Geneticists show the COPIA-R7 transposon enhances the immunity of its host against a pathogenic microorganism

Main Category: Genetics
Article Date: 19 Aug 2013 - 1:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Geneticists show the COPIA-R7 transposon enhances the immunity of its host against a pathogenic microorganism

Transposons are DNA elements that can multiply and change their location within an organism's genome. Discovered in the 1940s, for years they were thought to be unimportant and were called "junk DNA." Also referred to as transposable elements and jumping genes, they are snippets of "selfish DNA" that spread in their host genomes serving no other biological purpose but their own existence.

Now Tokuji Tsuchiya and Thomas Eulgem, geneticists at the University of California, Riverside, challenge that understanding. They report online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they have discovered a transposon that benefits its host organisms.

Working on the model plant Arabidopsis, they found that the COPIA-R7 transposon, which has jumped into the plant disease resistance gene RPP7, enhances the immunity of its host against a pathogenic microorganism that is representative of a large group of fungus-like parasites that cause various detrimental plant diseases.

"We provide a new example for an 'adaptive transposon insertion' event - transposon insertions that can have beneficial effects for their respective host organisms - and uncover the mechanistic basis of its beneficial effects for plants," said Thomas Eulgem, an associate professor of plant cell biology and the senior author of the research paper. "While it has been known for a while that transposon insertions can have positive effects for their respective host organisms and accelerate evolution of their hosts, cases of such adaptive transposon insertions have been rarely documented and are, so far, poorly understood."

The COPIA-R7 transposon affects RPP7 by interfering with the latter's epigenetic code. In contrast to the well known 4-letter genetic DNA code, which provides instructions for the synthesis of proteins, the "epigenetic code" defines the activity states of genes and determines to what extent their genetic information is utilized. Eulgem explained that the transposition of transposons is typically inhibited by epigenetic silencing signals associated with their DNA. Such epigenetic signals are like molecular "flags" or "tags" that are attached to special proteins, around which DNA is wrapped.

A type of molecular flag, referred to as H3K9me2, prohibits transposons from being active and jumping in their host genomes.

"An exciting aspect of our work is that H3K9me2 signals associated with COPIA-R7 have acquired a completely new meaning in RPP7 and promote the activity of this disease-resistance gene," said Eulgem, a member of UC Riverside's Center for Plant Cell Biology. "By modulating levels of this silencing signal in RPP7, plants can adjust the activity of this disease resistance gene.

"Silencing of transposon activity is a complex process that is based on the interplay between different types of epigenetic signals," Eulgem continued. "Typically H3K9me2 is of critical importance for transposon silencing. However, we found H3K9me2 is not important for COPIA-R7 silencing, perhaps because this type of epigenetic signal has acquired a different function within the RPP7 gene. While we found H3K9me2 to promote RPP7 activity, it seems to have lost its function for COPIA-R7 silencing."

Arabidopsis plants use H3K9me2-mediated messenger RNA processing to accurately set RPP7 activity to precisely defined levels. In principle, scientists interested in crop improvement can now use the UCR discovery to design new types of molecular switches based on H3K9me2-mediated messenger RNA processing. Using standard molecular biological methods, transposon sequences that are naturally associated with this epigenetic signal can be inserted into suitable genes and thereby alter the activity levels of these genes.

"Our results are critical for the basic understanding of how transposons can affect the evolution of their hosts - something not well understood at this time," said Tokuji Tsuchiya, the first author of the research paper and an assistant specialist in Eulgem's lab. "Besides this impact on basic research, the epigenetic mechanism we discovered can possibly be utilized for biotechnological crop improvement. In principle, the switch mechanism we discovered can be applied to all crop species that can be genetically modified."

Next, Eulgem plans to expand his lab's research to how plants use the modulation of H3K9me2 levels at COPIA-R7 to dynamically adjust RPP7 activity when they are attacked by a pathogenic microorganism and to explore if this mechanism also applies to additional genes.

"It would make sense to assume that at other transposons, H3K9me2 levels are also modulated during immune responses and that this epigenetic mark affects the activity of other genes that are important for plant immunity," Eulgem said. "If this is true, we have uncovered a completely new genetic - or epigenetic - mechanism that allows plants to sense that they are under pathogen attack and to initiate appropriate immune responses."

