The bacteria and viral disease transmit to normal host by acupuncture needles

It is very important to understand virus and bacteria infectious disease through acupuncture needles , the acupuncturist have to pay more attention and prevent directly or indirectly transmitting any disease from person to person during treatment .

What are viruses?

Viruses are too small to be seen by the naked eye. They can't multiply on their own, so they have to invade a 'host' cell and take over its machinery in order to be able to make more virus particles.

Viruses consist of genetic materials (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protective coat of protein. They are capable of latching onto cells and getting inside them.

Different types of viruses target different types of host cells. Cold viruses generally attack the mucosa cells lining the upper respiratory tract, while influenza viruses can also attack further down as far as the lungs because they are not covered by protective skin.

• The herpes viruses that cause chicken pox ,
• Hepatitis B is caused by a virus that attacks liver cells.
• Rota-viruses, which cause diarrhea, attack cells lining the gastrointestinal tract.
• The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS, is especially deadly because it attacks some of the most important cells of the immune system, the helper T-cells. Because the immune system itself is attacked, the body is unable to rid itself of the virus.

What are bacteria?

Bacteria are organisms made up of just one cell. They are capable of multiplying by themselves, as they have the power to divide. Their shapes vary, and doctors use these characteristics to separate them into groups.

Bacteria exist everywhere, inside and on our bodies. Most of them are completely harmless and some of them are very useful. But some bacteria can cause diseases, either because they end up in the wrong place in the body, or simply because they are 'designed' to invade us.

How are infections with viruses and bacteria through acupuncture treatment ?

Viral and bacterial infections are both spread in basically the same ways.

• A person with a cold can spread the infection by coughing and/or sneezing.
• Bacteria or viruses can be passed on by touching or shaking hands with another person.
• Touching food with dirty hands will also allow viruses or bacteria from the intestine to spread.
• Body fluids such as blood, saliva and semen can contain the infecting organisms and transmission of such fluids, for example by injection or acupuncture needles , is important, particularly for viral infections like hepatitis or AIDS.
• bacterial infections, such as staphylococcal septicaemia and subacute bacterial endocarditis, have been reported in association with acupuncture treatment

What are the high risk factors to transmitted disease by acupuncture needles ?

• skin abrasions
• breaks in mucous membranes
• inadequate sanitation
• inadequate sterilisation
• the acupuncturist who may contract the infection through needle stick injuries whilst handling needles.
• Whilst sterile, disposable needles were used for each patient
• the same saline bottle was reused,with contaminated needles
• to draw fluid for dilution of blood before reinjection.

How to avoid infection

• Regular hand washing is good practice and one of the main ways of reducing transmission of infections (bacterial, viral and fungal) between patients.
• Wounds and skin lesions should be covered with waterproof dressings.
• Protective clothing reduces the spread of infection.
• Blood spillages should be cleaned promptly,
• wearing gloves and using household bleach and paper towels.
• Contaminated items should be discarded in a clinical waste bag.
• disposable needles remove the risks of Hepatitis B and C and HIV

Summary

A microorganism can travel from one host to another in a variety of ways ;

• Direct contact - disease is spread by direct touching ( body fluids of Hepatitis B patient)by the practitioner during treatment
• Blood borne - disease is spread by blood and blood products , when needles infected by HIV patients
• Airborne - disease is spread through air , enter the patient's skin through needle prick injury

Good infection control is essential. Like any other science, new research forces infection control to evolve and refine its procedures. Acupuncturists need to constantly review their standards as new viruses and risks are identified.

Normal host response to infectious disease

Introduction

An infectious disease is a clinically evident disease resulting from the presence of pathogenic microbial agents, including virus , bacteria , fungi , protozoa , multi-cellular parasites, and aberrant proteins known as prions. These pathogens are able to cause disease in animals and/or plants,Infectious diseases represent the most prevalent human diseases worldwide. AIDS ,Chronic hepatitis B, tuberculosis, enterovirus infection, and influenza etc remain to be important infectious diseases and result in significant health and cost burdens.

Content

Two basic levels of immunity exist in healthy individuals to confer protection against microbes and other foreign bodies; the less perfect natural immunity and the more specific acquired immunity.

The natural or innate immunity

The nonspecific mechanisms provide general barriers to infection in our body defense system , it can divide some parts as follows

• The skin and mucous membranes which secrete acids and enzyme such as lysozyme can destroy bacteria cell wall
• The phagocytic white cell and natural killer cell ; can provides " phagocytosis " function to destroy microorganisms
• The antimicrobial proteins ;e.q complement proteins and interferons
  
• The inflammatory response ,when tissue injury cell will release of chemical signals(histamine ,prostaglandins) , vasodilation can increased blood flow,increased vessel permeability,phagocytes consume pathogens and cell debris ,tissue heals
  

The acquired immunity
The immune system defends the body against specific invaders , The key features of the immune system ,it consists of four basic function
1. specificity
2. diversity
3. memory
4. self / nonself recognition

The immune system is a complex of organs--highly specialized cells and even a circulatory system separate from blood vessels--all of which work together to clear infection from the body.The two major classes of lymphocytes are B cells, which grow to maturity in the bone marrow, and T cells, which mature in the thymus, high in the chest behind the breastbone.B cells produce antibodies that circulate in the blood and lymph streams and attach to foreign antigens to mark them for destruction by other immune cells,B cells are part of what is known as antibody-mediated or humoral immunity, so called because the antibodies circulate in blood and lymph, which the ancient Greeks called, the body's "humors."

Certain T cells, which also patrol the blood and lymph for foreign invaders, can do more than mark the antigens; they attack and destroy diseased cells they recognize as foreign. T lymphocytes are responsible for cell-mediated immunity (or cellular immunity). T cells also orchestrate, regulate and coordinate the overall immune response. T cells depend on unique cell surface molecules called the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) to help them recognize antigen fragments.

