Weekly Medical Tips

It seems that ticks carry other diseases other than Lyme

A disease that can be potentially deadly is occurring from ticks. The disease is called "Babesiosis" and is on the rise in the East Coast. There has been at least 1,000 cases in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut,  and New York. People that are immune compromised are at greater risk and it may even be fatal to them. The patients that are the most susceptible have HIV/AIDS, cancer  or the elderly. The deer tick is the culprit in transmitting Babesiosis and Lyme these two can occur simultaneously. Diagnosis may be difficult or even missed. Unfortunately, many may go without any symptoms and donating blood can transmit the disease. This disease has been frequently transmitted and has caused 12 deaths in the last 10 years. There has been at least six deaths in New York City in 2009. 

Symptoms: 

Chills

Sweats

Headaches

Muscle and joint pain

loss of appetite

fever

Incubation Period:
5-33 days

The parasites effect the red blood cells and cause hemolytic anemia very similar to malaria. Many do recover and have mild symptoms and can even go unnoticed. When the disease is combined with Lyme the symptoms are more severe. In Europe, Babesiosis is an life threatening disease and it attacks the spleen
causing "Asplenia" (abnormal spleen function).

A CBC (blood test) will determine the severity of the disease.
Antibiotics "clindamycin and quinine, atovaquone and azithromycin may be used to treat the  disease.


Tick repellant may be a preventive measure and also wearing clothing that covers skin during tick season. 


MS Journal. Medical Surgical Encyclopedia. (May 4, 2007). Babesiosis. Retrieved June 24, 2011, from
MS Journal: Babesiosis

Sawyer, D. (June 22, 2011). Babesiosis: Backyard Killer Mimics Malaria and Is on Rise.   
abcNEWS/Health. Retrieved June 24, 2011, from
Page 2: Babesiosis, Tick-Borne Disease That Mimics Malaria and Can Be Fatal, Is on the Rise - ABC News

Should our teenagers get the Pertussis Booster?

It has been mandated that teenagers should get the Pertussis booster before school starts in August in the state of California


It seems that the rise in Pertussis cases (whooping cough) in California has caused for a booster to be part of protocol for a vaccination schedule in California. The controversial issue is why should our teenagers be vaccinated again with a booster, due to other countries not mandating vaccines in their country?

In 1970 - 1974, 37 infant deaths occurred after the DPT vaccination in Japan. The pediatricians boycotted the vaccine in Japan. When the vaccine was resumed the vaccination was not given until the children were 2 -years-old of age. Infant mortality decreased when the vaccine was administered at a later age. Japan moved from 17th place in infant mortality to the lowest rate in the world. In 1975 there were reports of brain damage from the vaccine and England halted the vaccine and brain damage decreased by 30% and in some areas it dropped 10%. In the past many vaccinators denied any adverse effects from vaccines, but ant-vaccination awareness has forced vaccinators that reactions do occur from mild to serious: fever, convulsions, hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes, cerebral cry and even death. Unfortunately, reactions to a vaccine is only studied within 48 hours, but many reactions can be delayed starting 2-3 weeks after the vaccination. The pertussis vaccine when tested on animals developed encephalomyelitis or better known as the "Shaken Rat Syndrome" and with babies the "Shaken Baby Syndrome." Many medical staffers have blamed parents for "Shaken Baby Syndrome" when it could have been a reaction from the pertussis vaccine. Japan is quite liberal with their vaccination schedule should the U.S. get vaccinations because other countries don't and put our children at risk?


REFERENCES
Iwasa, Ishida, S., and Akama, K. 1985. Swelling of the brain in mice caused by pertussis vaccine - its quantitative determination and the responsible factors in the vaccine. Japan J Med Sci Biol; 38: 53-65.
Noble, G.R., Bernier, R.H., Esber, E.C., Hardegree, M.C., et al. 1987. Acellular and whole-cell pertussis vaccines in Japan: report of a visit by US scientists. JAMA; 257(10): 1351-1356.
Jenny Scott, 1990. Press & Sun Bulletin (taken from Los Angeles Times); March 1, 1990. Report: U.S. slips in fight to cut infant mortality.
Mason, J.O., 1991. Reducing infant mortality in the United States through "healthy start". Publ Health Reports (Sep-Oct).
McFarlane, A., 1982. Infant deaths after four weeks. Lancet (Oct 23).
Fine, P.E., and Clarkson,. J., A., 1982. The recurrence of whooping cough: possible implications for assessment of vaccine efficacy. Lancet (March 20): 666-669.
The Byron Shire Echo (June 22, 1994). SIDS cases quadruple in 13 years.
Scheibner, V., 1998. Shaken Baby Syndrome - the vaccination link. Nexus (August-September): 35-38 & 88.
Cherry, J.S., Brunell, P.A., Golden, G.S., and Karzon, D.T., 1988. Report of the task force on pertussis and pertussis immunization. Pediatrics (suppl): 939-984.
Madsen, T., 1933. Vaccination against whooping cough. JAMA; 101: 187-188.
Werne, J., & Garrow, I,. 1946. Fatal anaphylactic shock: Occurrence in identical twins following second injection of diphtheria toxoid and pertussis antigen. JAMA;131:730-735.
Griffith, A., H., 1978. Reactions after pertussis vaccine: A manufacturer's experience and difficulties since 1964. Br Med J; 1: 809-815.
Bernier, R.,H., Frank, J.AS., Dondero, T.J., Jr. 1982. Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis vaccination and sudden infant deaths in Tennessee. J Pediatr; 1982; 101: 419-421.
Baraff, L.J., Ablom, W.J., Weiss, R.C., et al. 1983. Possible temporal association between diphtheria-tetanus- toxoid-pertussis vaccination and sudden infant death syndrome. Pediatr Infect Dis; 2: 7-11.
Mortimer, E.A., Jr., Jones, P.K., and Adelson, L. 1983. DTP and SIDS. Pediatr Infect Dis; 2: 492.
Wilkins, J., 1988. What is 'significant' and DTP reactions. Pediatrics; 81(6): 912-913.