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Protection against type 2 diabetes offered by a Mediterranean diet and diets low in available carbohydrates

Main Category: Diabetes
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet;  Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 19 Aug 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Protection against type 2 diabetes offered by a Mediterranean diet and diets low in available carbohydrates

New research shows that a Mediterranean-style diet and diets low in available carbohydrates can offer protection against type 2 diabetes. The study is published in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), and is by Dr Carlo La Vecchia, Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research, Milan, Italy, and colleagues.

The authors studied patients from Greece who are part of the ongoing European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition (EPIC), led by Dr. Antonia Trichopoulou, from the University of Athens. From a total of 22,295 participants, actively followed up for just over 11 years, 2,330 cases of type 2 diabetes were recorded. To assess dietary habits, all participants completed a questionnaire, and the researchers constructed a 10-point Mediterranean diet score (MDS) and a similar scale to measure the available carbohydrate (or glycaemic load [GL]) of the diet.

People with an MDS of over 6 were 12% less likely to develop diabetes than those with the lowest MDS of 3 or under. Patients with the highest available carbohydrate in their diet were 21% more likely to develop diabetes than those with the lowest. A high MDS combined with low available carbohydrate reduced the chances of developing diabetes by 20% as compared with a diet low in MDS and high in GL.

The authors say: "The role of the Mediterranean diet in weight control is still controversial, and in most studies from Mediterranean countries the adherence to the Mediterranean diet was unrelated to overweight. This suggests that the protection of the Mediterranean diet against diabetes is not through weight control, but through several dietary characteristics of the Mediterranean diet. However, this issue is difficult to address in cohort studies because of the lack of information on weight changes during follow-up that are rarely recorded."

They point out that a particular feature of the Mediterranean diet is the use of extra virgin olive oil which leads to a high ratio of monounsaturated to saturated fatty acids. But again research here has been conflicting. One review of dietary fat and diabetes suggests that replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats has beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity and is likely to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, in a randomised trial of high-cardiovascular-risk individuals who were assigned to the Mediterranean diet supplemented with either free extra virgin olive oil or nuts and were compared with individuals on a low-fat diet (comparison group), there was no difference in diabetes occurrence between the two variants of the Mediterranean diet when compared with the comparison group.

Regarding GL, the authors say: "High GL diet leads to rapid rises in blood glucose and insulin levels. The chronically increased insulin demand may eventually result in pancreatic ß cell failure and, as a consequence, impaired glucose tolerance and increased insulin resistance, which is a predictor of diabetes. A high dietary GL has also been unfavourably related to glycaemic control in individuals with diabetes."

They conclude: "A low GL diet that also adequately adheres to the principles of the traditional Mediterranean diet may reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes."

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Body's defense system against infection shut down by potent mechanism in viruses

Main Category: Flu / Cold / SARS
Also Included In: Tropical Diseases;  Immune System / Vaccines
Article Date: 17 Aug 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Body's defense system against infection shut down by potent mechanism in viruses

Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have discovered a powerful mechanism by which viruses such as influenza, West Nile and Dengue evade the body's immune response and infect humans with these potentially deadly diseases. The findings may provide scientists with an attractive target for novel antiviral therapies.

Published in the August issue of the journal Cell Host and Microbe, the findings describe a novel mechanism that this group of so-called "enveloped viruses" uses to disarm the host's innate immune response. The mechanism the scientists uncovered is based on these viruses activating a class of molecules, known as TAM receptors, which are located on the outside of certain immune cells.

In the immune system, TAM receptors are used by cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, to clean up dead cells, and they are also central inhibitors of the body's innate immune response to bacteria, viruses and other pathogens.

The Salk scientists found that a substance called phosphatidylserine (PtdSer), which is found on the surface of enveloped viruses (viruses with an outer wrapping of a lipid membrane), binds to extracellular proteins and activates TAM receptors on immune cells. In dendritic cells, a type of immune cell that interacts with T and B cells to initiate the adaptive immune response, TAM receptor activation turns off a set of genes called interferons that play a key role in antiviral defense.

