BREAKING! Ivermectin users will likely suffer severe or lethal Mpox infection due to diminished interferon Gamma
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Aug 20, 2024 3 weeks, 2 days, 10 hours, 40 minutes ago
Medical News - Many are unaware that even an annual dosing of the anti-parasite drug Ivermectin will cause diminished Interferon gamma production that can last for a long time.
Ivermectin, a drug widely used in mass drug administration (MDA) programs in Africa to combat onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, has been under scrutiny for its effects on the immune system. Researchers from institutions including the University Clinics Tübingen-Germany, Institute for Tropical Medicine, Eberhard-Karls University in Germany, the Institut National d’Hygiene in Togo, and the Université de Paris have conducted a comprehensive study in 2022 examining the long-term impacts of ivermectin on immune responses in onchocerciasis patients treated annually for 30 years. This
Medical News report delves into their findings and highlights the potential immune issues associated with prolonged ivermectin use.
![](https://www.thailandmedical.news/uploads/editor/files/Medical-News-Ivermectin-users-will-likely-suffer-severe-or-lethal-Mpox-infection-due-to-diminished-interferon-Gamma.jpg)
I
vermectin users will likely suffer severe or Mpox infection due to diminished interferon Gamma
Image - AI generated by TMN
Understanding Ivermectin's Impact on Immunity
The study focused on patients from central Togo who have been treated with ivermectin annually for three decades. Researchers observed that while ivermectin effectively reduced the presence of Onchocerca volvulus microfilariae (mf) in the skin, it also led to significant alterations in immune function. Notably, the study found a diminished production of interferon gamma (IFN-γ), a critical cytokine in the innate immune system's defense against infections, after prolonged ivermectin use.
Key Findings: Reduced Interferon Gamma and Altered Cytokine Responses
The research revealed that before the initiation of ivermectin treatment, patients exhibited low levels of IFN-γ when their blood cells were exposed to O. volvulus antigens. After 30 years of treatment, although the parasite-specific cytokine responses increased to levels seen in infection-free controls, the polyclonal production of IFN-γ in response to a general immune stimulant (mitogen) was significantly reduced. This suggests that while the immune system's response to the specific parasite improved, its overall ability to respond to other infections or vaccinations might be compromised.
In addition to IFN-γ, other immune markers were also affected. The study noted a reduction in the production of CCL17 and CCL18 chemokines, which play a role in attracting immune cells to sites of infection. This reduction in chemokine levels was particularly pronounced in elderly patients, potentially leading to weaker immune defenses as these patients age.
Long-Term Implications for Onchocerciasis Patients
The findings suggest that while ivermectin is effective in controlling O. volvulus infections, its long-term use could have unintended consequences on the immune system. The reduced production of key cytokines like IFN-γ and chemokines could lead to a weakened immune response, making patients more susceptibl
e to other infections or reducing their ability to respond effectively to vaccinations.
This diminished immune responsiveness raises concerns about the long-term health of patients who have been on continuous ivermectin treatment.
The study findings on this study showing Ivermectin’s effect on the immune system was published in the peer reviewed journal: PLOS Neglected Tropical diseases.
https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0010340
Indian Researchers Warn That Ivermectin Use can Worsen Mpox (Monkeypox) Infections
Indian researchers in October 2023 warned that those who had annual ivermectin dosing to deal with parasite were at risk of severe or lethal Mpox infections due to the downregulation of interferon gamma.
https://journals.lww.com/iphr/fulltext/2023/55050/annual_ivermectin_treatment,_interferon_gamma,_and.12.aspx
Interestingly, their warnings coincided with what was happening in the Democratic Republic of Congo where thousands were getting infected and suffering severe or lethal aspects of Monkeypox infections and many had been on annual Ivermectin dosing. The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the few countries in Africa where Ivermectin use is widely promoted and in some cases even mandated on the locals.
https://bmcpharmacoltoxicol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40360-019-0327-5
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40435-023-01263-w
https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/mpox/outbreak/2023-drc.html
U.S. NIH Study In 2012 Funded By Anthony Fauci Showed that Interferon Gamma Deficiency Leads to Lethal Mpox Infections
A groundbreaking study conducted by researchers from the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), showed that a deficiency in gamma interferon (IFN-γ) can lead to lethal infections of the Mpox virus (MPXV). This study provided crucial insights into why certain individuals and animal models exhibit extreme susceptibility to this potentially deadly Mpox virus.
The Background of Mpox and Its Global Threat
Mpox, closely related to the smallpox virus, has been a significant public health concern, especially in Africa, where it is endemic. The virus, which can be transmitted from animals to humans, has caused outbreaks that resemble smallpox in severity but with lower mortality rates. However, the potential for Mpox to spread globally, especially given instances where infected animals were transported across continents, has raised alarms among health experts.
