. But of course, past experiences and other health issues and being tired may all have influence as well.
So do not go to court with the statement : 'Toxo made me do it". It is not going to happen.
But it will have an impact on your overall health and quality of life and life experiences.

edit: removed typo's and added some lines. I really need an on demand spelling check/ corrections and not a forced on spelling check /correction that confuses a lot of people including me. You know, the kind of spelling check with bugs based on geolocation errors or some programmer with the strange perception that everybody wants to be checked and controlled all the time...
It was common a few years ago : Press the button manually for the spelling check... I really hope this returns. If an OS provides such a feature, add an API call to allow manually selection through the programs / apps for spelling checking. Not forced upon. Not a good idea. Forcing on, is not learning people to think and remember how to spell, it is distracting them. Dumbing people down.

Maybe it is an coincidence, but i remember that during the SARS-CoV2 years at the peak level with the most people sick, there was a sharp increase in people experiencing depressions in the western world. This is just an assumption, but it seems that Toxo cysts all over the body are controlled by the immune system and if all goes well, destroyed by the immune system.
With SARS-CoV2 putting a load on the human body , Toxo cysts could have become more active... That is if these toxo cysts are persistent.
The big question, are these cysts removed by the immune system over time or are these toxo cysts persistent ?
Also, what could have happened when some person acquired a Toxo infection and got SARS-CoV2 during the same time frame of the acute phase ?
These are good questions...

 

[William Gaatjes]

Epstein Barr Virus reactivation seems to occur in some people when contracting corona SARS-CoV2.
The mechanism is still being researched.
Comorbidity is at play here.
It is known that when the EBV virus is contracted, humans stay infected for live but the virus remains what is called inactive in the body.
EBV infection is also known as mono or kissing disease aka mononucleosis. Also known as Pfeiffers disease after the German doctor who discovered the disease : Richard Friedrich Johannes Pfeiffer, a physician and bacteriologist (1858 - 1945) and Filatov's disease, highly likely after Vladimir Petrovich Filatov, a Russian-Ukrainian surgeon and tissue specialist.
And is called EBV because of the researchers who figured out what kind of virus it was by use of the electron microscope around 1963-1964 , Anthony Epstein from Britain and Yvonne Barr from Ireland.
I will try to go in detail in later posts. Because for myself it is not fully clear.
Research seems to suggest that Long Covid is actually corona virus attacking the body and the EBV virus becoming active again with all the accompanying symptoms.
The EBV virus seem to reactivate.
As it seems, this can be seen with high igg levels above 600 according to some research but those levels are still being researched, i gather from the different versions.
It would fully explain the symptoms people experience when experiencing Long Covid.
This may be very helpful for doctors really trying to help their patients.

For more information :

Evidence of recent Epstein-Barr virus reactivation in individuals experiencing Long COVID

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation has been proposed as a driver of Long COVID (LC), but studies in well- characterized post-acute COVID-19 cohorts of individuals with and without Long COVID symptoms over a time course consistent with current case definitions of LC are limited. In a cohort of...

www.medrxiv.org

"

ABSTRACT​

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation has been proposed as a driver of Long COVID (LC), but studies in well- characterized post-acute COVID-19 cohorts of individuals with and without Long COVID symptoms over a time course consistent with current case definitions of LC are limited. In a cohort of 294 hundred adults with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we observed that LC symptoms such as fatigue and neurocognitive dysfunction at a median of 4 months following initial diagnosis were associated with serological evidence of recent EBV reactivation (early antigen-D IgG positivity or nuclear antigen IgG levels >600 U/mL), but not with ongoing EBV viremia.. Importantly, Long COVID was also observed in the small proportion without evidence of prior or recent EBV infection, suggesting that EBV reactivation is not a prerequisite for this condition. Overall, these findings expand our knowledge of the relationships between EBV reactivation and LC and suggest that further assessment during the acute phase of COVID-19 is warranted.

