Category Archives: Viva!

Parkinson’s: Woman who can sniff out disease inspires new research – Telegraph

Scientists have begun research into if a person’s odour can be used to diagnose Parkinson’s after a “supersmeller” detected the disease by sniffing T-shirts.Researchers from the University of Manchester will analyse skin swabs taken to discover if the debilitating disease changes chemicals found in the skin, according to Parkinson’s UK.The study was launched after a Scottish woman, Joy Milne, successfully identified sufferers by smelling T-shirts they had slept in. She could even detect subtle changes in smell in people who had not yet developed the condition.

Source: Parkinson’s: Woman who can sniff out disease inspires new research – Telegraph

Immigration Talk with a Mexican American: Wonder Woman Hillary Clinton takes on Republican Witch Hunt!

I am so Proud of Presidential Candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today. She is truly a role model for ALL WOMEN, all Underdogs, all minorities, all ethnicities, anyone attacked by the Powers-that-be. Hillary has withstood the partisan attack against her. This Witch Hunt – by the Republican sub-committee. Republican Man after Man after Man after Man after Man after Man after Man after Man after Man (ad nauseum)and some republican women attackers —  these Republicans are STILL attacking her) after Man after Man after Woman… are STILL ATTACKING HER for hours and hours and hours ALL DAY and are doing so RIGHT NOW!!!! — Which Human of us could withstand these (often) LYING and vicious attacks in one session.It’s Hillary, one Strong Woman, versus the Republican CLOWNS – snearing, glaring, yelling, attacking Wonder Woman Hillary Clinton. AND, what is Most illogical is that these SAME Republicans Clowns VOTED AGAINST increased support for security for our Embassies abroad.

Source: Immigration Talk with a Mexican American: Wonder Woman Hillary Clinton takes on Republican Witch Hunt!

Hepatitis E virus antibody prevalence in hunters from a district in Central Germany, 2013: a cross-sectional study providing evidence for the benefit of protective gloves during disembowelling of wild boars

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Background:
In Germany, 17 % of the general human population have antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) (recomLine HEV-IgG/IgM immunoassay [Mikrogen GmbH]). Wild boars represent an animal reservoir for HEV genotype 3, which is the common genotype in Germany. We estimated the seroprevalence among hunters with contact to wild boars to identify factors that may be associated with past or present HEV infection.
Methods:
In 2013, the local veterinarian authority in a district in Central Germany attended meetings of hunters who provided blood specimens and completed a questionnaire collecting information on age, sex, hunting-related activities and consumption of wild boar meat. Specimens of wild boars were taken during drive hunts in this district during the season 2012/2013. All specimens were tested for HEV RNA and anti-HEV IgM and IgG antibodies. Log-binomial regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) for the hunters.
Results:
Of 126 hunters (median age 55; 94 % male) 21 % tested positive for anti-HEV IgG antibodies (95 % confidence interval [CI] 13–28 %) (recomWell HEV IgG assay [Mikrogen GmbH]). Anti-HEV prevalence was highest in the age group of the 70–79-year-olds (67 %; 95 % CI 39–95 %). Wild boars showed an average anti-HEV prevalence of 41 %. HEV RNA was detected in 4/22 (18 %) liver specimens and in 1/22 (4.5 %) muscle specimens. Most wild boars were tested positive for HEV RNA (3/10; 30 %) and HEV-specific antibodies (7/15; 47 %) in the southwestern part of the district. Hunters preferring this hunting ground had a lower anti-HEV prevalence when gloves were frequently used during disembowelling of wild boars compared to hunters using gloves never or infrequently (age-adjusted PR 0.12; 95 % CI 0.02–0.86).
Conclusions:
Hunters may benefit from wearing gloves when in contact with blood or body fluids of HEV animal reservoirs. Anti-HEV prevalence among the hunters of this study did not significantly differ from that of the general population suggesting that other factors play a major role in the epidemiology of HEV in Germany.

Drug-resistant malaria extends to Africa

Scientists with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a branch of the National Institutes of Health, recently discovered that the deadliest species of malaria parasites are responsible for the majority of malaria cases in Africa.

This finding shows that Africa is at a higher risk for drug-resistant malaria infections that health professionals originally thought. This risk could limit the efforts that are being made to prevent and eventually eliminate malaria from the country.

The P. falciparum parasites are resistant against artemisinin, which is the major drug that doctors use to treat malaria. These parasites have quickly spread throughout Southeast Asia, which has made it more challenging to control as well as treat malaria infections in that region.

Health professionals were concerned about this parasite spreading throughout Africa, but there had not been any proof that Anopheles coluzzii mosquitos could contract these parasites. This study provided the first scientific hints that P. falciparum could extend to Africa, as Anopheles coluzzii is the main species that transmits malaria to people in Africa.

When the researchers infected a wide range of mosquito species from Africa and Southeast Asia with parasites resistant to artemisinin, they found that the parasites infected A. coluzzi as quickly as Anopheles minimus and Anopheles dirus.