This last October the 15th, a group of organizations launched an initiative that promotes hand washing as something that ‘can reduce the spread of often fatal diseases and acute respiratory infections.’ Its organizers estimate that hand-washing with soap could save more lives than any single vaccine or other form of medical intervention. The problem they … Continue reading
Like a cat softly entering a room on cushioned paws, a new killer may be stalking the land. Known as NDM-1 (New Delhi metallo-beta- lactamase 1) this gene fragment becomes deadly whenever it gets inserted into a bacterium’s genetic structure. If a bacteria strain carries the NDM-1 gene, it is resistant to nearly all antibiotics, … Continue reading
As fall now swiftly approaches, I find myself wondering about the flu and how severe it might become over the winter months. Last year, thankfully, the pandemic strain known as H1N1 fizzled out before it caused too many deaths. It still pays me to remember that even on a ‘good’ year the common forms of … Continue reading
While many of us are focused on the many conflicts that are ongoing around the world, few realize that many of us are engaged in a life and death struggle every day courtesy of the microbes that live within us. They are called bacteria and one group, in particular, is emerging as a potent foe … Continue reading