"Our findings suggest a unique way in which TAM receptors contribute to the establishment of viral infection by disabling the interferon response," says co-lead study author John A.T. Young, a professor in Salk's Nomis Foundation Laboratories for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis. "As a consequence, the interferon-stimulated defense genes are not turned on, rendering the target cell more permissive for virus infection."

This is a previously unknown mechanism for enveloped viruses, which are very common, to inhibit the body's normal antiviral response. Since PtdSer exposure seems to be a general feature of enveloped viruses, the researchers say many different viruses may use the mechanism to counteract the cellular antiviral response in cells with TAM receptors.

Understanding this mechanism allows researchers to work on developing broad-spectrum antiviral drugs that prevent viruses from shutting down the interferon response in cells by blocking TAM receptor activation. In their study, the Salk scientists tested a small-molecule drug called BMS-777607, initially developed for anti-cancer therapy, that does just that.

"With this small molecule, viruses can't activate TAM receptors, so they can't shut down the interferon response," says co-lead author Greg Lemke, a professor in Salk's Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory and the Françoise Gilot-Salk Chair, in whose laboratory TAM receptors were discovered.

With other scientists around the country, the Salk researchers are testing a variety of small molecule drugs in series of different viruses, including West Nile, Dengue, influenza, Ebola, Marburg, and hepatitis B. These drugs work, in large part, by blocking the virus' ability to activate TAM receptors, thereby leaving the interferon-mediated antiviral response intact.

"This is a completely novel approach," says Young, who holds the Nomis Foundation Chair at Salk. "It is a way of exploiting a normal piece of the cellular machinery in the immune system to block virus infections." And, if it works, it may prove to be an effective treatment to clear enveloped viruses during the acute phase of infection and perhaps also in chronic virus infections.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our flu / cold / sars section for the latest news on this subject.

Other researchers on the study were co-first authors Suchita Bhattacharyya and Anna Zag?rska, as well as Erin D. Lew and John Naughton, from the Salk Institute; Bimmi Shrestha and Michael S. Diamond of Washington University; and Carla V. Rothlin of Yale University.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Nomis and Auen Foundations, the James B. Pendleton Charitable Trust, a Salk Institute innovation grant, the Human Frontiers Science Program, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Enveloped Viruses Disable Innate Immune Responses in Dendritic Cells by Direct Activation of TAM Receptors

Cell Host & Microbe, Volume 14, Issue 2, 136-147, 14 August 2013; 10.1016/j.chom.2013.07.005

Salk Institute

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Removing a protein enhances defense against bacteria staphylococcus aureus in CGD mice

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: Immune System / Vaccines;  Blood / Hematology
Article Date: 05 Aug 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Removing a protein enhances defense against bacteria staphylococcus aureus in CGD mice

Deletion of a protein in white blood cells improves their ability to fight the bacteria staphylococcus aureus and possibly other infections in mice with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), according to a National Institutes of Health study. CGD, a genetic disorder also found in people, is marked by recurrent, life-threatening infections. The study's findings appear online in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

A team of researchers from NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) compared three groups: CGD-afflicted mice with the protein Olfm4; CGD-afflicted mice in which the protein had been deleted, and healthy mice in which the protein had been deleted. Olfm4, also known as olfactomedin 4, is sometimes helpful in limiting tissue damage but can also hinder white blood cells' ability to kill bacteria.

The researchers found that the white blood cells in mice without the protein could better withstand staphylococcus aureus infection, a major threat to patients with CGD.

"Although treatment for CGD has greatly improved over the past several years, the disease remains challenging," said Dr. Wenli Liu, staff scientist and lead author. "Our research suggests a novel strategy that might pave the way toward developing new treatments to fight against common and often deadly infections."

The results also suggest another potential method to treat methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other drug-resistant bacteria in patients without CGD, used alongside other therapies. MRSA is a strain of bacteria that has become resistant to antibiotics most often used to treat staph infections. Most commonly contracted in hospitals, MRSA represents a significant public health threat.

"Over the years, MRSA and other bacteria have evolved to be resistant to many antibiotics," said Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., NIDDK director and study lead. "This study suggests an alternative approach to combat infection by strengthening white blood cell capabilities from within the cells, in addition to resorting to traditional antibiotic treatment."

