WSU BIOL209 Microbiology

If this was around during the discovery of antibody structure we might not have Fc and Fab regions!

This could help researchers find a vaccine for this disease, which has symptoms closely related to Dengue Fever.

The article shows a new strain of bird flu H7N9.  The virus has a hard time infecting humans, but for every one human infected there are thousands of birds infected.  This strain is less harmful than H5N1, but still one death has been reported.

Viruses are smarter then we ever imagined!! Researchers have realized that virus have their own time-clock. Virus's take about 8 hours to sufficiently make copies and overtake our bodies. They slowly build in our bodies, before the body actually realizes what is happening - by that time it is too late. Researchers are now tricking viruses into changing the time needed to overtake the body - making the body react quicker and kill the virus. The flu vaccine is still the best way, however, if we can fool the time it takes for a virus to overthrow the body - can we stop it in general? 

Even though this article is taken from the opinions page of the NY Times, it still discusses a rather important issue. Sometimes the old saying "A little dirt never hurt" rings oh so true.

Possibly a budding career field for future microbiologists?

Scientist have a found innate protein that increases inflammation and,agents that block it, resulting in increased in survival and improved lung function in animal models pneumonia. "The F-box protein Fbxo3, and other related proteins, represent ideal targets for treatment of acute lung injury, because it controls the innate immune response, is upstream of important inflammatory signaling pathways, and is more selective than traditional drugs that regulate protein turnover" noted Mark T Gladwin M.D., chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Pitt School of Medicine.

Although this article does not come from the most scholarly source, my dad and I were talking and he mentioned that if you slice an onion and place it in the corner of the room, it will "absorb" any flu virus present. This is not true.

Bacteria Can Bypass Blood-Brain Barrier? It's a surprise to researchers who believed the brain-blood barrier created an impenetrable fortress. How are molecules from dirt getting into white matter-and what are they doing up there? 

A sad reminder of why we use proper sterilization techniques.

The Ottawa Hospital has been severely criticized in a report about practices and hygiene. The report was commissioned following a high number of Clostridium difficile cases over a two year period. This is especially relevant to me because it encompasses both CLS and microbiology.

Estrogen plus progestin use is linked with increased breast cancer incidence. In addition, prognosis is similar for both users and nonusers of combined hormone therapy, suggesting that mortality from breast cancer may be higher for hormone therapy users as well, according to a study

The probioitc L. johnsonii has the ability to alter its coat. The alteration protects the bacteria from stomach acids and helps them come together to form biofilms. This increases colonization within the gut and could prevent C. perfringens from colonising the gut. This is a very interesting approach and is comparable to the actions of natural flora within humans.

MSRA could be defeated when first discovered. However, it was transferred to the pig population and went crazy after that. Humans over immunize animals and make super-bugs from inappropriate and overuse of antibiotics.  New tests are being done with bacteria being injected into other hosts - which then can be used to kill MRSA. This method could find new and natural antibiotics that could fight various forms of drug-resistant superbugs!

Manipulating T-Cells to fight certain infections, then pulling them out of the body as to not harm anything - because they can spread nasty diseases in places like the central nervous system.  They are now testing these T-cells against HIV. This could be revolutionary - in that the 'Prime and Pull' method could be used over and over without harming the person.  Just proof of how cool T-cells are!! Both useful and harmful if used inappropriately.