Category: Featured Stories and Interviews

Posted on

How Fungi Can Make Asthma Worse and What to Do About It

Hello, dear members and subscribers of the World Asthma Foundation! We hope you are doing well and breathing easy. In this post, we are going to share with you some news about our Defeating Asthma initiative and our continuing series on Severe Asthma.

As you may know, the World Asthma Foundation is a community-based non profit that aims to raise awareness, provide education and support, and advocate for better care and treatment for people living with Asthma. We believe that everyone deserves to breathe freely and enjoy life without the burden of Asthma.

One of our main goals is to shed light on the different types of asthma and how they affect people differently. As most of you already know, Asthma is not a one-size-fits-all condition. It has many subtypes or phenotypes and some yet to be discovered that have different causes, triggers, symptoms, and responses to treatment. Understanding your Asthma phenotype can help you and your doctor find the best management plan for you.

That’s why we continue our focus on Severe Asthma, a challenging form of Asthma that affects about 5-10% of people with Asthma and consumes 80 % of the dollars to treat. Severe Asthma is often difficult to control with standard medications and can have a significant impact on your quality of life, health, and well-being.

One of the possible factors that can contribute to severe asthma is fungi. Fungi are microscopic organisms that are found everywhere in the environment. They can grow on plants, animals, soil, water, food, or indoor surfaces. Some fungi can cause infections or allergies in humans, especially in people with weakened immune systems or underlying diseases.

  • One of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated phenotypes of Severe Asthma: Fungal Asthma. 
  • Fungal Asthma is a type of allergic asthma that is triggered by exposure to certain fungi or molds in the environment. 
  • Fungal Asthma can cause persistent inflammation, mucus production, airway obstruction, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. 
  • Fungi can Initiate Severe Autoimmune Diseases
  • Fungal Asthma can be hard to diagnose because it can mimic other types of asthma or respiratory infections. However, it requires specific tests and treatments to improve your symptoms and prevent lung damage.

Fungi can affect the lungs and airways of asthmatics in different ways. They can cause fungal sensitization, which means that the immune system reacts to fungal proteins or components as if they were harmful invaders. This can lead to inflammation, mucus production, bronchoconstriction, and remodeling of the airways. Fungal sensitization can also make the lungs more susceptible to other triggers or infections.

Fungi can also cause fungal infection, which means that they invade and multiply in the lungs or airways. This can cause tissue damage, inflammation, and immune activation. Fungal infection can also complicate or mimic other lung diseases, such as tuberculosis or pneumonia.

Fungal sensitization or infection can occur with different types of fungi, such as Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, or Penicillium. However, one of the most common and serious forms of fungal involvement in severe asthma is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). ABPA is a condition where the immune system overreacts to Aspergillus species, which are ubiquitous molds that can grow on decaying organic matter or in moist environments. ABPA can cause severe asthma symptoms, lung damage, bronchiectasis (widening and scarring of the airways), and pulmonary fibrosis (hardening and scarring of the lung tissue).

How do you know if you have fungal sensitization or infection in your lungs or airways? Unfortunately, there is no simple or definitive test for this. The diagnosis of fungal sensitization or infection depends on a combination of clinical and immunological criteria, such as:

•  History of exposure to fungi or symptoms suggestive of fungal involvement

•  Skin testing with antigens derived from fungi or measurement of specific IgE levels in the blood

•  Chest imaging (such as X-ray or CT scan) showing signs of lung damage or infection

•  Sputum culture or analysis showing the presence of fungi or fungal components

•  Bronchoscopy (a procedure where a thin tube with a camera is inserted into the airways) showing signs of inflammation or infection

•  Biopsy (a procedure where a small sample of tissue is taken from the lungs) showing signs of inflammation or infection

The treatment of fungal sensitization or infection in severe asthma depends on the type and severity of the condition. The general goals of treatment are to:

•  Reduce the exposure to fungi or eliminate them from the environment

•  Control the asthma symptoms and prevent exacerbations

•  Reduce the inflammation and damage in the lungs and airways

•  Eradicate the fungal infection or reduce its load

The treatment options may include:

•  Asthma medications (such as bronchodilators, corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers, biologics, etc.) to relieve the symptoms and prevent exacerbations

•  Antifungal medications (such as itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, etc.) to kill or inhibit the growth of fungi

•  Immunotherapy (such as allergen-specific immunotherapy or omalizumab) to reduce the immune response to fungi

•  Surgery (such as lobectomy or pneumonectomy) to remove severely damaged parts of the lungs

The effectiveness and safety of these treatments may vary depending on the individual case and response. Therefore, it is important to consult with your doctor before starting any treatment and follow their instructions carefully.