Torch, W.S., 1982. Diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) immunization: a potential cause of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Neurology; 32(4): A169 abstract).
Torch, W.C., 1986 a. Characteristics of diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) postvaccinal deaths and DPT-caused Sudden Infant Deaths Syndrome (SIDS): a review. Neurology (suppl 1); 36: 148 (abstract).
Torch, W.C., 1986 b. Diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) imunization may be an unrecognized cause of Sudden Infant Death (SIDS) and Near-Miss Syndrome (NMS): 12 case reports. Neurology (suppl 1); 36: 149 (abstract).
Steinman, L., Weiss, A., Adelman, N. et al. 1985. Pertussis toxin is required for pertussis vaccine encephalopathy. Proc Nati Acad Sci USA; 82: 8733-8736.
Kirschner,R.H., and Stein,R.J., 1985. The mistaken diagnosis of child abuse. A form of medical abuse? Am J Dis Child; 139: 873-875.
Pillemer, L., Blum, L., and Lepow, I.H. 1954. Protective antigen of Haemophilus pertussis. Lancet; 1: 1257-1260.
Olin, P., Rasmussen, F., Gustafsson, L., Hallander, H.O., et al. 1997. Randomised controlled trial of two-component, three-component, and five-component acellular pertussis vaccines compared with whole-cell pertussis vaccine. Lancet; 350: 1569-1577.
Olin, P., 1995. Acellular vaccines - a question of efficacy. J Hosp Infect; 30 (suppl): 503-507.Hutchins, S.S., Cochi, S.L.,, Brink, E.W., et al. 1988. Current epidemiology of pertussis in the United States. Tokai J exp din Med; 13 (suppl): 103-109.
[Scheibner]  [Vaccination]

Weekly Medical Tips

Chat Me More was reading an article and found it quite interesting and scary at the same time. We wanted to bring it to our follower's attention about a bacteria that can be found in your home aquarium. 


A teenager has been fighting with a rare bacterial infection for the last five years. Hannelle Cox contracted this disease when she had her hand in her fish tank and accidentally cut herself causing her to become infected with Mycobacterium marinum. Her hand swelled up from the bacteria and it had spread into the tissue and bone of her right hand and wrist. Cox was gymnast and her potential and dream was to make it to the Olympics. Unfortunately, she will not be able to, due to all the pain she is in. She has been on several medications and had two surgeries and nothing  has worked. She is more than likely to lose her hand and she is ready for the amputation to be free of pain.

CBS Los Angeles.com. (June 9, 2011). Hesperia Teen Might Lose Hand After Fish Tank Cut Gets Infected. Retrieved June 10, 2011, from Hesperia Teen Might Lose Hand After Fish Tank Cut Gets Infected « CBS Los Angeles

Mycobacterium marinum is a slow growing bacteria that is found in salt water and fish tanks (aquariums) or fish. Infections spread from a cut or a scrape on the skin. The first signs of the bacteria is red or tan bumps in a pattern called "sporotrichotic lymphangitis." Diagnosis and treatment is usually delayed and mistaken for Staphylococcus. When treatment is delayed it can travel to the tissue and bone then it becomes a serious problem as it did for Hannelle Cox.

Medicine net. com. Mycobacterium Marinum. Retrieved June 10, 2011, from    Mycobacterium Marinum Symptoms, Causes, Treatment - What is the prognosis for those infected with <i>Mycobacterium marinum</i> on MedicineNet

Weekly Medical Tips

Chat Me More would like to address recent media attention to brain cancer and cell phones


The risk of brain cancer from cell phones should be taken seriously but other cancers should also be considered. Placing a cell phone in a pocket may also affect different areas of the body. An Interphone study is an international population-based case-control study. The study consisted of 13 different countries:
Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand Norway, Sweden and the UK. The Interphone study focused on tumours in people ages 30-59 this age group is considered the most heavily cell phone users. The study suggested that there was no higher risk for brain cancer. The study also concluded that more studies are needed due to the evidence of elevated glioma (a tumor that starts in the brain or spine) in the temporal lobe when the phone is placed on only one side when talking on the phone (changing the position of the phone from one ear to the other every few minutes may decrease the chance of tumor growth). The radiation that comes from cell phones is called non-ionizing compatible to low-powered microwave oven. Children must be considered a high risk because their skulls and scalps are thinner and penetration of exposure to radiation is more likely to occur. Just 50 minutes on a cell phone can increase the activity of brain cells. Many cell phone manufactures have warned consumers to keep cell devices away from the body. Apple iphone stated that the iphone should be 15 millimeters ( 5/8 inch). away from the body. Blackberry recommends to keep the device 0.98 inch ( 25 millimeters) from the body. Radiation is the highest when cell phones are connecting to cellular towers. Avoid using cell phones where signals are low such as: elevators, rural areas and buildings.
Cardia, E. (2010). Brain tumour risk in relation to mobile telephone use: results of the INTERPHONE internatioal case-control study. International Journal of Epidemiology 2010;1-20 doi:10.1093/ije/dyq079
Retrieved June 3, 2011, from http://www.oxfordjournals.org/our_journals/ije/press_releases/freepdf/dyq079.pdf
Dellorto, D. (May 31, 2011). WHO: Cell phone use can increase possible cancer risk. CNN Health. Retrieved June 3, 2011, from  WHO: Cell phone use can increase possible cancer risk - CNN.com