Dear UN and CDC: Antibiotics - The Double Edged Sword of Man?
By Teresa Conrick
I do a lot of research and writing about Autism and the Microbiome. A rising issue that encompasses this area of research is ANTIBIOTICS. I have a daughter who regressed into AUTISM and subsequently developed an AUTOIMMUNE disorder. Her blood testing showed a positive antinuclear antibody response. Right now, it is called PANS/PANDAS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome), like many other children both with and without Autism, who develop these horrific symptoms. Megan was on ANTIBIOTICS frequently as a toddler but it was not until AFTER VACCINATION that antibiotics came into the picture. She began to receive numerous VACCINES in 1993 and after that, her body seemed to change and become a sponge to pathogens. Her doctors note when Meg was 15 months old, ten days after her MMR vaccine, "6/28/94 - Fever- rash on body - ear infection - antibiotics". Many vaccines in-between antibiotics, most with Thimerosal, and regression into Autism. My daughter did not suffer an acute reaction, ie seizures immediately after a vaccine that led to the emergency room, but suffered continual regression and a very evident reaction after her MMR. The doctor's office told me this was normal... a viral infection, but then came the symptoms - loss of eye contact, inability to climb stairs, loss of language as the weeks went by. The severe GI issues then followed. Seizures came years later. Then autoimmunity. Her condition could best be described as being a type of encephalitis that at times seems to be an autoimmune encephalitis. Could it be that combining VACCINES, MERCURY and ANTIBIOTICS in a short time period is just too much for the MICROBIOME to handle? -- The effect of sole antibiotics on an infant has been studied but not with vaccinations, or environmental sources, ie mercury/Thimerosal:
...when early fecal samples from antibiotic-exposed infants were compared with a later post-weaning sample, antibiotic resistance was reduced, and overall diversity had increased [31]. This may have been due to the plasticity and rapid rate of change within the gut microbiota in the first year of life, suggesting that effects of early antibiotic usage in infants may be diminished over time ....
...In two studies, a large fraction of healthy, non-antibiotic-treated infants in the first 3 months of life harbored resistant and multiply resistant bacterial strains [59,60], perhaps through maternal transmission [61]. Although it has yet to be evaluated epidemiologically, the growing presence of resistant microbes may be due in part to more widespread contaminant exposures from foods and the environment. For instance, several studies demonstrated that individuals exposed to mercury were more likely to possess resistance to multiple antibiotics, suggesting a coselection mechanism [62]. Children are regularly exposed to arsenic, which can be found in well water and foods, such as rice and baby formula [63,64,65]. Metals, such as arsenic, which was used historically as an antibiotic in humans [66] and is currently added to animal feed, have contributed to the emergence of metal/antibiotic coresistant strains arising in livestock, including MRSA isolates [67] transmittable to humans via the environment and food supply. These multiresistant pathogens heighten risk of adverse outcomes, especially in young children. Once antibiotic resistance genes are selected for, they may persist within the microbiota for years [68].
Then add these facts into Megan's regression and there may be a pattern that emerges:
- facets of innate and adaptive immune response to viral infection are well described, evidence is emerging that components of the microbiome, both at the local respiratory mucosa and in the gastrointestinal tract, may influence these host responses to viral infection.
- viruses can be viewed as a component of the microbiome, and interactions with commensal bacteria and other microbial agents influence their behavior...Viral immunomodulation can disrupt the balanced co-existence between the host and the bacterial microbiome.
So here we are in 2016 and childhood illnesses have been changing. Increasing numbers of children have neuro/immune-mediated diseases such as Autism, PANDAS/PANS, Asthma, Diabetes, and severe Allergies. Why is this happening?
Modern changes in lifestyle, including improved sanitization, cesarean sections, antibiotic usage, and immunizations are among some of the factors that can shift the microbiota, and are being studied as potential drivers of the sudden increase in immune-mediated diseases in the developed world.
I have always been interested in the fact that the first children identified with AUTISM were born NOT after the mass production of ANTIBIOTICS in the 1940's but instead, after the earlier, mass production of VACCINES in the 1930's :
Vivian was directly in the path of at least three mercury vectors:
-- the first use of mercury-preserved vaccines in Baltimore -- a drive to vaccinate every infant with those shots began the month she was born;
-- her parents' avocation of orchid growing and breeding, which required intensive application of chemicals including mercury;
-- and her father’s psychiatric career, which brought him – and probably his family through second-hand exposure – in contact with mercury treatments for a common form of insanity.