SUMMARY The authors found that Long COVID symptoms in a post-acute cohort were associated with serological evidence of recent EBV reactivation when adjusted for participant factors, sample timing, comorbid conditions and prior hospitalization, but not with ongoing presence of EBV viremia.
"

Impact of Pre-Existing Chronic Viral Infection and Reactivation on the Development of Long COVID

The presence and reactivation of chronic viral infections such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been proposed as potential contributors to Long COVID (LC), but studies in well-characterized post-acute cohorts of individuals with...

www.medrxiv.org

"

ABSTRACT​

The presence and reactivation of chronic viral infections such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been proposed as potential contributors to Long COVID (LC), but studies in well-characterized post-acute cohorts of individuals with COVID-19 over a longer time course consistent with current case definitions of LC are limited. In a cohort of 280 adults with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, we observed that LC symptoms such as fatigue and neurocognitive dysfunction at a median of 4 months following initial diagnosis were independently associated with serological evidence of recent EBV reactivation (early antigen-D [EA-D] IgG positivity) or high nuclear antigen IgG levels, but not with ongoing EBV viremia. Evidence of EBV reactivation (EA-D IgG) was most strongly associated with fatigue (OR 2.12). Underlying HIV infection was also independently associated with neurocognitive LC (OR 2.5). Interestingly, participants who had serologic evidence of prior CMV infection were less likely to develop neurocognitive LC (OR 0.52) and tended to have less severe (>5 symptoms reported) LC (OR 0.44). Overall, these findings suggest differential effects of chronic viral co-infections on the likelihood of developing LC and predicted distinct syndromic patterns. Further assessment during the acute phase of COVID-19 is warranted.

SUMMARY The authors found that Long COVID symptoms in a post-acute cohort were associated with serological evidence of recent EBV reactivation and pre-existing HIV infection when adjusted for participant factors, sample timing, comorbid conditions and prior hospitalization, whereas underlying CMV infection was associated with a decreased risk of Long COVID.
"

Can EBV Come Back?

When EBV comes back, the virus reactivates in your body. Find out about the symptoms and what you can do to treat them.

www.webmd.com

"
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a type of herpes virus that causes infections in those affected. EBV infections can cause a sore throat, headache, and swollen lymph nodes, among other symptoms.

Once you’re infected with EBV, you will always carry it in your body. EBV infections often remain dormant in your body but can come back or reactivate in the future. Read on to learn more about how to recognize when you have EBV and what you can do about it.
"

Incidence of Epstein-Barr virus reactivation is elevated in COVID-19 patients - PMC

COVID-19 patients have increased incidence of Epstein-Barr Virus reactivation. Detection of EBV DNA is greater among COVID-19 positive patients (27.1% vs 12.5%). No statistical difference in CRP levels of COVID-19 positive vs. negative patients. No ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"

Highlights​

• •
  COVID-19 patients have increased incidence of Epstein-Barr Virus reactivation.
• •
  Detection of EBV DNA is greater among COVID-19 positive patients (27.1% vs 12.5%).
• •
  No statistical difference in CRP levels of COVID-19 positive vs. negative patients.
• •
  No statistical difference in amount of EBV genomes in reactivated patient groups.

Keywords: COVID-19, Epstein-Barr virus, EBV, Reactivation, Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2
Go to:

Abstract​

COVID-19, an infectious respiratory illness, is caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Individuals with underlying medical conditions are at increased risk of developing serious illnesses such as long COVID. Recent studies have observed Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation in patients with severe illness or long COVID, which may contribute to associated symptoms. We determined the frequency of EBV reactivation in COVID-19 positive patients compared to COVID-19 negative patients. 106 blood plasma samples were collected from COVID-19 positive and negative patients and EBV reactivation was determined by detection of EBV DNA and antibodies against EBV lytic genes in individuals with previous EBV infection. 27.1% (13/48) of EBV reactivations, based on qPCR detection of EBV genomes, are from the COVID positive group while only 12.5% (6/48) of reactivations belonged to the negative group. 20/52 (42.30%) of the COVID PCR negative group had detectable antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein (Np); indicative of past infection. A significantly higher SARS-CoV-2 Np protein level was found in the COVID-19 positive group. In conclusion, COVID-19 patients experienced increased reactivation of EBV in comparison to COVID negative patients.
"

