Inflammation, infections, decreased immunity, frequent colds, etc.

The body uses its iron withholding defense mechanism to keep the iron away from pathogens,  but in an iron overloaded patient, this defense capability is greatly impaired.  Death can even result from ingestion of the Vibrio vulnificus virus found in seafood.   Click on the title to read more on these topics.

• A fatal case of Vibrio vulnificus presenting as septic arthritis.
  Arch Intern Med 2001 Nov 26 Although V vulnificus infection is uncommon, it is frequently fatal and is usually attributed to ingestion of raw shellfish or traumatic exposure to a marine environment; patients are also often found to have a hepatic disorder (cirrhosis, alcohol abuse, or hemochromatosis) or an immunocompromised health status, and most commonly present with septicemia or a wound infection.

• Bacteremic cellulitis caused by Non-01, Non-0139 Vibrio cholerae: report of a case in a patient with hemochromatosis.  Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2000 May  We report a case of bacteremia associated with hemorrhagic bullous skin lesions on the leg caused by non-01, non-0139 Vibrio cholerae in a 66-year-old man with hemochromatosis developed in an inland region.

• Chronic iron overload and toxicity: clinical chemistry perspective.
  Clin Lab Sci 2001 Summer; This toxicity involves many organs leading to a variety of serious diseases such as liver disease, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hormonal abnormalities, dysfunctional immune system, etc. The tissue damage associated with iron overload is believed to result primarily from free radical reactions mediated by iron.

• Dietary Iron Supplements - Use or not to use?
  Nutrition Today James R. Connor John L. Beard 05-06-1997 There is little reason to support a general need for iron supplementation in the diet at any age. Perhaps this article and review of supplementation pros and cons should conclude with a new interpretation of an old saying: "It is better to wear out than to rust out;" don't expose your system to more iron than it needs.

• Effects of Iron Overload  Harvard University website  2-1999

• Effects of iron overload on the immune system. 
  Ann Clin Lab Sci 2000 Oct Department of Pathology, Marshall University and Huntington DVA Medical Center, West Virginia Increased body stores of iron in various clinical situations may tip the immunoregulatory balance unfavorably to allow increased growth rates of cancer cells and infectious organisms, and complicate the clinical management of preexisting acute and chronic diseases.

• Excess Iron Throws Out Welcome Mat to Bacteria  Heart, liver, intestines may suffer from over-fortified diet 11/2/2001 News By Serena Gordon HealthScoutNews Reporter (HealthScoutNews) -- Too much iron in the diet could be making people more susceptible to intestinal infections, claims a new study.  And that puts into question whether U.S. food makers need to fortify foods with iron, says one of the nutritionists who conducted the research.

• Fatal Listeria meningitis, endocarditis and pericarditis in a patient with haemochromatosis.
  A 65-year-old man with primary haemochromatosis was admitted because of fever and confusion. He was found to have bacteraemia and meningitis due to Listeria monocytogenes Scand J Infect Dis 1997

• Hemochromatosis: A Common, Rarely Diagnosed Disease
  By Vincent J. Felitti, MD, FACP  Commentary by David Baer, MD, FACP.  Hemochromatosis is the most common, life-threatening genetic disorder in North America, yet most physicians have never personally diagnosed a case: all see an unrecognized case in their offices every two weeks.

• Hemochromatosis, Front Range Gastroenterology Associates, P.C.  
  2030 Mountain View Avenue, Suite 300, Longmont, CO.  Basic statistics on HH.

• Hemochromatosis:  Genetics, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Treatment, "Introduction to Hemochromatosis"  Part I,  by Barton & Edwards.  Except from their book, [a pdf file] This is a large & excellent book covering all areas of hemochromatosis.  Published in 2000, $225.00

• Hemochromatosis:  Life Extension Foundation website.  Disease, Prevention & Treatment 3rd editon.  Dietary & Vitamin recommendations listed here including calcium for blocking of iron absorption.

• Hereditary hemochromatosis: Preventing chronic effects of this underdiagnosed disorder
  Sharon M. McDonnell, MD, MPH; David Witte, MD, PhD VOL 102 / NO 6 / DECEMBER 1997 / POSTGRADUATE MEDICINE.  In this article, Drs McDonnell and Witte discuss the diagnosis and management of this underrecognized problem as well as the various issues involved in screening. An illustrative case of hemochromatosis is also included.

• High Iron Intake Tied to Increased TB Risk in Zimbabwe
  WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) - Elevated levels of dietary iron appear to be associated with an increased risk of pulmonary tuberculosis in rural Africans, researchers report in the October issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 10/22/01 J Infect Dis 2001; 184:936-939.

• Human cytomegalovirus protein US2 interferes with the expression of human HFE, a nonclassical class I major histocompatibility complex molecule that regulates iron homeostasis: 
  J Virol 2001 Nov Whether this interference with the regulation of iron metabolism by a viral protein is a means of potentiating viral replication remains to be determined.

