Health

New ‘Highly Virulent’ HIV Strain Discovered

Published

2 years ago

February 4, 2022

Editor

Oxford researchers announced Thursday the discovery of a highly virulent strain of HIV that has been lurking in the Netherlands for decades, but because of the effectiveness of modern treatments, is “no cause for alarm.”

Their analysis, published Thursday in the journal “Science,” showed that patients infected with what they call the “VB variant” had 3.5 to 5.5 times higher levels of the virus in their blood than those infected with other variants, as well as a more rapidly fading immune system.

However, the study also found that after starting treatment, individuals with the VB variant had similar immune system recovery and survival to individuals with other HIV variants.

“There’s no cause for alarm with this new viral variant,” said Oxford epidemiologist Chris Wymant, the lead author on the paper, in an interview with AFP.

The variant likely arose in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the Netherlands, according to the researchers, but began to decline around 2010.

Since modern interventions still seem to work on the variant, the research team believes that widespread HIV treatment in the Netherlands did not contribute to the virus’s evolution, and that early detection and treatment are paramount.

“Our findings emphasize the importance of World Health Organization guidance that individuals at risk of acquiring HIV have access to regular testing to allow early diagnosis, followed by immediate treatment,” said co-author Christophe Fraser, also an Oxford researcher, in a press release announcing the findings.

The work also supports the theory that viruses can evolve to become more virulent, a widely-hypothesized idea for which few real-world examples have been found.

The Delta variant of the novel coronavirus was another recent example.

The discovery of the HIV variant should therefore “be a warning that we should never be overconfident about saying viruses will just evolve to become milder,” said Wymant to AFP.

In total, the team found 109 people infected with the VB variant, with only four living outside the Netherlands, but still in western Europe.

– 500 mutations –

The HIV virus is constantly evolving, so much so that each person infected has a slightly different version.

The VB variant, however, was found to have over 500 mutations.

“Finding a new variant is normal, but finding a new variant with unusual properties is not — especially one with increased virulence,” Wyman explained.

The research team first identified the VB variant in 17 HIV positive individuals by parsing a broad data set from the BEEHIVE project, a data collection and analysis initiative in Europe and Uganda.

Because 15 of the 17 were from the Netherlands, they further studied data from 6,700 HIV-positive Dutch individuals, identifying 92 others.

The earliest appearance of the VB variant in their data was found in someone diagnosed in 1992 who had an early version of the variant, and the most recent in 2014.

Other researchers have since found other individuals with the variant diagnosed after 2014.

Doctors usually measure HIV’s deterioration of the immune system by monitoring the decline of CD4 T-cells, which are targeted by the HIV virus and pivotal for protecting the body against infections.

In patients infected with the VB variant, CD4 decline occurred twice as fast compared to other variants, “placing them at risk of developing AIDS much more rapidly,” the researchers said.

In addition to its increased impact on the immune system, the team also found the VB variant to be more highly transmission.

They came to that conclusion after comparing the different versions of the VB variant drawn from infected patients.

The fact that they were so similar suggests that the virus passed rapidly to someone else before it could accumulate many mutations.

– ‘Critical’ to diagnose and treat early –

“Because the VB variant causes a more rapid decline in immune system strength, this makes it critical that individuals are diagnosed early and start treatment as soon as possible,” the press statement noted.

“This limits the amount of time HIV can damage an individual’s immune system and jeopardize their health,” added Fraser.

Fraser is also the principal investigator of the BEEHIVE project, which was launched in 2014 to gather data on how mutations in the HIV virus can lead to varying degrees of severity among patients.

Those differences have previously been thought to mostly relate to the strength of individuals’ own immune systems.

The researchers said they could not identify which genetic mutation in the VB variant caused its virulence, but they hope future studies will be able to.

