Epidemics without Pathogen transmission .

Epidemics without Pathogen transmission .
Andre Willers
28 Oct 2010

Synopsis:
Epidemics can manifest without pathogen transmission if (1) pathogens are already present in an organism , but with lethality genes switched off , and (2) quorum markers can be transmitted .

Discussion:
This has not been much of a problem as yet , because we did not have filters good enough to keep out bacteriological (maybe even viral) particles . But we do now . Nano filters (eg Uni Stellenbosch simple and cheap water filter using tangled bundles of carbon nano-fibres) .

This will keep out the nasty , large bugs , but not the marker molecules used to transmit information in the bacterial/viral quorum system .

Everybody has endogenous potentially harmful bacteria . But their lethality genes are switched off as long as they are better off in a healthy host .

For example , the water might test clear of any pathogen , but have a high enough concentration of quorum markers to trigger the lethality switches of endogenous bacteria or viruses .
They then send out more markers . If there is a shared medium like water , a ripple of bacterial activation is sent out . This can have a positive feedback if the water supply is limited , concentrating the markers .

Urine:
And , of course nothing concentrates the markers more than urine .
So , urine might test sterile , but still kill you stone dead by activating lethality switches .

That will teach you to pee in the pool !

Note the decreased mortality due to male circumcision . Less urine is retained in the prepuce . The same effect is observed in females with tampons and pads , or in general with nappies . A form of anaphylactic shock , as the lethality genes get quorum , switch on and the body's immune system responds . But the little buggers are all over , so the immune system tries to respond all-over , instead of localized (which is it's forte) . This is anaphylactic , systemic shock . A variant is known as asthma .

Prophylactic measures :
1.Keep pubic hairs short
See http://andreswhy.blogspot.com "Old Age markers" 23 Dec 2007
This is to prevent quorum markers from sticking around . A bidet with clean water is recommended .
2.Use some toilet paper . Nothing soggy or wet should be retained in contact with the body .
Do not use absorbent underwear .The longer it stays wet , the longer it zaps you .

Some other horries:

1.Flesh eating bacteria . A "tragedy of the commons" variant . The bacteria get a quorum telling them that the host is dead or in extremis . They promptly switch on genes that enable them to eat the host .

2.Cancers . Some types of cancers are similar .

3.Consumptive type diseases : by definition .

4.Air-borne quorum markers .
Possible , but would normally be limited to the personal heat-envelope . If this is a problem , use a simple fan . Will be a problem in space-habitats . TB?

5.Touch quorum markers (includes fluid exchange)
The HIV to AIDS transition springs to mind . Many people live quite happily with HIV even without ARV's , but something triggers the quorum mechanism and the lethality RNA switches on . This suggests a very low quorum .
Our venerable history of Democracy suggests two solutions : kill the voters (ie quorum markers) or saturate with shills . This second has been found most effective .

This means :
Accellerate the HIV mutation rate . Flood the system with their marker products (about a cc injection) .
This will prevent a quorum . It will also make the Pharma's happy , as it means a repeated dose is necessary .

The usual human choice .
Pay up or die .

Andre