Battle Royale: Antibiotic Resistant Edition

Come one, come all to the battle of all battles. We have an antibiotic resistant bacteria versus an antibiotic resistant bacteria. Who has more resistance? Which is more common? Who has a greater risk of infecting people? Who. Will. Win.

Photo via geek.com

In one corner we have the antibiotic resistant organism known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. In the opposite corner we have yet another antibiotic resistant organism, Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase. The two are ready to throw down at any moment. The crowd is screaming vehemently. The intensity in the ring is unbearable. But wait! I have to give you some background information concerning our two fighters first.

According to this article, Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing bacteria is an enzyme that degrades penicillin, cephalosporin, and carbapenems. KPC outbreaks have been reported in many countries which is the reason for its’ worldwide attention. It also possesses a higher mortality number than non-KPC producing organisms. KPC just so happens to be a carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) too. The Mayo Clinic says that CRE are strains of bacteria that are resistant to carbapenem. If you’re wondering why this is so bad it’s because carbapenems are a class of antibiotics that are used to treat infections. Those most at risk for developing CRE infections are patients who are required to endure long courses of antibiotic use or who rely on breathing devices. It is important to note that CRE-related infectious outbreaks such as KPC are found in the healthcare setting. That is why it is beneficial to practice appropriate hand washing with soap and water and to never abuse antibiotics.

Photo via everydayhealth

This now brings us to our second fighter. The harmless looking methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) seen to the left is anything but harmless. In most cases MRSA causes skin infections, but in severe cases it can lead to sepsis. According to the CDC, MRSA is resistant to many antibiotics much like KPC. The scary thing is that almost anyone is at risk of getting MRSA because it is transferred through skin to skin contact. This is why wrestlers are extremely prone to developing MRSA. Since MRSA is resistant to many antibiotics this can lead to the possibility of developing a serious, sometimes fatal infection. Just like KPC, MRSA can be attributed to the overuse of antibiotics.

In a strange turn of events the two fighters have realized that they actually have something in common and are both caused by the overuse of antibiotics. They have decided to join forces and advocate for more overuse and misuse of antibiotics by humans, so they can continue to cause trouble. Sorry ladies and gentlemen, the battle royale has been called off.

WTH is FMT?

The human gut microbiome is a very complex system with many aspects that still elude scientists, leaving them with a number of questions. Speaking of questions, what the heck is FMT? Fecal microbiota transplantation, or FMT, is when the fecal matter of a person with a healthy microbiome is inserted into the intestinal tract of a recipient in hopes of changing the recipient’s microbiome in a positive way. Maybe you’re wondering why this is such a great concept, or maybe you aren’t. Either way, I’m going to tell you. FMT is useful at treating those who suffer from Clostridium difficile infections, inflammatory bowel diseases and more. (For more information on C. difficile make sure to check out my previous post). According to the NCBI web page, FMT has successfully helped in treating those with a recurrent Clostridium difficile infection.

Unsurprisingly, FMT is an effective method when tackling the problem of depleting bacteria in cancer patients. Cancer patients who take intense amounts of antibiotics have very disrupted gut microbiomes because the antibiotics destroy the normal balance of bacteria. One article found that when cancer patients underwent an auto-FMT, their bacterial communities were replenished to baseline level within a few days’ time. I find this to be very promising news for cancer research.

Throughout the course of my blog, you will notice that all of my posts have something in common. They all have hyperlinks embedded in the discussions. These hyperlinks are important because they cite where I am getting my statistics or factual information from. My cited work should pass the CRAAP test which is basically a list of questions that I need to ask myself to determine if the cited work contains useful information. The library research guide of Benedictine University breaks down what the list of questions are and how any good writer should approach them.

