0000000000285021
AUTHOR
A. Magnet
Medical Journals, Letters to the Editor
‘Letters to the Editor’ make up one of the seven genres in medical writing that share common linguistic features, such as the heavy use of specialized terminology. Yet it is the most subjective and personal form of written communication, enabling researchers to comment on their peers' published work. It is critical writing and displays open contention, which is most unusual in medical journals. It reveals conflicts that otherwise remain implicit. Unlike research articles, it may include cultural references. Although not officially part of the validating process by the community, it has always been present in medical journals.
Microsporidia and Its Relation to Crohn's Disease. A Retrospective Study
Background: The cause of Crohn's Disease (CD) remains unknown. Recently a decrease in the global lymphocyte population in the peripheral blood of CD patients has been reported. This decrease was more evident in gamma delta T lymphocytes, especially gamma delta CD8+T subsets. Furthermore, a decrease of IL-7 was also observed in these patients. We propose the hypothesis that microsporidia, an obligate intracellular opportunistic parasite recently related to fungi, in CD patients can take advantage of the lymphocytes and IL-7 deficits to proliferate and to contribute to the pathophysiology of this disease. Methods and Findings: In this case-control study, serum samples were collected from 36 C…