Detrimental effects of COVID-19 in the brain and therapeutic options for long COVID: The role of Epstein–Barr virus and the gut–brain axis - Molecular Psychiatry

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has resulted in a serious public health burden worldwide. In addition to respiratory, heart, and gastrointestinal symptoms, patients infected with SARS-CoV-2...

www.nature.com

"

Abstract​

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has resulted in a serious public health burden worldwide. In addition to respiratory, heart, and gastrointestinal symptoms, patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 experience a number of persistent neurological and psychiatric symptoms, known as long COVID or “brain fog”. Studies of autopsy samples from patients who died from COVID-19 detected SARS-CoV-2 in the brain. Furthermore, increasing evidence shows that Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) reactivation after SARS-CoV-2 infection might play a role in long COVID symptoms. Moreover, alterations in the microbiome after SARS-CoV-2 infection might contribute to acute and long COVID symptoms. In this article, the author reviews the detrimental effects of COVID-19 on the brain, and the biological mechanisms (e.g., EBV reactivation, and changes in the gut, nasal, oral, or lung microbiomes) underlying long COVID. In addition, the author discusses potential therapeutic approaches based on the gut–brain axis, including plant-based diet, probiotics and prebiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, and vagus nerve stimulation, and sigma-1 receptor agonist fluvoxamine.
"

 

[William Gaatjes]

This is a bit off topic but bare with me...
After watching the movie about quantum biology and natural killer cells attacking a tumor cell.
I am not an expert but...
But imagine that some microscopic lifeform (maybe natural killer cells) would be able to generate positrons to annihilate pathogens by means of converting the protons in atoms from proteins that are part of these pathogens. But in a controlled manner. Not "Kaboom" like in te movies or in many proposals.
Like quantum mirages. Standing waves creating virtual electrons. Perhaps this is also possible , creating a quantum mirage with positrons. I am just guessing here.
It makes sense that the 3D structure of proteins do the same as we do in a very "primitive" manner with super atoms. Use common elements found in organic compound.
Why should biological quantum mirages not be possible ? Some form of wave patterns canceling each other out ? And creating something left over...

Also, why should single cell organisms like more advanced protozoa or more advanced bacteria or maybe fungi that do mitosis not be able to perform some form of entanglement to stay in a weird way connected. As some form of communication ?

 

[William Gaatjes]

To continue with the previous post (341) above this one :
Or cells like our own ?
And for those who believe in spirits and souls. :
Maybe, the neurons in our brain are entangled in some manner, giving rise to a form of collective, created by the connection made by the entanglement. This results in consciousness.
When there is for example no more oxygen , the entanglement is damaged or even destroyed.
And the person is brain dead.
Or perhaps are the connections between the neurons a macroscopic version of entanglement. Who knows.

Perhaps all cells in a body are connected through entanglement, starting as zygote.
And when having enough piece of mind, you can feel your little cells communicating. Telling you what is wrong before you are consciously aware. The more advanced form of quorom sensing.
Bacteria talk, fungi talk. Perhaps our cells talk chemically with volatile chemicals, messages meant to not be persistent but to degrade.
And we can be aware of it when we have enough piece of mind , but to get there, we need a world filled with love and harmony and not war. Conflicting interests does not equal war.

Keep that in mind : Perhaps our cells talk chemically with volatile chemicals, messages meant to not be persistent but to degrade. which means that when we try to listen in with experiments we always try to find out what the conversation is about after the conversation finished...
We are always too late. We are always late. After the occurrence, event..
And that is why biological research is so difficult and expensive. Because we need "out of the box" thinking solutions.

Generally speaking, when doing science we often search by making an prediction and looking if we can find what we predict.
A loose analog would be that this is the equivalent of the Goertzel algorithm versus the general Fourier transformation.
Which Occam's razor loves.
Why is it called Occam's razor ?
Well, in my opinion, often you want to slit your wrists with a razor blade , when hearing or reading such a purposely limited view of the world...

