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Moment of silence for the effort, creativity, research, and time put into these beautiful blogs we write every week. To finish it off, we are going to talk about vaccines. Starting with how they approved and then discussing a vaccine that could be the next big breakthrough in medicine: an HIV vaccine. There are 6 major steps in the process of vaccine approval and I will be giving a brief description of each to help my readers better understand the process and hopefully it helps them be more aware of how important and safe vaccination is! To read more detailed information on the topic I would visit historyofvaccines.org!

• Exploratory stage: This is the basic research stage in which the scientists are pursuing what kinds of vaccine they want to create; whether it be VLP, conjugate, etc.
• Pre-clinical stage: This stage is where the initial testing on either human cell cultures or animals occurs. Checking desired dosage for further testing and observing adverse effects is the most important part of this stage. They may also test a early stage vaccine on animals and then attempt to infect them with the target pathogen.
• Clinical stage: A sponsor has submitted an application for a new drug to the FDA and has been approved for the next phases of testing.
  • Stage I: The first human subjects are tested on here. Normally not the target age initially but may work towards it throughout this stage. The vaccine is given to a small number of people and normally they know whether it is a placebo or not. Some researchers may also choose specific candidates as challengers and infect them with either a live or attenuated version of the pathogen. The goal is the monitor the immune response.
  • Stage II: A larger test group is used here since the stage I trial went well. This stage is more specific to individuals who may be more susceptible as well as confining the specific parts about the vaccine such as proposed doses and method of delivery.
  • Stage III: The testing pool is largely expanded in this stage. The vaccine is randomized and double-blinded against a placebo. Vaccine safety and efficacy are the most important things being tested here.
• Once a vaccine has made it past these stages it moves forward for approval and licensure.

As you can see, it takes many years and many tests in order to approve the safety of a vaccine and its ability to prevent the pathogen. Now lets talk more specifically about HIV and the lack of a vaccine against this disease. Researches have been attempting a vaccine against HIV/AIDS since the 1980’s. With variability in the virus and the lack of ability to produce the desired immune response it is extremely difficult to create a specific vaccine for this disease. The immune response that most researchers believe is the most desired requires activation of both acquired immune responses: cell-mediated and humoral immunity (antibodies). In the early 2000’s a vaccine came close to passing the clinical stages of testing but did not have large enough decrease in infection rate to quantify the results for approval. Although there have been failed attempts at vaccine production against HIV, each failure provides more information for the path the the approvable vaccine.

Ladies I am not here to further upset you, but I gotta talk about this. I looked up news on autoimmune disease and I was surprised to see articles talking about how much more likely women are in developing autoimmune diseases than men are. Researchers at the University of Michigan may have the answers we need to understand this CRUEL phenomenon. It is also known that men are more prone to infectious diseases, and this could be due to the lack of a molecular switch which controls the immune responses. Pinpointing this difference in expression of genes and its relationship to autoimmunity may create a new path towards controlling and eliminating these diseases without affecting the patient negatively in other ways.

An overabundance of the VGLL3 gene in your skin cells may be the underlying cause of more autoimmune disease in women. This gene aids in controlling and stimulating the immune response, so you can understand that a hyperactive immune response towards your own skin cells can be damaging. Gudjonsson was the mind behind this amazing discovery along with other colleagues, testing genes from human skin and noticing the overabundance in women. After noticing this they ran tests on lab mice to see how the gene affects in different amounts in both males and females. The autoimmune disease related to this disease mimics the symptoms of Lupus, another autoimmune disease. The hyperactive immune response against self cells in lupus triggers inflammation, joint pain, fatigue, edema, and even something as severe as heart and kidney damage.

Studies have been conducted to show that around 75% of the people affected by this lupus-like autoimmune disease are women. Let that number sink in for a second. 75%. Not only are we more prone to these diseases, but pregnancy can negatively effect these diseases. Hormones can also effect the current or future state of your disease. Have you no mercy immunity!!?? There is not currently a cure for most autoimmune diseases, and the drugs used to maintain a state of comfort with these diseases open your body up to be damaged by other means like cancer and infections.

