Jeff Gilchrist

#Children dying from #Strep throat and other #immune consequences

This #virus season has been like no other with high #hospitalization rates from #RSV, #Influenza and now more #children are dying from Strep A #bacterial #infections. This long thread looks at what might be going on.🧵1/

( Also available as a 1 page web view here: https://pingthread.com/thread/1599756689489944576 )

Thread by jeffgilchrist: Children dying from Strep throat and other immune ... - PingThread

Children dying from Strep throat and other immune consequences This virus season has been like no other with high hospitalization rates from RSV, Influenza and now more children are dying from Strep A bacterial infections. This long thread looks at what might be going on.🧵1/

PingThread
Dec 5, 2022 at 5:51pmWeb
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022

So far in the UK, five children have died in England under age 10 within a week of diagnosis of invasive group A strep (a bacterial infection) and one 7 year old child in Wales ( https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63840591 ).

The rates of invasive Strep A in children age 1-4 is 4.6x higher and age 5-9 is 3.7x higher than pre-pandemic 2017-2019 seasons according to the UKHSA. H/T: @[email protected]

A 9 year old Canadian girl also recently died from a bacterial infection ( https://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelowna/400241/Influenza-strep-leads-to-death-of-9-year-old-in-West-Kelowna#400241 ). 2/

Six children die with Strep A bacterial infection

Parents concerned about their child's symptoms are urged to seek medical advice.

BBC News
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022
Normally most infections cause mild illnesses but this bacteria can also cause scarlet fever ( https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scarlet-fever/ ) and in rare occasions infect the lungs and bloodstream which needs urgent treatment and can be life-threatening. The bacteria can live on hands or the throat long enough to allow easy spread between people. 3/
Scarlet fever

Find out about scarlet fever, including the symptoms, what to do if you or your child has it, how it's treated, how long it lasts and how it's spread.

nhs.uk
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022

This kind of infection is typically treated successfully with antibiotics but currently many places, including in Canada are facing antibiotics shortages so the necessary treatment may not be easily available.

The UKHSA is advising people to call 911/999 or go to Emergency if your child is having difficulty breathing, there are pauses when your child breathes, your child's skin, tongue, or lips are blue, your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake. 4/

Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022
Why are serious Strep A bacterial infections worse this year than before the pandemic? Dr. David Fisman points out that surges in viral respiratory infections can lead to downstream surges in invasive bacterial disease so a similar finding after COVID-19 infections would not be surprising ( https://twitter.com/DFisman/status/1599014102587781120 ). 5/
David Fisman on Twitter

“Surges in viral respiratory infections can absolutely result in downstream surges in invasive bacterial disease. Our group has demonstrated this for both pneumococcal and meningococcal disease downstream from influenza, and mening downstream from RSV.”

Twitter
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022
His group has demonstrated this with influenza and pneumococcal disease ( https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2768232 ) and also a 4.3x increased risk after RSV and 2x increased risk after influenza activity for meningococcal disease ( https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21103353/ ). 6/
Influenza Activity, Environmental Conditions, and the Risk of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease

This case-crossover study evaluates the short-term associations of influenza activity and environmental exposures with invasive pneumococcal disease risk in temperate countries and examines the generalizability of such associations across multiple jurisdictions.

Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022

It isn't just bacterial infections that are on the rise but fungal infections as well where in India more than 4,300 COVID patients died after fungal infection ( https://twitter.com/jeffgilchrist/status/1587063576434466817 ).

The WHO warned in October that the risk of fungal infections on humans is skyrocketing especially from one called Candida albicans which is yeast that is responsible for infections like thrush and vaginal yeast infections ( https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22961-candida-albicans ). 7/

Dr. Jeff Gilchrist on Twitter

“It isn't just viral or bacterial infections that are starting to increase when the immune system becomes dysfunctional, but fungal infections as well ( https://t.co/8dBefSl0mB ). In India, an estimated 4,300 COVID patients died from fungus during the pandemic in 2021. 20/”

Twitter
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022
Can viral infection also impact your ability to fight off Candida fungus? It turns out that COVID-19 impairs the immune response to Candida albican including showing signs of T-cell exhaustion ( https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.640644/full ). H/T: @fitterhappierAJ 8/
COVID-19 Impairs Immune Response to Candida albicans

