Disseminated Cutaneous Protothecosis

[Kritters]

Disseminated cutaneous protothecosis in an immunocompromised host : A case report and literature review

Résumé / Abstract
"Protothecosis is an infection caused by achloric algae of the genus Prototheca. These organisms have been isolated from water, sewage, soil, and the slime flux of trees, and are a known cause of disease in other mammals. Infection in humans occurs after traumatic inoculation, producing localized olecranon bursal or, rarely, systemic disease. Only two previous cases of disseminated cutaneous disease have been reported in patients with defective neutrophil function. We describe a rare case of widespread cutaneous dissemination occurring after an arthropod bite in an immunocompromised patient."


Cyanobacteria. I see that Morgan has mentioned this cyanobacteria, from searching the forum before posting this.

Godsgrace just emailed back with the link to her forum where this is discussed heavily. I wish we could get these forums together. It's absurd that people can't just get along and combine efforts in one place, but, oh well...we'll get there anyway.

Since this is what I see under my scope, and I've posted a poll asking about whether or not people live in proximity of sewer treatment plants (I live right across a small bay area less than a half mile) I'm going with this as my problem. Red fibers, blue fibers, green fibers of cyanobacteria and grey fungal fibers are what are coming out of me. So this is my base at this point.

This is why we need a complete and intensive polling device. We don't all have flies, we don't all have abalone but we all are affected by what is being put into our air, food, water and soil because of bio-engineering. We need to be able to sort it out.

Kritters

[Kritters]

Out of curiosity, has any doctor even so much as SUGGESTED this possibiity or TESTED for it? Especially those of you who are near water?

As you can see.... it has even been found in TAP WATER!!!

This pretty much seals it for me in my situation. Severely compromised with fungus, as I am, living near sewage treatment plant, living ON the bay where much is stagnant at low tide.

Kritts
_________________________________________________
The following is a link and excerpts I thought stood out, but read all the way through for tests and treatments. (usually fungal)

eMedicine - Protothecosis, Cutaneous : Article by Jon H Meyerle

Background
The skin is most commonly involved, resulting from primary inoculation through a wound or abrasion. The infection is usually localized to the site of inoculation; however, in immunocompromised individuals, it can become widespread.
Pathophysiology
Prototheca is an achlorophyllic mutant of the green alga Chlorella. The organism is ubiquitous in the environment, particularly in aqueous locales. Infection usually occurs as a result of inoculation into or beneath the skin with subsequent exposure to contaminated water. Person-to-person transmission does not occur. However, Prototheca has been cultured from under the fingernails and other cutaneous sites in healthy individuals.
While healthy individuals can become infected, the organism has low virulence. Protothecosis infections are more commonly described in patients who are immunosuppressed. In healthy individuals, the infection is localized and curable, but cases of disseminated disease in individuals who are severely immunocompromised can be fatal. Cases of disseminated disease have involved the blood, the peritoneum, the GI tract, the liver, and the meninges. A neutrophilic response appears to be critical in eradicating the infection; however, recent reports in the literature dispute this.
• Localized infection: In immunocompetent individuals, the infection usually remains confined to the skin at the site of inoculation. Olecranon bursitis can develop from protothecosis.
• Systemic infection: Rare cases of systemic infection occur almost exclusively in patients who are severely immunocompromised, as in patients receiving chemotherapy, or immunosuppressed patients, such as those on infliximab. Involvement of the meninges has been reported in a few cases of patients with AIDS.
History
The classic history is that of trauma (eg, abrasion, cut) to the skin and subsequent exposure to contaminated water. In severely immunocompromised individuals, cutaneous lesions can be widespread and the algae can be present in the blood.
• Patients typically present with an isolated plaque or nodule, with or without ulceration and/or pustules. However, large eczematous plaques or ulcers have also been reported. Erythema and pain may occur.
• Patients with protothecosis bursitis present with painful swelling of the elbow; mild erythema; and, occasionally, drainage.
Physical
The skin is the most common site of infection, followed by the periarticular bursae (typically causing olecranon bursitis).
• Patients typically have an ill-defined plaque or nodule that may have a verrucous surface. Large eczematous plaques, pustular lesions, and cutaneous ulceration have also been reported.
• Bullous lesions may occur with subsequent rupture, drainage, and crusting.
• Lesions with the appearance of apple jelly have been reported.
• The extremities are the most common sites of involvement.
• In patients who are immunocompetent, the lesions may be more subtle, with papules or plaques with mild erythema that have been stable for long periods.
• Patients with olecranon bursitis have swelling; mild erythema; and, occasionally, drainage in the vicinity of the elbow.
• In cases of meningeal involvement, patients may have meningeal signs of headache, nuchal rigidity, and photophobia.
Causes
Infection is usually caused by Prototheca wickerhamii. Less commonly, infection occurs with Prototheca zopfii.
• Prototheca is ubiquitous in the environment. It has been cultured from a wide variety of aqueous sources, including lakes, streams, ponds, and even tap water. Prototheca species have also been cultured from animal feces, soil, and a variety of other sources.
• This organism is widely encountered in the environment, but it does not produce infection in most individuals. Most reported cases have occurred in patients who are severely immunosuppressed (eg, long-term immunosuppression for organ transplantation; autoimmune disease; graft versus host disease; as a result of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, AIDS, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, or Cushing disease).
Other Problems to be Considered
Blastomycosislike pyoderma
Deep fungal infection