The research group is now investigating how changing Olfm4 levels in human cells enhances immunity to and from a variety of drug-resistant bacteria. The findings may put researchers closer to developing drug treatment for people, possibly through development of an antibody or small molecule that could inhibit Olfm4 activity.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our infectious diseases / bacteria / viruses section for the latest news on this subject.

The study was supported by the Intramural Research Program at NIDDK. Administrative and technical support were provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, both part of NIH.

NIH/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

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Smart Map launch offers new approach in the battle against Britain's biggest cancer killer, UK

Main Category: Lung Cancer
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 31 Jul 2013 - 1:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Smart Map launch offers new approach in the battle against Britain's biggest cancer killer, UK

Lung cancer patients can now check they are getting the best care available after the launch of a new interactive online map.

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation (RCLCF) announced the launch today of its Lung Cancer Smart Map, which shows patients how treatment in their area compares against government targets.

Dr Jesme Fox, Medical Director at the RCLCF said: "There may be many reasons why some areas aren't meeting national standards but the point of this map is to give patients the power to ask why.

"We hope that the Smart Map will encourage patients to work with their doctors in making sure they get the best care available."

Dr Michael Peake, Clinical Lead for the National Lung Cancer Audit (NLCA), said: "The Lung Cancer Smart Map is a great way to make our data on the quality and outcomes of lung cancer services across the UK easily available and easily understandable to the general public. Patients and their families have a right to know what information is 'out there' on the hospitals in which they might be treated and this map is an excellent example of how that can be achieved."

Public health minister Anna Soubry said: "This interactive cancer map is a great source of information which empowers lung cancer patients to make better informed choices about the care and treatment they receive.

"I'd like to commend the Foundation's commitment to diagnosing lung cancer earlier and identifying the best treatments available in order to save as many lives as possible."

Please click on the following link to view the map

The Smart Map includes the latest regional data from a range of measures recorded in the NLCA. It compares local real-world hospital data to the nationally recommended standards of care.[1] Hospitals have made consistent progress in treating lung cancer since the NLCA audit began in 2004 but there is still significant room for improvement and it's hoped that sharing this information will accelerate future positive change.

It is hoped that the Smart Map can also encourage improvements in timely referral from primary care. It includes local data from the National Cancer Intelligence Network's (NCIN) "Routes to Diagnosis" study which showed that lung cancer patients who are diagnosed via a managed referral rather than an emergency admission have improved outcomes.[2]

The development of the map was supported by Roche Products Ltd.

The National Lung Cancer Audit is the most comprehensive review of lung cancer services that has been undertaken in the UK. The latest published audit used data collected on 38,528 patients first seen in 2011 in Great Britain, representing approximately 93% of the expected number of new lung cancer cases. This is thought to represent almost all cases of lung cancer presenting to hospital.[1]

The audit, which began eight years ago, has helped drive improvements in care by providing hospital trusts with vital information about their performance and how they compare to others. The audit is managed by The NHS Information Centre in partnership with the Royal College of Physicians and is commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership.

The NCIN Routes to Diagnosis study examined the sequence of events leading to every cancer diagnosis made in England between 2006 and 2008.[3] The total number of lung cancer cases evaluated in this study over the three year period equates to 96,735. In the RCLCF Smart Map, lung cancer specific data from the study is grouped to show the percentage of diagnoses made via 'managed', 'emergency presentation' and 'other' routes. The 'managed' route encompasses patients who presented through the two week wait, GP referral, plus other outpatient and inpatient elective routes.

Lung cancer is Britain's biggest cancer killer with approximately 41,500 new cases diagnosed each year.[4] Of these patients, about 30% will survive a year and only about 8% will survive five years.[5],[6] Lung cancer kills almost 4,000 more women every year than breast cancer and accounts for more male cancer deaths than prostate, pancreatic and stomach cancer combined.[7]

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our lung cancer section for the latest news on this subject.

