SUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 333: Henvendelse af 20/4-20 fra Bo Hembæk Svensson om Covid/Toxoplasma korrelation

Sundheds- og Ældreudvalget 2019-20
SUU Alm.del Bilag 333
Offentligt

Copenhagen, April 20

, 2020.

v.2.0

Bo Hembæk Svensson,

Toxoplasma Research

[email protected]

To: Sundhedsministeriet, Sundhedsstyrelsen og Statens Serum Institut

cc: Arbejdsgruppen for Tg v/FVST

cc:

Whom it may concern.

IMPORTANT

Re: Evidence that Covid provokes onset of Acute Toxoplasmosis

It has become exceedingly clear that co-infection and co-morbidities is the leading cause of death in Covid-

19 cases and that a major factor in this is Toxoplasma and acute toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasma is

–

by far

–

the most prevalent infection among humans, and its distribution and proliferation

are clearly mirrored in Covid-19 cases, pathology and fatalities.

This do u e t is a supple e t to our pre ious do u e t o Co id/To oplas a orrelatio s

of March

. Please refer to this for a comprehensive list of the clear overlap in symptoms. For further information

on Toxoplasma, please see

this

article.

A. There is a 100% overlap in symptoms between Covid-19 and acute toxoplasmosis

B. There is a 100% overlap in outcomes/lethality. Toxoplasma infects the brain, heart, muscle tissue

and lungs

C. All medications suggested effective in treatment of Covid-19 has a documented effect on

Toxoplasma infections

D. There is a perfect correlation in Covid-19 observed reduction in CD8+ T cells and the onset of

acute toxoplasmosis

E. There is NO protocol in place that tests patients and/or deceased for presence of Toxoplasma

tachyzoites/acute toxoplasmosis

–

why?

SUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 333: Henvendelse af 20/4-20 fra Bo Hembæk Svensson om Covid/Toxoplasma korrelation

A + B. Overlap in severe/lethal symptoms (supplement to table I in document from March 2020)

Outcomes in severe/lethal Covid

Covid (data from peer-reviewed

article in The Lancet)

100% of non-survivors

Sepsis

Respiratory Failure & ARDS

98% of non-survivors

Effective against Toxoplasma?

(all quotes from peer-reviewed

publications)

Collectively, these data

demonstrated that chronic

infection with

T. gondii is a

critical factor for sepsis..

Diffuse lung injury may result as

a complication of disseminated

toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmic pneumonitis

leading to fatal

acute respiratory

distress syndrome

myocarditis linked to a recent

toxoplasmosis infection is

reported, with consistent MR-

scan images.

Clinically significant

heart injury may be a rare, but

life-threatening, manifestation

of toxoplasmosis

Cardiac toxoplasmosis was

common in this necropsy

series..

The above examples clearly

illustrate the

close association

between toxoplasmosis and

renal function

and the need to

fully screen renal transplant

patients for toxoplasmosis.

Biochemical abnormalities

during the acute phase of (Tg)

illness include

hypoproteinemia

and hypoalbuminemia.

Toxoplasma pneumonitis (..)

can be associated with

respiratory insufficiency,

metabolic acidosis,

disseminated

intravascular coagulation,

refractory septic shock,

encephalitis, and myocarditis

Toxoplasma activates host

hypoxia

inducible factor-1 by

cytoplasmic trapping

Acute Cardiac Injury

59% of non-survivors

Acute Kidney Injury

50% of non-survivors

Hypoproteinemia

37% of non-survivors

Acidosis

Been reported in several Covid-

19 cases

Hypoxia

Been reported in several Covid-

19 cases

SUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 333: Henvendelse af 20/4-20 fra Bo Hembæk Svensson om Covid/Toxoplasma korrelation

Outcomes in severe/lethal Covid

Covid (data from peer-reviewed

article in The Lancet)

Effective against Toxoplasma?

(all quotes from peer-reviewed

publications)

Toxoplasmic pneumonitis can

present with cough, dyspnea,

hypoxia,

and diffuse bilateral or

localized infiltrates.

"Blockade of IFN-gamma;

prevented arterial hypotension

and prolonged the host lifespan

by reducing the cytokine storm."

