WSU BIOL209 Microbiology

Gross! I spent the majority of my elementary school years drinking Capri Sun...

I had the mumps and it was no fun!

This past summer, I lost my grandfather very suddenly to metastatic pancreatic cancer. This could be a breakthrough for others who catch their pancreatic cancers early and prevent spreading to other organs.

Study about the B19 Parvovirus in humans. This virus does not infect dogs or cats and is limited to humans. It is only transmitted between humans. Symptoms are also very different than the CPV virus in canines.

An example of infectors ability to stop the immune response. Researchers have discovered the mechanism behind one of the Ebola virus' most dangerous attributes: its ability to disarm the adaptive immune system. University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston scientists determined that Ebola short-circuits the immune system using proteins that work together to shut down cellular signaling related to interferon.

Three die after catching new C. diff strain in Scotland 

A new bacterial species that eats metal... what?! Just more proof that bacteria have the ability thrive anywhere, even under the most extreme conditions. Researchers worry that this new species will eventually completely eat up this historic ship.

We briefly discussed this in my immunology class, and, after hearing about it, I wanted to learn more. While I think these people are crazy for infecting themselves with hookworms (one participant didn't even consider the risks before exposing himself), the fact is that their allergies and asthma did improve, almost to the point of vanishing. Studying hookworms and what exactly they do to the immune response to suppress allergies could lead to a brand new treatment, possibly helping people to elimnate their allergies altogether.

Used as a supplemental source for mine and Megan's presentation

Five more people have died from a new SARS-like virus on the Arabian Peninsula

Source for Tiffany and Tyrell's presentation

Source for Tiffany and Tyrell's presentation

Source for Tiffany and Tyrell's presentation

Source for Tiffany and Tyrell's presentation

Source for Tiffany and Tyrell's presentation

I thought it was interesting that antiviral medications should be administered within two days of infection in order to be effective. This really outlines the need for more effective treatments since this is a very short time frame and there is an increasing resistance to these antiviral therapies in general.

Interesting study on the possibility of using the Newcastle disease virus to treat prostate cancer. They modified the virus so that it replicates only in the presence of an active prostate-specific antigen. There are only mild side effects in humans although this is a fatal disease in domestic birds (I remember one of the former companies I worked for working on this vaccine for birds).

A new study analyses the impact of animal brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis (BTB) on animals and people in urban, peri-urban and rural Niger. The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks them as major zoonoses, infectious diseases transmitted between species.

Worried about mutating to be able to pass from person to person

Scientists have discovered that the removal of the protein calpain can prevent the spread of infectious bacteria that have acquired immunity to antibiotics. Bacteria such as Listeria use the protein for growth and movement to different cellular compartments. The removal of calpain prevents bacterial movement which in turn inhibits growth.