BC’s measles vaccination rate lower than in outbreak-hit Gaines County, Texas

A Better Way To Diagnose Chagas Disease

Chagas disease is considered a neglected tropical disease; it is caused by a protozoan parasite (Trypanosoma cruzi), which is harbored by many different wild animals in the Americas, including the kissing bug. The disease can cause mild symptoms like fatigue, fever, rash, and body aches, but if untreated it can lead to serious problems like stomach pain, difficulty swallowing, irregular heartbeat, cardiac arrest, or heart failure. The T cruzi parasite is harbored by Triatomine (kissing) bugs, and these bugs usually live in mud or adobe huts in the Americas. They can hide away at night, but then feed on people when they're sleeping, spreading the parasite and the disease. Around 6 million people are infected every year.

Now, scientists have created a better way to diagnose this infectious disease, which could significantly improve outcomes for patients. The work has been reported in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Since Chagas disease has to be diagnosed and treated early, and before severe complications arise, a good testing method is crucial to effectively controlling the illness.

Diagnosing Chagas can be challenging because the parasites that cause the disease tend to vary depending on where they live, noted first study author Priscila Silva Grijo Farani, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at The University of Texas at El Paso.

"Chagas disease is a real conundrum when it comes to diagnosis. Patients in the acute phase typically do not have symptoms when the parasitic load is highest in the bloodstream. But when the symptoms do manifest in the chronic phase, the parasitic load is much lower and harder to detect in blood samples," Farani explained.

In this study, the investigators compared the test they developed to existing tests for Chagas disease. Both techniques utilize parasitic DNA from human blood samples.

The new method uses magnetic beads that bind to DNA. Once cells in blood samples have been broken open with a chemical treatment, the magnetic beads can be applied to the sample. The beads capture more DNA that is of a higher quality compared to the old method. This way, the new method presents a better, more sensitive detection method.

"Dr. Farani's more sensitive approach to DNA extraction represents a significant advancement in Chagas disease diagnostics. Her work has the potential to greatly enhance early detection and improve patient therapeutic outcomes, particularly for those in the chronic phase when accurate diagnosis is most challenging," said co-corresponding study author Igor Almeida, Ph.D., a UTEP Professor.

Sources: University of Texas at El Paso, International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Measles Outbreak Leads To Dangerous Vitamin A Toxicity

FRIDAY, March 28, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- As a measles outbreak spreads across U.S., doctors are now seeing a new and unexpected danger: Children getting sick from taking too much vitamin A.

At Covenant Children's Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, several unvaccinated children showed signs of liver problems after taking large amounts of vitamin A, according to Dr. Lara Johnson, the hospital's chief medical officer.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Has promoted vitamin A during the outbreak, even suggesting it might help prevent measles. But doctors say this isn't true.

"If people have the mistaken impression that you have an either-or choice of MMR vaccine or vitamin A, you're going to get a lot of kids unnecessarily infected with measles. That's a problem, especially during an epidemic," Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, told CNN. "And second, you have this unregulated medicine in terms of doses being given and potential toxicities."

The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the only proven way to prevent measles. It is 97% effective after two doses. Kennedy has said he encourages vaccines, but considers vaccination a personal choice.

Vitamin A can be helpful for people with measles when given in the right dose by a doctor. But taking too much, especially without medical supervision, can be dangerous.

Vitamin A is fat-soluble and can build up in the body. This can lead to dry skin, blurry vision, bone problems and liver damage. In pregnant women, it can even cause birth defects.

Dr. Lesley Motheral, a pediatrician in Lubbock, said kids in Texas are generally well-nourished and don't need extra vitamin A.

"Recovery for patients with acute toxicity can be rapid when the vitamin is discontinued," Motheral said. "Sadly, some of the more serious problems with vitamin A toxicity are not always reversible."

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a group representing supplement makers, also warned parents not to give their children high doses of vitamin A. 

"While vitamin A plays an important role in supporting overall immune function, research hasn't established its effectiveness in preventing measles infection. CRN is concerned about reports of high-dose vitamin A being used inappropriately, especially in children," it said in a statement.

Johnson said some parents may be following questionable advice from social media or health influencers.

"It's coming out of the health and wellness … influencer industry that downplays the importance of vaccines and tries to promote various spectacular cures like ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine or vitamin A," Hotez added.

In a recent interview with Fox News, Kennedy promoted a treatment plan that includes vitamin A, a steroid, an antibiotic and cod liver oil, but doctors say there's little to no proof this works for measles.

The measles outbreak has now affected at least 378 people in 17 states, from Texas and New Mexico to Vermont, New York and Washington.

More information

The Mayo Clinic has more on measles, including symptoms and causes.

SOURCE: CNN, March 26, 2025

Experts say taking too much vitamin A can be dangerous, especially for kiddos.

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