Autoinoculation Therapy for the Treatment of Widespread Cutaneous Warts.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous warts are common lesions that are often unresponsive to various therapeutic modalities. OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of autoinoculation therapy in the treatment of widespread cutaneous warts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This interventional study included patients with widespread skin warts who did not respond to conventional treatments. Two methods were used to perform the autoinoculation therapy. The first procedure was performed by obtaining a small piece of the wart and inoculating it into a subcutaneous pocket. The second method was developed by the investigator and was performed by inserting a needle into the center of the wart toward the nearby subcutaneous tissue, with multiple forward and backward movements in several directions around the lesion. RESULTS: The prospective study included 23 patients. The illness duration ranged from 3 months to 5 years. Autoinoculation interventions revealed full recovery of all warts in 20 cases (87%) within 20 to 90 days (mean: 40.7 days). CONCLUSION: Autoinoculation procedures demonstrated effectiveness, less cost, lesser pain, less invasiveness, without leaving skin scars in comparison with other conventional therapies.

The Diagnostic Performance of Various Clinical Specimens for the Detection of COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis of RT-PCR Studies.

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic performance of numerous clinical specimens to diagnose COVID-19 through RT-PCR techniques is very important, and the test result outcome is still unclear. This review aimed to analyze the diagnostic performance of clinical samples for COVID-19 detection by RT-PCR through a systematic literature review process. METHODOLOGY: A compressive literature search was performed in PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library from inception to November 2022. A snowball search on Google, Google Scholar, Research Gate, and MedRxiv, as well as bibliographic research, was performed to identify any other relevant articles. Observational studies that assessed the clinical usefulness of the RT-PCR technique in different human samples for the detection or screening of COVID-19 among patients or patient samples were considered for this review. The primary outcomes considered were sensitivity and specificity, while parameters such as positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and kappa coefficient were considered secondary outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 85 studies out of 10,213 non-duplicate records were included for the systematic review, of which 69 articles were considered for the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis indicated better pooled sensitivity with the nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) than saliva (91.06% vs. 76.70%) and was comparable with the combined NPS/oropharyngeal swab (OPS; 92%). Nevertheless, specificity was observed to be better with saliva (98.27%) than the combined NPS/OPS (98.08%) and NPS (95.57%). The other parameters were comparable among different samples. The respiratory samples and throat samples showed a promising result relative to other specimens. The sensitivity and specificity of samples such as nasopharyngeal swabs, saliva, combined nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal, respiratory, sputum, broncho aspirate, throat swab, gargle, serum, and the mixed sample were found to be 91.06%, 76.70%, 92.00%, 99.44%, 86%, 96%, 94.4%, 95.3%, 73.63%, and above 98; and 95.57%, 98.27%, 98.08%, 100%, 37%, 100%, 100%, 97.6%, and above 97, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: NPS was observed to have relatively better sensitivity, but not specificity when compared with other clinical specimens. Head-to-head comparisons between the different samples and the time of sample collection are warranted to strengthen this evidence.

Prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection by earthing.

BACKGROUND: Earthing is a body contact with earth without insulator. In previous studies, grounding revealed anti-inflammatory effect, immunity enhancement, anticoagulation, and rising blood oxygenation. AIM: To investigate the role of earthing in treatment and prevention of COVID-19 infection. METHODS: An observational and interventional study included 71 cases with COVID-19 infection. Earthing was applied as preventive and treatment measures. All participants conducted earthing through direct contact with the earth or connecting apparatus for about 15 min to 6 h/day. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients were fully improved within 2 h-11 days after commencement of earthing (mean: 2.9 days, SD ± 2, median: 2 days), while the mean illness duration was 8.9 days (SD ± 4.6) and the median was 9 days. Two patients with many risk factors died where earthing was carried out insufficiently and too late. Nine people contracted mild or short-lived illness (mean: 6.3 days, SD ± 5.5) as a consequence of performing prophylactic earthing. There was a spectacular response in a critically ill patient who was unable to speak due to severe dyspnea with blood oxygen level 38% on continuous oxygen supply. On the second day, after two sessions of 3 h daily earthing, his oxygen level raised to 95% with oxygen supply and 77% without oxygen supply. The following symptoms were improved after implementing earthing: fever, dyspnea, cough, weakness, headache, chest pain, taste and smell sensation loss, anorexia, and body pain. CONCLUSIONS: Earthing revealed significant curing and preventive effects with a shorter illness duration.

Prevention and Treatment of Influenza, Influenza-Like Illness, and Common Cold by Herbal, Complementary, and Natural Therapies.

In recent years viral respiratory tract infections, especially influenza viruses, have had a major impact on communities worldwide as a result of unavailability of effective treatment or vaccine. The frequent alterations in the antigenic structures of respiratory viruses, particularly for RNA viruses, pose difficulties in production of effective vaccines. The unavailability of optimal medication and shortage of effective vaccines suggests the requirement for alternative natural therapies. Several herbal remedies were used for prevention and treatment viral respiratory illnesses. Among those that were found effective included maoto, licorice roots, antiwei, North American ginseng, berries, Echinacea, plants extracted carnosic acid, pomegranate, guava tea, and Bai Shao. There is scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of several complementary therapies for colds. Oral zinc may reduce the length and severity of a cold. Taking vitamin C supplements on a regular basis only slightly reduces the length and severity of colds. Probiotics were found better than placebo in reducing the number episodes of acute upper respiratory tract infections, the rate of episodes of acute upper respiratory tract infection and reducing antibiotic use. Alkaline diets or drinks might have antiviral properties as in vitro studies demonstrated inactivation effect of alkaline medium on respiratory virus. Earthing might have a natural anti-inflammatory effect for human body. It is now accepted that an overwhelming inflammatory response is the cause of human deaths from avian H5N1 influenza infection. Earthing accelerates immune response following vaccination, as demonstrated by increases of gamma globulin concentration. No in vivo or clinical studies were found that investigate the role of alkalization or earthing on respiratory viral infections. Thus, future studies are recommended to reveal any potential curative effects.