First and foremost, you should ask yourself if the source is up-to-date and if the hyperlink is functional. This is important for obvious reasons; if the hyperlink is not able to lead you directly to the information you are referencing, then it’s useless. Second, you want the source to be relevant to the topic of your blog post. You want sources that help solidify the case you are making and not random bits of unhelpful information. Third, you want to make sure the author or publisher is a credible source and the information distributed is not biased or misguided. Finally, you want to ask yourself what the purpose of the source is. As with any good source, you want to make sure the information is factual and not another writer’s opinion. Once you have passed the CRAAP test, the source is fair game!

Difficult Times with Clostridium difficile

Remember when you were younger and people would tell you life would be easy peasy lemon squeezy, but it turns out it’s just difficult difficult lemon difficult? There are some things in life that are just agonizingly difficult such as developing a Clostridium difficile infection.

The name itself lets you know that Clostridium difficile, or C. difficile, is not easy to deal with. The only thing you won’t have difficulty with is using the bathroom. According to the CDC, diarrhea, fever and loss of appetite are a few of the symptoms of C. difficile. It is also reported that C. difficile is a side effect of taking antibiotics. The antibiotic suppresses the normal bacteria that you have in your colon which in turn allows C. difficile bacteria to thrive and cause severe damage. Kind of ironic, is it not? You take antibiotics to cure yourself of one infection and along comes yet another, sometimes fatal, infection.

Photo via NIH

Don’t be fooled by the pretty Gram-positive rod of C. difficile you see pictured to the left. The NIH reports that almost half a million Americans are infected with C. difficile each year. Of those infected, roughly 29,000 succumb to the infection. This is kind of scary if you think about it because people use antibiotics everyday for a number of varying reasons. Those who self-prescribe by taking expired antibiotics are even more at risk of developing a C. difficile infection because of antibiotic misuse. It is not just your average person diagnosing him/herself and taking an antibiotic that causes problems. It is also qualified medical professionals who are prescribing either unnecessary or incorrect antibiotics.

Since C. difficile infections are one of the most prevalent infectious diseases that occur in the United States, here are some final thoughts that will hopefully make a lasting impression. Make sure to wash your hands regularly considering C. difficile can be spread through human contact quite easily. It is also important to never misuse antibiotics and only take them when needed.

Rabid for Rabies

Ever wonder why people are so afraid of the rabies virus? Is it even that scary? The answer is yes, rabies is scary but not for the reason people think. I decided to conduct an informal (and I do mean informal) survey where I asked my roommates how many human rabies deaths they thought there were per year in the Unites States. Anywhere between 218 to 3,000 were their responses. Therein lies the misconception. According to the CDC, the U.S. only has 1 to 3 cases reported annually. With vaccination of dogs, outreach programs and modern rabies medicine, we have seen a steady decline in rabies deaths since the 1970s.

Photo available via weheartit

So if the rabies virus is not that prevalent in the U.S., then why is it so scary? It is because rabies causes you to basically turn into a real life zombie. Yes, a zombie. The signs and symptoms of rabies are fever, excessive movements, foaming of the mouth, confusion and hallucinations to name a few. Those infected with rabies are also usually aggressively trying to bite another person. I do not know about you, but almost every zombie film I have seen shows an infected person aggressively chasing someone trying to bite/eat them. If you are bitten or scratched by an infected animal and do not seek medical care, then you will be in serious trouble because rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms start to appear.

While human rabies deaths are rare in the U.S., the same cannot be said for places where stray, unvaccinated dogs are found in high concentrations. For example, the NCBI recorded that India has around 25,000 to 30,000 deaths per year from rabies. This is a big difference when compared to the number of deaths reported annually in the U.S. It really boils down to vaccination. The CDC indicates scientists have shown that once 70% of dogs are vaccinated, rabies can be controlled in a given area and human deaths can be prevented. This leads me to my final take-away thought: rabies is a preventable disease! Just make sure to seek medical attention immediately if you are bitten or scratched by a stray animal.

The Journey Begins

Welcome to my online laboratory where we will delve into the mysteries of the microbiome.

“Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self.” – Writer Cyril Connolly