COVID-19 UPDATE PREVALENCE; THE RACE FACTOR.

COVID-19 UPDATE.                 PREVALENCE; THE RACIAL FACTOR.                         Following the outbreak of COVID-19, it was discovered that mortality among dark skinned persons was much less compared to pale skinned. The photos exposed races or darker races like Africans and Indians were found to be less susceptible to the disease unlike photo protectwd races like Europeans, Asians and Mexicans.                After a thorough investigation, I came into conclusion that the following could perhaps shed light into this mystery.          Melanin. Melanin is a highly irregular heteropolymer consisting of monomeric units derived from the enzymatic oxidation of the amino acid tyrosine. The process of melanin formation takes place in specialized acidic organelles (melanosomes) in melanocytes. It is known that melanin is always bound to protein in vivo. The effect of various model proteins on melanin synthesis and their interaction with melanin have been studied. It was established that many proteins could increase melanin synthesis at an acidic pH. Further studies proved that while both photo exposed and photo protected races have equal distribution of melanocytes, the photo exposed skins tend to have more elaborate and larger melanosomes. This inbues them with a relative advantage of producing more of the pigment. This comparative advantage further bequeaths them with more thicker, tougher and more resistant skins unlike the light skinned races. The preponderance of thicker tougher skins means better resistance to invading germs or microbes.                                        Skin Acidity. Studies have proven that our skins are acidic. Try licking your skin and you would notice the sour taste.  This skin Acidity is one a factor in first line of defence or innate immunity of the body. The ability of our skins to elaborate surface or epidermal acidity though the body cells and plasma are bathed in neutral pH of 7.0 remains a wonder. Studies have shown that dark skinned races have more acidic skins than white skinned races. It has been established that dark skinned races have pHs ranging from 5.0 to 4.5 while white skinned races have skin pHs ranging from 5.3 to 5.5. These differential pH values though appearing close, actually differ exponentially.  Such differences have logarithmic values similar to Richter scale earth quake readings. This skin Acidity plays significant roles in eliminating germs that come in contact with the body.  The more the acidity, the more resistant the skin.                                                 Antimicrobial Peptides.              The skins of both white and black races possess the capacity to produce certain complex Peptides called Antimicrobial Peptides. The skin continuously comes in contact with microbial pathogens. To ward off these germs, cells of the epidermis and dermis have developed several innate strategies to prevent infection. Antimicrobial peptides are one of the primary mechanisms used by the skin in the early stages of immune defense. Generally, antimicrobial peptides have broad antibacterial activity against gram-positive and negative bacteria and also show antifungal and antiviral activity. The antimicrobial activity of most peptides occurs as a result of unique structural characteristics that enable them to disrupt the microbial membrane while leaving human cell membranes intact. However, antimicrobial peptides also act on host cells to stimulate cytokine production, cell migration, proliferation, maturation, and extracellular matrix synthesis. The production by human skin of antimicrobial peptides such as defensins and cathelicidins is an inherent process but also greatly increases after infection, inflammation or injury. Some skin diseases show altered expression of antimicrobial peptides, partially explaining the pathophysiology of these diseases. Thus, current research suggests that understanding how antimicrobial peptides modify susceptibility to microbes, influence skin inflammation, and modify wound healing, provides greater insight into the pathophysiology of certain skin disorders offering new therapeutic opportunities.             Both defensins and cathelicisins appear to be the most significant antimicrobial peptides with potential capacity and capabilities to eliminate bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens. They're able to do this due to their morphology. They possess both hydrophilic and hydrophobic edges which enable them to attach to the negatively charged bacterial and viral polysaccharide membrane surfaces before lysing them.                                   The antimicrobial peptides also induce a chemotaxis on white blood cells as such recruiting them to sites of bacterial or viral assaults.                                Meta-analysis shows that darker skinned raves elaborate more of these peptides compared to lighter skinned races.                                              The current ability of dark skinned races to resist COVID-19 are yet to be elucidated but explanation could be found in the preponderance of melanin, skin acidity and  antimicrobial peptides in darker races.

