It is now the end of 2015. For Crohn’s patients this year has been a time of great change. In the middle of the battle against this illness, there is some reason to hope.
In the midst of World War 2, Winston Churchill announced the change in fortunes for the British Empire, since the dark days of 1939, and instructed that the Church bells all over Britain be rung for the first time since the outbreak of the War. In his speech to the nation, he used the phrase: “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
The Forgotten Plague | Part 2
Welcome to Part 2 of a review of the captivating book The Forgotten Plague: How the Battle Against Tuberculosis was Won – and Lost by Frank Ryan, M.D. In many ways this story parallels the struggle that is being waged against Crohn’s disease, though the death toll of tuberculosis was far greater. The research presented on this site points to the involvement of a mycobacterial species in Crohn’s disease, the same genus of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. Therefore, the lessons learned in the battle against tuberculosis could have some applicability in the modern day war on Crohn’s disease. If you missed Part 1, you may want to give it a quick read before starting in on this concluding post.
Dr. William Chamberlin | Microbial Infection and Dysbiosis: All Part of the Same Process
Western culture tends to emphasize the importance of the individual more as an independent entity whereas Asian philosophy stresses the individual’s role as a component within a greater society. Both perspectives are valid; they are just different ways of conceptualizing what one is observing.
This short paper is offered in an attempt to illustrate that the dysbiosis theory and the infectious theory of Crohn’s disease are not mutually exclusive.
Gratitude in the Midst of Crohn’s Disease
Let’s admit it – Crohn’s disease is not something that the vast majority of sufferers are thankful for. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. It’s a thorn in our side at best, and a disease that debilitates patients until it steals their very life at worst. As most of America gathers for Thanksgiving to count their blessings, I’ve struggled to find anything positive about Crohn’s disease.
The Forgotten Plague | Part 1
History has a way of repeating itself. That is why, when John Aitken suggested I read The Forgotten Plague: How the Battle Against Tuberculosis was Won – and Lost by Frank Ryan, M.D., I jumped at the chance. Indeed, I have not been disappointed. It’s a fascinating book, rich with detail that I have found applicable to the research being conducted now with Crohn’s disease. Highlighted below are some passages from the first half of the book that seemed of particular interest. I hope that you will enjoy the brief foray into the history of tuberculosis, and notice some parallels to the fight against Crohn’s disease today.
Review: Primary Treatment of Crohn’s Disease with Antibiotics
In 2011, Dr. William Chamberlin, Prof. Thomas Borody and Dr. Jordana Campbell collaborated on a meta-analysis of the published Medline studies from 1976 to 2011 which discussed Crohn’s disease patients treated with antibiotic combination therapy. The article, Primary Treatment of Crohn’s Disease: Combined Antibiotics Taking Center Stage, gives unbiased data on the effectiveness of antibiotic use in Crohn’s disease. For those of you who are short on time or find this type of technical reading difficult, we have attempted to summarize the key points.
MAP and the Farm
MAP was first identified as a pathogen in the late 1800s, when it was determined to be the cause of Johne’s (pronounced YO-nees) disease in cattle. Johne’s disease, sometimes called paratuberculosis or Bovine Johne’s Disease (BJD), is a chronic, fatal, gastrointestinal wasting disease that primarily affects the small intestine of ruminants like cattle, deer, sheep, goats, antelope, bison and even camels!
John Aitken’s MAP Research at the ACG
On October 19, 2015 John Aitken and his team presented details about their Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) research to attendees of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) meeting in Hawaii. The poster that Mr. Aitken and his team presented is shared here. It discusses how his team has isolated Son of MAP in the blood of Crohn’s disease patients, a novel idea to many in the GI field.
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A Short History of MAP in Crohn’s Disease | Web Admin
The following article appeared in the 2015 Crohn’s and Colitis Canada Gala Magazine, of which RedHill Biopharma was a Gold level sponsor. Interestingly, the article updates the two areas that Prof. Borody believed (in 2008) would be the key to future MAP research: detection methods and trials of MAP specific antibiotics.
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Key Points from Prof. Thomas Borody’s 2008 Interview on MAP and Crohn’s | Web Admin
Many of you may have already watched Prof. Thomas Borody’s nine part video series in which he discusses the role of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in Crohn’s disease and answers a myriad of questions. The series, which is about 90 minutes, is still relevant today, though some information may be outdated. For those who don’t have the time to watch it in its entirety, we’ve done our best to summarize some of the key points. We’d encourage you to see for yourself what Prof. Borody has to say, and why his approach is resulting in a much higher rate of remission than any other Crohn’s disease therapy.
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