The Good, Bad And Ugly Among Bacteria....

Diagram of a bacteria

CONVICTS AMONG BACTERIA

Bacteria are beneficial to humans because we found them useful in brewing industries, milk factories, Agriculture, pharmaceutical companies and they also aid digestion in human and livestock.  However among bacteria there are bad ones that aren’t beneficial to humans because they are responsible for various human diseases.

Talking about convicts among bacteria, this is simply in this context referring to those bacteria with exceptional abilities in resisting treatments especially with antibiotics which are expected to kill the bacteria.

Antibiotics are designed specifically for the treatment of bacteria causing various infections. There are different classes of antibiotics that are available commercially. Among these classes we have penicillin (e.g. ampicillin), aminoglycosides (e.g. gentamicin), fluoroquinolones (e.g. ciprofloxacin) to mention but few.

Before a bacteria can be termed multidrug resistance, it must be able to withstand 2 or more of the classes of antibiotics. Bacteria in this category are problematic because they often lead to treatment failures, recurrent infections, prolong hospital stay and financial burden.

These are the convicts among bacteria. They are medically important bacteria hence must be paid close attention to due to the amount of dangers they can cause. In subsequent series we shall be discussing them one after the other.

Tip. To avoid the multiplication of multidrug resistant bacteria, it is advisable to follow doctor’s prescription in taking antibiotics and avoid self-medication which is known to be among factors leading to development of resistant bacteria.

To be continued

About the author

Dr. Bamidele Odumosu is a Pharmaceutical Microbiologist in the department of Microbiology, University of Lagos Nigeria.

Effects of mosquito bite other than malaria fever .........

severe elephantoid scrotum 

elephantiasis of the leg 

Mosquito bites: Just a bite from mosquitoes could cause extreme swollen limbs, kidney damages, severe skin dermatitis, orchitis- inflammation of the testes etc

A man is going through the worst moments of his life after his leg swelled to extremely large proportions following a mosquito bite. It took just one bite from a mosquito for man to be infected with one of the most frightening and crippling tropical diseases. 

The man was bitten by the fly 20 years ago and subsequently infected with Lymphatic filariasis, a parasitic infection better known as Elephantiasis. It is called elephantiasis as a result of thickened and fissured ‘elephant-like” that occurs on the leg. Classical elephantiasis is a more unusual consequence of infection by Wuchereria bancrofti and by at least two other species of filaroids.

He has been battling the infection ever since, and watched as his left leg swelled and became thickened and fissured “elephant-like”, almost paralyzing him.

The disease targets the body's lymphatic system as the larvae reproduce and mature over a period of one year. The infection is typically characterized by extreme swelling of limbs or genitals, though the majority of people who are infected by the parasite do not develop any symptoms.

However, the worms can damage kidneys and lymph nodes even if a person does not exhibit external symptoms.

It is believed that the infection is brought to the new world by slave trade. Filariasis is found in Africa, Central and South America, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Global prevalence of lymphatic filariais is about 120 million cases and Wuchereria bancrofti is responsible for over 90% of lymphatic filariasis.  

Doctors can use anthelmintic drugs which will expel the parasitic worms from the patient's body. 

In cases whereby patients do not seek treatment early it can be a life-long battle.

In terms of prevention, although there is a greater risk for long-term travelers or humanitarian workers, all tourists are encouraged to use insect repellent containing DEET, or diethyltoluamide, the most common kind of insect repellent. 

Elephantiasis often leaves sufferers incapacitated as their painful and swollen limbs are incredibly difficult to move. 

It is primarily found in third world countries, it leaves many with the condition struggling to work, and can be fatal.