#botulism staph

[mentalmilkshakes]

Stare at this for a really long time until you feel your eyes melting into their sockets

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I botulism staph you so muchn

Buddhism staff 🤭

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New Vision of New Sources- Juniper Publishers

Fresh, clean food is important to good nutrition. Preventing food from becoming contaminated with food poisoning bacteria reduces losses and illnesses. Bacteria in food can reduce the food's nutrient value and also cause disease. Bacteria that cause disease are called pathogenic bacteria. Bacteria can cause diseases in humans, in other animals, and also in plants. Some bacteria can only make one particular host ill; others cause trouble in a number of hosts, depending on the host specificity of the bacteria. The diseases caused by bacteria include food poisoning, tooth ache anthrax, even certain forms of cancer. Disease causing (or pathogenic) bacteria can contaminate food and water and cause food poisoning in the form of diseases such as typhoid, cholera and hepatitis. Pathogenic bacteria are sometimes represented as (deadly) dangerous enemies that lurk in the dark, unseen, ready to attack. Some bacteria kill a high percentage of people infected. Bacteria have invented many different strategies to make us ill. These strategies are called bacterial pathogenicity.

Microbial contaminated food is a problem, fast foods and restaurants are not committed to food storage and workers' health. A report from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority indicates that there are approximately 5,000 cases of food poisoning per year in Saudi Arabia [1]. The symptoms of food poisoning commonly include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and fever, although not all of them may occur in every case. Symptoms vary depending upon the cause and usually start between one and 36 hours after eating the contaminated food and may last for several days. Food poisoning may be fatal, depending upon the cause and the overall fitness of the sick person. Some bacteria, for example most salmonella bacteria, can increase in numbers in food very rapidly under some circumstances. Contamination of foods is a common cause of outbreaks of food poisoning. Food that is contaminated with large numbers of bacteria can be a source of contamination of other foods. Contamination of foods can happen when food contaminated by hands, flies or other insects or pests touches a clean food or when clean foods touch a contaminated surface or utensil.

Raw foods including meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, eggs, unpasteurized milk and dairy products, and fresh produce often contain bacteria that cause food borne illnesses. Foods may also be contaminated with bacteria during food preparation in a restaurant or home kitchen. If food preparers do not thoroughly wash their hands, kitchen utensils, cutting boards, and other kitchen surfaces that come into contact with raw foods, cross contamination and the spread of bacteria from contaminated food to uncontaminated food may occur. Many types of bacteria cause food borne illnesses [2]. Examples include: Salmonella (a bacterium present on egg shells and inside eggs), Campylobacter jejuni (found in raw or undercooked chicken and unpasteurized milk), Shigella (a bacterium spread from person to person), Escherichia coli (present in raw or undercooked hamburger, unpasteurized fruit juices and milk, and fresh produce), Listeria monocytogenes (found in raw and undercooked meats, unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses, and ready-to-eat deli meats and hot dogs), Vibrio (a bacterium that may contaminate fish or shellfish), Clostridium botulinum (contaminate improperly canned foods and smoked and salted fish).

Each year, an estimated 48 million people in the United States experience a food borne illness. Food borne illnesses cause about 3,000 deaths in the United States annually [3]. Botulism, microbial food poisoning due to Clostridium botulinum, is one of the more well-known food borne diseases due to the severe nature of the illness. As C. botulinum grows in food it produces a neurotoxin, which causes symptoms approximately 12-36 hours after consumption. In the past botulism was mainly associated with canned foods, but it has recently also been associated with vegetables in oil and some other foods. Staphylococcus aureus also known as 'Golden staph' is important from both a medical and food perspective. About half of us carry this organism on our skin and in nasal passages. Infected cuts or sores can contain large numbers of S. aureus, and such wounds should be kept well covered if a person is handling foods. Animals, including poultry, also carry this bacteria on their bodies, and all raw meat and poultry products should be handled as though they are contaminated. Raw milk can also be a source of this bacteria [4]. Certain gut microflora such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Klebsiella sp., Streptococcus sp., Salmonella spp., and Shigella sp. can cause food poisoning if the food is contaminated with these bacteria. Environmental contamination potentially leads to human or animal illness, and one direct route of contamination is from manure used as an agriculture fertilizer. The concentration of resistant E. coli in feces varies enormously between individuals [5-8].