[Baraka Obam]

So many things ring a bell for us, no wonder the doctors can't keep up. It sounds good, possible, and I keep thinking of a friend here in Florida that almost died from a problem from dirt. With so many vectors, I am starting to think this thing can aquire or bond with many things, bugs, spores, virus, bacteria, maybe it can actually travel not only in our cells but also any cell.

[Kritters]

I agree and any vector can carry this particular organism. For me, it may just very well be just what it is, and for others, something else. Prototheca is a MUTANT form of algae. What made it mutate? propably the mycoplasma fermantans or whatever the morg critter actually is or both. They mention it takes hold when autoimmune compromised (and mention diabetes as a possibility) I'm sure Lyme is another. This diabetes thing really has me wondering. It's surely much more implicated than they either know or are telling. Just like Lyme.

What really gets to me at this point is that even this cutaneous disease could very well be what I and others have, but no doctor would even have known about it. This is inexcusable today. Although the doctors may not be able to keep up, at least they can get off their golf carts and access the gift of new knowledge on the internet. If I were a dermatologist, you can be sure I would be on the internet, but no....Medical degrees been given, oh well, what's tee time again?

So, here we all meet to find answers to a disease we assume we have called Morgellons for lack of better label at this point. We on this forum and on other forums are working our butts off to uncover any information we can while those who at least are supposed to have a base knowledge are not coming forward with anything at all.

My hat is off in gratitude to the few scientists and researching professionals who are doing their unselfish best to help all of us.

[Sadsack]

Yup -
Dr. Staninger says any living thing (mold, elephants, trees, bugs, etc) can get "it". She didn't say whether they can vector it, though. Seems reasonable that they could, but I don't know enough about the mechanisms involved. If they can, then we shoud be having an EXPLOSION of cases any minute now.
btw - anyone know where she got the number of 60,000 cases world-wide? I don't see that number ANYWHERE else.
SS

[Kritters]

SS,

I don't know what 'it' is....what 'morgellons' is....but I do know that this DCP is in all likelihood and in some form...what I have going on. It's in my water...saw it under the scope...or at least what looks to be like it....and if it IS 'it' (for me at least) what makes sense to me is that the reason I have it and others around me do not at this time...is because as it's stated in the literature, severely immune compromised people only are affected. It is ubiquitous yet only people who have something else seriously going on and are directly exposed to it get the disease. They only cite hundreds but then go on to say it could be unlimited. Well, now that so many people have Lyme disease, CFS, diabetes, herpes, perhaps all that is needed for it to really take hold is a severely acidic blood ph. Maybe from a traumatic experience, a severe sickness or accident, a COMBINATION of pathogens in the body at one time, crossing each other's paths, a FOREIGN substance really screwing with an immune system that doesn't recognize it, an over-abundance of mold in the system (which is what I had) an over-abundance of chemicals or heavy metals....too many things for the system to deal with at some point in time. Could be an hour, a day, or building up for a year, but when this thing (DCP) strikes and takes hold, it's because it was in the right place at the right time, with the right conditions.

I've got to get back to making a living. This has become an obsession with me and has taken over my life. I can't let that happen.

Kritts