Antibodies produced by cells of the immune system recognize foreign antigens and mark them for destruction

the variety of antibodies is very large. Different antibodies are destined for different purposes. Some coat the foreign invaders to make them attractive to the circulating scavenger cells, phagocytes, that will engulf an unwelcome microbe. When some antibodies combine with antigens, they activate a cascade of nine proteins, known as complement, that have been circulating in inactive form in the blood. Complement forms a partnership with antibodies, once they have reacted with antigen, to help destroy foreign invaders and remove them from the body. Still other types of antibodies block viruses from entering cells.

The immune system is a remarkably effective structure that incorporates specificity, adaptation. Failures of host defense do occur, however, and fall into three broad categories: immunodeficiencies, autoimmunity, and hypersensitivities.

The following terms are used describe an infection in terms of the nature of symptoms of the source of the pathogen ;

• Exogenous - an infection from an outside source eq. air , food , water or contact with another infected individual , Salmonellosis is an example of such an infection

• Endogenoue - the organism causing the infection are ones which normally reside in or on the body of the individual ,eq. Pneumonia due to organisms harboured in the upper respiratory tract.
  

An infectious disease team may be alerted when:

• The disease has not been definitively diagnosed after an initial workup
• The patient is immunocompromised (for example, in AIDS or after chemotherapy);
• The infectious agent is of an uncommon nature (e.g. tropical diseases); The infectious agentis of an uncommon nature
• The disease has not responded to first line antibiotics ;
• The disease might be dangerous to other patients, and the patient might have to be isolated.

Bacterial infection vs. viral infection: What's the difference?

Bacteria are single-celled "living" microorganisms that reproduce by dividing. Most bacteria can grow on nonliving surfaces, such as countertops and doorknobs. Not all bacteria are harmful. Some bacteria are even beneficial to your health. But when infectious bacteria enter your body, they can make you sick. Bacteria make toxins that can damage the cells they've invaded. Some bacterial infections, such as strep throat and tuberculosis, are contagious. Others are not.

viruses are not "living" organisms but capsules of genetic material. They require living hosts — such as people, plants or animals — to multiply. Otherwise, they can't survive. When a virus enters your body, it invades some of your cells and takes over the cell machinery, redirecting it to produce the virus. The virus may eventually kill the host cells. Some viral infections, such as influenza and HIV, are contagious. Others are not

The medical treatment of infectious diseases

some people a usually harmless substance such as food , pollen or animal danger provokes the inappropriate immune response known as allergy , abnormal immune function(congenital immune disorder) leads to disease states ,most autoimmune disease are probably the result of multiple circumstances , for example , a genetic predisposition triggered by an infection .

Cytotoxic drugs cause different side effects in different people.One of the most serious side effects is the suppression of certain cells:

• White blood cells, which help your body fight infections. When these are suppressed, you may get infections more easily.
• Platelets, which help your blood clot. When these are suppressed, you may bruise and/or bleed more easily.
• Red blood cells, which carry oxygen to your tissues. When these are suppressed, you may have anemia (extreme tiredness and fatigue).

Larger drugs can provoke a neutralizing immune response, particularly if the drugs are administered repeatedly, or in larger doses. This limits the effectiveness of drugs based on larger peptides and proteins, cytotoxic drugs inhibit the immune response by killing dividing cells such as activated T cells, Cytotoxic or immunosuppresive therapy is indicated for severe life threatening disease,especially for prolifeative nephritis ,High doses of medications known as corticosteroids may be linked to an increased risk for atrial fibrillation a heart rhythm disorder.

Corticosteroids they have side effects that can be very serious may lower your resistance to infections. Also, any infection you get may be more difficult to treat. With prolonged use, the drug halts the communication between the pituitary gland and the adrenals. It can impair the response to stress for up to one to two years following the cessation of the drug.

Summary

The distinction between bacterial and viral infections is important. Why? Because medications that are effective against one aren't effective against the other.

• Bacterial infections are treated with antibacterial antibiotics.

• Antiviral antibiotics are available for some types of viral infections — but not all.
  
• Taking antibacterial antibiotics when you have a viral infection won't treat the viral infection and may even be harmful.
  

When a bacteria disease develops an immunity to antibiotics it is referred to as being Drug Resistant, or Super Drug Resistant.

Many individuals make the mistake of taking antibiotics in order to cure viral infections. Common Viral infections that are mistaken for bacteria infections include:

• The common cold
• Ear infection(otitis media)
• The Flu

Antibiotic drugs will not help cure a viral infection

As more and more bacteria become resistant to many antibiotics during current therapies, patients have to take newer and more expensive antibiotics and society has to spend more time and money trying to develop new and better agents , another concerns is that the helpful bacteria that live in the digestive tract may fall prey to the antibiotics , these bacteria , know as '' normal flora '' produce vitamins that the host organism uses and needs ,as well as help in the digestion of food.

The other problem is that many viruses can subtly change their shapes through mutations, making them no longer recognizable by the memory B cells. Cold and flu viruses mutate easily, so people typically have dozens of colds and several bouts of flu during their lifetimes, each caused by similar but unique viruses.

Other viruses, such as those causing smallpox, polio, mumps, and measles, do not readily mutate. Instead, vaccines containing dead viruses or virus components can be given; these stimulate the immune system enough to make antibodies and memory cells without actually making us sick.

References :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immune_system

http://www.answers.com/topic/immune-system

http://www.biology.duke.edu/cibl/exercises/virus_tracker.htm
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/HC/AdditionalContent/0,4054,13,00.html
http://www.newmyhealth.com/health2/health/b5/b5-1/13369.htm
Biology by Neil.Campbell