Celtic Curse & Iron Overload

Walking on the beach is riskier for people with high iron levels For many people it's the perfect holiday: head to the seaside, take walks on the beach, eat fresh seafood, maybe wash down a few raw oysters with your favourite beverage. Sadly, these activities prove to be deadly for hundreds of people every year due to an increasingly common saltwater bacteria called  Vibrio vulnificus .  A key factor in fatalities due to Vibrio vulnificus is the anatomy of the patient. The risk of death is much higher in people with diabetes, liver disease, compromised immune systems, or hemochromatosis . That's why I am writing about this on the Celtic Curse blog. If you are suffering from iron overload due to hereditary hemochromatosis (genetic haemochromatosis in some countries), getting infected by the  Vibrio vulnificus  bacteria is truly life-threatening.  Vibrio vulnificus is considered one of the most lethal marine pathogens, causing severe wound infections and...

"Did you know that July is National Hemochromatosis Awareness Month?" That simple sentence is all you need to start a conversation about the Celtic Curse. Some people may respond with "Hemo-what-osis?" and that's when you hook them with "You know, Celtic Curse?" We've struck up conversations like that with lots of different people and so far nobody has objected. Most people are fascinated to learn more about a potentially fatal condition, one that might run in the family, might be killing relatives, and might explain why Uncle Fred had cirrhosis of the liver even though he swore he never touched a drop. (Here's a hint: Uncle Fred might have been telling the truth--while drinking to excess is never a good idea, hemochromatosis can damage your liver in ways that mimic the effects of alcohol consumption.) If you want some talking points, or feel like taking the message to the streets, there are several documents you can download from the Iron Diso...

The New York Times is reporting that Dr. Clement A. Finch, a pioneering hematologist whose research on iron helped improve nutrition and led to advances in diagnosing and treating anemia, died June 28 at the age of 94. He was dubbed "Mr. Iron" by his colleagues. As some readers may know, Dr. Finch played a pioneering role in the study and treatment of Celtic Curse, "showing that hemochromatosis, a genetic disease that causes the body to absorb too much iron from food, could be treated through periodic bleeding. The excess iron can damage the heart, liver and pancreas." You can read the Times obituary here .

Here's some news you may not want to hear about Celtic Curse, already known for its negative impact on the heart, liver, and other organs: "The most common--and under-diagnosed--genetic disease in humans just may be a cause of the worst form of macular degeneration." That's according to Medical College of Georgia researchers. You can read the full story at the Medical College of Georgia website . However there could be a silver lining as a result of these new findings. But first, more of the bad news: "[researchers] are pursuing a link between hemochromatosis, which results in iron overload, and the wet form of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people 60 and older. They suspect that too much iron, known to wreak cumulative havoc on the body's organs, hastens normal aging of the eyes." The silver lining? This could bring a whole new branch of medicine--eye care--into the movement backing more, better hemochromatosis screening. The fu...

As you may have figured by now, here at CelticCurse.org we are big believers in more widespread hemochromatosis screening. The cost of catching hemochromatosis early is way less than caring for someone suffering the effects of untreated hemochromatosis. So we were interested to read this article in The Scotsman , an excellent Scottish newspaper (note the spelling of haemochromatosis): People should be routinely screened for a dangerous genetic which could afflict one in 200 Scots, a campaign group said yesterday. Described by some as the "Celtic curse", haemochromatosis is a genetic condition prevalent in Scotland, Ireland and other northern European countries which causes iron to build up in the body. The article goes on to describe how the head of the Haemochromatosis Society, George Scott, appealed to the Scottish Parliament to institute testing that could save lives. Apparently Members of the Scottish Parliament (referred to as MSPs) said that they will "ask health s...

The more people know about hemochromatosis, a genetic condition often referred to as Celtic Curse, the fewer will suffer needlessly and die tragically. The only real obstacle to universal detection, treatment, and elimination of this potentially deadly condition is a lack of information among doctors and among the general population. So here's what you can do to save lives right now: Tell people about hemochromatosis. Ask your doctor about hemochromatosis. Hand out hemochromatosis flyers. Post hemochromatosis posters. Follow CelticCurse on Twitter Tweet this web site. We will be announcing more ways to help soon, and generating some exciting new literature for you to distribute. Right now here's a link to 3 brochures and 2 posters you can download and print, from the great folks at Iron Disorders Institute.