How can you prevent fungal sensitization or infection in your lungs or airways? There are some measures that you can take to reduce your exposure to fungi or their effects on your health, such as:

•  Avoid or minimize contact with sources of fungi, such as compost, hay, soil, plants, animals, moldy food, or damp places

•  Use a mask, gloves, and protective clothing when handling or working with materials that may contain fungi

•  Clean and dry your home regularly and remove any visible mold or mildew

•  Use a dehumidifier or air conditioner to reduce the humidity and temperature in your home

•  Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter or vacuum cleaner to remove airborne fungi or dust from your home

•  Avoid smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke, as it can damage your lungs and increase your risk of infection

•  Take your asthma medications as prescribed and monitor your symptoms and lung function regularly

•  Seek medical attention promptly if you have any signs or symptoms of fungal sensitization or infection, such as worsening asthma, fever, cough, chest pain, weight loss, or blood in the sputum

Fungi can be a hidden but serious threat for people with severe asthma. However, with proper diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, you can manage your condition and improve your quality of life. If you have any questions or concerns about fungi and severe asthma, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider.

We hope you found this blog post informative and helpful. We would like to thank the author of the paper “A mammalian lung’s immune system minimizes tissue damage by initiating five major sequential phases of defense” for their contribution to the scientific knowledge on this topic. You can read the full paper here: <a href=”https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10238-023-01083-4″>https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10238-023-01083-4</a>

If you want to learn more about the World Asthma Foundation and our efforts to improve the lives of people with asthma, please visit our website: <a href=”https://worldasthmafoundation.org/”>https://worldasthmafoundation.org/</a>

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more updates from us!

Sources:

How Major Fungal Infections Can Initiate Severe Autoimmune Diseases

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0882401021004745#:~:text=However%2C%20major%20fungal%20infections%20can,fungal%20infections%2C%20including%20antibiotic%20usage.

Posted on

How Th17-high asthma is affected by IL-17 and what you can do about it

Hello and welcome to the World Asthma Foundation blog, where we share the latest news and insights on asthma research and treatment. We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with asthma and advancing the science of asthma prevention and cure. Our mission is to raise awareness, educate, and advocate for asthma patients and their families. Our vision is a world free of Asthma.

If you are a Severe Asthmatic, you may have a subtype of asthma called Th17-high asthma. This subtype is characterized by high levels of a molecule called IL-17 in your airways. IL-17 is produced by a type of immune cell called Th17 cell. Th17 cells are normally involved in protecting the body from certain bacteria and fungi. However, in some cases, they can become overactive and produce too much IL-17.

IL-17 is a powerful inflammatory molecule that can worsen your asthma symptoms by:

• Attracting other immune cells, such as neutrophils, to your airways

• Activating tissue cells to secrete mucus and contract airway smooth muscle

• Inducing the production of other inflammatory molecules that cause more damage

• Interfering with the action of steroids, which are the main drugs used to treat asthma

In this blog post, we will explain how IL-17 affects Th17-high asthma and what you can do about it.

How IL-17 affects Th17-high asthma
IL-17 plays a key role in driving neutrophilic inflammation in Th17-high asthma. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that fight infections and inflammation. However, in Th17-high asthma, they accumulate in the airways and cause damage to the lung tissue. This leads to more severe asthma symptoms and poor response to conventional treatments.

IL-17 can stimulate neutrophils to release harmful substances that can damage the airway lining and cause mucus production, airway narrowing, and airway remodeling.

IL-17 can also make asthma worse by interfering with the action of steroids. Steroids work by suppressing inflammation and reducing the activity of immune cells. However, IL-17 can make some immune cells resistant to steroids, which means that steroids may not work as well for some severe asthmatics.

What you can do about IL-17.

One possible strategy to treat Th17-high asthma is to block IL-17 or its receptor with drugs that can prevent IL-17 from binding to its targets and causing inflammation. Several such drugs have been developed and tested in clinical trials for various inflammatory diseases, such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn’s disease. Some of these drugs have also been tested in Severe Asthmatics who have high levels of IL-17 or neutrophils in their airways.

