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Scientists Discover Influenza’s Achilles Heel: Antioxidants

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As the nation copes with a shortage of vaccines for H1N1 influenza, a team of Alabama researchers has raised hopes that they have found an Achilles‘ heel for all strains of the fluantioxidants.

In an article appearing in the November 2009 print issue of the FASEB Journal, they show that antioxidants — the same substances found in plant-based foods — might hold the key in preventing the flu virus from wreaking havoc on our lungs.

“The recent outbreak of H1N1 influenza and the rapid spread of this strain across the world highlights the need to better understand how this virus damages the lungs and to find new treatments,” said Sadis Matalon, co-author of the study.

“Additionally, our research shows that antioxidants may prove beneficial in the treatment of flu.”

Sources:
Science Daily October 30, 2009
FASEB Journal October 30, 2009

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Ailmemts & Remedies

Jock Itch

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Alternative Names:

Fungal infection – groin; Infection – fungal – groin; Itching in the groin; Ringworm – groin; Tinea cruris; Tinea of the groin.

Definition:
Jock itch  is an infection of the groin area caused by fungus. It is  a fungal infection affecting the moist skin on inner thighs, genitals, anal area, or buttocks, appearing in both men and women. Affected skin is covered by red or brown rash that may be ring-shaped. Rash may itch or burn; affected skin may peel off or crack.

You may click to see the pictures

click to see the pictures>.....(1).……..(2).....….

Click to see the video

 

Causes:
The body normally hosts a variety of bacteria and fungi. Some of these are useful to the body. Others can multiply rapidly and form infections. Jock itch occurs when a particular type of fungus grows and multiplies in the groin area.

English: Photo of Jock Itch around the inner thigh
English: Photo of Jock Itch around the inner thigh (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jock itch occurs mostly in adult men and adolescent boys. It can sometimes accompany athlete’s foot and ringworm. The fungus that causes jock itch thrives in warm, moist areas. Jock itch can be triggered by friction from clothes and prolonged wetness in the groin area (such as from sweating).

Jock itch may be contagious. It can be passed from one person to the next by direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with unwashed clothing. Jock itch usually stays around the creases in the upper thigh and does not involve the scrotum or penis. It is often less severe than other tinea infections, but may last a long time. Jock itch may spread to the anus, causing anal itching and discomfort.

Other causes of itching in the groin include:-

*Lichen simplex chronicus
*Eczema
*Pubic lice
*Chemical irritation
You may click & See also: Vaginal itching

.
How  Jock Itch Spreads?
Jock itch is easily spread with sharing towels or sportswear, or with sexual contact.

Who Normly Gets Infected?
Adult men that often have moist groin are often infected. Jock itch may also appear in women. It rarely appears before 15 years of age.

Risk factors for getting jock itch are:

*Wet groin; (male athletes, dhobi itch is known in western washermen)
*Tight underwear
*Obesity; infection occurs in wet skin folds
*Immunodeficiency: AIDS, diabetes

Possible Completications:
Complications are infrequent since jock itch is usually a self-limited skin condition. Rarely, the rash may spread past the groin onto the thighs and genitals. Secondary skin infections from scratching or rubbing can uncommonly deepen, causing cellulitis or abscess formation.

Another potential complication includes temporary skin discoloration called post-inflammatory hypopigmentation (lighter than the regular skin color) or hyperpigmentation (darker then the regular skin color). This altered skin color may occur after the rash has improved or after a temporary flare. Permanent scarring is uncommon.

.Symptoms:
Jock itch usually begins with mild intermittent itching in the groin. The itching can get worse and become unbearable in some cases. The rash is usually on both sides of the groin and affects the folds.

The rash may become dry, rough, and bumpy, develop pus bumps, or begin to ooze. Sometimes, the uppermost skin clears as the rash spreads further down onto the thighs. The itching and rash can spread to the genitals including the labia, vagina, scrotum, penis, and anus.

Women may also develop vaginal white discharge and yeast infections. Men may develop infections on the head of the penis, especially if they are not circumcised.

Severe cases may be very uncomfortable and develop secondary complications such as breaks in the skin, open sores, ulcers, and rarely cellulitis.
.Diagnosis:
Doctor will usually diagnose jock itch based on the appearance of the skin. Tests are usually not necessary. If tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis, either a culture or a skin lesion biopsy (for example, a scraping of the skin) may show the fungus that causes jock itch.