Health Effects of Alkaline Diet and Water, Reduction of Digestive-tract Bacterial Load, and Earthing.

In the article, the author discusses the issue of chronic, low-grade acidosis that is thought to be brought about primarily by 2 factors: (1) advancing age, with a consequent decline in renal function; and (2) diet. An acid-forming diet can induce low-grade metabolic acidosis, which causes very small decreases in blood pH and plasma bicarbonate (HCO3-) that remain within the range considered to be normal. However, if the duration of the acidosis is prolonged or chronically present, even a low degree of acidosis can become significant. This article reviews supporting evidence in the literature that has shown that consumption of abundant alkaline-forming foods can result in improvement in bone mineral density (BMD) and muscle mass, protection from chronic illnesses, reduced tumor-cell invasion and metastasis, and effective excretion of toxins from the body. In addition, a large number of studies showing the benefits of alkaline water (mineral water) have revealed that people consuming water with a high level of total dissolved solids (TDS) (ie, with a high mineral content) have shown a lower incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer and lower total mortality rates. Consumption of alkaline water also may prevent osteoporosis and protect pancreatic beta cells with its antioxidant effects. In addition, this article discusses the literature that shows that reducing digestive-tract bacterial load can play an important role in increasing blood alkalinity toward the normal upper limit. That change occurs through good oral hygiene, flossing of teeth, perfect chewing of food, and bowel evacuation as soon as possible. Finally, the author reviews the literature that shows that earthing (ie, the direct contact of the human body with the earth) can supply a current of plentiful electrons. Earthing has been shown to reduce acute and chronic inflammation, blood glucose in patients with diabetes, red blood cell (RBC) aggregation, and blood coagulation. It also has been shown to produce symptomatic improvement in chronic, muscle and joint pain, a reduction in overall stress levels and tensions, a boost in positive moods, an improvement in heart rate variability, and an improvement in the immune response.

Short-term effects of subchronic low-level hydrogen sulfide exposure on oil field workers.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the short-term effects of low-level hydrogen sulfide (H2S) exposure on oil field workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Observational study included 34 patients who work at an oil field. All patients were males with age range of 22-60 years (mean 37 years). The data were collected by systematic questionnaire about symptoms. The inclusion criteria of patients were symptoms related to inhalation of H2S gas in the oil field. The complaints should be frequent and relapsed after each gas exposure and disappeared when there was no gas exposure. Exclusion criteria were the symptoms which experienced with or without H2S exposure. The presence of H2S gas was confirmed by valid gas detector devices. RESULTS: The most frequent presenting symptom was nasal bleeding. It was revealed in 18 patients (52.9%). This followed by pharyngeal bleeding, gum bleeding, and bloody saliva (mouth bleeding) which were encountered in five cases for each complaint (14.7%). Other less frequent presenting symptoms were tongue bleeding, bloody sputum, headache, abdominal colic, pharyngeal soreness, fatigue, and sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Nasal mucosa was the most vulnerable part to H2S effect. Inhalation of H2S produced upper respiratory tract epithelial damage that led to bleeding from nose, pharynx, gum, tongue, trachea, and bronchi. There were no complaints of asthmatic attack upon exposure to low level of H2S. Sunlight had a significant role in reduction of ambient air H2S level.

Concomitant spine infection with mycobacterium tuberculosis and pyogenic bacteria: case report.

STUDY DESIGN: A case report of an extremely rare condition describing lumbar spine tuberculosis associated with concurrent pyogenic infection is presented. OBJECTIVE: To establish that isolation of pyogenic bacteria from an infected spine does not exclude the possibility of spine tuberculosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: During a MEDLINE data search from January 1960 through October 2001, no cases of combined spine tuberculosis and pyogenic infection were found. METHODS: A 52-year-old man reported left-side gluteal swelling, backache, and fever of 20 days duration. A similar swelling in the same location had occurred 12 years previously, and an operation was performed at that time. Preoperative syringe-aspirated material from a gluteal abscess was sent for ordinary bacteriologic culture (for only aerobic pyogenic bacteria). During the operation, a needle-aspirated specimen of evacuated pus was subjected to direct microscopy and culture. Direct Gram stain for pyogenic bacteria and direct Ziehl-Neelsen stain for mycobacteria were performed. Cultures for aerobes, anaerobes, mycobacteria, and fungi were made. RESULTS: The preoperative specimen culture showed growth of Nocardia asteroids and Moraxella catarrhalis, whereas the operative specimen showed Gram-positive cocci and acid-fast bacilli on direct smears. The operative cultures yielded growth of Nocardia asteroids, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Plain lumbar spine radiograph showed psoas muscle calcification. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded from this case that recovery of pyogenic bacteria from an infected spine does not exclude spine tuberculosis. It is recommended, therefore, that mycobacterial investigations be performed for cases that have evidence of tuberculosis, even when pyogenic microorganisms already have been isolated. The clues that raise suspicion of tuberculosis in patients with pyogenic spine infection include chronic infection that does not respond to ordinary antibiotics, isolated pyogenic bacteria of low virulence, psoas muscle calcification, and immunosuppression.