As a consequence there is much that still needs to be understood about the behavior and pathogenicity of these highly important bacteria. In particular, and from a food industry/ food safety perspective, it is important to better understand the behavior of bacteria, and how to control it. Harmful gut microbiome is devoiced manure. If contaminated produce is not processed, it may contain some of the gut microorganisms when it reaches the supermarket. Manure can cause contamination in food even when not used as fertilizer. In addition, raw milk can be contaminated during the milking process. Contamination of food can also come through water, spraying contaminated water on plants to irrigate, wash, or chill them can contaminate foods, especially leafy green vegetables, are grown in water that has been contaminated by manure, bacteria can adhere to their surfaces and become extremely difficult to wash off. In some cases, they can find their way inside the vegetables' cells where washing will have no effect. Water is not only a problem on the farm; it is used in food processing, or even to wash food at the supermarket.

Patients who have bacterial infected are usually with antibiotics, and the continuing use of antibiotics produces bacteria that can resist the antibiotics. Decreased efficiency and resistance of pathogen to antibiotics has necessitated the development of new alternatives. Moreover, the cost of the drugs is high and also they cause adverse effect on the host, which include hypersensitivity and depletion of beneficial microbes in the gut. There are several sources in nature of compounds that can inhibit pathogenic bacterial growth, and these may provide new antibiotic medicines.

Nowadays there is an increasing demand for biodiversity in the screening programs for selecting therapeutic drugs from natural products, the marine organisms; especially seaweeds are of with immense interest, since they are having a broad range of biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antitumorals, anti-inflammatory and antioxidants. Seaweeds have been recognized as potential sources of antibiotic substances. The production of antimicrobial activities was considered to be an indicator of the seaweeds to synthesize bioactive secondary metabolites [8-10].

Marine algae represent an inexhaustible reservoir of raw materials used in pharmaceutical, medicine, food industries and cosmetics [11]. Marine algae serve as an important source of bioactive natural substances [12,13]. Special attention has been reported on antibacterial activities related to marine seaweeds against several pathogens [14]. The antibacterial activity of methanolic extracts from 20 species of macroalgae including Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta and Rhodophyta was evaluated against E. coli, S. aureus and E. faecalis [15]. Study results indicated that seaweeds have presented a significant capacity of antibacterial activities, which makes them interesting for screening for natural products. The extracts and active constituents of various marine seaweeds have been shown to have antibacterial activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria [16,17]. The antimicrobial compounds derived from the marine seaweeds consist of a diverse group of chemical compounds [18]. Many substances obtained from marine algae such as alginate, carrageenan and agar as phycocolliods have been used for decades in medicine and pharmacy [19]. Chemical structure types include sterols [20], isoprenoide, amino acids, terpenoids, phlorotannins, steroids, phenolic compounds, fatty acids and acrylic acid can be counted [21]. Numerous substances were identified as antimicrobial agents from algae such as Chlorellin derivatives, acrylic acid, halogenated aliphatic compounds, terpenes, sulphur containing heterocylic compounds, phenolic inhibitors etc.

Medical plants are widely used in the treatment of various diseases in today's world. Plant extracts and their various formulations in the treatment and/or alleviation of several diseases in folk medicine have been dated back to the ancient times. Besides, some natural products also exist in vegetables, fruits and beverages [22]. Medical plants initially draw attention as antimicrobial agents with the extraction of the active compound and essential oils. In a study on 66 essential oils and compounds that exhibited >80% inhibition towards Salmonella typhimurium DT104 and E. coli O157: H7, nine were further studied [23]. They showed that most of the oils and compounds demonstrated high efficacy against S. typhimurium DT104, E. coli O157: H7, and E. coli with K88 pili. In addition, they significantly inhibited E. coli and coliform bacteria in the digest, but had little effect on the total number of lactobacilli and anaerobic bacteria. The chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves of Pelargonium odoratissimum (L.) L'Her., Geraniaceae, was determined and the antimicrobial activities against the S. aureus ATCC 25923 and E. coliATCC 25 992 were evaluated and exhibited an effect on the bacteria at the concentrations tested [24].

For more Open access journals please visit our site: Juniper Publishers

For more articles please click on Journal of Cell Science & Molecular Biology

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Summer Food Safety

The days are growing longer, there are fireworks bursting overhead, and the heat is growing unmistakably warmer. Summer. Is. Here. Ready or not, here it comes! Summer Food Safety for the WIN!