Mercury is no longer used in agriculture or mental health treatment. But each year, 100 million children worldwide get vaccines containing thimerosal, the ethylmercury preservative first used in those shots in Baltimore. In the United States, flu shots, most of which contain mercury, are recommended for pregnant women and for infants beginning at 6 months of age.
I need to continue to sound the alarm that the evidence of MERCURY and other heavy metals, as being very capable of damaging the MICROBIOME, continues to mount - for example:
Is exposure to mercury a driving force for the carriage of antibiotic resistance genes? (2010)
More on that later.
I was then interested to see that both the United Nations and the CDC are intently investigating "Antimicrobial Resistance."
On 21 September 2016, the President of the UN General Assembly convenes a one-day high-level meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York on “Antimicrobial Resistance“, with the participation of Member States, non-governmental organizations, civil society, the private sector and academic institutions, in order to provide input.
The primary objective of the meeting is to summon and maintain strong national, regional and international political commitment in addressing antimicrobial resistance comprehensively and multi-sectorally, and to increase and improve awareness of antimicrobial resistance.
Well, this is all very significant as we look at the Microbiome in diseases, including Autism and PANS/PANDAS. Many of these patients rely on the use of antibiotics to ameliorate the numerous symptoms that take over them. As much as it devastates me looking back at Megan's perpetual antibiotic use after vaccines, the use of antibiotics today has been saving her in PANS/PANDAS. Here's a good description:
Azithromycin and penicillin have been utilized in the treatment of PANDAS with observations of improvement in neuropsychiatric symptoms. In a study designed to decrease Group A strep (GAS) infections, researchers at NIMH conducted a twelve-month parallel design comparing prophylactic doses of penicillin and azithromycin. Eleven subjects were maintained on penicillin and 12 were maintained on azithromycin during the 12-month study. During the study year, the mean number of neuropsychiatric exacerbations was reduced as well as the mean number of streptococcal infections. No side effects or reports of any adverse effects from the medications were reported. The authors suggest that both antibiotics may be safe and effective in preventing Group A strep infections and in decreasing the number of neuropsychiatric exacerbations in these children without any significant differences between groups. In a small pilot study of cefdinir at treatment doses (14mg/kg), children with recent onset neuropsychiatric symptoms had improvements in OCD and tics, with the OCD improvement reaching clinical significance (TK Murphy 2015). In addition to these controlled trials, there is a large pool of anecdotal reports from practitioners and parents that antibiotics can significantly reduce the severity of symptoms.
Antibiotics may well be a double edged sword but the science does not yet seem to know why. Now the UN and here, the CDC, are trying to figure it out:
CDC awards more than $14 million to antibiotic resistance projects
“Understanding the role the microbiome plays in antibiotic-resistant infections is necessary to protect the public’s health,” CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, said in the release. “We think it is key to innovative approaches to combat antibiotic resistance, protect patients, and improve antibiotic use.”
I would hope that both the UN and the CDC don't throw out the baby with the antibiotics until they have a full understanding of what is happening with the Microbiome. Here is one fact that needs to be added that has both environmental and medicinal (Thimerosal/merthiolate etc) effect:
...during the last 300 years that the most significant changes are likely to have occurred. Exposure to pollutants and the increasing use of antimicrobial compounds has imposed strong selection directly on all components of the microbiota, in a manner that was unknown in the past. Because of the essentially stochastic nature of antibiotic therapy, and the variation in individual responses [82], this leads to a series of population, species and genetic bottlenecks within the microbiota of individuals [85], potentially leading to unique microbial assemblages in every person........Assembly of composite, mosaic resistance elements probably began with exposure to mercury in the 19th and early 20th Century. Environmental or prophylactic mercury exposure may have fixed a mer operon and attendant transposon in the human microbiome.
For more on the fascinating and devastating consequences of MERCURY in history, read Dan and Mark's book, The Age of Autism: Mercury, Medicine, and a Man-Made Epidemic. This may also explain why "the prevalence rate of ASD among the grandchildren of pink disease survivors (1 in 22) to be significantly higher than the comparable general population prevalence rate (1 in 160). The results support the hypothesis that Hg sensitivity may be a heritable/genetic risk factor for ASD."
One thing is for sure, the need to address antibiotics in animals used for human consumption; vaccines in both humans and in farm animals; heavy metals, especially mercury; and pesticides in products used for human consumption. ALL of these have an effect on the HUMAN MICROBIOME but why are they ALL not researched and discussed?