Basically being a woman is already hard enough, why not pile more on by finding out a lot of things involved in your health are out of your control! LOVE THAT.

I know I am not the only one who struggles to find an article within the last six months for these blogs posts. Well, I have an article from TODAY that I am gonna talk about so settle in folks. This week we are discussing the world of STD’s. I was surprised to see so many articles on the sharp increase in STD cases when I google searched “STD 2019”. Yes thats right, an increase in STD rates and not just one type of disease but many including syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. What I have been seeing the most of in my search through news articles in the extreme increase in cases of Congenital Syphilis from babies born to mothers infected with the organism.

Earlier this month the CDC released an article outlining that the STD spike in 2018 is continuing into this year and will more than likely continue into 2020. The most concerning part of this rise is the increased death rate in children contracting congenital syphilis from untreated mothers. There have been close to 100 infant deaths from this disease. Another issue is the lack of opportunity for treatment being offered with the closing of clinics and need for antibiotic treatment. Most of these diseases also infect without symptoms so all the increase projections are not quite accurate and could actually be much lower than the actual number of infected individuals.

To be more specific, Oklahoma has seen a 283% increase in cases of congenital syphilis since 2014. The rise of STD’s has been ongoing for the last five years which is highlighted in the other articles linked in this post. The rise could be due to many factors; lack of condom usage, decrease in clinics and health-care options for the infected as mentioned above, drug use, etc. The disease not only is potentially fatal to the fetus being birthed, but also puts the mother at extreme risk of miscarriage, stillbirths, and even death. The lack of awareness for the seriousness of STD’s and the stigma surrounding them may also contribute to the increase in cases.

Moral of the story: be more conscious of your sexual activity and ALWAYS wrap it before you tap it.

This week on the blog we will be talking about the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab or Herceptin. First things first though, what are monoclonal antibodies? Normal immune antibodies are naturally produced in the body by plasma cells during an immune response, but a monoclonal antibody is a man-made artificial antibody created from a cloned human cell that binds a specific antigen. Cool, right? RIGHT! This specific monoclonal antibody, Herceptin, really peaked my interest because it prevents the reoccurrence of breast cancer in previously inflicted individuals. It was approve by The Food and Drug Administration in 1998.

More specifically, Herceptin is used intravenously coupled with chemotherapy to prevent a breast cancer reoccurrence in the patient, or it is used as a treatment method for breast cancers that have metastasized beyond the breasts. There is a specific receptor on the cancer cells of breast cancer that is common enough to be a target of the drug. The receptor is over-expressed in these cancers cells making the normal immune response unable to control the growth and production of new cancer cells. Herceptin blocks the receptor preventing over-expression and new growth of cells.

The common and uncommon side effects are listed below.

• diarrhea
• itchy/tingling skin
• infection of the upper respiratory tract or catheter-related infection
• cough
• nausea and vommiting
• rash
• fever/chills
• insomnia
• weight less
• stomatitis
• shortness of breath
• distortion of taste
• fatigue
• pain
• dizziness
• bone pain
• joint pain
• muscle pain
• acne
• increased heart rate
• edema
• headache

The more serious side effects include:

• heart failure
• pulmonary toxicity
• allergic reactions/anaphyalaxis
• fetal toxicity
• decreased blood cells both red and white
• herpes simplex infections
• UTI’s
• depression
• neutropenia
• anemia
• leukopenia
• sepsis
• glomerulonephritis
• angioedema
• interstitial pneumonia
• acute respiratory distress syndrome

Some notable exceptions to use are during pregnancy, although not completely understood can lead to fatal reactions in the baby. Herceptin should also not be used with cyclophosphamide and anthracycline-containing chemotherapy regimens, or with patients receiving adjuvant therapy. Mixing of these treatments can lead to the more serious side effects of the drug occurring within a day of beginning treatment. A medicine that enhances the effects of Herceptin by increasing the blood concentration in Paclitaxel.

