Salmonella sucks. Because I have the diet of a twelve-year-old, occasionally I wonder if what’s happening to my body is actually the result of some super-bacteria.
And from what I understand, the Chipotle I ate last week that ran a Sherman’s March through my GI tract is nothing compared to Salmonella. So when I hear that HIV is making it worse, I’m a little upset.
An epidemic of Salmonella is brutalizing sub-Saharan Africa right now as a result of high HIV infection rates giving it a boost.
Due to the weakened immunities of those infected, Salmonella has been able to thrive, evolve and generally jack people up throughout the continent. It’s a blood-borne strain that kills 25% – 45% of Sub-Saharan Africans who contract it. Anywhere else, the kill rate is 1% or lower.
Oh, and if it wasn’t a dickface enough, it’s built up an immunity to front-line drugs meant to treat things like this.
Along with HIV, malaria contraction and malnutrition are also contributing factors.
So maybe it isn’t just HIV that’s a wad, but Africa as well.
But, good news: the reason why we figured out this was happening was because this is the first time researchers have used whole-genome sequencing to track its spread, which may allow us to know how it’s transmitted, and more importantly, how to stop transmission.
So, yay? I don’t know. Salmonella sucks. HIV sucks. Africa kinda sucks. It’s all I got.
Question, Patients: What’s the worst sickness you’ve encountered?
