If only the CDC would approach Blastocystis as they do Dengue

July 13, 2010. This week, the American Society of Microbiology reported that a CDC alter has shown that roughly 5% of the population of Key West, Florida has been infected with the Dengue virus at some point.

The story begins, "After three initial locally acquired cases of dengue were reported in 2009, scientists from the CDC and the Florida Department of Health conducted a study to estimate the potential exposure of the Key West population to dengue virus. Dengue is the most common virus transmitted by mosquitoes in the world. It causes an estimated 50 million-100 million infections and 25,000 deaths each year."

In other words, the vast majority of people infected recover without dying. Despite this, the CDC jumped into action:

"For the study, a total of 240 blood samples were collected from randomly selected households in Key West and tested for the presence of virus or evidence of a previous dengue infection. Among the samples, 5 percent had dengue active in their systems or had dengue antibodies, suggesting that the disease had been experienced within the previous three months of the study. Key West residents, physicians and hospitals were also enlisted in a surveillance program to identify new cases, and mosquitoes were tested for the virus. CDC and the Florida Department of Health continue to monitor cases in and around Key West. As of the end of June 2010, there have been 12 additional cases of locally acquired dengue reported from Key West and surrounding areas. "

It is remarkable the CDC has these resources to divert to Dengue, when they refuse to take any action on Blastocystis, a disease which does produce long-term symptoms in most of the patients who are infected. Blastocystis is arguably a more useful disease to study, since it is theroetically possible to cure patients if the right antiprotozoal drug can be found.

To date, the CDC has ignored all the US studies identifying Blastocystis cases. One pair of studies identified over a dozen cases of long term illness in Corvallis. Although public money was used to research the Dengue cases, patients had to use their own money to support the Blastocystis studies. BRF organized and provided funding for these studies, which were published in Parasitology Research.


References:

Jones MS, Whipps CM, Ganac RD, Hudson NR, Boorom K Association of Blastocystis subtype 3 and 1 with patients from an Oregon community presenting with chronic gastrointestinal illness. Parasitol Res. 2009 Jan;104(2):341-5. Epub 2008 Oct 16. Erratum in: Parasitol Res. 2009 Jan;104(2):491. Boroom, Kenneth [corrected to Boorom, Kenneth]. PMID: 18923844

Whipps CM, Boorom K, Bermudez LE, Kent ML. Molecular characterization of Blastocystis species in Oregon identifies multiple subtypes. Parasitol Res. 2010 Mar;106(4):827-32. Epub 2010 Feb 2.PMID: 20127113

Hogue, Theresa. Has tiny parasite invaded from Middle-East Wars? Corvallis Gazette Times, November 17, 2008.