From what I can infer from this massive amount of super cool information, is that this drug acts as an immune suppressor opening you up to more side effects while preventing the growth of cancer. So, win some lose some. Overall, these appear to be wonder drugs doing amazing things in the field of medicine and for humanity in

Be honest, at LEAST once in your life you have found yourself with a spoonful of raw cookie dough risking it all for that sweet bliss. Who cares if mom says i’ll get salmonella, its better than the actual cookies. Everyone knows (at least I hope) you can contract a strain of Salmonella from eating raw eggs, which is why the dough needs to be cooked before it can be consumed. Hot air ovens destroy bacteria and denature proteins, but it takes some time. Salmonella is common in the US with two distinct serotypes: Typhimurium and Enteriditis.

Within 2019 there have been 1000+ reported cases of salmonella related illnesses, with 2 deaths. The outbreaks have stretched to 49 states, so basically all of the United States are being rattled by salmonella. The cause is believed to be linked to at home poultry being infected with salmonella and spreading it to the homeowners. More than half of the reported cases can say that they were in contact with poultry (such as chicks or ducklings) before they became ill. This is common amongst multiple states which is why it is believed to be the cause. Though most people have a mild disease process of diarrhea and fever with stomach cramps, some patients need antibiotics to avoid death which is becoming an issue with rising resistant strains. Of course the people most at risk are young children who just LOVE those little chicks and the elderly for being more susceptible to disease.

The EASIEST way to prevent this is to wash YA HANDS! People act like disease is so hard to prevent but here I am telling you to wash those hands and prevent spreading disease to your buddies. Another tip to preventing disease is to not let the backyard poultry into your home, which seems self explanatory but if it has to be said then clearly people are sleeping with chickens in their homes. Some outbreaks have also been linked to dog treats that come from pig ears that have been contaminated with salmonella, so after you give your pupper a nice treat make sure you wash those hands people. Multiple strains of the disease were identified across the states, but it was easy to identify the issue and release data and prevention tips to end the outbreaks from occurring.

You get prescribed your antibiotics. You take them for a few days on schedule until you feel better. Once you do, you stop taking them even though you have days left before you’re supposed to stop taking them. Why do we do this? I am unsure, but I am guilty of it. The effect this has on our bodies and more specifically our microbiome is something I am going to explore here.

Balance amongst the variety of bacteria in our bodies is key to maintaining homeostasis and avoiding disease. The effects of antibiotics on these community of bacteria is related to a wide range of factors, such as how long you need to take them and their dosage. One of the most common antibiotics that causes a disturbance in the microbiome is clindamycin, which is so effective that it typically opens the body up to be disturbed by Clostridium Difficile. Some studies have been done testing the risk of early exposure to antibiotics in children. The more you damage the microbiome more susceptible you are to chronic and substantial disease. Certain scientists are also looking into ways of returning the microbiome from dysbiosis to a normal state after antibiotic exposure. Even short term exposure to low-dosage antibiotics can cause life-long changes in the microbiome so proper usage and understanding can help in lowering our chances of antibiotic resistance since there are diseases who need antibiotics for treatment.

The reality is that most bacteria in the microbiome will recover quickly from antibiotic use. But in some circumstances the changes can be detrimental and life-altering. More understanding on these issues in altering the microbiome is being done and is necessary for saving an entire human race from resistance to lethal bacteria. Antibiotics have the power to save every life if we stop abusing them and using them improperly.

People get sick and immediately assume they need antibiotics. We have created a monster within ourselves and continue to allow this monster to grow: antibiotic resistant bacteria. Bacteria acquire this unique ability to evade antimicrobials spontaneously and randomly through genetic mutations, and then pass this resistance onto their progeny. Many millions of tons of antibiotics have been distributed over time making the resistance a constant change in medicine. Certain bacteria, especially gram-negatives, are much more resistant in their original form with the ability to evade defenses without the mutation. The rise of superbugs is a global issue that needs to be further understood.

