If I had My Way
John E. Peterson, Special to The Gazette
Originally published 02:59 p.m., May 1, 2008
Updated 02:59 p.m., May 1, 2008
I wrote one of these columns about microbes a year or so ago. It was of sufficient interest that I got so many comments about it that I wrote another column on those responses. I am still getting comments about it.
For example, just as I was making notes to do another column on microbes, I got two comments while at the Emporia Recreation Center. Oscar Hernandez told me that he certainly always washed his hands after using the exercise machines there. He said he expected I did, too, before leaving the center. I always do.
Then Bill Hartman came over to me and asked if I thought that the antiseptic spraying and wiping we do after using a machine really worked. He said he had read that the antiseptic took about five minutes to kill microbes and we just sprayed and wiped. We both agreed that doing this was better than nothing.
Now, then, it is time for another column on microbes and their activities. You may call them germs or bacteria or fungi or molds, if you wish. I shall call them microbes, if I have my way.
Most of my thoughts about microbes in this column have come from a journal named Microbe. I get it regularly, as do most microbiologists, from the American Society for Microbiology. As I browse it, I find things I think may be of general interest. So, here we go about microbes again.
Pathogenic microbes seem to be everywhere these days. They are even being found in soap dispensers in public restrooms. How this happens is not yet known. Even so, it should not keep one from washing hands after using the restroom. It certainly would not, if I had my way.
Eucalyptus trees have been imported into Alabama. It has just been found that a pathogenic fungus is associated with them. Human inhaling of the spores of this fungus may cause respiratory and central nervous system infections, some fatal, in human beings. Just one darn thing after another, isn’t it?
More and more evidence is being gathered about the deteriorating microbial effect on ancient artistic objects. The Mayan ruins in Yucatan, Mexico, have been recently studied. They have been found to be full of microbial communities. Studies are under way to find ways to control this and preserve the ruins.
There is some research going on about the old ideas of ordinary people that certain edible natural things are antimicrobial. It has now been shown that pomegranate juices are potentially positive against some bacteria. Cranberry and grape juices work against some viruses. Extracts from some tropical bitter-orange plants inhibit some pathogenic fungi. A type of honey, made from a New Zealand bush, works against some bacteria. So it goes. Let us learn more about such things.
In one Microbe, an article about assessing the microbial risk in our water caught my attention. Though it is difficult to regulate and assess the microbial content of our water, progress is being made. I did know that the public is not generally aware that water-borne diseases are somewhat common. I did not know, however, that it is often tough to test for such potentials. It is good that progress is being made.
We have long known that nature is full of microbes of many kinds. My gathering soil samples around the world and examining some of the microbes in them certainly told me a bit about that, of course. They are found in all other parts of nature, too, of course.
We do, then, understand what some of the microbes in nature are, but we do not well understand how they react with each other. That is why another rather big article in Microbe caught my attention. It has to do with our beginning to understand what such communities are, where they are, how they interact and so on. Actually, the subject is dealing with a different part of our world and the organisms in it.
An article on the mutation of microbes, particularly those that are pathogenic to people, caught my attention. There is much going on in this area today. That is because many human pathogens have changed enough so that they can no longer be controlled by the same antibiotics and medicines. Learning more about these changes is important to us in protecting ourselves from disease.
Speaking of human pathogens causes me to mention another Microbe article, this one about malaria. The article was titled “Money, technology and fresh ideas converge on malaria.” That pretty much tells you what it is about. There is much going on in an effort to better control malaria. It is a microbial disease that has long been with us. We have not been able to really control malaria. It is good that the problem is being worked on.
There, then, are some of my recent thoughts about microbes. They are a darned important part of our world. Of course, I am biased about them, but I do think we should all understand their importance. We all would, if I had my way.
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Posted by create (anonymous) on May 1, 2008 at 4:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I love those microbes that are living and loving in my compost pile.
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