RNA Seq Used to Discriminate between Bacterial and Viral Infections

credit/image: www. cdc,gov/getsmart

The ability of clinicians to discriminate between bacterial and viral infections among their patients is critical, not only to administer the appropriate therapeutic intervention but to help quell the rise in a major global health threat—antibiotic resistance stemming from overuse. Unfortunately, ailments such as lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) symptomatically present with similar clinical symptoms, regardless of the root pathogen—making proper diagnosis difficult.

Now, investigators at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have released findings from a new study that utilized the power of RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and transcriptomic analysis to help physicians prescribe antibiotics to patients who need them and avoid giving them to individuals who don't. Results from the new study were published recently in Scientific Reports in an article entitled “Transcriptomic Biomarkers to Discriminate Bacterial from Nonbacterial Infection in Adults Hospitalized with Respiratory Illness.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause at least 2 million infections and 23,000 deaths each year in the United States. The use of antibiotics is the single most important factor leading to antibiotic resistance around the world, making this type of research more important than ever.

“Our genes react differently to a virus than they do to bacteria,” remarked co-senior study investigator Thomas Mariani, Ph.D., professor of pediatrics and biomedical genetics at URMC. “Rather than trying to detect the specific organism that's making an individual sick, we're using genetic data to help us determine what's affecting the patient and when an antibiotic is appropriate or not.”

While the researchers were excited by their findings and optimistic about the use of the technology to better diagnose patients, they did point out that the main limitation of their study is the small sample size and that the genetic classifiers selected from the study population may not prove to be universal to all patients.

credit/source: RNA-Seq RNA-Seto Discriminate between Bacterial and Viral Infections (genengnews.com

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should not be taken as expert advice.

A/N: Let Food be thy Medicine and Boost your Immune System. Ask me How. First Vita Plus is a Vegetable-in-a-Drink.

Aloe Vera- health Benefits, Common Uses, Side Effects, and Risks

What Is Aloe Vera?

credit image: webmd.com

Aloe vera is gel from the leaves of aloe plants. People have used it for thousands of years for healing and soften the skin. Aloe has also long been a folk treatment for many maladies, including constipation and skin disorders. Modern-day research into aloe vera's benefits is mixed, with some evidence showing it can cause cancer in lab animals.

There are no foods that contain aloe vera, so it must be taken in supplement or gel form.

Some forms of aloe vera are safer to take than others, and chronic use is discouraged.

Aloe Vera Uses

Research backs up the ancient use of topical aloe vera as a skin treatment, at least for specific conditions. Studies have shown that aloe gel might be effective in treating skin conditions including:

• Psoriasis
• Seborrhea
• Dandruff
• Minor burns
• Skin abrasions
• Skin injured by radiation
• Herpes sores
• Acne
• Anal fissures

There’s also strong evidence that aloe juice, which contains latex, taken by mouth is a powerful laxative. In fact, aloe juice was once sold in over-the-counter constipation drugs. But because aloe’s safety was not well-established, the FDA ordered in 2002 that over-the-counter laxatives containing aloe vera either be reformulated or removed from store shelves.

Aloe vera gel taken orally (by mouth) seems to help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. It may also help to lower cholesterol. The results of aloe vera studies for other medical conditions have been less clear.

How much aloe vera should you use?

Creams and gels with aloe vera vary in dosage. Some creams for minor burns have just 0.5% aloe vera. Others used for psoriasis may contain as much as 70% aloe vera. As an oral supplement, aloe has no set dose.

It’s easy to find aloe vera at the store. If you want to grow your own aloe vera plant, here’s how to collect the gel:

• Cut an outer leaf close to the stem and rinse it.
• Place on a cutting board, rounded side up.
• Use a knife to peel off the skin around the edges.
• Then use the knife to slide the gel off the remaining skin.
• Puree or mash it.
• You now have aloe vera gel.

Aloe Vera Risks and Side Effects

Talk to your doctor before using it. Researchers warn against the chronic use of aloe vera. But if the aloe product is free of aloin -- an extract of the plant that has been found to cause colorectal cancer in rats -- it may be OK as a topical remedy for sunburn. Aloin is found between the outer leaf of the aloe plant and the gooey stuff inside.