The results of these trials have been mixed. Some studies have shown that blocking IL-17 can improve lung function, reduce exacerbations, and lower the need for oral steroids in severe asthmatics. Other studies have shown no benefit or even worse outcomes with IL-17 blockers. The reasons for these discrepancies are not clear yet, but may depend on factors such as the type of IL-17 blocker used, the dose and duration of treatment, the characteristics of the patients enrolled, and the endpoints measured.

Therefore, more research is needed to determine whether blocking IL-17 is a viable option for treating severe asthma. We also need to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from this approach and how to monitor their response and safety. We also need to explore other ways to modulate IL-17 production or function in severe asthmatics.

In addition to pharmacological interventions, there are also some lifestyle changes that may help reduce IL-17 levels and improve asthma control. These include:

• Avoiding or reducing exposure to triggers that may activate Th17 cells, such as allergens, infections and pollution

• Eating a balanced diet that contains anti-inflammatory foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish

• Exercising regularly, but not too intensely, as moderate exercise can reduce inflammation and improve lung function

• Managing stress levels, as stress can increase inflammation and worsen asthma symptoms

If you have asthma, it is important to consult your doctor regularly and follow their advice on how to manage your condition. Your doctor may perform some tests to determine your asthma subtype and prescribe the best treatment for you.

By understanding how IL-17 affects your asthma and taking steps to reduce its impact, you may be able to breathe easier and enjoy a better quality of life.

We hope that this blog post has given you some insight into the role of IL-17 in severe asthma and the potential challenges and opportunities for targeting it. We will continue to update you on this topic as new findings emerge. In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us or leave a comment below.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more blog posts from the World Asthma Foundation. Together we can defeat asthma.

Posted on

The World Asthma Foundation Announces Speakers for Microbiome First Summit

On this World Asthma Day, May 3, 2002, The Microbiome First – Pathway to Sustainable Healthcare Summit organization committee invites healthcare professionals, non-communicable disease community leaders, and stakeholders to participate in the inaugural Microbiome First Summit, a virtual event taking place online at MicrobiomeFirst.org this May, 17-19, 2022. FREE to participants.

For detailed information and to register, visit: https://microbiomefirst.org/

The event, Microbiome First – Pathway to Sustainable Healthcare Summit, kicks off the inaugural event underwritten and moderated by the
World Asthma Foundation (WAF), which is pleased to announce the
following speakers:

Event Keynote
RODNEY DIETERT, PHD
Cornell University Professor Emeritus
Ithaca, NY, USA
Author of The Human Superorganism.
Keynote: “Big Picture View of Our Tiny Microbes”

Researcher Sessions
MARIE-CLAIRE ARRIETA, PHD
Associate Professor, departments of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Pediatrics, University of Calgary
Calgary AB, CANADA
Session: “The early-life mycobiome in immune and metabolic development”

JAEYUN SUNG, PHD
Assistant Professor, Microbiome Program, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
Rochester, MN, USA
Session: “A predictive index for health status using species-level gut microbiome profiling”

KATRINE L. WHITESON, PHD
Assistant Professor, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry School of Biological Sciences
Associate Director, UCI Microbiome Initiative
Irvine, CA, USA
Session: “High-Fiber, Whole-Food Dietary Intervention Alters the Human Gut Microbiome but Not Fecal Short-Chain Fatty Acids”

LISA AZIZ-ZADEH, PHD
Cognitive neuroscientist; Expert in brain imaging, autism, body cognition
Associate Professor in the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Session: “Brain-Gut-Microbiome System: Pathways and Implications for Autism Spectrum Disorder”

MARTIN KRIEGEL, MD, PHD
Chief of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at University Hospital of Münster
GERMANY
Associate Professor Adjunct of Immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine.
Session: “Dietary Resistant Starch Effects on Gut Pathobiont Translocation and Systemic Autoimmunity”

ERICA & JUSTIN SONNENBURG, PHD
Senior research scientist and Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Palo Alto, CA, USA
Session: “Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status”

EMMA HAMILTON-WILLIAMS, PHD
Associate Professor
Principal Research Fellow
The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute
Faculty of Medicine
The University of Queensland
Translational Research Institute
Woolloongabba, QLD, AUSTRALIA
Session: “Metabolite-based Dietary Supplementation in Human Type 1 Diabetes is associated with Microbiota and Immune modulation”

