Home Forums General Discussion Protozoan Parasites and Reactive Arthritis aka Parasitic Rheumatism

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  • #454636
    Maz
    Keymaster

    Rarely do posters mention that their doctors have tested them for parasites in relation to reactive arthritides aka “parasitic rheumatism.” I thought this study was pretty interesting in light of the fact that I just had a Comprehensive Panel run through Genova Diagnostics and discovered I have case of blastocystis hominis. This infection causes an upregulation of inflammatory cytokines and can remain latent and inactive in the gut with few symptoms or it can present with all kinds of gut problems, including IBS. Folks with slow gut motility might be particularly prone to gut overgrowths of such bugs.

    Blastocystis hominis is a protozoan parasite, requiring anti-protozoal meds. People sometimes ask why antibiotics such as flagyl or tinidazole are used in antibiotic protocols and this study is an example of why in the case of this particular type of infection:

    Reactive Arthritis Caused by Blastocistys hominis

    http://www.reumatologiaclinica.org/en/reactive-arthritis-caused-by-iblastocistys/articulo/S2173574312000032/

    The case study in the above scientific journal article mentions a woman with the HLA B27 genetic haplotype. This haplotype is common in those with Reactive Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis. For anyone wondering what Enthesitis means, it is defined as, “…inflammation of the entheses, the sites where tendons or ligaments insert into the bone.” This type of inflammation leads to pain and swelling in the affected joint(s), such as around the knee or the back of the ankle.

    Interestingly, the authors of the article also state that parasitic rheumatism is rare, but how rare is it really if rheumatics don’t get routinely tested for such an infection? Perhaps it’s considered irrelevant and part of normal commensal gut microbiota as nearly one quarter of the US population was found to be infected with it during the year 2000? However, when it becomes an issue is when folks who are infected (and don’t necessarily know it) and who experience reactive arthritis, as a result, are improperly treated with immune-suppressants. When properly treated, how many folks with reactive arthritis might find complete resolution of their infectious disease symptoms, averting the necessity for some powerful meds for life?

    “Protozoal reactive arthritis is rare. The microorganisms most frequently implicated are Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Trichomonas vaginalis, Toxoplasma gondii, and rarely, B. hominis.”

    Isn’t it also interesting that the old drug “Gold,” aka auranofin, that has been used, past and present to treat rheumatoid arthritis, has been found to be effective against the protozoan infections, Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia? Perhaps those with RA who respond to Gold injections have this infection and perhaps their RA was triggered by such a protozoan?

    Arthritis drug, Auranofin, may be effective against amebiasis and Giardia

    http://www.examiner.com/article/arthritis-drug-auranofin-may-be-effective-against-amebiasis-and-giardia

    Just thought these articles might be as interesting to others as they were to me. Food for thought, anyway, and with all the more recent findings in gut microbiome studies as these relate to rheumatic diseases, it makes me wonder if everyone with rheumatic disease should be getting a comprehensive stool analysis run as a part of their initial rhematic work-up?

    #454680
    Spiffy
    Moderator

    Are they treating you? What kind of results?

    DR4/DQ8 HLA, bio toxin illness
    Flare fall of 2014...muscle aches, joint pains, fatigue, hair loss, rashes
    Positive RA factor was 71 in January 2015 down to 28 as of September 2016
    IGG food allergies wheat, egg, dairy
    supplements: C and D, probiotics, milk thistle, Turmeric, cod liver oil, methyl b 12 & folate, digestive enzymes, Moducare, chlorella, berberine, LDN, monolaurin, Triphala, Patriot Greens
    MTHFR compound heterozygous
    Igenex IGM Lyme positive
    Minocycline 100 BID MWF

    #454688
    Maz
    Keymaster

    Are they treating you? What kind of results?

    Yes, I’ve just started treatment. I was offered metronidazole (Flagyl), but starting with artemisinin and going from there. I just started treatment 4 days ago so not much to report yet. I’ve had digestive issues for a while, but I’ve also been running hyperthyroid before and since my thyroidectomy, so I had put it down to this. Interestingly, though, the last time I used Plaquenil (an anti-protozoal med I used about 1.5 years ago), I was experiencing bloating and gut discomfort, which lessened after I stopped it, so wondering if the B. Hominis might have been responsible back then.

    Here is a link to the type of testing Genova runs and results come back with suggestions for medications to treat whatever is found as well as what might be needed for further testing if something funky shows up:

    https://www.gdx.net/core/interpretive-guides/CDSA-Combo-Interp-Guide.pdf

    #454719
    Spiffy
    Moderator

    You had been on liposomal Art. For awhile. So did they simply up your dose? This is OTC, correct? How much are you taking? When do you take it? Does it not hurt the effectiveness of your antibiotics? Thank you.

