THE COLLABORATION OF TWO UNSEEN GIANTS
THE COLLABORATION OF TWO UNSEEN GIANTS.
There is an adage in the Yoruba language. I will try to translate it , even if it will be crude. It goes thus; "when two Elephants fight, the grasses suffer". It means that when two giants are at loggerheads, the masses suffer.
But in the context of the topic "THE COLLABORATION OF TWO UNSEEN GIANTS", I feel the question to answer is; "What happens to the Grasses when two Elephants collaborate?"
Today, I will be taking you on a journey and I will love that you allow me hold you by the hand as I walk you through this path.
The giants in this context are actually from the microbial world. They are from the unseen world, yet they have very detrimental effects on the "seen world".
The truth is, just one of the giants is enough to cause debilitating effect, not to talk of when the two deadly giants decide to collaborate. Without any iota of doubt, without the need of a prophet, you will know that the devastating effect can only be excruciating.
But before I dive into the ocean of the main matter, I think it's best to know how these giants from the unseen world were first seen. Note that, I refer to them as giants because of the magnitude of their effects and not necessarily because of their size. In fact, if it's by size, they are minute and that is why they belong to the unseen world but the destruction they cause can be seen by all and sundry. Also note that, they can be seen when the eyes of humans are aided.
At the juncture, let's get going on how these unseen giants were seen..
A very long time ago, when people fall sick, it is believed that diseases were caused by spirits. When I said spirits, I mean, evil spirits. The solution, cure and treatment of diseases as at this time were believed to be removal of "bad/evil spirits".
People then moved from the era of belief in evil spirits to era when they began to think that changes in the environment, especially changes in the cosmological environment were responsible for the causes of diseases.
After this era, people moved on to the era of humoral pathology. They believed, as at that time, that the body is made of four humors or fluids. These fluids are Blood, Yellow Bile, Black Bile and Phlegm (or mucus). People believed that in health, these fluids are at a delicate balance and that disease only sets in when there's a disturbing balance between them. Then, it was postulated that there are principles (elements) that can result into this disturbing balance. They are Earth (Dryness), Water (Moisture), Fire (Heat) and Air (Cold). Any of them was believed to be able to cause a disturbing balance to the delicate balance that exists amongst the humors.
That era ended. Another era began and in this particular era, it was believed that some invisibles that have the ability and capability of entering into food, water, air were responsible for the disease causation. The Greeks called it "miasma" and they termed bad health as "mallaria".
Then, fortunately for the human race, there was this merchant who was into the business of making lenses (binoculars so to say) who existed. His name was Anton Von Leeuwenhoek. He made a binocular for another merchant and the binocular was to be used to view objects at a distance. It helps them see if there are pirates on the sea or not. The man had to return the lenses Anton made for him with a Chief complaint that it was not too good. It was when Anton was repairing it, he noticed he was able to see some organisms he could not see with his naked eyes. Finally, Anton Von Leeuwenhoek was able to see "miasma". Fascinating, right? Right.
That was the breakthrough! And ever since then humans have been able to see unseen creatures, now known as Microorganisms through the use of aided eyes (Microscope).
Now, let's go back to the giants we were supposed to talk about. One is a bacterium and the other is a Virus. The Bacterium has been known to cause a disease known as Tuberculosis and the other Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Acquired immune Deficiency Syndrome).
So, what really happens when these organisms decided to invade a particular body in unison? Let's get started.
The name of the bacterium is Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. It is known as complex because different strains affect different animals. Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis in humans. Mycobacterium bovis causes tuberculosis in cattle. Mycobacterium microti affects Rodents. Mycobacterium pinnipedi affects a marine animal known as Seal. Well, the disease is characterized by persistent cough that lasts for more than three weeks, coughing up blood, chest pain, night sweats, fever, fatigue, weight loss, and loss of appetite.
In cattle, gross lesions of tuberculosis are often found in the lungs, lymph nodes, or other organs. They can appear as nodules, caseous masses, or fibrous bands. In severe cases, the lesions can cause significant damage to the affected organs. In addition to lesions, cattle with tuberculosis may also experience weight loss, decreased appetite, and other symptoms.
On the other hand, the name of the virus that cause Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). People living with HIV can have a wide range of symptoms, depending on the stage of the disease. In the early stages, they may not experience any symptoms at all. As the disease progresses, however, they may experience fatigue, night sweats, fever, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, diarrhea, and a wide range of other symptoms.
So far, I have made you know the two giants giants that I wanted to talk about. They are Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
But, what's the relationship between these two Microorganisms? This is the whole essence of this blog post.
There is a complex and important relationship between HIV and tuberculosis (TB). HIV weakens the immune system, making it easier for people to get sick with TB. In fact, TB is the leading cause of death among people with HIV. People with HIV are also more likely to develop drug-resistant strains of TB, which can be difficult to treat. There is also a high rate of coinfection, meaning that people with HIV are more likely to get TB, and people with TB are more likely to get HIV.
The co-infection of HIV and TB can occur in a number of ways. The most common way is through exposure to the same infectious agents. In areas with high rates of both diseases, this often happens through airborne transmission. Another way that co-infection can occur is through shared risk factors. For example, people who inject drugs or who have unprotected sex may be at increased risk for both HIV and TB. Finally, immunosuppression caused by HIV can make people more susceptible to TB infection.
The specific mechanisms of co-infection are not fully understood, but there are some hypotheses. One hypothesis is that HIV weakens the immune system, making it easier for TB to take hold. Another hypothesis is that HIV infection changes the microenvironment of the lungs, making it more hospitable to TB bacteria. Additionally, HIV can damage the cells that are responsible for fighting off TB infection. This can make it more difficult for the body to clear the infection.
And that's the relationship between these two giants from the microbial world.
Till we get to the promised land, I shall be waiting for when you will pass me a glass of water and thank God for the gift of grace for the race.
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