ANDRES CUBILLOS-RUIZ, PHD
Scientist, Wyss Institute of Harvard University and Institute of Medical Engineering and Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA, USA
Session: “Protecting the Gut Microbiota from Antibiotics with Engineered Live Biotherapeutics”

EMERAN A MAYER, MD
Gastroenterologist, Neuroscientist, Distinguished Research Professor
Department of Medicine, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
Executive Director, G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience at UCLA
Founding Director, UCLA Brain Gut Microbiome Center.
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Session: “The Gut–Brain Axis and the Microbiome: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications”

BENOIT CHASSAING, PHD
Principal Investigator, Chassaing Lab
Associate professor, French National Institute of Health and Medical Research.
Paris, FRANCE
Session: “Ubiquitous food additive and microbiota and intestinal environment”

SEI WON LEE, MD, PHD
Associate Professor
College of Medicine, University of Ulsan
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Asan Medical Center
Seoul, KOREA
Session: “The Therapeutic Application of Gut-Lung Axis in Chronic Respiratory Disease”

PATRICIA MACCHIAVERNI, PHD
Clinical and translational researcher
Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia
Perth, WA, AUSTRALIA
Honorary Research Associate, Telethon Kids Institute.
Session: “House Dust Mite Shedding in Human Milk: a Neglected Cause of Allergy Susceptibility?”

LIEKE VAN DEN ELSEN, PHD
Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia, Australia
Honorary Research Associate, Telethon Kids Institute.
Perth, WA, AUSTRALIA
Session: “Gut Microbiota by Breastfeeding: The Gateway to Allergy Prevention”

PAUL TURNER, PHD
Rachel Carson Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University
Microbiology faculty member, Yale School of Medicine.
New Haven, CT, USA
Session: “New Yale Center to Advance Phage Research, Understanding, Treatments, Training, Education”

ANDRES CUBILLOS- RUIZ, PHD
Scientist, Wyss Institute of Harvard University and Institute of Medical Engineering and Science of Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT
Boston, MA, USA
Session: “Protecting the Gut Microbiota from Antibiotics with Engineered Live Biotherapeutics”

CLAUDIA S. MILLER, MD, MS
Emeritus Professor, Allergy/Immunology and Environmental Health University of Texas San Antonio, TX, USA
Session: “Toxicant-Induced Lost of Tolerance for Chemicals, Foods and Drugs: a Global Phenomenon”

Media Supporter Content
TONI HARTMAN
PRINCIPAL
Microbiome Courses
London, England UK
Session “Educating Parents About ‘Seeding And Feeding’ A Baby’s Microbiome”

Summit Details:

The goal of the Microbiome First – Sustainable Healthcare Summit is to
improve quality of life at reduced cost by addressing the microbiome
first, as recent research shows that all of these non-communicable diseases have a relationship to the microbiome.

For additional information visit https://microbiomefirst.org/ or on Twitter at @MicrobiomeFirst https://twitter.com/MicrobiomeFirst

Posted on

Bisphenol A or BPA in Pregnancy and Asthma Study

The Barcelona Institute for Global Health supported study concludes suggests that in utero BPA exposure may be associated with higher odds of asthma and wheeze among school-age girls.

Study Background

In utero, (before birth) exposure to bisphenols, widely used in consumer products, may alter lung development and increase the risk of respiratory morbidity in the offspring. However, evidence is scarce and mostly focused on bisphenol A (BPA) only.

Study Objectives

There is growing concern over the role of chemical pollutants on early life origins of respiratory diseases (Gascon et al., 2013, Vrijheid et al., 2016, Casas and Gascon, 2020, Abellan and Casas, 2021), specifically on bisphenols due to their large production worldwide (CHEMTrust, 2018) and its widespread exposure to human populations (Calafat et al., 2008, Haug et al., 2018). Bisphenol A (BPA) is the most commonly used bisphenol. It is present in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, used in many consumer products, and diet is the main source of exposure (Liao and Kannan, 2013). In 2017, the European Chemical Agency considered BPA as a “substance of very high concern” (Calafat et al., 2008, Agency and Bisfenol, 2017). Consequently, BPA production is restricted in some countries, which has resulted in the emergence of substitutes such as bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS), with suspected similar toxicity (Lehmler et al., 2018, Rochester and Bolden, 2015). Bisphenols can cross the placenta and are also found in breastmilk, which results in exposure to foetuses and newborns (Lee et al., 2018). To examine the associations of in utero exposure to BPA, bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol S (BPS) with asthma, wheeze, and lung function in school-age children, and whether these associations differ by sex.