One of the most commonly talked about superbugs is MRSA or VRSA, which are 2 different strains of Staph. aureus that are now resistant to two different antibiotics. Other common bacteria with resistance are Strep pneumoniae, Enterococcus, and C. difficile. These certain bacteria cause very common diseases, some that can be fatal. With a lack of ability to produce more effective techniques that antibiotics to eliminate bacteria, the chances of more bacteria developing resistance is rising. One of the causes of this has been linked to the use of antibiotics in farming. The animals are grown in undesirable conditions, and they are given antibiotics to aid in growth and development, but at the risk of generating more antibiotic resistant bacteria able to survive within them. These new methods are correlating with a rise in meat consumption, spreading the bacteria to the consumers. Hotspots of this kind of antibiotic resistance are happening globally, and it is creating a potential crisis across the globe.

Not only are these superbugs obtaining antibiotic resistance, but they can acquire gene mutations allowing greater virulence and easier spread. A lack of alternative methods for antibiotic use is a top priority in the medical field currently to try and combat the projections of mortality from superbugs. A global crisis has been happening for years, yet people still assume using antibiotics are helping rather than harming. I am very worried for the future with these very common, very resistant, very virulent, and very easily spread diseases to continue to cause deaths around the world. Being more educated on what you are putting into your body and the effects it will have long term is something more people need to be taking initiative towards.

Surprise surprise another blog post about getting vaccinated. I’m not sorry. Today I have decided to take the more political approach to this topic and discuss the changing atmosphere of vaccinations in legislation. Many states are reevaluating the exemptions for vaccinations based on religious and philosophical beliefs. Though people are still creating a pandemic of vaccine hesitancy, enforcing laws against this may bring our world heath back to the standard it should be.

I recently decided to look more into the exemptions for children and vaccinations to attend public/private school. I was surprised to see how many states provide religious and even philosophical exemptions. Maybe I just don’t get the big idea, but how is letting your children die from preventable diseases a philosophy you can follow, or a belief you can preach? A website recently updated their data on the states who allow these exemptions, with only 5 states opting out of religious exemption! That’s 90% of the United States taking the risk of outbreaks in preventable diseases. THAT IS 90% OF THE UNITED STATES CONSENTING TO DEATH. California, however, was not one of the 90%. This is because as of very recently, California updated their vaccine exemption laws. In 2014 they had some of the toughest exemption laws against anti-vaccination, but that correlated with more doctors exemptions being issued. Now, California has decided to change the law to monitor medical professionals who provide more than 5 exemptions a year. California legislation also passed to monitor schools whose immunization rate drops below 95%. That seems like a small percentage, but it only takes one child. Anti-vaxxers, knowing those devious fools, will still find ways to evade these laws I am sure; but it will be much more difficult.

The World Health Organization has listed vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten threats to global health in 2019. Let that sink in. We have turned vaccines, which were made to help save lives and prevent disease, into something horrible. Our herd immunity is failing, outbreaks are becoming more common, diseases are drifting and shifting all the time. We have to protect ourselves and the people we love. We cannot wait for them to die to realize our mistake. We have eradicated diseases. Deadly diseases. We can do that again and keep doing it if we commit to bettering the health and protection of our people. The last thing on that list should be something that is meant to protect people. Wake up people, it is time to start believing the proof: VACCINES WORK!

All humor and Queen references aside, this is a very serious topic people. Social media is on the rise, and the majority of people are lying if they say they don’t browse AT LEAST one social media platform multiple times a day. If those many platforms allow people to misinform the masses, then we have created a pandemic of stupidity. This is what is happening with the anti-vaccination movement.