 

[William Gaatjes]

Also, keep in mind that lifeforms with better noses than us peasant humans, like for example dogs or cats when trained , can sniff out the chemicals produced in human bodies when humans are ill. It seems that when people have some form of tumors, often there is a distinct production of chemicals that are released through the pores and sweat glands and through breathing.
And dogs were trained to detect those distinct chemicals with a pretty high accuracy. I remember that there was an article about it long ago on a science website. I hope something will be done with that knowledge and not that some patentshark is hogging that patent...

And perhaps the reason that animals with a good sense of smell like for example cats or dogs will not separate from their humans when their human is extremely ill like for example cancer.
Anyway, the reason that dogs and cats often do not want to be separated form their humans when ill, is that they have possibly genetic heritable memory about how disease smells.
As perhaps we humans also do.
The reason why humans also get nauseous when smelling faul odors that often are produced with rotting biological material. Which often means lethal pathogens.
For example corpses : Mutations galore because there is no longer any immune system active fighting of all those pathogens and their mutated brethren : Smell awful.
Another example : Excrement AKA shit or poo also smells faul for us. For the same reason : Not food.
And that is why we prefer to stay clean and smell clean : Either nothing or pleasant.
We all know that every lifeform cleans itself to stay healthy.

When people say that autoimmune diseases are the result of being to clean, they are totally being stupid.
Autoimmune diseases are very much often the result of b-cells or b-memory cells infected with EBV and (highly likely with a high degree of certainty) also touched by a bacterial pathogen with more sophisticated tools to modify mRNA and DNA.
I remember reading that mRNA can also be converted to DNA again and that some bacteria are able to that after invading a cell which would be a requirement. Correct me if i am wrong...
This is just a suggestion but maybe heliobacter pylori can do this as well, virus +bacterial infection, EBV also seems to be able to infect cells inside the digestive system (duodenum) and perhaps even the bacteria itself. These conditions viral and bacterial infection are perhaps needed for being a precursor for tumor cells to develop.
Which results in those weird cells attack the human body when molecular mimicry does not apply. Because they produce antibodies that attack our own cells.
And that is why corona and EBV combined can be so dangerous in some cases.
So be grateful for such an advanced immune system taking out as much pathogens as possible and also damaged (immortalized) cells. Take good care of yourself.
This all according to my own humble opinion.

And why now the mRNA based EBV trials are here and to hopefully become mainstream.
Which is very nice.
If i remember correctly, the mRNA vaccin was developed once to attack specific lethal tumors that could not be operated on and were chemotherapy is also useless.

 

[William Gaatjes]

This is an interesting article.

This is an electronmicroscope mugshot of the EBV virus (Anthony Epstein, Yvonne Barr) inside a cancerous white blood cell. The image is taken around 1963-1964. From the BBC News article, see link in this post as well and it is a great read for understanding how complicated live is :
Imagine that, the knowledge was already there at that time but the toolset was extremely limited at that time. Can you imagine how frustrating that must be, these people knew back then already what causes disease but unable to do anything against it besides giving suggestions how to live but even those suggestions are not enough.



Excerpt from the text :

Cancer virus discovery helped by delayed flight

Bad weather and a delayed flight helped a British doctor discover that a virus could cause cancer.

www.bbc.com

"

Cancer virus discovery helped by delayed flight​

BBC News : April, 2014
The discovery of the Epstein Barr virus - named after British doctor Anthony Epstein - resulted from his specialist knowledge of viruses which caused tumours in chickens plus his skills gained using one of the first commercially-available electron microscopes.
His hunch was assisted by a longer than expected journey of some tumour cells from Uganda, which were nearly thrown in the bin.
But it would never have happened if Epstein's curiosity hadn't been fired up by a lecture by the Irish doctor turned "bush surgeon", Denis Burkitt.
In the lecture, billed as a staff meeting on "The Commonest Children's Cancer in Tropical Africa", Burkitt described how he had noticed a number of cases of debilitating tumours which grew around the jawbone of children in specific regions - particularly those with high temperatures and high rainfall.
We now know this as Burkitt lymphoma.