AFP

Health

AUTISM: What You Need To Know

Published

1 month ago

April 6, 2024

Editor

By Silver Yeibake

Autism, commonly known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior. Autism is referred to as a spectrum condition since it can manifest in a variety of symptoms and abilities. While the actual cause of autism is unknown, evidence suggests that genetic and environmental factors interact to influence its development.

The risk factors include a sibling with autism, advanced age of parents, exposure to certain air pollutants and pesticides before birth, extreme prematurity, mothers with diabetes, immune system disorders or obesity, any difficulty with delivery leading to deprivation of oxygen to the baby’s brain, fever during pregnancy, lack of certain vitamins minerals during pregnancy, and certain genetic conditions, such as Down, fragile X, and Rett syndromes.

“Risk factors can not on their own cause a disease. However, they can increase the likelihood of that disease in a person.”

It is important to know that contrary to trending claims online, there is no scientific or medical evidence that vaccines or consumption of sugar are risk factors for autism.

Autism is defined by difficulties in social interaction and communication. Individuals with autism may struggle to grasp social cues, maintain eye contact, and engage in typical back-and-forth conversations. Some people may also engage in meaningless, repetitive actions, such as hand-flapping or rocking, and have strong interests in specific areas.

It is essential to remember that autism is a lifelong diagnosis, but with early intervention and adequate care, people with autism can live fulfilling lives.
Autism treatment frequently includes behavioral therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and social skills training. Each individual with autism is unique, thus interventions should be tailored to meet their personal needs and strengths.

In spite of the difficulties that autism can cause, many people with autism possess unique talents and abilities. Some people may succeed in fields such as music, art, mathematics, or programming, thus it is important for society to acknowledge and honor the qualities and achievements of people with autism.

In summary, autism is a complicated and diverse disorder that affects individuals in various ways. By raising autism knowledge, understanding, and acceptance, we can build a more inclusive society in which people with autism can thrive and attain their full potential.

Dr. Yeibake, Weriwoyingipre Silver.
Senior Registrar,
Faculty Of Pediatrics,
WACP

Health

Don Confirms ‘Zobo’ As Antihypertensive Therapy

Published

2 months ago

March 10, 2024

Editor

The Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, UNEC, Prof. Daniel Nwachukwu, after research findings and clinical trials in both animals and human, has confirmed that Hibiscus Sabdariffa, popularly called ‘zobo’ drinks, has all the curative potentials as an antihypertensive therapy.

Nwachukwu, who is a Professor of Cardiovascular Physiology in the university, stated that the antihypertensive effectiveness of the Hibiscus Sabdariffa (zobo) was comparable to those of known antihypertensive drugs that are popular in the retail pharmacies, adding that zobo’s availability, cheapness and absence of side effects make it attractive as an alternative therapeutic agent in mind to moderate hypertensive subjects.

He however cautioned that care should be applied to avoid abuse in the consumption of Hibiscus Sabdariffa (zobo), adding that the therapy could interfere with some anti-malaria drugs while its high dose was also reported to have toxic effects on the liver and kidney.

Nwachukwu’s discoveries were contained his 201st Inaugural Lecture of the University of Nigeria with the topic “The Marriage Between the Cardiovascular System and Hibiscus Sabariffa: Let no One Put Asunder,” delivered at the moot court hall, Law faculty of the University of Nigeria, Enugu campus.

The DVC warned that Hibiscus Sabariffa consumption is not recommended for persons with low blood pressure because of its well established hypotensive action, advising that during combined therapy with antihypertensive drugs, the blood pressure, BP, must be carefully monitored.

He recommended that industrialists and investors should support large scale production of Hibiscus Sabariffa beverage and its distribution to rural communities in Nigeria, particularly since the raw materials (Hibiscus Sabariffa calyx and water) are cheap and readily available.

According to Nwachukwu, “This lecture is intended to draw the public attention to our research efforts and unveiling the antihypertensive ability of Hibiscus Sabariffa which is called zobo in our common parlance. What we used for our studies was the same concentration as the locally produced zobo, and we found out that it exerted significant antihypertensive ability, in some cases even higher than the antihypertensive drugs and also did combination therapy with other antihypertensive drugs.