Rash in the groin may be caused by other types of fungi (Candida albicans), viruses (Herpes genitalis), bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus), allergies (itchy pants syndrome, cholinergic urticaria), inverted psoriasis, Darier’s disease, Hailey-Hailey disease (pemphigus), intertrigo, seborrheic dermatitis, etc.
Treatment:-
There are many treatment options and skin-care recipes for treating jock itch. Since the two primary causes of jock itch are excess moisture and fungal infections, treatment depends on the exact cause of the jock itch. Treatment of jock itch associated with skin irritation and excess moisture should address general measures to keep the groin clean and dry. Treatment of fungal jock itch should include antifungal creams used continuously for two to four weeks.

It is important to keep in mind that no therapy is uniformly effective in all people. Doctor may need to help evaluate the cause of your jock itch.

Home Remedy:-
Home remedy for mild jock itch includes:

*washing the groin skin two to three times a day with a gentle soapless cleanser like Dove non-soap cleanser or Cetaphil and water;

*keeping the groin area dry;

*avoiding excess groin skin irritation by wearing 100% cotton underwear;

*avoiding fabric softeners, bleaches, or harsh laundry detergents; and

*applying a mix of over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream and clotrimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex) cream one to two times a day to the affected area.

Holistic jock itch treatments:-
Holistic (nonmedicated) home remedy options for jock itch include:

*Soaking the affected area daily with a washcloth dipped in dilute white vinegar (1 part vinegar to 4 parts of water) and drying the skin and

*Soaking in a bathtub daily or every other day with very dilute Clorox bleach (1 quarter cup of Clorox bleach in a bathtub full of water) and drying the skin.

Fungal jock itch is treated  Normally as follows:-

Mild fungal or yeast jock itch may be treated by:

*Washing groin twice daily with an antifungal shampoo like ketoconazole (Nizoral shampoo) or seleni
um sulfide (Selsun Blue shampoo).

Moderate fungal or yeast jock itch is often treated by a combination of:

*washing the groin twice daily with an antifungal shampoo like ketoconazole or selenium sulfide and

*Using a topical antifungal cream like miconazole (Monistat, Micatin), clotrimazole or terbinafine (Lamisil).
Severe fungal or yeast jock itch is typically treated by a combination of:

*Washing groin twice daily with an antifungal shampoo like ketoconazole or selenium sulfide,

*Using a topical antifungal cream like miconazole, clotrimazole or terbinafine, and

*Taking an antifungal pill like fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), or terbinafine.

Bacterial jock itch is normally treated as follows:-

Mild bacterial jock itch may be treated with:

*Antibacterial skin washes like Lever 2000 soap or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) soap twice daily.

Moderate bacterial jock itch may be treated with:

*Antibacterial skin washes like chlorhexidine soap twice daily and

*Twice-daily application of a topical antibiotic like clindamycin lotion or metronidazole (Flagyl) lotion.

Severe bacterial jock itch may be treated with:

*Antibacterial skin washes like chlorhexidine soap twice daily,

*Twice-daily application of a topical antibiotic like clindamycin lotion or metronidazole lotion, and

*A five- to 14-day course of an oral antibiotic like cephalexin (Keflex), dicloxacillin, doxycyline, minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin), tetracycline (Sumycin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro, Cipro XR, Proquin XR), or levofloxacin (Levaquin) for more resistant situations.

Treatment of Inflammatory itching :-
Inflammatory itching from jock itch can be treated with a short course of one of the following:

*Use a short five- to seven-day course of a mild to medium potency, topical steroid cream like prescription triamcinolone 0.025% once or twice a day for inflamed or itchy areas.

*Use a short five- to seven-day course of a mild over-the-counter topical steroid cream like hydrocortisone (Cortaid) one to three times a day for itching.

*Use a topical immunomodulator such as pimecrolimus (Elidel) cream or tacrolimus (Protopic) ointment twice a day. Although these creams are approved for atopic dermatitis and eczema, their use would be considered “off label” (non-FDA labeled use) for jock itch.