• Side effects. Topical aloe vera might irritate your skin. Oral aloe, which has a laxative effect, can cause cramping and diarrhea. This may cause electrolyte imbalances in the blood of people who ingest aloe for more than a few days. It can also stain the colon, making it hard to get a good look at the colon during a colonoscopy. So avoid it for a month before having a colonoscopy. Aloe gel, for topical or oral use, should be free of aloin, which can irritate the gastrointestinal tract.
• Risks. Do not apply topical aloe vera to deep cuts or severe burns. People allergic to garlic, onions, and tulips are more likely to be allergic to aloe. High doses of oral aloe are dangerous. Don’t take oral aloe if you have intestinal problems, heart disease, hemorrhoids, kidney problems, diabetes, or electrolyte imbalances.
• Interactions. If you take any drugs regularly, talk to your doctor before you start using aloe supplements. They could interact with medicines and supplements like diabetes drugs, heart drugs, laxatives, steroids, and licorice root. The oral use of aloe vera gel may also block the absorption of medicines taken at the same time.

Remider: Given the lack of evidence about its safety, aloe vera supplements should not be used orally by children, pregnant women, or breastfeeding.

credit/source: Aloe Vera - Health Benefits, Common Uses, Side Effects, and Risks (webmd.com)

The information contained on this site is for educational purposes only and 

should not be taken as expert advice.

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Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs Overview, Risk Factor and WHO Response

Key facts

• Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to 74% of all deaths globally.
• Each year, 17 million people die from a NCD before age 70; 86% of these premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
• Of all NCD deaths, 77% are in low- and middle-income countries.
• Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.9 million people annually, followed by cancers (9.3 million), chronic respiratory diseases (4.1 million), and diabetes (2.0 million including kidney disease deaths caused by diabetes).
• These four groups of diseases account for over 80% of all premature NCD deaths.
• Tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets all increase the risk of dying from an NCD.
• Detection, screening and treatment of NCDs, as well as palliative care, are key components of the response to NCDs.

image credit: WHO- World Health Organization

Overview

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors.

The main types of NCD are cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes.

NCDs disproportionately affect people in low- and middle-income countries, where more than three quarters of global NCD deaths (31.4 million) occur.

People at risk

People of all age groups, regions and countries are affected by NCDs. These conditions are often associated with older age groups, but evidence shows that 17 million NCD deaths occur before the age of 70 years. Of these premature deaths, 86% are estimated to occur in low- and middle-income countries. Children, adults and the elderly are all vulnerable to the risk factors contributing to NCDs, whether from unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, exposure to tobacco smoke or the harmful use of alcohol.

These diseases are driven by forces that include rapid unplanned urbanization, globalization of unhealthy lifestyles and population ageing. Unhealthy diets and a lack of physical activity may show up in people as raised blood pressure, increased blood glucose, elevated blood lipids and obesity. These are called metabolic risk factors and can lead to cardiovascular disease, the leading NCD in terms of premature deaths.

Risk factors

Modifiable behavioral risk factors

Modifiable behaviors, such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and the harmful use of alcohol, all increase the risk of NCDs.

• Tobacco accounts for over 8 million deaths every year (including from the effects of exposure to second-hand smoke) (1).
• 1.8 million annual deaths have been attributed to excess salt/sodium intake (1).
• More than half of the 3 million annual deaths attributable to alcohol use are from NCDs, including cancer.
• 830 000 deaths annually can be attributed to insufficient physical activity (1).

Metabolic risk factors

Metabolic risk factors contribute to four key metabolic changes that increase the risk of NCDs:

• raised blood pressure;
• overweight/obesity;
• hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels); and
• hyperlipidemia (high levels of fat in the blood).

In terms of attributable deaths, the leading metabolic risk factor globally is elevated blood pressure (to which 19% of global deaths are attributed) (1), followed by raised blood glucose and overweight and obesity.

Socioeconomic impact

NCDs threaten progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a target of reducing the probability of death from any of the four main NCDs between ages 30 and 70 years by one third by 2030.

Poverty is closely linked with NCDs. The rapid rise in NCDs is predicted to impede poverty reduction initiatives in low-income countries, particularly by increasing household costs associated with health care. Vulnerable and socially disadvantaged people get sicker and die sooner than people of higher social positions, especially because they are at greater risk of being exposed to harmful products, such as tobacco, or unhealthy dietary practices, and have limited access to health services.

In low-resource settings, health-care costs for NCDs quickly drain household resources. The exorbitant costs of NCDs, including treatment, which is often lengthy and expensive, combined with loss of income, force millions of people into poverty annually and stifle development.