This means fun in the sun, backyard bar-b-ques, picnics in the park, and other Summer activities which often revolve around food. As humans, we gather around food. This rise in outdoor activities unfortunately corresponds to an uptick in foodborne illnesses nationwide.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness each year. This leads to around 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths in 1 months.

The top 5 offenders include:

Norovirus

Samonella

Clostridium perfringens

Campylobacter

Staphylococcus aureus (Staph)

While less frequent in infection statistics, the following 4 baddies are more likely to lead to more severe illnesses and hospitalization:

Cyclospora

Clostridium botulinum (botulism)

Listeria

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

Vibrio

What’s Summer Got to Do with It?

Why do foodborne illness cases rise in the Summer? Well there are two significant reasons.

First, bacteria multiply faster in warmer temperatures. As the mercury (or colored alcohol as modern utility dictates) rises, temperature control becomes increasingly difficult and bacteria have the opportunity to grow and reproduce to infectious numbers if left unchecked. One bad move can knock a whole family down with foodborne illness. Let’s hope there are enough bathrooms in the house.

Second, preparing food outdoors makes food handling a little more difficult. The typical kitchen amenities such as a sink and refrigeration are substituted at best and likely omitted altogether.

Together, you have a recipe for disaster. But all is not lost. Pay attention to these temperature and outdoor cooking tips to help keep your family safe while you enjoy fun food in the sun.

Temperature Control Freak

Sometimes being a control freak is a good thing. Particularly if you are a temperature control freak. Especially when it comes to food.

Bacteria are everywhere. In the air, water, in and on the bodies of people and animals, and in the food we eat. Most food provide all the conditions bacteria need to thrive. Foodborne bacteria are happiest at temperatures between 90 and 110ºF (32 to 43ºC). The Summer heat provides perfect conditions for bacterial growth.

Just Chill

One of the basic principles of food safety is to keep hot foods hot and keep cold foods cold. Perishable foods should be kept in an insulated cooler and packed with several inches of ice, ice packs, containers of frozen water, or some combination of the above. Consider the following tips:

Temperature Tip #1: Keep a Separate Beverage Cooler. The beverage cooler will be opened much more frequently than say, the cooler with lunch meat or potato salad. This in-and-out can cause the temperature of the cooler to become unsafe. Unless you have juice in your beverage cooler, the fluctuation in temperature should not cause any food safety issues.

Temperature Tip #2: Keep the Cooler in the Shade. When driving, place the cooler in the coolest part of the car. The floorboard, trunk, or whatever looks safest. Once outside, keep the cooler in the shade or out of the sun. Consider the shade of a tree or side of a building.

Temperature Tip #3: Keep the Ice Coming. As the ice melts, replace it as soon as possible. Ice is coldest when it is solid. Melted into water, the temperature can quickly rise, leaving you vulnerable to increased temperatures that allow for bacteria to grow and spread.

Temperature Tip #4: Plan Safe Foods. If bringing a cooler in tow is not an option, consider taking foods that do not require refrigeration. Foods such as dried or canned meats, hard cheeses, whole fruits and vegetables.

The Great Outdoors

Outdoor cooking has its challenges, to be sure. But there is nothing like a burger grilled outside among friends and family. A few simple tips can mean the difference in family fun, and family sickness. Consider the following:

Outdoor Cooking Tip #1: Keep it Clean. Wash your hands and surfaces often. Hands should be washed with warm, soapy water for at least 20 second before AND after handling food, using the bathroom or changing diapers, and handling pets. If running water is not available, bring some type of wash station with you. Alternatively, you can settle for disposable washcloths and/or moist towelettes for cleaning hands and surfaces. But soap and water are your best bet.

Outdoor Cooking Tip #2: Separate! Don’t Cross Contaminate! Keep raw foods away from cooked food. Package raw meats, poultry and fish securely so that their juices do not come in contact with other foods. Cooked or ready-to-eat foods should be stored separately from raw or unwashed foods. Cooked food should never be returned to the place that previously held raw food, unless it has been washed in hot soapy water. Remember tip #1.