Methods

We included 3,007 mother–child pairs from eight European birth cohorts. Bisphenol concentrations were determined in maternal urine samples collected during pregnancy (1999–2010). Between 7 and 11 years of age, current asthma and wheeze were assessed from questionnaires and lung function by spirometry. Wheezing patterns were constructed from questionnaires from early to mid-childhood. We performed adjusted random-effects meta-analysis on individual participant data.

In utero exposure to bisphenols, widely used in consumer products, may alter lung development and increase the risk of respiratory morbidity in the offspring. However, evidence is scarce and mostly focused on bisphenol A (BPA) only.

Study Objective

To examine the associations of in utero exposure to BPA, bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol S (BPS) with asthma, wheeze, and lung function in school-age children, and whether these associations differ by sex.

Results

Exposure to BPA was prevalent with 90% of maternal samples containing concentrations above detection limits. BPF and BPS were found in 27% and 49% of samples. In utero exposure to BPA was associated with higher odds of current asthma (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.27) and wheeze (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.30) (p-interaction sex = 0.01) among girls, but not with wheezing patterns nor lung function neither in overall nor among boys. We observed inconsistent associations of BPF and BPS with the respiratory outcomes assessed in overall and sex-stratified analyses.

Conclusion

This study suggests that in utero BPA exposure may be associated with higher odds of asthma and wheeze among school-age girl

According the U.S. National Institute of Health, Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical produced in large quantities for use primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics. It is found in various products including shatterproof windows, eyewear, water bottles, and epoxy resins that coat some metal food cans, bottle tops, and water supply pipes.

How does BPA get into the body?

The primary source of exposure to BPA for most people is through the diet. While air, dust, and water are other possible sources of exposure, BPA in food and beverages accounts for the majority of daily human exposure.

Bisphenol A can leach into food from the protective internal epoxy resin coatings of canned foods and from consumer products such as polycarbonate tableware, food storage containers, water bottles, and baby bottles. The degree to which BPA leaches from polycarbonate bottles into liquid may depend more on the temperature of the liquid or bottle, than the age of the container. BPA can also be found in breast milk.

Why are people concerned about BPA?
One reason people may be concerned about BPA is because human exposure to BPA is widespread. The 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found detectable levels of BPA in 93% of 2517 urine samples from people six years and older. The CDC NHANES data are considered representative of exposures in the United States. Another reason for concern, especially for parents, may be because some animal studies report effects in fetuses and newborns exposed to BPA.

If I am concerned, what can I do to prevent exposure to BPA?

Some animal studies suggest that infants and children may be the most vulnerable to the effects of BPA. Parents and caregivers can make the personal choice to reduce exposures of their infants and children to BPA:

  • Don’t microwave polycarbonate plastic food containers. Polycarbonate is strong and durable, but over time it may break down from over use at high temperatures.
    Plastic containers have recycle codes on the bottom. Some, but not all, plastics that are marked with recycle codes 3 or 7 may be made with BPA.
  • Reduce your use of canned foods.
    When possible, opt for glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers, particularly for hot food or liquids.
  • Use baby bottles that are BPA free.

There is growing concern over the role of chemical pollutants on early life origins of respiratory diseases (Gascon et al., 2013, Vrijheid et al., 2016, Casas and Gascon, 2020, Abellan and Casas, 2021), specifically on bisphenols due to their large production worldwide (CHEMTrust, 2018) and its widespread exposure to human populations (Calafat et al., 2008, Haug et al., 2018). Bisphenol A (BPA) is the most commonly used bisphenol. It is present in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, used in many consumer products, and diet is the main source of exposure (Liao and Kannan, 2013). In 2017, the European Chemical Agency considered BPA as a “substance of very high concern” (Calafat et al., 2008, Agency and Bisfenol, 2017). Consequently, BPA production is restricted in some countries, which has resulted in the emergence of substitutes such as bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS), with suspected similar toxicity (Lehmler et al., 2018, Rochester and Bolden, 2015). Bisphenols can cross the placenta and are also found in breastmilk, which results in exposure to foetuses and newborns (Lee et al., 2018).

Posted on

Asthma Rates and Mask – Good or Bad?

65% drop in serious asthma cases due to mask-wearing Israeli hospital reports

The Times of Israel reports that the Sheba Medical, an Israeli hospital reports 65% drop in serious asthma cases due to mask-wearing.