Infection with SARS-CoV-2 can lead to Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and result in severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Recent reports indicate an increased rate of fungal coinfections during COVID-19. With incomplete understanding of the pathogenesis and without any causative therapy available, secondary infections may be detrimental to the prognosis. We monitored 11 COVID-19 patients with ARDS for their immune phenotype, plasma cytokines, and clinical parameters on the day of ICU admission and on day 4 and day 7 of their ICU stay. Whole blood stimulation assays with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), heat-killed Listeria monocytogenes (HKLM), Aspergillus fumigatus, and Candida albicans were used to mimic secondary infections, and changes in immune phenotype and cytokine release were assessed. COVID-19 patients displayed an immune phenotype characterized by increased HLA-DR+CD38+ and PD-1+ CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and elevated CD8+CD244+ lymphocytes, compared to healthy controls. Monocyte activation markers and cytokines IL-6, IL-8, TNF, IL-10, and sIL2Rα were elevated, corresponding to monocyte activation syndrome, while IL-1β levels were low. LPS, HKLM and Aspergillus fumigatus antigen stimulation provoked an immune response that did not differ between COVID-19 patients and healthy controls, while COVID-19 patients showed an attenuated monocyte CD80 upregulation and abrogated release of IL-6, TNF, IL-1α, and IL-1β toward Candida albicans. This study adds further...

Frontiers
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022
Viruses have been found to have detrimental effects on the immune system before. "Widespread vaccination against measles can protect communities from a wide array of other viruses and bacteria by preventing 'immune amnesia' — an unusual measles side effect scientists now think drives epidemics of other illnesses." ( https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/immune-amnesia-measles-research-1.6670701 ). H/T: @[email protected] 9/
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022
Measles has the nasty ability to alter the immune system itself to forget every single pathogen it has ever encountered (your immune memory) like rebooting your system as if you had never been exposed to a microbe or infection before. Most people who die from measles actually do so because of secondary infections. The virus binds to your immune memory cells and eliminates them, destroying B-cells and reducing the diversity of non-specific B cells ( https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34129794/ ). 10/
Immune amnesia induced by measles and its effects on concurrent epidemics - PubMed

It has been recently discovered that the measles virus can damage pre-existing immunological memory, destroying B lymphocytes and reducing the diversity of non-specific B cells of the infected host. In particular, this implies that previously acquired immunization from vaccination or direct expositi …

PubMed
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022
Another outbreak called "tomato flu" with over 80 cases mostly children under age 5 has been spreading in India which causes high temperature, intense joint pain, and rash where painful blisters can grow to the size of a tomato ( https://theconversation.com/tomato-flu-outbreak-in-india-heres-what-it-really-is-189413 ). H/T: @[email protected] 11/
'Tomato flu' outbreak in India – here's what it really is

Swabs from two children in the UK reveal the cause of the ‘mysterious illness’.

The Conversation
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022

After samples were analysed the virus was identified as coxsackie A16 which is the same virus that causes hand, foot, and mouth disease. It turns out this is not a new disease at all but the virus is now impacting children very differently than it used to.

Scientists and doctors have noted that viruses have been doing strange things since the COVID pandemic started, such as typically winter seasonal viruses spreading in summer 2020, and a mysterious outbreak of hepatitis in children in 2021.12/

Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022

Public Health Ontario (PHO) this past summer warned that COVID-19 infection can cause immune dysregulation ( https://publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/nCoV/voc/2022/07/evidence-brief-ba4-ba5-risk-assessment-jul-8.pdf ). H/T:
@lisa_iannattone

"A potential increase in acquired impaired immunity in the Ontario population could have significant impact on the incidence and associated burden of infectious diseases (e.g., high viral loads, increased antibiotic use and resistance) and other conditions in the longer-term." ( https://twitter.com/jeffgilchrist/status/1581963412518580224 ). 13/

Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022

Besides potential immune dysregulation, COVID-19 infections have been found to cause damage to the lungs in children even with mild infections more than a year after infection ( https://twitter.com/jeffgilchrist/status/1581963424317132800 ).

Even the recovered kids still have measurable lung damage, and only 1 child in the study group had been vaccinated so it is not the vaccine causing the issue ( https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiol.221250 ). 14/

Dr. Jeff Gilchrist on Twitter

“This recent study found pulmonary dysfunction after pediatric COVID-19 infection ( https://t.co/p2MOWkAuUU ). H/T: @MeetJess 5/”

Twitter
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022
It would not be surprising then that children previously infected with COVID that still have lung damage may be at higher risk for severe disease from other respiratory infections. If immune dysregulation is also happening, the risk could be even higher. 15/
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022

What are we seeing so far? Pediatric hospitals all over North America and many other parts of the world are currently overwhelmed with severe cases of RSV and Influenza.

The children's hospital (CHEO) in Canada's capital Ottawa has recently had to request help from the Canadian Red Cross to support patient care where the ER recently saw 218 children with 11 waiting for a bed and critical care units operating at 130% capacity ( https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/cheo-to-receive-help-from-red-cross-staff-as-it-deals-with-surge-in-respiratory-patients-1.6179918 ). 16/

CHEO to receive help from Red Cross staff as it deals with surge in respiratory patients

Help will arrive at CHEO next week as the children's hospital continues to see "unprecedented volumes" of young patients suffering from respiratory viruses.

