Dr Lana Del Porto | Medical and health

Dr Lana Del Porto

Phone: +61 3 9808 3139

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24.01.2022 Why is COVID 19 so deadly for some people while others have only mild symptoms or none at all? This is a question my husband asked me today. So I thought I’d share my answer. The factors driving severe infection are; 1. Being elderly: the thymus gland is responsible for making T-cells. T-cells are specific immune cells required to fight off viruses. As we age the thymus gland is progressively replaced by fat cells, making it less useful at mounting an immune response. Elderly... people also have more pre-existing medical conditions. 2. Being male: women have stronger immune systems than men. This is because women have two X-chromosomes while men have one X and one Y chromosome. There are at least 60 immune response genes on the X chromosome. 3. Bad luck: some people have a cytokine storm while others do not. Cytokines are proteins that ramp up the immune response when you are sick. Cytokines are responsible for causing fever, muscle aches etc. When there are too many cytokines it can lead to multi-organ failure. 4. Pre-existing medical conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer and diabetes are the main ones. Meanwhile some patients have very few symptoms when they are infected because of the following: 1. Innate immunity: this refers to white blood cells that are not specific to a particular pathogen as well as nonspecific antibodies such as IgM. This immune response can be mobilised within hours of infection. Children have very strong innate immunity and it is believed that this confers some protection for them against COVID 19. 2. Cross reactivity: the coronavirus that causes COVID 19 is a novel zoonotic virus meaning that it has only recently made the jump from animals to humans. This means that technically there is no pre-existing immunity in humans. However, research suggests that up to one in three people have T-helper cells capable of recognising the novel covonavirus. This is because T-helper cells can be activated when they find an ‘exact fit’ with a pathogen or a ‘sufficient fit’ and the novel coronavirus shares structural similarities to harmless ‘common cold’ coronaviruses. This is known as T-helper cell cross reactivity. See more

21.01.2022 Marcus Gunn jaw-winking patients wink when they chew. This is because voluntary movement of the pterygoid muscles of the jaw causes involuntary contraction of the levator muscle in the eyelid. This muscular co-contraction is called a synkinesis. #ophthalmology #neuroophthalmology #paediatricophthalmology #eyesurgeon #eyesurgery #biologyiscool #ilovescience

17.01.2022 Is a COVID-19 vaccine just around the corner? Today the federal government has confirmed that Australia will manufacture and supply the Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine will be free for Australians. This vaccine is currently the most promising vaccine in the world. How does the vaccine work? It has been shown to stimulate the production of antibodies that neutralise the virus. More importantly it has been shown to stimulate the production of T-cells that kill ...the virus. Antibody levels have been shown to decrease after three months, while T-cell immunity is life long. However booster doses of the vaccine may be required. So how is the vaccine made? They start with a chimpanzee adenovirus. This harmless common cold virus is then genetically engineered to prevent it from replicating in humans. Then they implant the genetic code for the COVID spike protein inside this adenovirus. The COVID spike protein is then expressed on the surface of these harmless adenovirus cells. Remember the spike proteins binds to receptors on human cells to gain entry and cause COVID -19 infection. Any potential problems? 1. The spike protein is constantly changing due to natural mutations in the coronavirus. If the scientists are using an older version of the virus spike protein the vaccine may not be as useful. 2. We will only be protected if 90-95% of the population receive the vaccine in order to achieve herd immunity. It may take some time to produce and distribute this many doses of vaccine. And of course there is always the problem of anti vaxxers. #covid19 #science #medicine #vaccine #covidvacccine See more

14.01.2022 Duanes syndrome is a congenital strabismus due to abnormal development of the sixth cranial nerve. It is often associated with miswiring of the third cranial nerve, which causes changes in eyelid position or even upshoots when trying to adduct the eye (look towards the nose). Most patients do not require squint surgery. But surgery may be indicated if they have a significant deviation in primary gaze, have an unsatisfactory head position or to eliminate upshoots or downshoots. ://www.instagram.com/p/CAO_WiwHq8r/?igshid=9k0erm4rxy69

13.01.2022 Happy Halloween everyone! My daughter Ava had a great time trick-or-treating on Hampton street. #halloween #princess #trickortreat

12.01.2022 Children with Congenital (infantile) esotropia have one eye that turns inwards prior to six months of age. They also display other signs that are related to poor binocular function (eyes not working together). This young lady had squint surgery in childhood to correct her ocular misalignment by a squint surgeon like myself. Therefore her eyes now look straight. But she still has the other signs of poor binocular function. These include: 1. latent nystagmus - when one eye is... covered, you can see involuntary horizontal oscillating movements in the uncovered eye. The direction of the nystagmus changes depending on which eye is covered. 2. Dissociated vertical deviation - underneath the frosted occluder you can see her eye deviate upwards. But the eye recovers its normal position once uncovered. 3. Inferior oblique over action - This is most easily seen in side gaze. When looking to her left the right eye will appear to kick upwards and vice versa. If severe the later two manifestations can be corrected with eye muscle surgery buy someone like myself. #optometry #ophthalmology #squint #strabismus #esotropia #nystagmus #eyesurgery #medicine #gp See more