Here’s the 411 according to published reports:

• A study conducted by Sheba Medical Center found that the past year saw a 65 percent drop in serious asthma cases that required hospitalization.

• The drop was credited to widespread mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic, which also helped decrease the spread of viruses such as the flu in the past year.

• By wearing masks, people are also less likely to suffer from seasonal allergies, as face coverings prevent pollen from flowers, trees, and grass coming into contact with the nose and mouth.

• The report follows Israel’s decision to drop the requirement to wear masks outdoors.

Israeli hospital reports 65% drop in serious asthma cases due to mask-wearing Jerusalemites wearing face masks walk in Jerusalem on February 04, 2021.

Posted on

Asthma and Bacteria in Early Life

Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins (intestinal toxins) have been demonstrated to affect airway disease including Asthma in early life according to multiple studies. The study of Asthma and Bacteria in early life is very interesting.

To further the WAF misson to improve our understanding of what drives Severe Asthma, the World Asthma Foundation reached out to Rodney Dietert, PhD, for his thoughts on the topic of Asthma and Staphylococcus aureus.

Rodney Dietert, PhD is a Cornell University Professor Emeritus, Health Scientist Head of Translational Science + Education for SEED and the Author of the Human Super-Organism How the Microbiome is Revolutionizing the Pursuit of a Healthy Life.

Asthma and Bacteria in Early Life: Staphylococcus Aureus

This is the second interview of three on the topic of Asthma and Staphylococcus aureus with Rodney Dietert, PhD. Today we learn about:

  • Relationship between Asthma and Staphylococcus aureus
  • Multinational studies on the topic of Asthma and Staphylococcus aureus
  • Importance of diet

 

Asthma and Bacteria in Early Life: Staphylococcus Aureus

World Asthma Foundation: Can you talk about the relationship between Staph A and Asthma as a biomarker in early life?

Rodney Dietert, PhD: Yes. There’s a multi-nation study that was done to look at the nasal microbiome in early life. They were measuring that two, four, six, nine months up through to two years and then looked, among their cohorts, at asthma between ages 6 and 18.

Nasal Microbiota Findings

What they found was really striking. They found four major categories of progression of the nasal microbiota as the infant aged. There was one of those groups where Staph A was the most prevalent bacterium or Staphylococcus, and particularly Staph A, that was present. The two-month major (bacterium). It was the main bacterium.

That group that started that way, at two months, had, I think it ranged from age 6 to 18, they were measuring asthma and that microbiome beginning (2 months). That contributed to 45 to 60% of the asthma among all of those children they were evaluating. Just from that one (microbiota) type. That was really an impressive predictor of asthma in later childhood. That suggests you don’t want to see Staph A like that, in a two-month-year-old baby. If you do, you better do something about it.

Staph A

Now, again, that is still an association but we understand what Staph A does to the immune system, because of what it does in terms of producing toxins that actually are allergens or can be allergens, what it does to IgE production. You know if that is really the prevalent nasal bacteria at that age and that is not what you usually see, that’s a problem. Right there, there is a biomarker in my opinion that should be a red flag. We should be looking to do something about that.

Sweet Consumption

There are also studies in early life that show consumption of sweets is a contributing factor to the risk when you’ve got Staph A in there. Some of the children actually seem to have a receptor detection of sweet issue. There’s a cohort that actually can’t tell that they’ve really had what would be considered an overabundance of sweets. They’re a little resistant to detecting it, so they eat more and that actually will propel them to severe asthma later on. That combination of Staph A, and diet even, is very important.

Asthma and Bacteria in Early Life: Staph A
Asthma and Bacteria in Early Life: Staph A, Rodney Dietert PhD

For additional information on Asthma and Staphylococcus aureus and the WAF defeating Asthma Project, visit:

Defeating Asthma Project

Posted on

Asthma and Sustainable Healthcare – Rodney Dietert PhD Interview

World Asthma Foundation” Defeating Asthma Series Uncovers New Hope for Asthma Management

Asthmatics: Our understanding of Asthma and the way we treat it may soon be radically different from what currently exists, due to new research on the human microbiome and how the microbiome affects asthma. Looking at Asthma and Sustainable Healthcare, keeping costs under control while delivering high quality healthcare.