Ottawa
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022

Not just #hospitals, but ambulance services are also frequently running at "Level Zero" when no #ambulances are available to respond.

This tragically happened in #Ottawa during October when a 911 call was made from an elementary school about an 11 year-old girl with no vital signs who was unfortunately later pronounced dead after being transported to CHEO ( https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ottawa-paramedics-were-at-level-zero-when-call-came-in-about-11-year-old-with-no-vital-signs ). 17/

| Ottawa Citizen

There were no ambulances available in Ottawa on the day a frantic 911 call came in from an elementary school about a girl who had no vitals.

ottawacitizen
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022
This is the new normal of living with infectious disease and not having measures in place to reduce the risk of infection during respiratory season when community transmission is high. From January 2022 to Sept. 23, there were 1,294 Level Zero events in Ottawa and paramedics spent 52,000 hours waiting to offload patients to hospitals that didn't have enough beds. 18/
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022
The latest Canadian FluWatch data shows pediatric hospitalizations just for influenza are skyrocketing, and many times higher than the average number of hospitalizations from the 2014/2015-2019/2020 flu seasons before the pandemic ( https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/fluwatch/2022-2023/week-47-november-20-november-26-2022.html ). 19/
FluWatch report: November 20 to November 26, 2022 (week 47) - Canada.ca

Influenza surveillance report published by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022
Wastewater tracking in Ottawa, Canada shows Influenza A levels are still increasing and RSV levels are still high ( http://covid.gilchrist.ca/Ottawa.html ). 20/
Show threadJeff GilchristDec 5, 2022

We have lots of Influenza A, RSV and Strep infections happening now, much more than we used to see pre-pandemic, and enough to overwhelm pediatric hospitals in many locations.

This time last year only fairly small percentage of kids had been infected with COVID-19 but seroprevalence data is now showing that in some places 76%+ of kids had been infected by summer so likely even more by now ( https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.09.09.22279751v1.full ). 21/

Show threadCanadian CroneDec 6, 2022
@jeffgilchrist This is malfeasance on the part of the #FordGovernment. Deliberate and criminal.
Show threadLaurie BrunoDec 5, 2022
@jeffgilchrist thank you!
Show threadLaurie BrunoDec 5, 2022
@jeffgilchrist thank you!
Show threadKeith DevlinDec 5, 2022
@jeffgilchrist I'm learning new things about our immune system I did not know. As a boomer, I had measles as a child (almost as if it were mandatory back in the 50s), so I guess I am highly unlikely to get it now. But its effect on the immune system makes it very scary
Show threadUnprecedented 2023Dec 6, 2022
@jeffgilchrist Did not know. Thanks.
Show threadLaurie BrunoDec 5, 2022
@jeffgilchrist thank you!
Show threadChristineDec 5, 2022

@jeffgilchrist
8 children 😪😪😪😪😪😪😪😪

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63860028

Child aged 12 dies of invasive strep A in London

The Year 8 student was a pupil at Colfe's School in Lee.

BBC News
Show threadLaurie BrunoDec 5, 2022
@jeffgilchrist thank you!
Show threadA Concerned ScientistDec 5, 2022
@jeffgilchrist Really great thread. Well put together. Thank you for putting all of that info in one place.
Show threadThe Spoonless KitchenDec 5, 2022

@jeffgilchrist ...you know "candida albicans" isn't a thing, though, right? You do know that? For decades, it's been a go-to fake "diagnosis" for alt-health grifters. I should know, because my late father, alt-health grifter extraordinaire, "diagnosed" a million marks with it, so he could sell them magic water (distilled, it was distilled, and no, there was no "homeopathic dilutions" in it AT ALL) in 10ml bottles for $100 a bottle, 30 years ago.

I am abolutely 100% behind "zero COVID" and I am fully-vaccinated and I am staring down my fourth year of isolation, as of this coming March.

But going in the other direction is not going to help the cause at all, and it's going to give ammunition to the ID docs and public health officers who are pandemic fatigued but don't want to admit it.

Also, your display name makes it look like you're a physician commenting on this but your profile indicates you're not. That's kind of deceptive.

Show threadMaquitorfDec 9, 2022
@jeffgilchrist sadly no one would be responsible for the amount of disable people. Government allowed this to happen by it gaslighting slogans like: living with Covid , it’s just the flu, kids don’t get it, it’s god to get it, immunity debt.
Show threadDave MuthDec 10, 2022

@jeffgilchrist

Thank you for all you do. The info about children and RSV was, as always, over-the-top.

#Children #Strep #Bacteria #Virus