In this study, the focus shifts to understanding the role of IFN-γ in combatting Mpox infections. The research team from NIAID, led by Patricia L. Earl, Jeffrey L. Americo, and Bernard Moss, aimed to explore why certain strains of mice, such as the CAST/EiJ strain, are more susceptible to Mpox than others, like the BALB/c strain. The researchers believed that insights gained from these animal models could enhance our understanding of Mpox's pathogenicity in humans and improve the development of vaccines and treatments.
The Role of Gamma Interferon in Immune Response
Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) is a critical component of the immune system, known for its role in activating macrophages and enhancing the antigen presentation process. It is essential for the immune response against various viral infections, including those caused by poxviruses. The study conducted by the NIH researchers demonstrated that a robust IFN-γ response is necessary to contain Mpox infections and prevent their spread within the body.
The researchers compared virus replication and immune responses in two different strains of mice: the highly susceptible CAST/EiJ strain and the more resistant BALB/c strain. They found that while both strains exhibited virus replication in the lungs following intranasal infection, the CAST/EiJ mice displayed rapid and widespread dissemination of the virus to other organs, leading to severe disease and death. In contrast, the BALB/c mice, which mounted a strong IFN-γ response, restricted the virus primarily to the lungs and ultimately survived the infection.
Key Study Findings: The Impact of IFN-γ Deficiency
One of the study's key findings is that the CAST/EiJ mice failed to induce adequate levels of IFN-γ in response to Mpox infection. This deficiency in IFN-γ production was linked to the uncontrolled spread of the virus to vital organs, leading to lethal outcomes. Interestingly, the researchers observed that while the CAST/EiJ mice produced some IFN-γ in the spleen, it was not enough to control the infection effectively.
To further investigate the protective role of IFN-γ, the researchers administered exogenous IFN-γ to CAST/EiJ mice before and during Mpox infection. Remarkably, this treatment significantly reduced virus levels in the lungs and prevented mortality. These results underscore the importance of IFN-γ in the body's defense against Mpox and suggest that enhancing IFN-γ responses could be a potential therapeutic strategy for treating severe cases of Mpox.
Implications for Human Health and Future Research
The findings from this study have significant implications for understanding Mpox infections in humans. While the study was conducted in mice, the researchers believe that similar mechanisms may be at play in humans who exhibit severe Mpox infections. Individuals with impaired IFN-γ responses, whether due to genetic factors or other underlying conditions, may be at higher risk for developing severe Mpox disease.
This research also highlights the potential for using IFN-γ or other immune-modulating therapies to treat Mpox infections, particularly in cases where the virus has spread beyond the initial site of infection. Future studies could explore the efficacy of such treatments in humans and identify other factors that contribute to susceptibility to Mpox.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: Journal of Virology.
https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/jvi.00162-12
Move Forward 2020-2024 - Excessive Usage Of Ivermectin By Many Due To COVID-19.
When the COVID-19 pandemic started, Ivermectin was initially found to be possibly effective in dealing with the Wuhan wildtype strain of the virus. Many observational studies showed that it did prevent disease severity and risk of mortality and even Thailand Medical News advocated its use. However, with the debut of the Delta variant, ivermectin efficacy and use was questionable and we even stopped recommending its use and warned against using it for COVID-19 thereafter. It should be noted that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been evolving and mutating to not only evade all kinds of immunity be it by previous infections or by those induced by the vaccines, but it was also been evolving against all kinds of antivirals, supplements and even herbal phytochemicals via mutations and changes on it spike, envelope, nucleocapsids proteins and even the Mpro proteins.
However, many ignorant doctors and so called ‘experts’ and their organizations have never kept up to date with the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the effectiveness of many repurposed drugs, antivirals and even herbal compounds and hence have been peddling many outdated treatment protocols even Ivermectin.
But what is worrying, is that many people have been taking Ivermectin regularly and even at doses that are not safe. Ivermectin was actually meant to be use for short-term duration to clear parasites but never meant to be used over extended periods of time. As like all pharmaceuticals and drugs, long term usage than what it was intended for will cause medical and health issues.
Even a three-day usage of the drug was associated with microbiota dysbiosis and immune issues.
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/22/16125
It is interesting to see that when the new Mpox Clade Ib strain that is not spread only by sexual transmission alone (close proximity, contaminated surface or materials etc can also spread the virus) but is also possibly airborne gets predominant in circulation, many who have been advocating and taking ivermectin will likely suffer disease severity and increased risk of mortality.
Maybe that is why those controlling the narratives and those behind the global pandemics including the pharma giants, decided to pick the MPox virus as the pathogen for the next global pandemic!
For more about Mpox, keep logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/deep-dive-into-mpox-monkey-virus-proteins
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/computational-study-identities-fda-approved-drugs-that-could-be-repurposed-to-treat-mpox-infections