WSU BIOL209 Microbiology

Focus paper for presentation.

This paper compares vaccine efficacy of rotavirus and SES. Supplemental paper for presentation.

The NSP4 protein is a multifunctional protein that plays a role in the morphogenesis and pathogenesis of the rotavirus, but studies continue to show the relationship between gastroenteritis severity and amino acid variations in the genome of NSP4 of the human rotavirus remains uncertain. Focus paper for presentation.

Researchers found that bacteria in the vagina could cause pre mature births. The bacteria Gardnerella vaginalis has shown to eat away at mucous membranes resulting in pre mature birth.

Looking at the micro flora in the gut researchers are showing that this correlates to heart disease. Another story of the great importance of bacteria in our bodies.

The rotavirus vaccination was introduced in 2007 to most of Mexico. By 2010 most of the children in Mexico were vaccinated. This study wanted to see the correlation between the effectiveness of the vaccination compared to different socioeconomic statuses. They compared different regions in Mexico and found that throughout the country the Diarrhea Mortality rate caused by the rotavirus significantly decreased in all areas.

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.

This was the first study to use a light-activated substance to destroy MRSA in wounds

Porphyrins represent a potential treatment for burn wound infections

I was briefly shocked about some of the chemicals found in vaccines, which lead to finding the focus paper for our presentation. This article is about aluminum vaccines but this site: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/additives.htm, form the CDC has some other additives and what these additives are used for.

Researchers use a type of bacteria in order to study a protein that they have not been able to crystalize in the brain. This protein was thought to enable behavioral effects of alcohol and they are looking at studying where alcohol binds to this protein and the effects it has.

This complex was tested and found to make resistant bacteria more susceptible to antibiotics!

This technology in new, but researchers are looking to develop it to detect circulating tumor cells in the blood and prevent spread of cancer!

Mosquitoes infected with the Wolbachia bacteria are unable to infect humans with diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, and possibly malaria. The bacteria the amount of productive eggs the mosquitoes can lay which makes passing along the bacteria difficult. To combat this the mosquitoes that are infected with the bacteria are also given a insecticide resistance gene. Because insecticide is a common preventative measure in parts of the world where the diseases are common, only those mosquitoes that are unable to spread disease would survive and pass along the bacteria.

A report blames colony collapse disorder on pesticides for possibly damaging the bee's immune system and making them more susceptible to parasites, viruses and bacteria. I know a lot of people are allergic to bees or hate them but check out this quotation: "About one-third of the human diet comes from insect-pollinated plants, and the honeybee is responsible for 80 percent of that pollination." Bees are important!!!