Causes of Residual skin discoloration :
Residual skin discoloration in the groin may persist for weeks to months after more severe forms of jock itch clear. This darkish discoloration is called hyperpigmentation and may be treated with one or a combination of

*Hydroquinone 4% cream,

*Kojic acid cream,

*Azelaic acid 15% cream,

*Over-the-counter fading cream with 2% hydroquinone (Porcelana), or

*Specially designed prescription creams for particularly resistant skin discoloration using higher concentrations of hydroquinone 6%, 8%, and 10% may also be formulated by prescription by compounding pharmacists.

Best Drug for Jock Itch:-
Overall, the best jock-itch drug is a topical antifungal cream like miconazole, clotrimazole, or terbinafine. If the jock itch does not improve within two to three weeks of treatment, then a physician should be consulted.

You may click to see Herbal Treatment of Jock Itch...(1)…...(2):…..(3):

Homeopathic Treatment.……….(1)

Prognosis:-
The prognosis with jock itch is very good. Overall, jock itch tends to be an easily treated and curable skin condition. Commonly, it is a mild, benign, usually noncontagious, and self-limited skin condition. More widespread, atypical cases of jock itch may be embarrassing, chronically disfiguring, and psychologically distressing for the patient.

Prevention:
Jock itch prevention efforts include good general skin hygiene and keeping your groin clean and dry. The following preventive steps will help:

*Wash groin and buttocks with soap and water after exercise and sweating.

*Wash workout clothes, underwear, and swimwear after each use.

*Minimize groin moisture by using white cotton underwear.

*Change underwear frequently and especially after sweating.

*Wash clothes and undergarments in hot soapy water.

*Use loose-fitting cotton underwear and clothing.

*Avoid undergarments with polyesters, nylon, or synthetic fibers.

*Use an antifungal powder like Lamisil or Zeasorb to keep the groin dry.

*Avoid fragranced or irritating creams or lotions on the groin.

*Avoid going barefoot, especially at gyms, schools, and public pools.

*Treat athlete’s foot if you have it.

*Cover your feet with socks before you put on your underwear and pants.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

Resources:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000876.htm

Jock Itch – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes and Treatment


http://www.medicinenet.com/jock_itch/page3.htm

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Onion a Day Keeps Hay Fever Away

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Onion may hold the key to beating hay fever, says a new study.
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Dutch researchers say onion skins contain quercetin, a potent natural anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory shown to help hay fever sufferers.

According to the British Onion Producers’ Association, onions contain three times as much quercetin as kale – the next-richest source – and 10 times as much as broccoli, reports The Daily Express.

Allergic rhinitis triggered by the pollens of specific seasonal plants is commonly known as “hay fever”, because it is most prevalent during haying season.

Although hay fever can not spread from person to person the symptoms can pass from person to person and it is the biggest cause of sick leave in the US and the UK.

Sources: The Times Of India


The Amazing properties of Onion

It is not a Vague story… but Fact.

A friend of mine told me a story about  when he was a kid he was in the hospital & nearly dying.  His grandmother came to the hospital & told a family member to go buy her a large onion & a new pair of white cotton socks.  She sliced the onion open then put a slice on the bottom of each of his feet & put the white cotton socks on him.  In the morning when he awoke they removed the socks.  The slices of onion were black & his fever was gone.  The following story that someone sent to me might have some truth in it & we are going to try it this winter.

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu.  Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy.  When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn’t believe it and asked if he could have one of  the onions and place it under the microscope.  She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion.  It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser in AZ. She said that several years ago many of her employees were  coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers.  The next year she placed several bowls with  onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of  her staff got sick.  It must work.. (And no, she is not in the onion business)

The moral of the story is, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home.  If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere.  Try it and see what happens.  We did it last year and we never got the flu.

For flu cure:
Cut both ends off an onion put one end on a fork and then place the forked end into an empty jar… placing the jar next to the sick patient at night.  It is said, the onion would be black in the morning from the germs… sure enough it happened just like that… the onion was a mess and I began to feel better.

Onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties.

One more thing, never store cut onions and consume the next day!
They will have more bacteria to do harm than to do good

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Cold Sore Virus Secret Revealed

The secret of how the cold sore virus manages to persist for a lifetime in the human body may have been cracked by US scientists.

The herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) can lie dormant in facial nerves, emerging periodically to cause sores.