[1] National Lung Cancer Audit Report 2012

[2] National Cancer Intelligence Network. Routes to Diagnosis – NCIN Data Briefing (Last accessed May 2013)

[3] National Cancer Intelligence Network. Routes to Diagnosis, 2006-2008 (Last accessed May 2013)

[4] Cancer Research UK. Lung Cancer Incidence Statistics(Last accessed May 2013)

[5] Office of National Statistics. Cancer Survival in England - Patients Diagnosed 2005-2009 and Followed up to 2010 (Last accessed May 2013)

[6] Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. Lung Cancer Facts and Figures (Last accessed May 2013)

[7] Cancer Research UK. Cancer mortality for common cancers (Last accessed May 2013)

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

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View the original article here

Smart Map launch offers new approach in the battle against Britain's biggest cancer killer, UK

Main Category: Lung Cancer
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 31 Jul 2013 - 1:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Smart Map launch offers new approach in the battle against Britain's biggest cancer killer, UK

Lung cancer patients can now check they are getting the best care available after the launch of a new interactive online map.

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation (RCLCF) announced the launch today of its Lung Cancer Smart Map, which shows patients how treatment in their area compares against government targets.

Dr Jesme Fox, Medical Director at the RCLCF said: "There may be many reasons why some areas aren't meeting national standards but the point of this map is to give patients the power to ask why.

"We hope that the Smart Map will encourage patients to work with their doctors in making sure they get the best care available."

Dr Michael Peake, Clinical Lead for the National Lung Cancer Audit (NLCA), said: "The Lung Cancer Smart Map is a great way to make our data on the quality and outcomes of lung cancer services across the UK easily available and easily understandable to the general public. Patients and their families have a right to know what information is 'out there' on the hospitals in which they might be treated and this map is an excellent example of how that can be achieved."

Public health minister Anna Soubry said: "This interactive cancer map is a great source of information which empowers lung cancer patients to make better informed choices about the care and treatment they receive.

"I'd like to commend the Foundation's commitment to diagnosing lung cancer earlier and identifying the best treatments available in order to save as many lives as possible."

Please click on the following link to view the map

The Smart Map includes the latest regional data from a range of measures recorded in the NLCA. It compares local real-world hospital data to the nationally recommended standards of care.[1] Hospitals have made consistent progress in treating lung cancer since the NLCA audit began in 2004 but there is still significant room for improvement and it's hoped that sharing this information will accelerate future positive change.

It is hoped that the Smart Map can also encourage improvements in timely referral from primary care. It includes local data from the National Cancer Intelligence Network's (NCIN) "Routes to Diagnosis" study which showed that lung cancer patients who are diagnosed via a managed referral rather than an emergency admission have improved outcomes.[2]

The development of the map was supported by Roche Products Ltd.

The National Lung Cancer Audit is the most comprehensive review of lung cancer services that has been undertaken in the UK. The latest published audit used data collected on 38,528 patients first seen in 2011 in Great Britain, representing approximately 93% of the expected number of new lung cancer cases. This is thought to represent almost all cases of lung cancer presenting to hospital.[1]

The audit, which began eight years ago, has helped drive improvements in care by providing hospital trusts with vital information about their performance and how they compare to others. The audit is managed by The NHS Information Centre in partnership with the Royal College of Physicians and is commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership.

The NCIN Routes to Diagnosis study examined the sequence of events leading to every cancer diagnosis made in England between 2006 and 2008.[3] The total number of lung cancer cases evaluated in this study over the three year period equates to 96,735. In the RCLCF Smart Map, lung cancer specific data from the study is grouped to show the percentage of diagnoses made via 'managed', 'emergency presentation' and 'other' routes. The 'managed' route encompasses patients who presented through the two week wait, GP referral, plus other outpatient and inpatient elective routes.

Lung cancer is Britain's biggest cancer killer with approximately 41,500 new cases diagnosed each year.[4] Of these patients, about 30% will survive a year and only about 8% will survive five years.[5],[6] Lung cancer kills almost 4,000 more women every year than breast cancer and accounts for more male cancer deaths than prostate, pancreatic and stomach cancer combined.[7]

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our lung cancer section for the latest news on this subject.

