TERRAIN THEORY

VERSUS GERM
THEORY IN MANAG-
ING COVID-19 AND
ITS VARIANTS FAIL-
URE OF VACCINA-
BE A HEALTHY TERRAIN FOR CORONAVIRUS

TIONS IN THE
WORLD ?
Eulis Alwi Datau
Allergy-immunology Div.
Internal Med. Dep.
Medical Faculty UNSRAT
Manado

ALLPPT.com _ Free PowerPoint Templates, Diagrams and Charts

Introduction

GERM THEORY
 WHO data revealed that only 19% of the pre-COVID world wash
their hands
 Basic lack of clean water
 Peer pressure

 Overinflated optimism
 Germ theory deniers

 Denying that germs exist

Datau’slide- Caitjan Gainty, Kings’s College London
GERM vs. TERRAIN THEORY
 The role of host’s immune system is
more significant than we thought
 “The microbe is nothing. The Terrain
is everyting.” – Louis Pasteur
 Bechamp : individual’s inner ecosys-
tem becames weak due to poor nutri-
tion, toxicity, etc, it changes the func-
tion of the microbes within the body
and makes it more vulnerable to dis-
ease.
Datau’slide- Caitjan Gainty, Kings’s College London
Microbes vs Medium

• Microzymas (microbes) cannot replicate in the presence of ample

oxygen
• Those that multiply in an acidic “terrain” leave or disappear when
the medium becomes alkaline
• Oxygen and ventilator use in Covid-10 patients
– Will changing body state from acidic to alkaline state save lives?
Covid-19 Virus
• A virus is an intracellular parasite on the human cell, completely
inert until it penetrates its victim’s cellular membrane
• COVID-19 has a distinctive spike protein that is able to bind to
the human cell by angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and
enter the cell
– ACE2 found in surface lining of type II alveolar cells  virus cannot attack
tissues that does not contain ACE2
Covid-19 It’s not Just the Germs,
Also the Genes

• The germs is not the only fac-

tor contributing to the patho-
genesis
• Other diseases/condition made
the body more vulnerable
• Genetic variances  primary
immunodeficiencies
– Determining the vulnerability
Covid-19 It’s not Just the Germs,
Also the Genes

• Cassanova et al find genetic variants helps

to explain reactions to SARS-Cov-2
• Facets of immune system involved a set of
signaling molecules called interferons
Not Just The Germs

• People respond differently towards germs exposure

• Lies in the genetics of our immune response

• Casanova and colleagues reported that possessing two copies of

a certain variant of a gene called TYK2 makes people more likely
to develop tuberculosis after infection with the bacterium that
causes it
• This could be applied in coronavirus pandemic situation
Genome Comparisson

• Genomes of 659 patients with life-threatening Covid-19 infection

– 534 people did not need hospitalization
• The starting point was to test the idea that the genes known,
when mutated, to underlie life-threatening influenza could also
underlie life-threatening COVID-19

Fewer interferons
Half of these variants The other variants re-
Involved in Covid-19 causes virus more apt
impaired the activity of sult in abnormal pro- suceptibility to cause dangerous
gene teins disease
Misguided Immunity

• Gene variants showed up in just 3.5% of patients with critical COVID-19

• Abel and colleagues reported that at least 101 of 987 patients with se-
vere symptoms carried antibodies in their blood against one or more
type I interferon.
• If patients are making antibodies against interferons, those antibodies/
immune cells that produce them could be removed using a technique
called plasmapheresis  transferred to other patients
Silence Before the Storm

• Patients with high levels of type I interferons had longer hospital

stays and were more likely to die
• Amount of type I interferons tended to drop over time in patients
with moderate symptoms, whereas it remained high in patients
with severe disease
• Viral infections  interferons are made  activate hundreds of
genes  stopping virus activity & warning other cells
Silence Before the Storm

• More cells infected  immune response escalate  tissue damage

• When the person ends up in the hospital, the virus had spread 
production of interferons may be harmful
• Cytokine storms in Covid-19
– Pro-inflammatory interleukin 6

• The reaction influenced by blood type & chromosome variants

– Actual theory remains to be determined
Silence Before the Storm

• Immunosuppressant drugs may have benefit in late-stage COVID-

19 by slowing down the exaggerated immune response
• It is unknown at this time if hydroxychloroquine can exhibit any
antiviral effect on SARS-CoV-2
• Antibiotics may lessen the cytokine reaction likely due to a sec-
ondary bacterial infection that may happen during late stage
COVID-19.
Prevention

• Coughing and sneezing into a tissue/elbow

• Washing hands
– Lipid lining of SARS-CoV-2 virus will be dismantled with 20-30
s of hand washing
Prevention
Strategies to Optimize Internal
Terrain
• Anti-inflammatory nutrition plan
• Positive mindset
• Reduce stress & optimize sleeping habbits
• Reduce toxic load
• Regular movement & exercise
• Optimize gut microbiome
• Intermittent fasting
• Use immune support nutrients
• Use immune support herbs
Germ vs. Terrain Theory

• Concentrate to the things

we have control over
– Self care
– Nutrients
– Sleeping
• Minimize exposure risk
– Mask
– Social distancing
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
TAKE HOME MESSAGE