Read from a NY Times article posted in March of 2019, Facebook announced that it was going to combat the misinformation on vaccinations being published and shared to their specific platform. Though they are not the first social media company to begin this movement, it is still a huge deal for one with their grasp on society. To accomplish this, Facebook will be making incorrect vaccine content harder to find rather than removing it completely. The people/groups/pages that this information are less likely to be found by other or recommended by the Facebook site itself. Facebook is also the owner of another top tier social media platform, Instagram, and they will be adopting similar policies on combating misinformation as well. This new policy happens around the measles outbreaks occurring internationally and within the U.S. The A.I. tech involved in Facebook will be the first line of defense for this new policy by scanning posts, photos, etc. for false information on previously debunked vaccine news.

The anti-vaccination movement goes back to the 1800’s, a fact that I was not aware of. When the smallpox vaccine was introduced, so was anti-vaccination. A society for people opposed to vaccinations was started in the late 1800’s for refusal to be vaccinated against smallpox. People associated the DTaP vaccine with neurological issues before Wakefield’s study in 1998. Many books and documentaries have been published on the “dangers” of vaccination. As a society of people who live on Earth, it appears we have a staggering inability to do further research after seeing/hearing one frightening thing.

Facebooks actions are the first step in changing the way people view vaccinations. However, with only making incorrect posts further down on a feed without complete removal or refutation the issue will persist. The people who still advocate for not vaccinating will still have access to this mis-information and spread it on the next social media outlet. As we can see from looking into our history, social media didn’t start this movement. However, it has the potential to end it. People want to trust that what they see on their timelines is accurate, and if Facebook is only making incorrect information an extra scroll down in a feed, then nothing is going to change. People have a right to their freedom of speech (thank you first amendment), but we also have a right to protect our species from harmful diseases that are preventable!!!!!

You may have stumbled upon this page due to its clever title, and now you’re asking yourself what on earth is this article going to be about? Well, to get you started let’s talk a little about what your microbiome is. A humans microbiome is the full spectrum of organisms that live on or in your body. Sounds harmful, but those little organisms are what keep you healthy and thriving! Your gut alone contains around 10 times more bacteria than you have human cells in your entire body. Having a diverse microbiome can also be very beneficial, which is why exposure in a safe way to organisms is healthy. The NIH Human Microbiome Project website is a really good place to learn more about what the microbiome exactly is and the efforts being made to understand its vast role in our lives.

As of now, we know a lot and a little about the microbiota living within us. In an effort to learn more about how it all works a research team at Tuft’s University are working on a 3D-printed pill that samples the bacteria within your gut. This pill maneuvers your tummy and intestines to help better understand what these organisms can do for aiding disease diagnosis and potentially treatment. Looking into the microbiome between healthy and unhealthy individuals can help us understand the differences that are occurring within us, and potentially allow us to makes these changes from within our microbiota. This could also be a huge medical advancement if the process to determine the cause of disease can be accelerated by the use of this pill rather than having to culture an organism. Knowing the varieties of bacteria within each specific individual can also speed up the treatment process by eliminating options based on your unique microbiome!

A man named Sarkis Mazmanian gave Ted Talk about the connection between your gut microbiome and your brain with relation to disease. Your gut is responsible for a lot of things, like digestion and absorption to keep us moving. But, it also directly speaks with your brain with nutrients that are capable of passing through the blood-brain-barrier, nutrients made specifically by the gut microbiota. These organisms are communicating with us in order to direct influence or change on the brains end. This direct communication between the two could be the backbone to understanding disease and diagnosing, treating, and preventing neurological disorders. People are beginning to believe that artificial sweeteners may increase your risk of dementia, and a very intriguing article on this topic was written within the Harvard Medical School. When you think about it as a direct connection to your brain, you may be more careful about what you decide to put in your body. Next time you have your eye on that Twinkie in the back of your cubbard, think about the effects those artificial chemicals will have on your brain.

Take care of your microbi-home ladies and gents!