Outdoor Cooking Tip #3: Bring Your Meat Thermometer. Don’t leave home without it. Your meat thermometer that is. A food thermometer is the only way to ensure that meat, poultry, seafood, and egg products are sufficiently cooked to an internal temperature that will kill harmful bacteria. Meat cooked on a grill often browns quickly on the outside, leaving the inside ambiguous. Poultry (whole, pieces, and ground) should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 ºF/74 ºC. Other ground meats require an internal temperature of 160 ºF/71 ºC. Steaks, roasts, and chops of beef, pork, lamb, and veal only need an internal temperature of 145 ºF/63 ºC.

Outdoor Cooking Tip #4: When in Doubt, Throw it Out. When it comes to leftovers or food being left out, it is always best to err on the side of caution. Is that leftover burger really worth it? Food left outside of refrigeration for more than two hours may bot be safe to eat. This ticking clock drops to one hour if the temperature is above 90 ºF (or 32 ºC). Put leftover food back on ice once you have finished eating to keep it from spoiling or becoming unsafe to eat. When in doubt, throw it out!

Good luck and enjoy!

By: Heather Van Tassell

The post Summer Food Safety appeared first on The Lange Law Firm.

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How Long Can Germs Survive on Surfaces?

More specifically, how long do bacteria and viruses live on surfaces at home under normal interior temperatures? It’s complicated. Some microbes could survive on household surfaces like telephones, door handles, countertops, and stair railings for centuries if left undisturbed. But most don’t.

Humid homes are better hosts to most infectious microbes. Bacteria and viruses cannot live on surfaces with a humidity of less than 10 percent.

Bacteria called mesophiles, such as the tuberculosis-causing Mycobacterium tuberculosis, survive best at room temperature and are likely to thrive longer than cold-loving psychrophiles or heat-loving thermophiles. According to Tierno, at room temperature and normal humidity, Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacteria found in ground beef that causes food poisoning, can live for a few hours to a day. The calicivirus, the culprit of the stomach flu, lives for days or weeks, while HIV dies nearly instantly upon exposure to sunlight. Other microbes form exoskeleton-like spores as a defense mechanism, like the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, which is responsible for toxic shock syndrome, food poisoning, and wound infections. In this way, they can withstand temperature and humidity extremes. Tierno says this bacterial spore can survive for weeks on dry clothing using sloughed skin cells for food. The Bacillus anthracis, the anthrax bacteria, can also form spores and survive tens to hundreds of years.

Popular Science

Speaking of spores, some types of mold can grow on almost any surface in the home. Mold grows best when there is a lot of moisture, but there is no way to rid your home of all molds. Even if you could, mold spores are practically indestructible, though lower humidity will help keep spores from growing into mold.

Related: Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections 

Experts recommend home humidity be less than 60, but we recommend below 40 for a home that’s already moldy and potentially causing or exacerbating illness.

Candida albicans as the most important nosocomial fungal pathogen can survive up to 4 months on surfaces. Persistence of other yeasts, such as Torulopsis glabrata, was described to be similar (5 months) or shorter (Candida parapsilosis, 14 days).

NCBI

How Long Does Coronavirus Survive on Surfaces?

Researchers are only beginning to understand how SARS-CoV-2 (the cause of COVID-19) survives on surfaces. Lab results don’t guarantee similar real-world results, but recent research shows the virus’s survival depends on what it lands on and the humidity in the room or on the surface. The live virus is said to be able to survive on various common surfaces from three hours to seven days.

Glass – 5 days

Wood – 4 days

Plastic & stainless-steel – 3 days

Cardboard – 24 hours

Copper surfaces – 4 hours

Paper and cardboard are very porous. The virus doesn’t like surfaces like that. It likes smooth, even things.

Frank Esper, MD – Cleveland Clinic

Related: Coronavirus – Your Guide to the CoVID-19 Pandemic

Spreading the virus from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures is likely to be low risk.

The CDC

There’s no research yet showing if the virus can survive on cloth textiles (like clothing or rags).

How Long Do Other Viruses Last on Surfaces?

Most viruses from the respiratory tract, such as corona, coxsackie, influenza, SARS or rhino virus, can persist on surfaces for a few days. Viruses from the gastrointestinal tract, such as astrovirus, HAV, polio- or rota virus, persist for approximately 2 months. Blood-borne viruses, such as HBV or HIV, can persist for more than one week. Herpes viruses, such as CMV or HSV type 1 and 2, have been shown to persist from only a few hours up to 7 days.