Sir Anthony Epstein, now 93, speaking to the BBC's Health Check programme, recalls: "I thought there must be some biological agent involved. I was working on chicken viruses which cause cancer. I had virus-inducing tumours at the front of my head. I thought... [it] was being carried by some insect vector, or some tic. That's why it was temperature-related."
The Epstein Barr virus belongs to the family of herpes viruses - and is linked to a number of different conditions, depending on where you live.
Most people are infected with the Epstein Barr virus. It's best known in high-income countries for causing glandular fever which causes a sore throat, extreme fatigue and swollen glands in the neck.
According to Dorothy Crawford, emeritus professor of microbiology at Edinburgh University, up to 95% of all adults are infected with the virus.
"The virus is spread in childhood at different rates - in the saliva, so through close contact. In African countries most children have it by the age of two because they share cups in their household.
"The rate is lower in middle-class areas of England, so if you haven't already been exposed by your early teens it can cause glandular fever."

This has given it the nickname the kissing disease because, she explained: "People kissing in the back row of the cinema exchange more saliva than young children sharing toys."
Epstein asked for samples of the tumours from Burkitt and they were sent back on overnight flights from Uganda.

For almost three years Epstein's efforts to retrieve virus from the tumour cells failed, despite trying several culture methods used successfully for other viruses like influenza and measles.
In the end bad weather came to the rescue.
Fog delayed one flight which was diverted to Manchester, 200 miles from London. So the sample taken from the upper jaw of a nine-year-old girl with Burkitt lymphoma didn't get to Epstein until late one Friday afternoon on 5 December 1963.
At that point it looked past its sell-by date.

"The fluid was cloudy. This suggested it had been contaminated on the way," Epstein said.
"Was it full of multiplying bacteria? Before we threw it away I looked at it under a wet preparation microscope and saw huge numbers of free-floating, healthy looking tumour cells which had been shed from the edge of the tumour."
Traditionally, growing cells successfully in culture had involved sticking them to a glass surface for support, but the lymphoma cells seemed to favour growing in a suspension.
Once all other conventional tests for identifying the virus from the cultured cells had failed, Epstein tried electron microscopy. The very first grid square he viewed included a cell filled with herpes virus.
Exhilarated by what he'd seen, Epstein went for a walk in the winter snow and came back feeling calmer.
"I was extremely frightened in case the electron beam [of the microscope] burned up the sample. I recognised at once the herpes virus - there were five then, now nine. Any of the then-known ones would have wiped the culture out when they were replicating but this wasn't happening. I had the feeling that this was something special."

Our understanding of this pervasive virus, named after Epstein and one of his PhD students Yvonne Barr who helped to prepare the samples, has increased over the years since Epstein confirmed his findings with American virologist colleagues.
Burkitt's data helped to identify that the tumour named after him was seen in children with chronic malaria, which reduced their resistance to the Epstein Barr virus, allowing it to thrive.
But most of us live quite happily with the virus.
"If you disturb the host-virus balance in any way then changes take place which lead to very unpleasant consequences," says Epstein.
"Once the link between Epstein Barr virus and Burkitt lymphoma was established, other seemingly unrelated conditions followed. These include a cancer at the back of the nose which is the commonest cancer seen in men in southern China and the second commonest in women in the same region.
There is also a link to Hodgkins lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells.

"Each one came out of the blue," according to Epstein, "and we've just heard about another. About 20% of Japanese cancers of the stomach are associated with the virus."
"

 

[William Gaatjes]

That is an interesting thought. What if the SARS-CoV2 virus also wants to manipulate the host ?
Manipulation, just like toxoplasma Gondii and the Rabies lyssavirus.
It is known that SARS-CoV2 causes a loss of smell.
In this research article below in this post, it is explained that in animals models the olfactory bulb is infected by the SARS-CoV2.
What if this virus could also affect the amygdala ?
It is suggested from research that toxoplasma Gondii can be found in the amygdala to manipulate the host behavior by manipulating feeling & emotions.
It would be an advantage for any virus, bacteria, fungi or parasite that the infected host finds as much interaction with any compatible host it can find. And therefore amygdala manipulation is the preferred way.
Why ? Well, us humans have higher brain functions in the sense that we can overrule our feelings and emotions and instinct when learned and trained.

