Viral infection does not affect lung disease

A study performed by researchers from the U.S., Korea and Japan has found that acute viral infection is not a primary reason of acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive, deadly disease resultant in thickening and scarring of the lungs. Previous studies had recommended viral infection might cause exacerbation of IPF in a majority of patients who have the condition, which occurs most often in people between 50 and 70 years of age. "The etiology of acute exacerbation of IPF remainder unknown, and occult viral infection has been projected as one possible cause," said Harold Collard, MD, director of the Interstitial Lung Disease Program at the University of California, San Francisco.

"The results of this study recommend that the majority of cases of acute exacerbation of IPF are not due to viral infection." IPF is thought to result from an irregular fibroproliferative response in the lung. As lung tissue becomes stiff and thick, lung function and breathing are spoil. In some patients, these changes happen gradually over time, while in others the condition may cause acute periods of severe worsening. In this study, the researchers enrolled 43 patients with sharp exacerbation of IPF from two medical centers between 2006 and 2009. In addition, 69 patients with either constant IPF or acute lung injury (ALI) were enrolled from a single medical center as control subjects.

In all cases, bronchoscopy was complete as part of patients' clinical evaluations. Lung fluid and blood samples were together and analyzed using three separate, highly sensitive viral DNA detection techniques to test for the attendance of both known and unknown viruses. Results of these tests exposed evidence of viral infection in 33 per cent of the patients with exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients, only four of whom had proof of common respiratory viral infections. No viruses were sense in the lung fluid from stable patients.

Wood Stoves May reason Cancer, Heart Disease

A wood-burning stove in your home may be a huge source of heat during the cold winter, but new data shows that unseen particles produced by burning wood may cause cancer and heart disease, the Telegraph reported. Wood burning stoves are becoming several popular because of the rising price of oil, gas and electricity prices. But researchers at Copenhagen University in Denmark said that breathing in air around the stoves is the equal to inhaling car exhaust with the wood particles being little enough to breathe into the deepest parts of the lungs. "The particles that come from wood smoke can definitely cause fatal heart or lung disease. In human cells that were out to the particle, considerable DNA damage and mutation took place. “

“It was comparable to the effect of particles given off by traffic," said professor Steffen Loft, of the Department of Public Health at Copenhagen University. When scientists tested the wood burning particle on human cells in a laboratory, they found that the particle caused further cellular and DNA damage than air without the particles. "The full scale of the health risk is not now known," Loft said, “but said some people were previously feeling the impact, such as those suffering from asthma.” Loft emphasize that those who do own wood burning stoves should only use dry wood cut into little pieces, and make sure there is a good air flow in the room to minimize contact to particles. 

Gilead Ends Trial of Novel Drug for Rare Lung Disease on Lack of effectiveness

Gilead Sciences Inc., the world’s major maker of AIDS drugs, said it is stopping a late stage study of an investigational lung disease therapy because it did not help patients with the state, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The drug, ambrisentan, was in the last stage of testing usually necessary for U.S. approval, the Foster City, California- based company said in a report today. The decision to halt the study followed an interim study of data by a monitoring committee and the company’s review, according to the report.

Gilead said on Dec. 20 that it had decided to obtain Arresto Biosciences Inc., of Palo Alto, California, for $225 million. Arresto’s lead investigational drug is a monoclonal antibody being tested for cancer and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the similar fatal lung disease that Gilead’s currently canceled study for ambrisentan was targeting. “Gilead is conduct a thorough review of the data and will converse the full consequences of this analysis to the medical community when they are accessible,” Gilead said in the statement.

Nathan Kaiser, a Gilead spokesman, said there is no association between the decision to stop the ambrisentan study and the company’s contract with Arresto. “Gilead was just conversant of the results of the data monitor committee this week,” Kaiser said in a telephone interview today. Ambrisentan conventional U.S. approval in 2007 as a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension, a tapering of the artery that causes smallness of breath and heart failure. It is market under the brand name Letairis. Gilead share fell 2 percent to $35.60 at 6:07 p.m. New York time in extensive trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market after finishing down 22 cents to $36.34.

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Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is a fungus disease that affects the lungs and may occasionally invade other parts of the body. It is a rare disease with fewer than 12 cases reported in upstate New York each year. Anyone can get histoplasmosis. It is known more often in immunocompromised individuals, such as AIDS patients. Birds bats, dogs, cats, rats, skunks, opossum, foxes and other animals can get histoplasmosis and may play a role in distribution the disease.

The disease is acquired by inhaling the spore phase of the fungus. Outbreaks may occur in groups with common exposures to bird or bat dung or recently disturbed, impure soil found in chicken coops, caves, etc. Person-to-person spread of histoplasmosis does not occur. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, ranging from flu-like illness to serious lung disease.

Symptoms may show within five to 18 days after exposure. However, most people do not skill symptoms. Exact medications such as amphotericin B are available. Minimize exposure to dust in contaminated and with these environments such as chicken coops and their surrounding soil. Use of a defensive mask and spraying the area with water may be helpful in minimizing contact to dust.

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