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Headlines in Immunology: Immune Evasion * Cancer * Fibromyalgia * Autism and Neuropsychiatric * More
Advances in immunology are finding the immune system touches every aspect of health. Headlines featured this week cover a traditional area of immunology—immune escape of pathogens—as well as cancer, fibromyalgia, autism and neuropsychiatric function.
Immune Evasion
Sneaky Tactics: Ingenious Immune Evasion Mechanisms of Bartonella by Y Xi et al. publishing from the University of South China – Bartonella henselae, B. quintana and B. bacilliformis use a variety of immune evasion mechanisms at different times and together. This review article aims to gather all of them together into a coherent storyline. It includes a complex coordinated graphic of the main groupings of mechanisms, demonstrating that building coherence in the understanding and treatment of these conditions is a big task.
Galaxy Diagnostics’ Bartonella Digitial ePCR with our proprietary growth medium is the most sensitive test method available for confirmation of Bartonella species infections.
Cancer
Is Bartonella sp. Infection Relevant in Hematological Malignancies in HIV-Negative Patients? A Literature Review by EN Secamilli et al. publishing from Brazil – This literature review found 15 cases of patients with bartonellosis and leukemia. How do these conditions intersect? Answering this question brings up complex immunological issues in both infectious disease and cancer. Patients with leukemia are more susceptible to infections. Bartonellosis also has impacts that may leave people more susceptible to leukemia. Much more research is needed to understand these multifaceted cases.
Fibromyalgia
T Lymphocyte Interferon-gamma Response to Anaplasmataceae-related Major Surface Proteins and Ankyrin A in Fibromyalgia by BK Puri, R Preyer, GS Lee & A Schwarzbach publishing from the UK and Germany –People with fibromyalgia have immune changes related to immune response to Anaplasma, suggesting that Anaplasma exposure may be part of the development of the condition.
Find out more about Anaplasma species and about direct detection testing at Galaxy Diagnostics.
Autism and Neuropsychiatric
Reporters from NPR spoke with twin Autistic boys. Both needed surgery as infants, but only one had a surgical infection. The reporters were looking into the question, why do some Autistic people have higher support needs than others? One answer may be early exposure to infections.
Exploring the Possible Relationship Between Skin Microbiome and Brain Cognitive Functions: A Pilot EEG Study by P-C Wang et al. publishing from National Central University, Taiwan – In this small pilot study with statistical vulnerabilities, researchers found that manipulating the skin microbiome using water, alcohol and glycerol on selected areas of the face changed EEG results.
More: Immune Evolution and Plague (Y. Pestis) * Random Peptide Array * Immunology Writing in 2020/2021 * Emerging Zoonotic Diseases
Immune Evolution and Plague (Y. Pestis)
Humans, and their pathogens, have developed together for thousands of years. Selective pressure from plague (Y. pestis) outbreaks going back over 800 years may have shaped the immune systems we have today. This affects our immune response to COVID-19 and more. The BBC has published a round-up of recent research.
Random Peptide Array
Highly Heterogeneous Humoral Immune Response in Lyme Disease Patients Revealed By Broad Machine Learning-assisted Antibody Binding Profiling with Random Peptide Arrays by L Kelbauskas, JB Legutki & NW Woodbury publishing from Arizona – Lyme disease seropositivity on standard two-tier testing is notoriously variable in infected individuals, further complicated by rising numbers of people with previous infections and a foreseeable increased treatment with monoclonal antibodies and vaccines. What if a lot of smaller proteins were used as antigens instead, creating a broad antigen profile? These researchers report on their findings.
Immunology Writing in 2020/2021
In 2020, Ed Yong wrote an explainer titled “Immunology is Where Intuition Goes to Die” about immunology beyond antibody counts.
In 2021, we wrote about pathogen refuges. These are places in the body that are not well-protected by the immune system and often are difficult to treat with antimicrobials.
Emerging Zoonotic Disease
Ross River virus (RRV) – Found in Australia, infection rates risen and fallen every few years. The virus causes polyarthritis, rash and fever that usually passes quickly but can cause long-term symptoms. The Guardian reports this is a higher-incidence year, with more than 1,500 cases of the mosquito-borne virus so far. High levels of infection in host animals generally signal more infections in humans, and warmer years mean more infections.
Mpox – The US CDC has updated their page on mpox in animals and pets. While no cases have been found in dogs and cats, some other animals kept as pets can be infected. Infection back to animals from humans is sometimes called “reverse-zoonosis.” The page advises isolation from pets when infected.
Avian Influenza – As cases in poultry and cattle as well as cats and one human associated with cattle grow in the United States, the World Health Organization has published an overview of 2023 outbreaks.