In this interview with Rodney Dietert, PhD Cornell University Professor Emeritus, Health Scientist Head of Translational Science + Education for SEED and the Author of the Human Super-Organism How the Microbiome is Revolutionizing the Pursuit of a Healthy Life we learn about the benefits of Sustainable Healthcare and what we should be thinking about to get there.

Interview on Asthma and Sustainable Healthcare

World Asthma Foundation: You write about the microbiome and sustainable health care. Can you explain why this matters?

Dr. Dietert: I think that recent estimates from CDC and WHO, that global death by these non-communicable diseases like asthma, inflammatory bowel, and the like, it’s not just developed countries but developing countries as well. Is 70-75% of all deaths are from these conditions.

You might note that people live sometimes many decades with these conditions with polypharmacy. Furthermore, if you have one of those, you have a really good chance as you age of having more. That requires additional medications, each one with different side effects, and potential drug interactions can occur.

We think we’re very healthy because of longevity. But we lead a lot of our life in illness and sometimes stressing our caregivers’ system because some of these (conditions) require caregivers as well. There’s a different path. That (the present path) is not, in my mind, a sustainable path.

Testing Sustainable Healthcare

My family are well represented in some of these diseases. We know the trajectory, we’ve lived the trajectory and there’s a different way to go. Once you recognize that it starts with our interaction with the external world, and the microbiome is the interface. It’s what they see: the chemicals, drugs, food first. And what we get is what they’ve dealt with and left behind or metabolized and reacted to.

Control What Can Be Controlled

We can and should control that and it should be integrated so we’re dealing with it like the regenerative agriculture people. Dealing with the soil, the air, the water, the plants, the animals, and us as a continuum of microbial interactions, where we can really have everything be healthy and sustainable.

Reduce Disease Prevalence

If we do that, we’re going to reduce the prevalence of these diseases. The drug companies will find other ways to continue to be profitable in a sustainable way, but we don’t need to be chasing symptoms of some of these diseases but instead cure the disease.

Treating Symptoms Not Causes

Quite frankly, I think I’ve discussed in the book, we’ve cured very few of these diseases. We treat symptoms. In fact, we only treat presenting symptoms. I’ve shown how these diseases are all very much connected as co-morbid factors of each other. A child diagnosed with asthma, we know what kind of diseases are likely to show up in those groups of children with asthma as they age.

In my mind, physicians have yet to deal with that. They actually don’t do things that stop that from happening in a 30, 40, 50-year old when they see a child with asthma. They treat the symptom of the day. That’s a change and a change that would allow us to be much more sustainable in our health and in our medicine that we practice.

Asthma and Sustainable Healthcare
Asthma and Sustainable Healthcare, Rodney Dietert PdD

 

 

Posted on

Asthma and Microbiome Sharing – Rodney Dietert, Phd

World Asthma Foundation “Defeating Asthma Series uncovers New Hope for Asthma Managementant

Asthmatics: Our understanding of Asthma and the way we treat it may soon be radically different from what currently exists, due to new research on the human microbiome and how the microbiome affects asthma.

In the sixth in a series of interviews with Rodney Dietert, PhD Cornell University Professor Emeritus, Health Scientist Head of Translational Science + Education for SEED and the Author of the Human Super-Organism How the Microbiome is Revolutionizing the Pursuit of a Healthy Life we learn about:

  • Existing evidence clearly demonstrates an association between asthma initiation and the microbiome, both respiratory and gastro-intestinal
  • Regenerative Agriculture is good for the microbiome
  • A diet that is not diverse results in a depleted microbiome
  • People or animals with a depleted microbiome are open to getting some microbiome components from others and the environment around them

Interview

World Asthma Foundation:
Dr. Dietert, Can you talk about a) different types of microbiomes, and b) microbiome sharing?

Video interview: Asthma and Microbiome Sharing – Rodney Dietert, Phd

Dr. Dietert: I’ve had an opportunity to lecture at a couple of different conferences. I’ll mention them if you don’t mind. The Quivira Collection – Regenerative Agriculture Conference in Albuquerque and then the Organic and Natural Health Annual Conference was in Florida. You put those two groups together, again, the regenerative agriculture, farmers, ranchers, and scientists doing things in ways that we never envisioned in terms of integration.

They start with the soil, and they start with animals and insects and how you use them together in an ecosystem to really be productive as a rancher or a farmer but to really support the microbiome of soil, of the plants and the diversity of the plants because those are foodstuffs for their production animals. It turns out the more plants that you may have contributing to the diet, the more robust, in a sense, and diversified the production animal is and the phytonutrients that you will gain through the meat or through the milk or through the eggs from that production animal. It is mind-blowing, it is absolutely mind-blowing.