Chronic T. gondii infection

intensifies local and systemic Th1

cytokines as well as nitric oxide

production, which reduces

systolic and diastolic arterial

blood pressures after sepsis

induction, thus predisposing the

host to septi sho k…"

C toki e stor

C. Comparison of treatments that has been successfully tested on Covid-19. Virtually all of them affects

Toxoplasma

There are interesting overlaps in the treatments administered for Covid, and the same treatments effects

on Toxoplasmosis.

Covid medication/treatment

Lopinavir/ritonavir

Several studies suggest that

Vitamin D and C reduces risk for

Covid

Effective against Toxoplasma?

(all quotes from peer-reviewed

publications)

Lopinavir/ritonavir caused

parasitological improvement in

acute toxoplasmosis.

Both forms prevented the egress

of the tachyzoites, led to

apoptosis and autophagy (..),

disruption of the

parasitophorous vacuole and the

nanotubular network."

".. Toxoplasma infection was

associated with

vitamin D

deficiency."

Our findings indicated that

vitamin C & E and selenium are

SUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 333: Henvendelse af 20/4-20 fra Bo Hembæk Svensson om Covid/Toxoplasma korrelation

Covid medication/treatment

Chloroquine

Effective against Toxoplasma?

(all quotes from peer-reviewed

publications)

effective in

reduction of parasite

urde ..

...chloroquine,

mitomycin C,

fenbendazole, daunorubicin,

atropine, and cerivastatin of FDA

molecules

were identified as

"hits" ith ≥ 40 per e t a ti-

parasite action.

Nitazoxanide (NTZ)

Ivermectin

Spiramycin

IFN-gamma blocade

In the acute infection model,

NTZ at

a d 5 g/kg

significantly reduced the

number of brain cysts

by 78 and

87% compared to the infected

untreated controls and

reduced

the mortality

rate to 24 and

20%, respectively, compared

with 44% in the infected

untreated control.

These results indicate that

ivermectin significantly

inhibited replication

of the

tachyzoites of T. gondii RH

strain.

Spiramycin

Treatment of

Toxoplasma gondii Infection in

Pregnant Women

Impairs the

Production and the Avidity

Maturation of T. gondii-Specific

Immunoglobulin G Antibodies

"Blockade of IFN-gamma;

prevented arterial hypotension

and prolonged the host lifespan

by reducing the cytokine storm."

D. Covid patients has a markedly decrease of CD8+ T cells, these cells are essential for control of

Toxoplasma infection.

To oplas a a pro oke a

toki e stor u der the right o ditio s

•

We sho ed that the total u

with SARS-CoV-

i fe tio

er of NK a d CD8+ T ells

was decreased markedly in patients

SUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 333: Henvendelse af 20/4-20 fra Bo Hembæk Svensson om Covid/Toxoplasma korrelation

CD8 T ells are

essential for control of

Toxoplasma gondii

infection.

Once activated they

undergo differentiation into short-lived effector

a d e or pre ursor effe tor ells

•

It's been mentioned that "Covid interacts with CD147" and that "exhaustion of T cells" plays an

important role in the pathology. Both are clearly mirrored in acute toxoplasmosis:

"Recent studies have revealed that

in late chronic toxoplasmosis T lymphocytes become

progressively exhausted and this dysfunction is suggested to be responsible for the

reactivation of latent infection,

which may

result in a life-threatening disease

immunocompromised individuals"

.... seems as if Covid somehow provokes Toxoplasma, that thereafter becomes target for a T-cell attack:

"New evidence shows cytotoxic T cells can identify, invade, and destroy targets of large mass like

Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts"

Given the above has merit, there are effective treatments available.

E. There is NO protocol in place that tests patients and/or deceased for presence of Toxoplasma

tachyzoites/acute toxoplasmosis

–

why?

We have made inquiries as to illuminate if testing for Toxoplasma/Toxoplasmosis is part of the current

protocol

–

and we understand that it is NOT. I.e. nowhere is Toxoplasma testing conducted, neither in the

early or late stages. There are no post-mortem tests either.

As we have clearly demonstrated there is a 100% overlap

–

that should mandate obligatory testing for

Toxoplasmosis.