In honor of Rare Disease Day held on the last day of February each year, we take this opportunity to raise awareness for this important day and the diseases they represent. The European Organisation for Rare Diseases established this day in 2008 to raise awareness for those diseases that are overlooked. There are 300 million people worldwide living with a rare disease.
The first rare disease day was celebrated on Feb 29 in 2008 and this date was chosen specifically because Feb 29 is a ‘rare day’ and also because 2008 was the 25th anniversary of the passing of the Orphan Drug Act in the US. In 2009, this national day ‘went global’ and today, there are over 1400 organizations in more than 100 countries involved with rare diseases.
Today, we are shining a sliver of light on Osteomyelitis. The name ‘osteo’ means bone, and ‘myelitis’ means inflammation, which means this infectious disease caused by an infection of the bone, due to many types of bacteria and/or fungi. It could stem from trauma, surgery, or prosthetic materials.
This rare disease is one of the oldest diseases ever recorded. It was found in a fractured spine of a Permian reptile that lived 250 million years ago. The official name was coined by a renowned French surgeon Auguste Nélaton in 1844.
In children, arms and legs can be affected, but in adults, it often affects the spine and/or hips. The disease has been increasing the last few decades, due to prevalence of certain risk factors such as diabetes reducing blood flow in foot infections. Antibiotics may be used clinically and fast antibiotic delivery may in fact prevent permanent bone loss. However, this disease is difficult because these areas of necrotic bone are hard to reach for the body’s immune cells, and also for the antibiotics to penetrate. Many cases, antibiotic beads or cement can be used. Often, Infection can spread outwards from the bone to the soft tissues like the muscle, causing cellulitus. Unfortunately, bone and joint infections can lead to serious challenges and morbidity, which is why the more information we amass about this important disease is so important. In vitro models of osteomyelitis are emerging as a promising option to study the pathology of this disease using human cells, and reducing animal use.
If you are researching a rare disease, we are here to help. Our unique antimicrobials have the potential to unlock the secrets of a rare disease and could ultimately lead to a better understanding of how to manage it.
References
Marloes I et al (2020) Current concepts of Osteomyelitis: From pathologic mechanisms to advanced research methods. Am. J Pathol. 190(6):1151-1163