With that in mind, the MMR vaccine, a triple, live, virus vaccine, the one SO many parents witnessed profound changes in their child as regression and then AUTISM developed, is NEVER discussed. THIMEROSAL is mercury and much evidence is showing mercury plays a role in microbiome/antibiotic resistance. As ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE is examined, these two issues need to be explored as these increasing childhood diseases that I listed above are devastating, and a potent link to the MICROBIOME seems well established:
- mercury resistant bacteria in contaminated environments may lead to the co-selection of antibiotic resistance due to the genetic linkage of resistance genes on mobile genetic elements.
- Perhaps the most interesting aspect of human viral communities is the extent to which they can carry gene functions involved in the pathogenesis of their hosts, particularly antibiotic resistance....and altering the microbial community in ways that promote or prevent pathogen colonization.
Science has wanted to PREVENT pathogens from causing harm but it may be that unintended consequences have instead PROMOTED pathogens in too, too many. Discussing ALL of the avenues to microbial resistance needs to happen. The immune system is in peril and THAT should not be ignored.
Teresa Conrick is Contributing Editor to Age of Autism.
http://whale.to/drugs/antibiotics.html Garlic is one of the god given antibiotics. Pharma ones were developed from fungi bacteria defence.
Posted by: john | November 23, 2016 at 03:33 AM
And Teresa; I did not mean you ignored anything in my comment ; cause you have not. It is just this is the first time there is a more straight forward - find . Ignored by ; I meant the medical community.
They seem to ignore so very much - and that includes finding on the over use of zantac which I see that Jenny is talking about.
Jenny Thanks for the summary. That is very interesting.
Posted by: Benedetta | October 28, 2016 at 11:49 PM
This article describes in some detail how outside pressures that change the ABE gene (which existence started in unicellular life forms and is now in about every life form) end up affecting the efflux capabilities or non-capabilities and affect (create?) certain medical conditions affecting body parts with lining: intestines, liver, lungs, kidney, etc.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2752038/
Could this be a unifying feature that ties together microbiome dysbiosis caused by antibiotics and any other thing that can effect and its wide ranging involvement in so so many chronic illnesses in cutting edge research, including autism.
"Conclusions
The family of ABC pumps, along with the super-family of SLC proteins summarised in the last issue of Human Genomics [2], are among the most important large classes of transporters that move inorganic ions, metals, peptides, steroids, nucleosides, sugars and many other small molecules across the cell's surface membrane, as well as organelle membranes within cells. The ABC gene family of transporters comprises 49 and 52 genes (in eight subfamilies) in the human and mouse genomes, respectively; the nomenclature of these genes is based strictly on divergent evolution. The SLC gene superfamily is composed of 362 genes in 55 families in the human genome; the nomenclature of those genes is based largely on biochemical function, rather than divergent evolution from a common ancestor [2].
The ABC transporters are critically important in innumerable physiological functions, underscored by the fact that defects in more than a dozen of these genes have been associated with severe inherited disorders of metabolism -- cystic fibrosis being among the most prominent diseases, caused by mutations in the CFTR gene. The ABC transporters are also of great clinical importance in the transport of cancer chemotherapeutics, numerous other drugs and metabolites, and many chemicals present in foodstuffs. ABC transporters are therefore likely targets for drug therapy. A large number of new studies focused on the ABC transporter genes are anticipated."
There may be an infinite number of new substances that were not in our environment 125 years ago, most importantly vaccines, but there is a limited number of bodily processes that cope with them and it seems like if something damages this family of transporter mechanisms, no matter what it is, it could be considered a poison which people should be free to recognize and avoid if they so choose.
Posted by: Jenny | October 28, 2016 at 06:30 PM
I came across some interesting discussion regarding a challenge to the absorption of orally administered pharmaceuticals: http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/technical-documents/articles/biofiles/intestinal-efflux-transporters.html
"The Role of Intestinal Efflux Transporters in Drug Absorption" is the name of the article.
Definintion of Efflux: outward flow, as of water, something that flows out, the movement of chemicals or other fluids from within a structure to the outside. I'm still diving in to it, but I THINK, MAYBE it's saying that the intestinal linings have a continual efflux effect that can reduce absorption of oral medicines and wash a significant part of it away down the 'ole poop shoot. It seems to be called "efflux liability," at least in this article. So they experiment to find ways to knock out or reduce that efflux mechanism to increase medicine absorption into the body.