“What is significant is that this zobo is within us, it’s very cheap and it does not have any side effects compared to other antihypertensive agents. The raw material is just to buy zobo, prepare it under hygienic conditions, boil water and put it, sieve it and drink. It may have a sour taste but we do not encourage people to add things like pineapple or sugar in order to make it sweet, because once you do that, you are diluting or reducing its antihypertensive effectiveness.

“We have demonstrated it, both in animal studies and in humans. We are the first to do clinical trials, using mild to moderate antihypertensive Nigerians and we found it very useful. Some of the results show that one can actually use it and we equally saw that you can use it to prevent even diabetes from occurring because it reduces the rise in glucose level.”

Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Charles Igwe while summarizing the lecture said that the lecture was in three dimensions; one on health grounds, another in academics and the third an economic value.

“Its economic in the sense that we can also begin to use what God has given us to make money. Maybe because God gave us everything in abundance in this country, we don’t recognize the simplest things God gave us in our environment. Therefore, what we are saying is that we should begin to, at all these pure water productions and incorporate zobo production so as to make money out of it.

“The university has made its contribution through our laboratories and it’s now left for the business community and the industries to come and buy into it and start widening it and make it very economic,” Igwe suggested.
Vanguard

Health

Glaucoma: What You Need To Know

Published

2 months ago

March 8, 2024

Editor

By Silver Yeibake

Hi, did you know that Tuesday 12th March, 2024 is world Glaucoma day?Kindly avail yourself of this opportunity to learn about this important health issue as presented below:

Glaucoma is a dangerous eye disorder that damages the optic nerve, causing visual impairment or permanent blindness if not treated.
The optic nerve transmits visual information from the eye to the brain. Damage to this nerve might cause gradual visual loss that is not immediately obvious.

Worldwide, this disease affects 67 million people and contributes 6.7 million of blindness in this population. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the world.
The total number of cases is expected to increase to 111 million by 2040. Males are slightly more affected than females.

One of the basic causes of glaucoma is an increase in intraocular pressure (pressure within the eyeball), which can eventually damage the optic nerve (the nerve that makes seeing possible). This increase in pressure could be caused by an accumulation of aqueous humor, the fluid that nourishes the eye.

FROM THE AUTHOR: Food Poisoning: What You Need To Know

There are several forms of glaucoma, including open-angle glaucoma, angle-closure glaucoma, normal-tension glaucoma, and secondary glaucoma, each with unique characteristics and treatment choices.

Some of the risk factors for glaucoma include sustained elevation of intraocular pressure, family history of glaucoma, race (African, Asian), short-sightedness, long-sightedness, age over 50, previous eye injury or surgery, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, migraines, and prolonged steroid therapy.

Glaucoma symptoms may not appear until the problem has advanced sufficiently, therefore regular eye checks are essential for early detection. Blurred vision, eye pain, nausea, and light halos are some of the most frequent glaucoma symptoms. However, these symptoms might be mild or readily misinterpreted as other eye problems, emphasizing the significance of regular eye examinations.

Glaucoma treatment tries to reduce intraocular pressure and protect the optic nerve from further damage. This can be accomplished using a variety of approaches, including prescription eye drops, oral medicines, laser therapy, and surgical procedures. Treatment options are determined on the kind and severity of glaucoma, as well as personal characteristics such as overall health and medical history.

To summarize, glaucoma is a serious eye disorder that requires timely diagnosis and treatment to prevent irreversible vision loss. Regular eye examinations, early detection, and commitment to treatment plans are critical for protecting vision and eye health in glaucoma patients.
Thank you.

Dr. Yeibake, Weriwoyingipre Silver, a
Senior Registrar, Faculty Of Pediatrics, West Africa College of Physician (WACP), writes from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.