Prevention and control

An important way to control NCDs is to focus on reducing the risk factors associated with these diseases. Low-cost solutions exist for governments and other stakeholders to reduce the common modifiable risk factors. Monitoring progress and trends of NCDs and their risk is important for guiding policy and priorities.

To lessen the impact of NCDs on individuals and society, a comprehensive approach is needed requiring all sectors, including health, finance, transport, education, agriculture, planning and others, to collaborate to reduce the risks associated with NCDs, and to promote interventions to prevent and control them.

Investing in better management of NCDs is critical. Management of NCDs includes detecting, screening and treating these diseases, and providing access to palliative care for people in need. High impact essential NCD interventions can be delivered through a primary health care approach to strengthen early detection and timely treatment. Evidence shows such interventions are excellent economic investments because, if provided early to patients, they can reduce the need for more expensive treatment. Countries with inadequate health care coverage are unlikely to provide universal access to essential NCD interventions. NCD management interventions are essential for achieving the SDG target on NCDs.

WHO response

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes NCDs as a major challenge for sustainable development. As part of the Agenda, heads of state and government committed to develop ambitious national responses, by 2030, to reduce by one third premature mortality from NCDs through prevention and treatment (SDG target 3.4). WHO plays a key leadership role in the coordination and promotion of the global fight against NCDs and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals target 3.4.

In 2019, the World Health Assembly extended the WHO Global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013–2020 to 2030 and called for the development of an Implementation Roadmap 2023 to 2030 to accelerate progress on preventing and controlling NCDs. The Roadmap supports actions to achieve a set of nine global targets with the greatest impact towards prevention and management of NCDs. 

 

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(1) Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network, Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD 2019) Results (2020, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation – IHME) https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/

credit/source:Noncommunicable diseases (who.int) 

The information contained on this site is for educational purposes only and 

should not be taken as expert advice.

A/N: Let Food be thy Medicine and Boost your Immune System. Ask me How. First Vita Plus is a Vegetable-in-a-Drink.

The Leading Cause of Death: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)

image credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -CDC

The Leading Cause of Death

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes, are the leading cause of death worldwide and represent an emerging global health threat. Deaths from NCDs now exceed all communicable disease deaths combined. NCDs kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to over 7 out of 10 deaths worldwide. Changing social, economic, and structural factors such as more people moving to cities and the spread of unhealthy lifestyles have fueled the NCD crisis that kills 15 million people prematurely—before the age of 70—each year. The high burden of NCDs among working-age people leads to high healthcare costs, limited ability to work, and financial insecurity. 

NCDs and Global Health Security

Evidence shows that NCDs and their risk factors increase the likelihood of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 across all age groups, a stark reminder of the role of NCDs in outbreak preparedness and response. NCDs can affect vulnerability to illness, pathogen performance, and the ability of health systems to handle health threats. High rates of NCDs perpetuate poverty, strain economic development, and burden fragile health systems, making countries less resilient when emergencies like infectious disease outbreaks or natural disasters occur. Integrating noncommunicable diseases in global health security approaches is important to addressing emergencies and ongoing health needs, increasing health equity, and building trust among partners.   

Addressing NCDs enhances global economic and health security and supports progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Countries with healthier populations are more stable and prosperous, more viable trading partners, better able to avoid health crises and outbreaks, thus affecting U.S. national interests.  

Fast Facts

• Every two seconds, a person dies prematurely from an NCD.1
• 85% of premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.1
• Low- and middle-income countries are estimated to surpass $500 billion per year in economic losses due to NCDs.3
• Every $1 invested in proven NCD interventions in low- and lower-middle-income countries will generate at least $7 in increased economic development or reduced healthcare costs by 2030.1

References

1. World Health Organization. Noncommunicable diseases country profiles 2018external icon. Accessed September 6, 2019
2. World Health Organization. Noncommunicable diseases fact sheetexternal icon. Accessed September 6, 2019
3. World Economic Forum, Harvard School of Public Health. The global economic burden of non-communicable diseasespdf iconexternal icon. Accessed September 6, 2019

Page last reviewed: December 17, 2021

Content source: Division of Global Health Protection, Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The information contained on this site is for educational purposes only and 

should not be taken as expert advice.

A/N: Let Food be thy Medicine and Boost your Immune System. Ask me How. First Vita Plus is a Vegetable-in-a-Drink.