"The major efflux transporters of the ABC family include MDR1 (P-glycoprotein,P-gp, ABCB1), BCRP (ABCG2), and MRP2 (ABCC2). They are localized to barrier tissues of the body such as intestine, liver, kidney, blood-brain barrier, and placenta, where they efflux a wide range of xenobiotics such as statins, macrolide antibiotics, angiotensin blockers, and chemotherapeutic agents, affecting exposure and clearance in vivo."
I think, though, that when they find a way to knock out efflux transporters in one family, they seem to knock out others, too.
"Utilizing CompoZr® Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs), MDR , BCRP, and MRP2 efflux transporter genes were targeted for ZFN-mediated knockout in the C2BBe1 Caco-2 cell line. The resultant panel of single and double knockout (KO) cells demonstrated disruption of gene sequence as well as complete loss of transporter function in bidirectional transport assays out to at least 40 passages post-ZFN genomic modification."
BIDIRECTIONAL! So what does that mean? Does that mean that certain compounds that knockout efflux transport mechanisms (as if that's not dangerous enough IF efflux is critical to the final phase of detoxing the body - as in removing them down to the large intestine and out the rectum) also impact "influx," i.e. absorption of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, proteins, hormones, etc created by enzymes in bile, villi, food and probiotics in the small intestine?
The article refers to a few substrates showing effects, among them erythromycin (an antibiotic) and
cimetidine (an antihistimine used as an acid-blocker, like pepcid or zantac). This is the part I don't quite understand. Are they saying these things in-vitro can block efflux transporter mechanism and expect that this is also what they do to the stomach and other organs with cellular lining?
Because if that's the case, the implications are pretty staggering.
For example: do mercury (thimerisol), and arsenic do that? Do all or many antibiotics do that? Glyphosate (a registered antibiotic), Gluten/casein? (and the role of zonulin/zonulin agonists, known to also increase lung permeability and thereby promoting increased acute lung injury), altered (GMO) proteins? Other agricultural and yard chemicals? Acetaminiphen?? Can virus or viral particles affect efflux mechanisms? And do probiotics/microbiome bacteria have an efflux mechanism themselves that can be epigenetically changed or damaged when in contact with known intestinal efflux transporters? What a cascade of damage that would cause!
Posted by: Jenny | October 27, 2016 at 11:39 AM
Fascinating article
The effect on the human microbiome but why are they all not researched and discussed
Are researchers too frightened to get involved in controversial topics/ areas?
eg Vaccination and autoimmune disease -what is the evidence,[study]
Posted by: Morag MacDonald Lyons | October 27, 2016 at 08:52 AM
Ahhhh Teresa now that you reminded me - I now remember that you did turn me on to the book
"Brain on Fire"
antinuclear antibodies is an on going thing with all of my family My husband many years ago, and then my daughter a few years back. They said she had unspecified inflammation, and this was afer a series of three Hep B shots.
But after a while - a couple of years they went back down.
Now what were her numbers after a DPT vaccine we don't know - no one bother to test her then.
Posted by: Benedetta | October 25, 2016 at 08:32 PM
“the need to address antibiotics in animals used for human consumption”
There is also a need to recognize that modern plant food crops treated with the systemic herbicide glyphosate are a significant dietary source of antibiotics. Monsanto patented glyphosate as a broad spectrum antibiotic in 2010. See Dr Thierry Vrain’s Junking Down Our Food Supply in The Ecologist for history:
http://www.theecologist.org/blogs_and_comments/commentators/2516342/gmos_and_roundup_junking_down_our_food_supply.html
Posted by: a farmer | October 25, 2016 at 08:19 PM
Anyone with any knowledge know much about titer test? My daughters titer test were done for Measles Mumps and Rubella and were found to be extremly high for all three, with Rubeola(Measles) being the highest. Lab corp only reads up to 300 on that test and her levels were over 300. Just curious if there were labs that had higher test out there and if there is a real reason listed for labcorp to only read to 300, other then the obvious one with vaccines.
Posted by: George stevens | October 25, 2016 at 05:53 PM
As always, so informative, so insightful, and so brilliant! Thank you so much Mrs Connrick for all the information you disseminate. For years now I have been curious as to whether or not the MMR is so dangerous precisely BECAUSE it is given at an age when a antibody reaction actually IS elicited. IOW, perhaps vaccines given before twelve months carry risks that have to do with toxic ingredients, but the combination of an actual antibody reaction and toxins makes the practice even more dangerous?