COVID-19 UPDATE

COVID-19 UPDATE:  SERO RECONVERSION NOT SAME AS REINFECTION.              Sociomedia is awash with reports of successfully recovered cases in China      testing positive again.            This report is already sending shockwaves in the mind of the populace but I'll like to advise for calm. It's common for such to happen and there are certain circumstances prevalent in such situation.                              In my last update, I stated that exposure to the virus might not translate to disease. For the same reason, people who already recovered could equally test positive. Why?                        A virus is regarded as a phage. The reason being that they have this tendency to spring-in their genetic make up, RNA for Ribonucleic acid or DNA for Deoxyribonucleic acid into the host cell to encode and decode the cell with a view to fooling the host cell to produce plasmids or viral particles or outright multiplication of the invader.                                           The signature vector in the progressive treatment of HIV/AIDS is sero tracking, monitoring and CDA count. Reports of HIV patients who sero converted to negative abound.  Again certain patient still remain positive irrespective of significant improvement in their clinical status. All these are accounted for by the abundance of viral particles. HIV is not same as COVID-19 for the latter is a flu virus with predeletion for respiratory syncithium.  However, the mode of phage action remains same. The virus additionally has the preponderance to stimulate the goblet cells lining the respiratory pathway, forcing them to produce thick mucus which blocks the pathway leading to the formation of mucus plug which is responsible for the extreme respiratory distress and failure which usually kills the patient due to hypoxia and anoxia.         The fact that these recovered patients are testing positive again if you like, reconverting again does not translate to new infections but due viral particles or presence of a new viral strain. Since this is a developing story, we are not armed with enough clinical presentation or clinistics of these patients to warrant branding or making absolute conclusions. If these patients remain clinically stable, it means, the current development has to do with immune response to viral particles. Should they develop clinical signs and symptoms, it would mean either they are immuno compromised or presence of new viral strain. The clinical picture will act as a guideline for typification and classification. We expect more reports as the days pass by.        Dr. Ikechukwu Onyekwelonwu.

COVID-19 UPDATE; Why You Must Self Isolate.

COVID-19 UPDATE. Why you must self isolate.             Unknown to many, they already have the virus and this is not to cause panic. It must be understood that exposure to a pathogen does not always translate to disease for even our bodies harbour a greater number of microbes, some facultative, some symbiotic, some parasitic among whom belong the pathogenic.                                   Why Self Isolate?                           You need to self isolate to reduce the level of contacts or dissemination an contraction of the germ.  You also need to isolate to enable you build up enough immunity against the microbes. Immunity has to do with immunoglobilins which would specifically analysis the virus, code it and then elaborate all immune responses needed to eliminate it or them. It might take between three weeks to two months to achieve.              What to Do During Self Isolation.                                          Ensure you eat appropriate diet. Take diets containing protein and lots of vitamins. Ensure you drink lots of water. Do not eat rotten meat. Do not eat pork.  Avoid smoking and alcohols. Deworm yourself and your family.  Engage in non isometric exercises. Meditate regularly. Ensure regular communication with friends and members of your family. Listen to the news. Ensure adherance to proper hygiene. Wash hands regularly.

More updates on Magsulf use for COVID-19

Gelusil could be used as they are cheaper, more convenient and with less adverse effects. 

CURRENT MORE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR COVID-19

COVID-19: New findings.               The exigencies facing is such that all hands must now be on deck. The remoteness of my practice has made it difficult to share my findings with colleagues added to the timing for interventions but I am glad to announce to the world that we have another addition to the armamentorium against this ravaging agent.

My research led to the conclusion to the fact that baring the toxicity of chloroquine hydrosulphate, use of this drug for treatment of COVID-19 should cease forthwith. In its place should be instituted a more amenable drug with less side effect. I am talking of non other than Magnesium trisilicate.                   Mode of Action.  Magnesium trisilicate or Magnesium trisilicate when taken is absorbed all most into the system where it exerts it's mild adverse effect of alkalosis. All drugs have side effects. This mild alkalosis then leads to slight increase in plasma and body pH. This is same route, Chloroquine uses to fight the virus. The rise in pH then naturally kills the virus which cannot survive in raised pHs. Magnesium trisilicate comes in beautiful crested tablets which can be taken twice or thrice a day. I strongly recommend this harmless antacid to the world for prevention and treatment of COVID-19.                                        Dr. Ikechukwu Onyekwelonwu