A Duke University Medical Center team may have uncovered how it can reactivate itself from a dormant state.

The finding, published in the journal Nature, could eventually lead to new treatments.

When fighting a virus, the immune system relies heavily on the protein chemicals produced by the virus which it uses to help mark it for destruction.

Herpes viruses manage to evade the immune system by shutting down production of these proteins completely, and remaining in this state for long periods before starting to replicate again.

Wake-up call

This is why patients, once infected, have occasional flare-ups of cold sores or genital herpes, and can never get rid of the infection completely.

However, there is one thing that HSV-1 does produce, the precise role of which has puzzled scientists for some years.

It is a type of RNA, a single strand of genetic information copied from the DNA of the virus. In other viruses, these RNAs make proteins that are useful to the virus, but in herpes, this was not the case.

The Duke University team suspected that it somehow helped keep the virus in its dormant state, and studied what happened to these “latent RNAs” in mice.

They found they were broken down into even smaller strands, called microRNAs, and these appeared to block the production of proteins which reactivated the virus.

Effectively, they were helping keep the virus in its dormant state.

Professor Bryan Cullen, who led the research, said: “We have provided a molecular understanding of how HSV-1 hides and then switches back and forth between the latent and active phases.”

He said a drug based on blocking these microRNAs could in theory “wake up” all the viruses, making them vulnerable to antiviral therapy, and raising the possibility of a cure for herpes.

Professor Roger Everett, a Medical Research Council virologist based in Glasgow, said that the research represented a step forward in a “long-standing problem” in the field.

The next step, he said would be to see what happened in an animal using a virus engineered to block production of these RNAs.

Sources: BBC NEWS.July 2 ’08

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Lymphatic Filariasis(Elephantiasis)

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Lymphatic Filariasis (LF), also known as elephantiasis, is a severely disfiguring disease which affects 120m around the world.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
LF causes severe swelling in the limbs

It can be treated, but the drugs are not always available to those most at need.

What are the symptoms?

The condition is associated with huge and disfiguring enlargement of a limb, or areas of the trunk or head. These swellings are known technically as lymphoedema.

In addition, the skin usually develops a thickened, pebbly appearance and may become ulcerated and darkened.

Other symptoms can include fever, chills and a general feeling of ill health.

The disease may also affect the sexual organs. In a man, the scrotum may become enlarged, and the penis may be retracted under the skin.

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In women the external genitalia may be covered in a tumourous mass.

People with the condition often have to contend with social as well as physical problems.

Communities frequently shun women and men disfigured by the disease.

Many women with visible signs of the disease will never marry, or their spouses and families will reject them.

They are also frequently are unable to work because of their disability.

Other symptoms can include fever, chills and a general feeling of ill health.

The disease may also affect the sexual organs. In a man, the scrotum may become enlarged, and the penis may be retracted under the skin.

In women the external genitalia may be covered in a tumourous mass.

People with the condition often have to contend with social as well as physical problems.

Communities frequently shun women and men disfigured by the disease.

Many women with visible signs of the disease will never marry, or their spouses and families will reject them.

They are also frequently are unable to work because of their disability.

What causes it?

It is caused by microscopic, thread-like parasitic worms invading the body’s lymphatic system – the network of vessels carrying infection-fighting cells.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
The worm is spread by mosquitoes, who pass it on when they take blood from humans.

The bacteria-containing worms lodge in the lymphatic system, producing millions of minute larvae which spread throughout the bloodstream.

Image of the worm that causes the disease
Parasitic worms cause the disease

These worms disrupt the balance of the lymphatic system, which helps maintain the fluid balance between the tissues and the blood.

What is still not clear is how much this is down to the worms causing obstruction of the lymphatic vessels, or the immune response their presence triggers in the body.

However, once the tissues have been damaged, they also become vulnerable to other bacterial and fungal infections, which are often responsible for much of the disease seen in LF patients.

Recent studies have also suggested that the disease may be caused by the red soil on which certain barefooted populations live.

It is believed that small chemical particles found in the soil may enter the skin through the bare feet, lodging in the lymphatic tissues and producing irritation which increases the vulnerability to bacterial infection.

Who is most at risk?

Over 120 million have already been affected by it, over 40 million of them are seriously incapacitated and disfigured by the disease.