[1] National Lung Cancer Audit Report 2012

[2] National Cancer Intelligence Network. Routes to Diagnosis – NCIN Data Briefing (Last accessed May 2013)

[3] National Cancer Intelligence Network. Routes to Diagnosis, 2006-2008 (Last accessed May 2013)

[4] Cancer Research UK. Lung Cancer Incidence Statistics(Last accessed May 2013)

[5] Office of National Statistics. Cancer Survival in England - Patients Diagnosed 2005-2009 and Followed up to 2010 (Last accessed May 2013)

[6] Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. Lung Cancer Facts and Figures (Last accessed May 2013)

[7] Cancer Research UK. Cancer mortality for common cancers (Last accessed May 2013)

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

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31 Jul. 2013. APA

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'Smart Map launch offers new approach in the battle against Britain's biggest cancer killer, UK'

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Researchers reveal monoclonal antibody effective against norovirus

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Article Date: 27 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Researchers reveal monoclonal antibody effective against norovirus

Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) provide the first proof of concept data showing that a monoclonal antibody can neutralize human norovirus. This research, which could one day lead to effective therapies against the virus, was published online ahead of print in the Journal of Virology.

"We initiated this work because there is presently no virus-specific treatment or vaccine to control the norovirus illness," says Kim Y. Green, a researcher on the study. "Our working hypothesis was that a highly specific norovirus antibody that binds to the outer surface of the virus particle might prevent the ability of the virus to infect susceptible host cells."

The team first isolated genes from chimpanzee immune cells encoding norovirus-specific antibodies. They then converted these into human-compatible full-length immunoglobulin molecules. They successfully tested two of the antibodies against norovirus infection in chimpanzees.

"An effective therapeutic antibody might be explored as both a treatment for norovirus gastroenteritis, and as a disease prevention strategy," says Green. "Consider a developing outbreak scenario in which food-handlers, healthcare workers, deployed military, or travelers could reduce risk of infection, incapacitation, and spread if a safe and inexpensive treatment is immediately available."

Norovirus causes roughly 20 million cases of acute diarrhea and vomiting annually in the US, alone, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While in most people, symptoms last a day or two, for those with impaired immune systems, and the young and the aged, norovirus can be life-threatening. It is responsible for an estimated 70,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths annually, and roughly one in 15 Americans get the disease every year. It is unusually contagious, via the fecal-oral route. People who have had norovirus remain highly contagious for at least three days after symptoms abate.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our infectious diseases / bacteria / viruses section for the latest news on this subject.

A copy of the manuscript can be found online at http://bit.ly/asmtip0713b. The paper is scheduled to be formally published in the September 2013 Journal of Virology.

American Society for Microbiology

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New SANE Australia report calls for action to reduce stigma against mental illness

Main Category: Mental Health
Article Date: 25 Jul 2013 - 2:00 PDT Current ratings for:
New SANE Australia report calls for action to reduce stigma against mental illness

A new study from mental health charity, SANE Australia, reports that stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness is widespread, harmful to recovery, and is a major barrier to participation in society for those affected.

The new report - A Life without Stigma - concludes that a national strategy to tackle stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness is vital, and should be a non-negotiable component of mental health policies and plans.

'Stigma is a major issue for people affected by mental illness, influencing how they are viewed and how they view themselves' says Jack Heath, CEO of SANE Australia. 'It is destructive, hurtful, and excluding. If we are to help people with mental illness lead a contributing life, it is essential that we take action against stigma.'

A Life without Stigma points out that while significant progress has been made to reduce the stigma associated with depression, Australia urgently needs a national, long-term strategy to reduce the stigma associated with schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses.

The report's recommendations stress that the strategy must be:

comprehensive, targeted, long-term, and robustly fundedinclusive of people living with mental illness and family carersbased on evidence of good practice, and evaluatedcomplementary to existing stigma reduction strategies for depression and anxiety, as well as the Mindframe strategy to reduce stigma in the mediaconsistent with the mental health plans of national and state governments, as well as the National Mental Health Commission.

SANE Australia is calling on the major political parties to commit to a national, long-term strategy and campaign to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness, with a particular focus on psychotic illness. SANE has written to the Minister for Mental Health, Jacinta Collins as well as the mental health spokespeople for the Coalition and the Greens party, asking them to make stigma reduction a priority for the next government.

'Mental illness is common. With one in five of us affected every year, reducing stigma across all diagnoses is an important issue for everyone' says Jack Heath. 'SANE Australia calls on each party to review the report and make stigma reduction for mental illness a commitment in the upcoming Federal election.'

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our mental health section for the latest news on this subject.

Report: A life without Stigma, funded by the Department of Health and Ageing

SANE Australia

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