Exploring the Use of CAM and Its Influence on the Spiritual Lives of Christian Religious Professionals

Religion and the Church; medicine and healing. Interconnected before the time of Descartes, these integral domains have experienced significant change in recent decades as people have become disillusioned with conventional biomedicine and institutional Christianity. More people are seeking holistic forms of healing—perhaps once again reuniting body, mind, and spirit, as a bone resetting from a centuries-old fracture or dislocation. The purpose of this research is to explore the use of Eastern and energy-based forms of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by Christian religious professionals. Based on a qualitative culture of inquiry, we conducted 10 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with individual clergy members, chaplains, spiritual directors, and religious educators/professors, representing diverse denominational affiliations. Following thematic data analysis, results suggest some Christian professionals experience a significant paradigm shift in their spiritual lives concurrent with their CAM use, as they embrace a more open view of spirituality. Results also indicate an increased awareness of the interconnectedness of mind-body-spirit, and a greater propensity for self-care. Implications for future research include expanding the sample size of participants and widening the scope to include more diversity, as well as implications for churches and clergy health are also provided. The findings provide insight for the trending phenomena of medical and spiritual pluralism

Characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing isolates from the Mediterranean area

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Beijing lineage of <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>is causing concern due to its global distribution and its involvement in severe outbreaks. Studies focused on this lineage are mainly restricted to geographical settings where its prevalence is high, whereas those in other areas are scarce. In this study, we analyze Beijing isolates in the Mediterranean area, where this lineage is not prevalent and is mainly associated with immigrant cases.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Only 1% (N = 26) of the isolates from two population-based studies in Spain corresponded to Beijing strains, most of which were pan-susceptible and from Peruvian and Ecuadorian patients. Restriction fragment length polymorphism typing with the insertion sequence IS<it>6110 </it>identified three small clusters (2-3 cases). Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number tandem repeat typing (MIRU-15) offered low discriminatory power, requiring the introduction of five additional loci. A selection of the Beijing isolates identified in the Spanish sample, together with a sample of Beijing strains from Italy, to broaden the analysis context in the Mediterranean area, were assayed in an infection model with THP-1 cells. A wide range of intracellular growth rates was observed with only two isolates showing an increased intracellular replication, in both cases associated with contained production of TNF-α. No correlation was observed between virulence and the Beijing phylogenetic group, clustered/orphan status, or resistance. The Beijing strain responsible for extensive spread on Gran Canaria Island was also identified in Madrid, but did not lead to secondary cases and did not show high infectivity in the infection model.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The Beijing lineage in our area is a non-homogeneous family, with only certain highly virulent representatives. The specific characterization of Beijing isolates in different settings could help us to accurately identify the virulent representatives before making general assumptions about this lineage.</p