But lower animals cannot.
And as humans, when psychically overloaded we can also revert back to mostly instinct and emotional behavior because we for example could be sick and be too tired. And make wrong decisions improving the chance the carried pathogen to be transmitted to another host.

And the amygdala is the oldest structure ?
Well the amygdala is part of the reptile brain, which is seen as the oldest part of the brain. So, the choice of hosts for transmission and therefore survival is statistically larger because more hosts available.
With this in mind, no intelligence is needed for a pathogen to exist.

Also, it is mentioned that fungi when seen as biomass outweigh mammals, reptiles and birds combined when it comes to biomass. If that is true ?
It seems that SARS-CoV2 can also infect fungi cells that also have ACE-2 receptors. But this remains to be proven to be true or proven to be wrong.

And with that in mind, this strategy is sound.
It is a numbers game.

And, smell is closely related to emotions and how animals and humans feel.
There is reason for pleasant smell. We have pheromones for example. Approaching danger in the form of a predator has a certain smell. Food has a certain smell. Even for us humans with our peasant noses.
Why do we always see these ads for these nice smells from designers from for example Paris France ?
Well, the right scent can influence you. It is common knowledge. Fresh warm bread food in the store. Body scent.
Certain lady perfumes are known to excite a man, AKA make horny. And vice versa. Especially when physically build a certain way.
Interesting thoughts to think about...


Here, it is described how anosmia (loss of smell) seems to be not related to SARS-CoV2 infection of neurons alone. But the virus als travels through the nerves, perhaps that causes the los of smell and people starting to smell strange stuff.
Perhaps it is reactivated EBV and SARS-CoV2 combined.
Or SARS-CoV2 & reactivated EBV & toxoplasmosis.
Which all combined can also be the cause of inflammation of the brain : Encephalitis .
I am guessing here : Perhaps a combined comorbidity situation here : SARS-CoV2 & reactivated EBV & toxoplasmosis infections. All happening in the brain. Perhaps this can cause : Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
For toxo exists medicines. For EBV there is a new mRNA vaccin from Moderna. And for SARS-CoV2 we also have an mRNA vaccin. I prefer BioNtech,Pfizer.

An interesting read :

SARS-CoV-2 virus found to migrate within neurons and infect the brain

The emergence of different variants of SARS-CoV-2 has produced a wide range of clinical profiles and symptoms in patients. For the first time, researchers at the Institut Pasteur and Université Paris Cité have demonstrated, in an animal model, a characteristic common to several SARS-CoV-2...

medicalxpress.com

Excerpt from the text :
"
The neurological symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection have changed with the evolution of the virus and the emergence of new variants. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, anosmia was identified as one of the typical symptoms of infection, but it was less frequently associated with infections caused by the omicron/BA.1 variant. Does this variability in symptoms indicate a greater or lesser affinity of SARS-CoV-2 for the nervous system?

In this study, researchers from the Institut Pasteur and Université Paris Cité have demonstrated, in an animal model, that a panel of SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest (the original strain of the virus first detected in Wuhan and the gamma, delta and omicron/BA.1 variants) can enter the central nervous system and remain there during the acute phase of the infection.
The researchers observed that all these variants spread to the central nervous system and infect the olfactory bulb, a structure located in the cranial cavity that processes olfactory information before transmitting it to the cortex.

"In this study, we demonstrated that infection of the olfactory bulb is common to all variants and not linked to any particular one, nor to any particular clinical manifestation such as anosmia," explains Guilherme Dias de Melo, first author of the study and researcher in the Institut Pasteur's Lyssavirus, Epidemiology and Neuropathology Unit.