One-third of the people infected with the disease live in India, one third are in Africa and most of the remainder are in South Asia, the Pacific and the Americas.

In communities where the condition is endemic, 10-50% of men and up to 10% of women can be affected.

Though the infection is generally acquired early in childhood, the disease may take years to manifest itself.

Diagnosis:
The standard method for diagnosing active infection is by finding the microfilariae via microscopic examination. This may be difficult, as in most parts of the world, microfilariae only circulate in the blood at night. For this reason, the blood has to be collected nocturnally.The blood should be in the form of a thick smear and stained with Giemsa. Testing the blood for antibodies against the disease may also be used.

How is it treated?

Drugs such as albendazole and diethylcarbamazine (DEC) have been shown to be effective in killing the parasites.

Their use not only eases symptoms, particularly among people in the early stages of disease, but also prevents the parasites being spread to others in the community.

A study in the Lancet, published in 2005, found that doxycycline, a widely available antibiotic, is also highly effective at killing the parasites.

Careful cleansing can also have a significant impact, helping to heal infected areas, and reversing some of the tissue damage, particularly that associated with secondary bacterial or fungal infections.

Measures to improve the flow of the lymphatic fluid, such as raising and exercising the swollen body part can also help.
Prevention:
Studies have demonstrated transmission of the infection can be broken when a single dose of combined oral medicines is consistently maintained annually, for approximately seven years. With consistent treatment, and since the disease needs a human host, the reduction of microfilariae means the disease will not be transmitted, the adult worms will die out, and the cycle will be broken.

The strategy for eliminating transmission of lymphatic filariasis is mass distribution of medicines that kill the microfilariae and stop transmission of the parasite by mosquitoes in endemic communities. In sub-Saharan Africa, albendazole (donated by GlaxoSmithKline) is being used with ivermectin (donated by Merck & Co.) to treat the disease, whereas elsewhere in the world, albendazole is used with diethylcarbamazine. Using a combination of treatments better reduces the number of microfilariae in blood. Avoiding mosquito bites, such as by using insecticide-treated mosquito bed nets, also reduces the transmission of lymphatic filariasis.

In 1993, the International Task Force for Disease Eradication declared lymphatic filariaisis to be one of six potentially eradicable diseases.

According to medical experts, the worldwide efforts to eliminate lymphatic filariasis is on track to potentially succeed by 2020. An estimated 6.6 million children have been prevented from being infected, with another estimated 9.5 million in whom the progress of the disease has been stopped.

For podoconiosis, international awareness of the disease will have to increase before elimination is possible. In 2011, podoconiosis was added to the World Health Organization’s Neglected Tropical Diseases list, which was an important milestone in raising global awareness of the condition.

The efforts of the Global Programme to Eliminate LF are estimated to have prevented 6.6 million new filariasis cases from developing in children between 2000 and 2007, and to have stopped the progression of the disease in another 9.5 million people who had already contracted it. Dr. Mwele Malecela, who chairs the programme, said: “We are on track to accomplish our goal of elimination by 2020.” In 2010, the WHO published a detailed progress report on the elimination campaign in which they assert that of the 81 countries with endemic LF, 53 have implemented mass drug administration, and 37 have completed five or more rounds in some areas, though urban areas remain problematic.

Prognosis:
About 40 million disfigured and incapacitated by the disease. Elephantiasis caused by lymphatic filariasis is one of the most common causes of disability in the world. In endemic communities, approximately 10 percent of women can be affected with swollen limbs, and 50 percent of men can have from mutilating genital disease. In areas endemic for podoconiosis, prevalence can be 5% or higher.

Researchs:
University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) inventors have developed a novel vaccine for the prevention of lymphatic filariasis. This vaccine has been shown to elicit strong, protective immune responses in mouse models of lymphatic filariasis infection.The immune response elicited by this vaccine has been demonstrated to be protective against both W. bancrofti and B. malayi infection.

On September 20, 2007, geneticists mapped the genome (genetic content) of Brugia malayi, the roundworm which causes elephantiasis (lymphatic filariasis). Determining the content of the genes might lead to development of new drugs and vaccines.

You may click to see:->Filaria

Resources:
BBC NEWS:nov 14,’06
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphatic_filariasis

 

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