TB is often concurrent with other infections

Tuberculosis (often concurrent with other infections)

Most common parasites are concurrent with Mycobacterium TB all over; those with weakness and/or travelers, and living in or coming from co-endemic areas are all likely to have an impact on co-infection.  Exposure is usually breathing or eating infected droplets.

TB and parasitic diseases are risk factors for each other. 

Co-infection inhibits host immunity, increases intolerance to therapy and is hurts prognosis.  Although artemisinin itself is not active against TB, taking it with an anti-mycobacterial (microbial iron chelator) analogue induces significant and selective anti-TB activity, including against multi- and extensively drug-resistant strains. 

Consider co-infections.  Many opinions include co-infection relative to chronic fatigue and EBV (mono).  It can't hurt to do an anti-parasite protocol, as long as it is done with awareness, as when the wee beasties begin to die, it can feel very bad. 

Compared to mono-infection, co-infection makes the host deal with more complexity.  Parasite infection can defuse the protective immune response to BCG vaccination (versus M. TB).

Mycobacteria are very small.  There are many different kinds.  The most common causes TB. Another causes leprosy.  Still others cause infections that are called atypical mycobacterial infections.  They aren't "typical" because they don't cause TB.  

But mycobacteria can still cause harm, especially if other problems affect immunity, like lack of sleep, excess sugar, invisible poisons or co-infection with parasites and/or AIDS.  Sometimes  infections create no clues.  Mycobacteria can also cause symptoms (and mimic TB). 

The TB skin test relies on detecting an immune response to a harmless part of the TB bacterium. With immunity subverted (by parasites), the response is not as strong.

TB is not as common as it once was in the US, but there has been a resurgence due to HIV, AIDS and the spread of drug-resistant forms.  TB is still a major health problem, especially in poor countries.  One-third of the world has TB, though the infection may not be active.  

Swollen lymph nodes or night sweats is common response to TB or parasites (and is also a hallmark of cancer).  Lack of appetite and/or weight loss (commonly ignored) is another clue.

Intestinal TB (with its granulomas) is increasing, partly due to the HIV diagnosis. The symptoms of intestinal TB, if any, are often vague (fatigue, weight loss and diarrhea), or occasional fevers and sweats, GI bleeding and pain.  Intestinal TB mimics inflammatory Crohn's disease and malignancies; diagnosis of these conditions is much more prevalent (as parasites are ignored).

A well-established family of drugs used to treat parasites (avermectins) shows big potential as a therapy for TB.  Mycobacterium TB (one of the biggest causes of death worldwide), is a facultative intracellular parasite that invades and persists within macrophages. TB bacteria are like one-cell protozoan parasites.

Within host cells, TB is surrounded by a capsule.  Some capsular glycans mediate adhesion and penetration into host cells; secreted and/or surface-exposed enzymes and transporters (probably involved in intracellular multiplication). Inducible proteases and lipases also exist. 

The capsule is also a passive barrier that impedes the diffusion of macromolecules; secreted enzymes potentially involved in the detoxification of ROS (catalase/peroxidase and superoxide dismutase).  The capsule also contains toxic lipids and contact-dependent lytic substances, as well as parts that inhibit both macrophage-priming and proliferation of lymhocytes. 

If taking antibiotics for a long time, liver problems will occur.  This side effect can be reduced by consuming methyl-donors like vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid along with lipoid acid. 

Chronic coughing weakens the mucus membrane, vitamin A and iodine can help.  Licorice soothes throat pain and alleviates coughing.  Licorice contains 10 antioxidants, at least 25 fungicides and 9 expectorants!

Additional minerals like copper, zinc, selenium, magnesium and calcium in balanced ratios and chelated form act as boosters.

Many links exist between the membrane-stabilizing steroid hormone called vitamin D to successful prevention and treatment of TB.  Vitamin D can be evaluated in the serum, with some thinking that levels 70-100 nmol/L provide greatest immune vigor, although serum levels of 30-40 ng/mL provide protection against dental caries.

Not only does vitamin D relieve inflammation and boost the attitude, it is key to fighting TB.  White blood cells convert vitamin D into a form that helps make a protein that kills TB bacteria.

Indonesians looked at the effect of vitamin D on 70 TB patients for nine months. Treating TB with 10,000 units of vitamin D daily versus 400 units (usually advocated) led to 100% cure. 

Vitamin D also helps prevent flu, colds and infections.  Finnish soldiers with 25-OH vitamin D higher than 16 ng/mL (40 nmol/L) had less respiratory infections.  With school girls, adding 1200 IU/day of D3 during the winter reduced influenza A infections.

Some recommend intakes of up to 2,000 IU a day (or enough to keep blood levels of 25-OH  vitamin D at 75-125 nmol/L).  Lifeguards have levels of 250 nmol/L without apparent toxicity.

Adequate vitamin D is needed to make satisfying serotonin.  Serotonin shapes structure and wiring of the brain, acts as a neurotransmitter and affects social behavior.  

However, most serotonin is in the gut (95%), where it triggers digestion.  Nerve cells in the gut also use serotonin to signal (to the brain).  We are told not to eat certain foods with pain, gas and/or other negative feelings.  

We have a mostly independent gut nervous system called the enteric brain, which is part of autonomic control.  One hundred million digestive nerves interact with one's biofilm and direct peristalsis and secretion. 

This "second brain" can work independently, but there is much communication.  A queasy stomach destroys motivation or nervousness can put 'butterflies in the stomach,' or anxiety can trigger cramps.

The gut immune system shares many mediators and receptors with the autonomic nervous system.  The parasympathetic (vagal) and sympathetic neurotransmitters, for which many immune cell types in a gut context express receptors or enzymes required for their synthesis. 

Lots of bidirectional interaction occurs between nervous and immune systems.  There is sympathetic immune modulation, and the parasympathetic vagal nerve is integral to immune regulation via acetylcholine.  Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that monitors and is necessary for brain speed and memory.  Foods high in fat provide an instant boost in acetylcholine.

Inflammatory response is limited by small amounts of steadying glycoalkaloids like nicotine in tobacco or solanines in nightshades (large amounts trigger inflammation).  

The inflammatory reflex is afferent (sensing inflammation) and efferent.  The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway inhibits innate immune responses. We also posses a "cholinergic anti-inflammatory reflex.”

Innate mucosal immunity is influenced by the neuronal system, and cells and receptors are involved.  Direct neuronal regulatory mechanisms as well as  microbes modulate communication in the gut-brain axis (bidirectional communication with neural and humoral mechanisms).

The gene that makes the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1) is inhibited by vitamin D, which halts making of serotonin in the gut and other tissues.  When serotonin is excessive, it promotes inflammation and cancer.

Autism mysteries include: 1) the 'serotonin anomaly,' low in brain and high in blood; 2) four times male over female: estrogen, a similar steroid, also boosts brain serotonin; 3) mothers of autistic children have autoimmune antibodies to the fetal brain; vitamin D boosts inflammation-reducing regulatory T-cells through TPH1 repression.

We can generally improve poor cognition (which leads to inappropriate behavior) with a combination of sunshine and/or vitamin D, tryptophan and omega-3 fats.  This increases brain serotonin.

Another common autism finding is a larger brain.  Large brain implies lack of apoptotic pruning during development due to various stressors like vaccine-related mercury or aluminum, pathogenic gut flora and host immune response and/or electromagnetic waves as well as dietary factors like potato chips.