"

When reading all this, perhaps the SARS-CoV2 virus can also affect the sense of hearing ? Combined with EBV ? Or toxoplasmosis ?

 

[William Gaatjes]

Sickle cell disease can be a very nasty disease. Explained from the top of my head and a very simple way : The disease is experienced in a way that when the person affected is doing physical activities , the red blood cells change shape and can block the small arteries. This can be extremely painful. Also , constant tiredness is often an issue because of the problematic delivery of oxygen to cells. For the disease to fully occur, both parents must have the DNA sequence and the child must have both sequences in the DNA for sickle cell anemia or sickle cell disease to happen. Now a treatment has been developed and a treatment is approved in the UK.

UK first to approve CRISPR treatment for diseases: what you need to know

The landmark decision could transform the treatment of sickle-cell disease and β-thalassaemia — but the technology is expensive.

www.nature.com

Excerpts from the text :
"
UK first to approve CRISPR treatment for diseases: what you need to know
The landmark decision could transform the treatment of sickle-cell disease and ß-thalassaemia — but the technology is expensive.

In a world first, the UK medicines regulator has approved a therapy that uses the CRISPR–Cas9 gene-editing tool as a treatment. The decision marks another high point for a biotechnology that has been lauded as revolutionary in the decade since its discovery.
The therapy, called Casgevy, will treat the blood conditions sickle-cell disease and ß-thalassaemia. Sickle-cell disease, also known as sickle-cell anaemia, can cause debilitating pain, and people with ß-thalassaemia often require regular blood transfusions.
“This is a landmark approval which opens the door for further applications of CRISPR therapies in the future for the potential cure of many genetic diseases,” said Kay Davies, a geneticist at the University of Oxford, UK, in comments to the UK Science Media Centre (SMC).
Nature explains the research behind the treatment and explores what’s next.

"

Background :

What is Sickle Cell Disease? | CDC

Sickle Cell Disease is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. Learn more.

www.cdc.gov

Excerpt form the text :
"
Below are the most common types of SCD:
HbSS
People who have this form of SCD inherit two genes, one from each parent, that code for hemoglobin “S.” Hemoglobin S is an abnormal form of hemoglobin that causes the red cells to become rigid, and sickle shaped. This is commonly called sickle cell anemia and is usually the most severe form of the disease.

HbSC
People who have this form of SCD inherit a hemoglobin “S” gene from one parent and a gene for a different type of abnormal hemoglobin called “C” from the other parent. This is usually a milder form of SCD.
"


About CRISPR :

What is CRISPR-Cas9?

CRISPR-Cas9 is a genome editing tool that is creating a buzz in the science world. It is faster, cheaper and more accurate than previous techniques of editing DNA and has a wide range of potential applications.

www.yourgenome.org

Excerpt form text :
"

• CRISPR-Cas9 is a unique technology that enables geneticists and medical researchers to edit parts of the genome? by removing, adding or altering sections of the DNA? sequence.

"

 

[William Gaatjes]

If you ever may experience it as a woman or young lady or as a man with your girlfriend or wife...
It can happen that the lady in question can have a fishy smelling odor from the vagina even after washing.
This does not have to mean that she has eaten Surströmming.
One can ask though...

Something to note is, that also the penis from man can smell rather fishy.
So you can also experience it with your husband or date that you just met.
This does not have to mean that he has eaten Surströmming either.
Again, one can ask...

However, it can mean that he or she is infected with the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis.
And that is worth a trip to the doctor to check and verify and to get rid of the parasite if an infection has taken place.




For more information :

STD Facts - Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis Fact Sheet from CDC. What is trichomoniasis? How common is trichomoniasis? How do people get trichomoniasis? And more...

www.cdc.gov

Excerpt form the text :

"

What are the signs and symptoms of trichomoniasis?​

About 70% of people with the infection do not have any signs or symptoms. When trich does cause symptoms, they can range from mild irritation to severe inflammation. Some people get symptoms within 5 to 28 days after getting the infection. Others do not develop symptoms until much later. Symptoms can come and go.

