Comments | wtf_nature: Malignant Spirochaetes

drhoz in wtf_nature

Malignant Spirochaetes

Mar 23, 2009 07:23

Time for a long-overdue educational post, and guess what, it's a revolting parasite. Who'd a-thunk it?

Word Of The Day : syphilis - sexually transmitted disease with diverse symptoms, caused by the spirochaete Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum(Why am I covering this one anyway? It's a biologically complex disease, there's some interesting ( Read more... )

humans, human, homo sapiens, bacteria, south america, europe, disease

Comments 19

corivax March 24 2009, 19:54:10 UTC

One aspect of the brain damage you may have seen mention in the House episode 'Poison' is an increased sex drive. I know I've read that somewhere years ago, but I'm buggered if I can find a citation.

Oliver Sachs wrote about the libido effect of tertiary syphilis in The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat, a collection of narratives about interesting neurological patients. There's a reference to is in this article. Is that the one you saw?

(The comment has been removed)

evilstorm March 25 2009, 01:09:55 UTC

Seconding this.

drhoz March 25 2009, 10:54:28 UTC

not that article, no, but I may well have read an excerpt of Hat at some point - Sachs is a very good writer

shakatany March 24 2009, 21:02:46 UTC

I read somewhere that Henry VIII might have had it and if it affected his behavior it might have changed the course of history especially in regards to his break with the Catholic Church.

Shakatany

brockulfsen March 25 2009, 09:52:52 UTC

I read a fascinating article that suggested Henry's problem was extreme recurrent seasonal scurvy. It presented a good and coherent case.

drhoz March 25 2009, 10:54:55 UTC

alternatively, he was just an arsehole

logansrogue March 30 2009, 04:28:30 UTC

AHAHahahaha!

Thread 6

drjon March 24 2009, 22:51:46 UTC

If you're an SF buff, as your attendence at Swancon would indicate, I'm guessing that you first read about the libido increase phenomena in Disch's Camp Concentration.

drhoz March 25 2009, 10:55:17 UTC

'fraid not - haven't read that one

drjon March 25 2009, 11:28:11 UTC

Well, now you have an excuse to.

postingwhore March 25 2009, 01:18:19 UTC

I love Treponema pallidum. Nasty little buggers!

drhoz March 25 2009, 10:56:03 UTC

*nods* 'aortic regurgitation' just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?

dr4win9f00l March 25 2009, 02:07:12 UTC

I recently read a marvellous book about famous syphilis cases. http://www.amazon.com/Pox-Genius-Madness-Mysteries-Syphilis/dp/0465028829/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237946760&sr=8-3

drhoz March 25 2009, 10:56:13 UTC

ta :)