If you don’t mind just a short story, we have examples of that. You have something like the howler monkey in Vietnam, I believe, eats normally in the wild 57 species of plants. In Vietnamese zoos, they eat maybe 12. I forget the exact number but lower double digits. There are some effects on the microbiome. In the US zoos, they eat one plant species. Guess what’s represented in their microbiome which is a very severely degraded microbiome? Their microbiome becomes humanized with the microbes from the animal handlers.

Actually, the same thing happens in our lab rodents, our lab mice, and our lab rats. They are not like wild mice and rats living out in the wild. They are in a very constrained animal handling setting, and they actually acquire the animal technicians’ microbes to some extent. Investigators working on the immune system, for example, told me, “We were doing these great experiments everything was working and then they didn’t.” Turned out there was a new building built, and they moved their animals over there, or they changed all their staff in the animal facility.

It’s a lesson for us that if you’re in a depleted state, you will pick up microbes from your surroundings. One other point about that that’s interesting is that I talked about non-communicable diseases, NCDs. If I wrote that book now, and I am planning a follow-up book, I wouldn’t use that acronym because a lot of people ask me, they say, “I have asthma or I have Crohn’s. We’re not genetically related but my spouse living in the same household, eating the same food, same air, also developed it later on. Is there any chance these things are actually slightly communicable?” The answer is, more and more, yes, slightly communicable is probably right.

If you get a really depleted microbiome state like you’ve had Lyme disease or something, you have multiple extensive rounds of antibiotics and your household has a microbiome that has — you can argue which came first but — is an asthma microbiome or is a Crohn’s or something, psoriasis, yes, you are open to donation. It could be from your home or hotel room or an airplane but you’re open to something getting in. There are tipping points where there’s some evidence that it’s not like a regular pandemic but to some extent, to say it’s non-communicable is not quite right because we’re sharing microbes all the time.

World Asthma Foundation: Dr. Dietert, we certainly thank you for your time, all that you do for the microbiome and the community. Good afternoon, and thanks again.

Dr. Dietert: Well, and thank you for all you do with the World Asthma foundation, Bill. Pleasure.

Posted on

Gut and Lung Connection to Asthma – Rodney Dietert, PhD

In this fifth in a series of interviews with Rodney Dietert PhD, he talks about communication between the gut and lung. Dr. Dietert is Cornell University Professor Emeritus, Health Scientist Head of Translational Science + Education for SEED and the Author of the Human Super-Organism How the Microbiome is Revolutionizing the Pursuit of a Healthy Life we learn about:

* The Gut and lung communication and its relationship to Asthma

World Asthma Foundation “Defeating Asthma Series uncovers New Hope for Asthma Managementant

Asthmatics: Our understanding of Asthma and the way we treat it may soon be radically different from what currently exists, due to new research on the human microbiome and how the microbiome affects asthma.

Interview

World Asthma Foundation: Research into the Microbiome and its relationship to health has improved significantly in the last few years. For example, we now know about the relationship between the gut and health. We’ve also learned about communication between the gut and the lung and the impact on Asthma. Dr. Dietert, so there’s some crosstalk, right?

Video interview: Asthma Connection to Gut and Lung Cross Talk – Rodney Dietert, PhD

Dr. Dietert: Tremendous crosstalk, absolutely tremendous. You’re correct that if you’re looking at endpoints, something like risk of asthma or management of asthma, then you really, at a minimum, are going to focus both on the respiratory system microbiome and the gut microbiome. That’s not necessarily the exclusion of others but those two are really important. Just like the gut microbiome can affect the brain, it can affect behavior, mood. You don’t need lots of hardcore meds as an antidepressant when you’ve got the solution sitting right in your gut in terms of the microbiome.

With the respiratory system, you’ve got both the local microbes being extremely important but you have crosstalk, you have chemical interactions that are originating in the gut that are affecting the respiratory system as well.

World Asthma Foundation: Dr. Dietert, we certainly thank you for your time, all that you do for the microbiome and the community. Good afternoon, and thanks again.

Dr. Dietert: Well, and thank you for all you do with the World Asthma foundation, Bill. Pleasure.

To learn more about Dr. Dietert, go here.

Gut and Lung crosstalk interview with Rodney Dietert.