Thank you again!
Posted by: annie | October 25, 2016 at 01:08 PM
"....All too often, children with PANS and PANDAS are misdiagnosed as having a psychiatric illness and may be treated solely with psychotropic drugs to manage their symptoms. Unfortunately, for PANS and PANDAS patients this does not address the root cause...."....~ quote from the PANS&PANDAS link....
There's another aspect to this I want to discuss here. The quote above seems to be saying that both PANS and PANDAS are NOT a "psychiatric illness", and shouldn't be treated with "psychotropic drugs".
But, both PANS and PANDAS have "Neuropsychiatric" as the "N" in their names. So, um, do I assume that "neuropsychiatrists" do NOT prescribe "psychotropic drugs"? How are Neurologists, Neuropsychiatrists, and Psychiatrists different? Or are they all the same? Or not? There seems to be some very basic confusion about terms, words, and what they mean. Is it possible that ALL so-called "psychiatric illnesses", or so-called "mental illnesses", are in fact neurological? That is, something much more like PANS & PANDAS? And, given the working definition of what "psychotropic" is supposed to mean, couldn't it be said that antibiotics and vaccines are in fact BOTH ALSO "psychotropic"? Is Autism a neurological condition? A psychiatric condition? A neuropsychiatric condition? I'm not making definitive statements here, or trying to muddy already muddy waters. I think psychiatry is a pseudoscience and a drug racket. This is all sure confusing, and I'm grateful it's being presented here. I'm sorry for the families who have been sadly affected.
But there DOES SEEM to be a basic confusion, ignorance, and lack of knowledge and understanding on the part of the WHOLE medical community, and moreso in the pseudoscience drug racket known as "biopsychiatry", and PhRMA. And we haven't even begun to discuss such chemicals as glyphosate and other agricultural chemicals, herbicides, pesticides, etc., and THEIR possible role in all this....And given that our bodies developed over eons of evolution in the NATURAL world, why is Mother Earth's Natural Flora & Fauna not more considered as the source of herbal/natural medicines? Thank-you, Teresa, for posting all this!
Posted by: Bill | October 25, 2016 at 11:42 AM
Dr. Wakefield has been discussing how the industry has essentially abandoned antibiotic development since microbes have now evolved the ability to evolve faster than the production process can match (something to that effect). He says we are risking in a similar way through vaccination the application of evolutionary pressures that might lead to adaptations that outpace our ability to match with vaccine development (I hope I'm not conveying this incorrectly).
I think some feel financially protected by the consequences of policies they promote/force upon the rest of us, but if microbes not adapted to promoting a healthy human nourishing environment, but instead becoming well-adapted to survive in polluted environments, develop the ability to out compete key microbial components of a healthy human micro-biome...how will this not affect everyone who doesn't choose to live in a bubble (if one can choose to live in a bubble)?
Posted by: Jeannette Bishop | October 25, 2016 at 11:09 AM
Hi Benedetta,
Thanks for your comment. I have for years been trying to sound the alarm on vaccines and the microbiome. This issue is personal for me and important to so many others.. Yes, also to your question about Brain on Fire. Not sure if you remember but I brought that topic up when the book came out and emailed with Susannah Cahalan about Megan.
http://www.ageofautism.com/2012/11/brain-on-fire-from-autoimmunity-to-madness.html
Posted by: Teresa Conrick - | October 25, 2016 at 10:22 AM
You have brought so many articles to us about how the microbiome can influence the brain, the signaling and control of the immune system - but never how vaccines might be acting on the microbiome.
Oh there were hints about how. We found out that after aluminum filled vaccines are given that there are lots of excretions; not in the urine, but in the feces, and to me that means it has to be going through the entire gut.
A commenter here recently said that when you detox the liver; it takes it to the bile duct, from the gall bladder, and dumps it into the small intestines. There are so many with IBS, and crohns now a days and both are found in the small intestines. Our county veterinary said - his daughter reacted with her vaccine and developed crohns, so if a lowly vet knows , and Dr. Wakefield told them - the whole medical establishment knows.
This is however; the first time you Teresa; have discussed how vaccines raising antibodies is the beginning.
Have you had time to read "Brain on Fire"?
It is being ignored. That is a darn shame.
Posted by: Benedetta | October 25, 2016 at 09:21 AM