On Nature News - August 06, 2008
'Virophage' suggests viruses are alive
Evidence of illness enhances case for life.
German professor in sex discrimination battle
Row throws spotlight on dearth of top female academics in the country.
Curved electronic eye created
Flexible circuits should lead to diverse imaging applications.
Google tool identifies linchpin species
Search system predicts what prey are needed to keep an ecosystem working.
Technological advances behind the anthrax investigation
Machines can quickly compare strains and pinpoint origin.
Comments
As clinician, I consider "alive" a virus when it brings about a disorder, characterized by typical symptomatology. Interestingly , nowadays we can bedside recognize the viral nature of whatever disease with the aid of a stethoscope. Really,until now it was very difficult to know the real nature of an infectious disorder both at the bed-side and in ER or hospital,as well as to recognize a lot of common cases , not to speak of disorders recognizable by means of the academic, orthodox, physical semeiotics, as allows me to state a 52-year-long clinical experience with a new physical semeiotics. I am filled with wonder at reading that there are doctors who are sharing the uncertainty of the value of antibiotics for acute tonsillitis, pharingitis, bronchitis in the form of written and verbal advice, although I do not know if these physicians are skill at performing the advancement in the field of physical examination (1). For space reasons, I underscore here merely the possibility of recognizing easily and quickly the “chronic” antibodies synthesis in the spleen during flu, as well as the spleen “small” antibody production, in case of Gram-negative bacteria (Esch.coli, HP, a.s.o.), which play a pivotal role in bed-side diagnosis of virus or Gram-negative infections (1). Moreover, interestingly doctor can now-a-day observe clinically, and in a “quantitative”way, the so-called Reticulo- Endothelial-System-Hperfunction Syndrome (RESH), which parallels with ESR and Proteins Electrophoresis, but it is “more” sensitive and specific than both (2-3). Certainly, most adults, and childrens, of course, with acute bronchitis who consult their general practitioner will receive antibiotics, although in many cases antibiotics do not modify the natural course of actual disorder, at all. In my mind, the real problem is to recognize “clinically” both the nature of infectious disorder and the patient's defence , including antibody and PCR synthesis (See my website): first, the “ethiological” , complete diagnose, starting from bedside recognizing all constitutions and, then, the proper therapy. Nowadays, we can solve such as problem, and a lot of others…if we are determined to be “open-minded” physicians, Referees and peer-review's Editors. In conclusion it seems to be more important to can diagnose the real viral nature of a infection, rather than to know... that macro-viruses are alive...
1) Stagnaro Sergio, Stagnaro-Neri Marina. Introduzione alla Semeiotica Biofisica. Il Terreno oncologico”. Ed. Travel Factory SRL., Roma, 2004. www.travelfactory.it
2) Stagnaro-Neri M., Stagnaro S., Appendicite. Min. Med. 87, 183, 1996[MEDLINE]
3) Stagnaro S., Sindrome percusso-ascoltatoria di Iperfunzione del Sistema Reticolo-Istiocitario Min. Med. 74, 479, 1983 [MEDLINE].
4) Stagnaro S., Stagnaro-Neri M., Le Costituzioni Semeiotico-Biofisiche.Strumento clinico fondamentale per la prevenzione primaria e la definizione della Single Patient Based Medicine. Travel Factory, Roma, 2004.
5) Stagnaro S., Stagnaro-Neri M. Single Patient Based Medicine.La Medicina Basata sul Singolo Paziente: Nuove Indicazioni della Melatonina. Ed. Travel Factory, Roma, 2005.
Posted by: Sergio Stagnaro MD | August 7, 2008 03:54 PM