Monthly Archives: November 2019
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection in the female reproductive organs and pelvis; which causes inflammation, scarring, pain, and infertility. In 90% of cases, PID is caused by chlamydia trachoma. Trachoma can also cause endometriosis, a painful condition in which the tissue lining the uterus grows outside the uterus. As trachoma spreads, it causes inflammation, scarring, inclusion cysts, and a sticky environment, which hampers the proper release of an egg from the ovaries, and implantation of a fertilized egg…..
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is thought to be a genetic disease, arising in infants and young children. In CF, the pulmonary epithelial cells are immunologically impaired, and lung tissue produces copious amounts of mucous, pus, and sputum, clogging the lung. CF patients have consolidation of pus in the lower lung, low oxygen levels, microscopic inclusion cysts, scarring in the lung, and co-morbid gastrointestinal disease. The average lifespan of a CF patient is 37 years old. Chlamydia pneumonia was found in CF…..
Doctors are beginning to hypothesize infectious causes of autism. In mice, treatment with antibiotics reduced or eliminated autism, in the fetus and in subsequent births. The fact antibiotics prevented autism in mice strongly suggests bacterial pathogens can cause autism, alone or in combination with other co-infections, an imbalance in the microbiome, and genetic weaknesses. Studies of autistic children showed high levels of TNF-alpha in the spinal fluid, and high levels of cytokines in the blood plasma, suggesting immune dysfunction. TNF-alpha…..
The November 2019 cover story, in AARP magazine, asked if decreasing chronic inflammation could be the cure for many chronic diseases. We agree with the importance of understanding inflammation in chronic diseases; and the suggestions in the article to reduce inflammation, such as diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle. However, we ask, what is causing the inflammation? The cause of chronic inflammation is chronic intracellular infections, and an impaired immune system attacking the infections! The intracellular pathogens are difficult to…..
Any infection with a predilection for a particular organ or type of tissue will have the same predilection in the fetus; and can be more destructive to a fetus because of the vulnerability of the developing fetus and lifetime duration of the chronic infection. Chlamydia pneumonia attacks cardiovascular tissue, lungs and brain; and can affect fetal development in the heart, cardiovascular tissue, and/or brain. Trachoma and psittacosis attack the central nervous system, lungs and eyes, and may similarly affect a…..
Immortal pathogens and parasites can infect a fetus in utero. Oxygen levels are lower, in utero, with oxygen only available from the mother’s bloodstream. Thus, pathogens with a potential to infect a fetus must be capable of surviving in a low oxygen environment. Immortal pathogens and parasites attack tissue and organs, in a fetus, in the same way the pathogens and parasites attack children, adults and animals, based on predilection and opportunity. Immortal pathogens are more virulent to a fetus…..
A mouse biovar of chlamydia trachoma is considered a more virulent form of trachoma, and can invade both the reproductive tract and urinary tract. In mice, after inoculation vaginally with chlamydia suis in group one, and chlamydia trachoma in group two, chlamydia suis and chlamydia trachoma were isolated from both the uterus and fallopian tubes, weeks after inoculation. Long term, sexually transmitted chlamydia trachoma has the potential to cause many chronic diseases, including urinary disease, interstitial cystitis, kidney disease, autoimmune…..
Chlamydia abortus is a sexually transmitted disease in animals, which has been found in sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, wild pigs, horses, antelope, deer, giraffe, and birds; and has also been shown to cause miscarriages, placenta previa, stillbirths, prematurity, birth defects, weak offspring, and late-term fetal demise. Ewes seldom abort more than once, but remain persistently infected and shed chlamydia abortus, for two to three days before and after ovulation. The male animal can acquire the infection and transmit the infection…..
Chlamydia trachoma is the most common sexually transmitted disease, with 92,000,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Chlamydia trachoma infects the reproductive tract and can spread to other organs and parts of the body, including the urethra, cervix, mouth, rectum, and kidney, in women; and the urethra, prostate, mouth, rectum, and kidney, in men. Once infected, trachoma may act differently in women and men, symptoms can change over time, and the infection may become asymptomatic as it evolves into a…..
We have numerous “biomes” within us—a microbiome (bacteria), mycobiome (fungus), proteinbiome (proteins), inflammasome (cells causing inflammatiom), and apoptosomes (cells affecting cell death). The gut-brain connection has been suggested in many chronic diseases, and science is studying “biomes” to better understand disease. All of the “biomes” are impacted by chronic infection and by treatments for infection. Chronic infection deposits and creates abnormal proteins, damages apoptosis, causes inflammation, and promotes the overgrowth of pathogenic fungus. Early in medical school, Dr. Merchant observed,…..