• Human Lactoferrin: a Novel Therapeutic with Broad Spectrum Potential,  J. Pharmacy & Pharmacology 53: in press (2001 October issue, EUGENE D. WEINBERG, Department of Biology and Program in Medical Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. A principal function of Lf is that of scavenging 'free' iron in fluids and inflamed areas so as to suppress free radical-mediated damage and decrease availability of the metal to invading microbial and neoplastic cells.

• INFLAMMATION, IRON, AND FEVER  BIOL 230 MICROBIOLOGY LECTURE GUIDE  During infection, the body makes considerable metabolic adjustment in order to make iron unavailable to microorganisms.

• Iron, infections, and anemia of inflammation.
  Clin Infect Dis. 1997 Oct Understanding the molecular basis of iron withholding by the human host, both in the absence of and during infection, and that of iron acquisition by microorganisms may provide us with new and innovative antimicrobial agents and vaccines.

• Iron Loading and Disease Surveillance
  Eugene D. Weinberg   Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana   Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Excessive iron in specific tissues and cells (iron loading) promotes development of infection, neoplasia, cardiomyopathy, arthropathy, and various endocrine and possibly neurodegenerative disorders.

• Listeria monocytogenes meningitis and decreased phagocytosis associated with iron overload.
  Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1982 Feb These findings show that iron overload in the host can increase susceptibility to L monocytogenes infection not only by increasing the virulence of the organism but also by reducing the phagocytic capacity of the monocytes.

• Liver transplantation for hereditary hemochromatosis. This suggests that regardless of the cause, iron overload may be detrimental in patients undergoing OLT. Liver Transpl 2001 Aug

• Management of hemochromatosis. Hemochromatosis Management Working Group.
  Ann Intern Med. 1998 Dec 1  Barton JC, McDonnell SM, Adams PC, Brissot P, Powell LW, Edwards CQ, Cook JD, Kowdley KV.  The complications of iron overload in hemochromatosis can be avoided by early diagnosis and appropriate management.

• Opportunistic Infections with Iron Overload Withholding iron from potential pathogens is a host defense strategy. Transferrin's extremely high affinity for iron, coupled with the fact that two-thirds of the iron binding sites of the protein normally are unoccupied, essentially eliminates free iron from plasma and extracellular tissues. Harvard University website.

• Overview on Iron Overload and Hemochromatosis CDC website, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.  Early detection of hemochromatosis is essential because the disease’s potentially serious complications can be prevented by early therapy.

• Preclinical hereditary hemochromatosis--is there an indication for preventive screening?
  Ugeskr Laeger. 1995 Jul 24  In preclinical hereditary haemochromatosis, early diagnosis and treatment is essential in order to prevent organ damage and to improve prognosis. Prophylactic screening is recommended.

• Reactive oxygen species and iron--a dangerous partnership in inflammation 
  We also consider the widening recognition of the importance of oxygen metabolites in hypoxia-reperfusion injury and disease of the skin and joint. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 1995 Feb

• The Answer to Crib Death  “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome” (SIDS) 
  Joseph G. Hattersley From Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine Volume 8, Number 4, 1993, pp.229-245  2.3 The role of iron in crib death has been almost universally ignored. Some have found excess iron in SID autopsies. Ferritin is a strong oxidant; an excess promotes oxidation reactions. High concentrations of E. coli were found at autopsy in many SID babies and not in healthy babies. Organ damage caused by such infections should be detected at autopsy, seeming to exclude this as the immediate cause of SID. But the bacteria hinder nutrient absorption and so worsen tissue ascorbate deficiency, making sudden death more likely by either scurvy or atherosclerosis, or both (see below). Ascorbate deficiency also promotes excessive clotting.

• Vibrio vulnificus septicemia in a patient with the hemochromatosis HFE C282Y mutation
  Arch Pathol Lab Med 2001 Aug We report a case of fatal V vulnificus sepsis in a 56-year-old man who died within 1 to 3 days after consuming raw seafood.

• Weinberg, E.D. · Publications of Dr. E.D. Weinberg regarding iron and cancer.  Sue Gallant has  placed Dr. Weinberg's articles online here for us to read.  These are excellent & certainly worth the time to read them!  Titles included are: 
  Weinberg's Iron Loading and Disease Surveillance 
  Iron Therapy and Cancer (page 1 of 4) 
  Iron and Cancer ... a dangerous mix (Page 1 of 1) 
  Development of Clinical Methods... (Page 1 of 7) 
  The role of iron and cancer (Page 1) 

• Yersinia enterocolitica infection with multiple liver abscesses uncovering a primary hemochromatosis. Scand J Gastroenterol 2001 Feb  In conclusion, severe septic forms of yersiniosis are mainly found in patients with iron overload, due to a handicapped iron metabolism of the Yersinia bacteria. Mortality is high despite treatment.

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