    DR4/DQ8 HLA, bio toxin illness
    Flare fall of 2014...muscle aches, joint pains, fatigue, hair loss, rashes
    Positive RA factor was 71 in January 2015 down to 28 as of September 2016
    IGG food allergies wheat, egg, dairy
    supplements: C and D, probiotics, milk thistle, Turmeric, cod liver oil, methyl b 12 & folate, digestive enzymes, Moducare, chlorella, berberine, LDN, monolaurin, Triphala, Patriot Greens
    MTHFR compound heterozygous
    Igenex IGM Lyme positive
    Minocycline 100 BID MWF

    #454720
    Maz
    Keymaster

    You had been on liposomal Art. For awhile. So did they simply up your dose? This is OTC, correct? How much are you taking? When do you take it? Does it not hurt the effectiveness of your antibiotics? Thank you.

    Hi Spiffy,

    I haven’t been on the liposomal artemisinin since last summer. Dose is the same as before: 2 caps morning and evening with food for 5 days a week, 3 weeks of a month, with one week washout (60 caps total per month). One builds resistance quickly to artemisinin, so the breaks are necessary. The formulation I am prescribed is in oil and contains EDTA and ALA. No interaction with my antibiotics. We’re doing a trial of the artemisinin first and, if it’s not effective, I’ll move on to metronidazole.

    #454785
    Cathlo
    Participant

    HI Maz, I was tested early on re Geneva diagnostics, and found to have Dientamoeba fragilis & blastocystis hominis. My gut had been bad for a year before any signs of RA, which is why when I saw DR E (UK) that i did the stool test. I tried black walnut hulls, wormwood, cloves etc – no help. I took metronidazole (Flagyl), then some strong antibiotics – neither of which got rid of them. Then another strong antibiotic – which got rid of the blastocystis but not the dientamoeba. Also got rid of all good bacteria in my gut too – grrr. Spent a fortune on stool tests 🙁
    My gut is definitely a lot better now – but I think that is more likely due to a year or so on an anti-inflammatory diet (no gluten/dairy/sugar) rather than removing one parasite.
    Still, I agree Maz, that the health of the gut is so important to many auto immmune diseases, that stool testing to get a pic of gut microbes/health etc, is important

    2013 Poor gut & low white blood cells. Jan 2014 RA symptoms. Diet - no gluten/dairy/nightshades/sugar. Started AP in Oct 2014. On Mino MTWTF. RA improved but still there. Many supplements.

    #454809
    lor
    Participant

    Very interesting! I have been sick a long time. Flagyl really helped me at one time, now not so much. But last summer I took and ant acid, Omeprazole and my joint pain went away, but it gave me gas and made me nauseated and I got light colored stools. Then the joint pain gradually came back, and I tried it again and it didn’t get rid of my joint pain, just got the light colored stools back and the gas. A month later my stools are normal, but can’t seem to get rid of the gas. I was thinking Helicobacter Pylori bacteria?? It must be some sort of parasite for the Omeprazole to work for a while.

    I am going to check this out better.

    Thanks Maz

    #454810
    Maz
    Keymaster

    I was thinking Helicobacter Pylori bacteria?? It must be some sort of parasite for the Omeprazole to work for a while.

    H. Pylori came to my mind, too, lor. Light colored stools can mean depressed bile flow. How are your liver emzymes looking? PPIs can cause gas as a side effect of improper digestion of foods due to lowered stomach acid and they can also interact with some meds. E.g. Can increase plasma concentrations of methotrexate. It’s the reduction of joint pain with your PPI use that is so interesting and you might have put your finger on a significant clue and low stomach acid could be also affecting gut microbiota, causing gut overgrowths (SIBO). Worth checking out Barry Marshall’s H. Pylori site to check out his recommendations for bismuth and abx combos to treat it.

    #454812
    lor
    Participant

    That is what I found so………. interesting is that it made my joint pain go away and over all feel good. It lasted for over 2 months! The most relief I have had in years. And I still have my energy and don’t have that hard to explain heaviness feeling of sickness. And my knees are the only sore joint, which is good for me. I couldn’t get the abx for the h-pylori, so I bought the herbs for it that I found on this site.
    http://www.mygutsy.com/is-h-pylori-the-cause-of-allergies-brain-fog-hypothyroid-autoimmune-disorders-adrenal-fatigue/
    I haven’t started the herbs yet.

    I am looking into the Blastocystis homoinis. I just found your post so interesting because of my experience last summer.

    lor

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