Men with trich may notice:

• Itching or irritation inside the penis;
• Burning after peeing or ejaculating; and
• Discharge from the penis.

Women with trich may notice:

• Itching, burning, redness or soreness of the genitals;
• Discomfort when peeing; and
• A clear, white, yellowish, or greenish vaginal discharge (i.e., thin discharge or increased volume) with a fishy smell.

Having trich can make sex feel unpleasant. Without treatment, the infection can last for months or even years.

What are the complications of trichomoniasis?​

Trich can increase the risk of getting or spreading other sexually transmitted infections. For example, trich can cause genital inflammation, making it easier to get HIV, or pass it to a sex partner.
"
and

"

What is the treatment for trichomoniasis?​

Trich is the most common curable STD. A healthcare provider can treat the infection with medication (pills) taken by mouth. This treatment is also safe for pregnant people.

If you receive and complete treatment for trich, you can still get it again. Reinfection occurs in about 1 in 5 people within 3 months after receiving treatment. This can happen if you have sex without a condom with a person who has trich. To avoid reinfection, your sex partners should receive treatment at the same time.

You should not have sex again until you and your sex partner(s) complete treatment. You should receive testing again about three months after your treatment, even if your sex partner(s) received treatment.
"

 

[Steltek]

May become more important in the future for antibiotic resistant superbugs:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/08/health/phage-superbug-killer-life-itself-wellness/index.html

 

[William Gaatjes]

May become more important in the future for antibiotic resistant superbugs:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/08/health/phage-superbug-killer-life-itself-wellness/index.html

Indeed. I would like to follow up with this article form arstechnica :
There are some interesting references, how the adaptive immunesystem functions from bacteria :
excerpt:
"
CRISPR—Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats—is the microbial world’s answer to adaptive immunity. Bacteria don’t generate antibodies when they are invaded by a pathogen and then hold those antibodies in abeyance in case they encounter that same pathogen again, the way we do. Instead, they incorporate some of the pathogen’s DNA into their own genome and link it to an enzyme that can use it to recognize that pathogenic DNA sequence and cut it to pieces if the pathogen ever turns up again.

The enzyme that does the cutting is called Cas, for CRISPR associated. Although the CRISPR-Cas system evolved as a bacterial defense mechanism, it has been harnessed and adapted by researchers as a powerful tool for genetic manipulation in laboratory studies. It also has demonstrated agricultural uses, and the first CRISPR-based therapy was just approved in the UK to treat sickle-cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia.
"

New algorithm finds lots of gene-editing enzymes in environmental DNA

Some are related to DNA-cutting enzymes. Others are a complete mystery.

arstechnica.com

 

[William Gaatjes]

May become more important in the future for antibiotic resistant superbugs:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/08/health/phage-superbug-killer-life-itself-wellness/index.html

This link to a now defunct google video link that i placed in the first post...
"Phage the virus that cures".

Explained how the practice of using bacteriophages against bacterial infections is a very common thing in Georgia , USSR at the time.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8887931967515748990&ei=4W3QSvatE4en-AbGqrDpDw&q=antibiotica+horizon#

The documentary was filmed in 1997. 26 years ago... The technique of using bacteriophages to fight bacteria dates back to 1915 in de modern eastern and western world.

Luckily, there is a youtube link about the same documentary : The use of phages and the origin of phages use , Georgia. I vaguely remember it was common practice in the USSR(at the time) , Ukraine, Russia Georgia and other Soviet countries... It is a very long time ago...
An American entrepeneur brought the technique to the USA and patented it i think. I am not entirely sure.
Accompanying text :
"
Still relevant today, the programme tracks the critical rise of antibiotic resistance and the remarkable use in the Soviet Union of viruses known as bacteriophage to combat resistant infections.
Little has chanced since 1997, when we filmed this programme in the Republic of Georgia.
Many thanks to all the scientists in UK, US and Tblisi who gave their time.

Director - Judith Bunting
DoP - John Howarth
Translator - Sarah Fergusson
"