11.01.2022 I was told that nothing could be done to fix my eyes. This is what I hear from a huge number of my #squint patients. Many of them have spent years of their life feeling unhappy about their appearance. When all they needed was a 40 minute #strabismus #surgery with someone like myself. This kind of surgery can be life changing, improving self esteem beyond measure. #ophthalmology #makeover #eyesurgery #eyesurgeon #medicine #s

11.01.2022 It was a great privilege to present my thyroid eye disease research at the Australia and New Zealand Strabismus Society (ANZSS) conference today. #ophthalmology #thyroideyedisease #eyesurgeon #conference

05.01.2022 To all the hardworking, intelligent, beautiful women out there. Thank you for making the world a better place. Here is a photo of me at work today and also during better times. Challenge accepted @natfrancis101 #womensuportingwomen @ Glen Iris Eye Specialists

05.01.2022 The novel Coronavirus is named for its corona or crown of spikes on its surface that allow it to attach to mammalian cells. These spikes are what makes SARS-CoV-2 it so highly infectious. It attaches to cell receptors in the human nose. There has never been a successful vaccine to a Coronavirus (the common cold is a Coronavirus). Novel means it came from animals. Most likely from a bat with an intermediate mammalian host prior to infecting humans. Evidence indicates that the virus spreads more easily in colder climates. Those exposed to higher levels of pollution are more susceptible as are those with pre existing medical conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, lung disease and diabetes. #coronavirus #covid #stayhome #staysafe

05.01.2022 Why are so many health care workers in Victoria catching COVID 19? Up to 80% of health Care worker infections are occurring in the work place. We know from overseas data that when provided with the correct PPE, worn properly the transmission to health care workers is zero. The WHO has accepted that COVID 19 is airborne. But many doctors and nurses in Victoria have been provided with regular surgical masks instead of N95 respirators when caring for suspected or confirmed COVI...D 19. Many of these health care workers have subsequently contracted COVID 19. In addition to this, many health care workers who want to provide their own PPE have been told by their institutions that they are not allowed to do so. But why? Because the Australian federal guidelines state that we don’t need N95 masks. These guidelines are outdated and incorrect. These guidelines were written by the Infection Control Interest Group and state that ‘airborne transmission is rare’. They state that standard ‘surgical masks’ are adequate PPE when caring for ‘confirmed cases of COVID 19’. What are we doing about it? Health Care Workers Australia is an advocacy group that has drafted an open letter to the state and federal governments requesting a best practice approach to PPE and reform to the advisory group. This letter has been signed by over 3000 health care workers. The Victorian government has overridden the guidelines and has now mandated that all health care workers wear N95 masks when dealing with suspected or confirmed COVID patients. The problem is, the federal guidelines still have not changed. So when there is an outbreak in another Australian state, history will repeat itself in terms of health care worker infections. #covid19 #healthcareworkers #ppe #n95facemask #healthcareworkersaustralia

05.01.2022 I had the pleasure of performing squint surgery on this delightful seven year old boy to correct his esotropia. He is so pleased with his new ‘straight eyed’ look that he has been showing it off to everyone he meets. Mum is also wrapped.

05.01.2022 Why are there so many coronavirus conspiracy theories? Conspiracy theories help explain chaotic events. They appeal to the human tendency towards proportionality bias. This the assumption that big event have meaningful causes. These days, with social media, conspiracy theories can spread like wildfire. Conspiracy theories can be difficult to debunk because they are self-sealing. Meaning that those criticising the theory are thought to be in on it, or too stupid to see the tr...uth. The Conspiracy Theory Formula A physicist at Oxford University named David Grimes has developed a mathematical equation that calculates the time it would take for a theory to unravel. The probability of detection increases with the number of conspirators involved and the amount of time passed. So for example, let’s look at the theory that coronavirus is a hoax. If you factor in health care professionals, scientists, politicians and those directly or indirectly affected by the disease, we are looking at around 1 billion people that would have to be conspirators. This theory would unravel in approximately 5 hours. Have Conspiracy theories been present during other global health crises? In 1889 electric lights were thought to be responsible for a global influenza outbreak. Sound familiar? Yep, it sounds a lot like the coronavirus spreading via 5G. Why is this a problem? Because it can kill people. Flouting social distancing rules and refusing to wear a mask, will spread the virus. The more virus in the community, the more people in hospital and the higher the chance of our hospitals being overwhelmed. Moreover, when the anger of the conspiracy theorists spills over into violent protests, there can be dangerous consequences. What can we do? Listen to the right experts. In particular, epidemiologists or the critical care physicians on the front line. Take the advice of the World Health Organisation. Do not listen to one FRINGE doctor or scientist whose opinion is not backed up by their peers. Spread the truth. Put people in their place if they are spreading misinformation. #coronavirus #coronavirusconspiracy #plandemic #medicine #science #truth See more