NCBI

HIV is said to live outside of the body for only a few seconds, but under certain conditions may last for up to a week – though surface-contraction infection is very nearly impossible. Hepatitis C can survive on surfaces without a host for up to 3 weeks at room temperature on common household surfaces. Hepatitis A can survive on surfaces for months.

Norovirus can live on hard or soft surfaces for about two weeks. In still water, it can live for months and maybe even years. Influenza (flu) viruses can survive on the skin for many hours, and on hard surfaces they are able to infect another person for up to 48 hours.

Viruses that cause the common cold include some of the previously known coronaviruses, rhinoviruses, RSV, and parainfluenza. Each of these viruses has many iterations of the virus, so life-longevity on surfaces varies. RSV lasts for a few hours on hard surfaces and up to 30 minutes on the skin. Parainfluenza lives on surfaces for up to 10 hours. Rhinoviruses can survive for 3 hours on skin and hard surfaces. Other coronaviruses are known to last a few hours on most surfaces, which is likely similar to the current, novel coronavirus.

How Long Do Bacteria Last on Surfaces?

Just like there are many types of coronaviruses, flu viruses, rhinoviruses, etc. there are also many types of staph, E. coli, salmonella, etc. Generally, viruses are more likely to survive longer on solid surfaces than on fabrics. But some bacteria seem to prefer fabric.

Most gram-positive bacteria, such as Enterococcus spp. (including VRE), Staphylococcus aureus(including MRSA), or Streptococcus pyogenes, survive for months on dry surfaces. Many gram-negative species, such as Acinetobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, or Shigella spp., can also survive for months. A few others, such as Bordetella pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae, Proteus vulgaris, or Vibrio cholerae, however, only persist for days. Mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and spore-forming bacteria, including Clostridium difficile, can also survive for months on surfaces. 

NCBI

On that note, if you own a microwave, we don’t recommend using it except to nuke your sponges. Saturate the sponge with water and heat on high for one to two minutes.

Related: How to Cure Lyme Disease, and Virtually Any Other Bacterial Infection, Naturally

Staph typically survives on surfaces for “24 hours or more,” and studies have shown it can survive on some objects like towels and razors for weeks, and Staphylococcus aureus can survive for months on dry surfaces with very low humidity.

Most salmonella lives on dry hard surfaces for up to four hours depending on its species, but a 2003 study found that Salmonella enteritidis can survive for four days and still infect.

E.coli, often found in ground beef, can live for a few hours to a day on kitchen surfaces. 

Listeria infections are responsible for the highest hospitalization rates (91%) amongst known food-borne pathogens. Listeria can last for months on many surfaces, can proliferate inside your refrigerator, and has a very slow incubation period lasting days, weeks, or even months, which can make it difficult to know that contamination has occurred.

Botulism is a disease caused by Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that produces botulinum toxins under low-oxygen and low-acid conditions. Botulinum toxins are one of the most lethal substances known. Spores produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum are heat-resistant and exist widely in the environment. In the absence of oxygen, they germinate, grow, and then excrete toxins. Botulinum toxins are ingested through improperly processed food in which the bacteria or the spores survive, then grow and produce the toxins. But the good news is that botulism is rare, botulinum spores will not proliferate, and the bacterium will not survive on household surfaces. Homemade canned and fermented foods are a common source of foodborne botulism.

Bacillus cereus is one of the most common causes of food poisoning, though fortunately, it is not typically life-threatening. Bacillus cereus readily forms biofilms on a variety of surfaces, including plastic, soil, glass wool, and stainless steel, thus can last indefinitely.

Germs Aren’t Bad Guys

Microbes, of course, are everywhere. Each square centimeter of skin alone harbors about 100,000 bacteria. The human body contains trillions of microorganisms. Trillions upon trillions of viruses rain from the sky every day. A 2002 report in the Southern Medical Journal found pathogens, including staphylococcus, on 94% of paper money tested. Money is said to possibly carry more germs than a household toilet.

And yet, we don’t get a staph infection 94% of the time we touch money. Why?

Related: Make Your Immune System Bulletproof with These Natural Remedies

Understanding Health – How To Have A Strong Immune System

A lot has to happen in order for us to contract an infection. For viruses, bacteria, amebas, fungi, parasites, and other pathogens, the environment needs to be conducive to proliferation, and the pathogen needs to be of sufficient quantity to infect. The likelihood of infection under the most infection-likely conditions is also contingent upon the number of microbes that are able to make it into the body. Statistically, one microbe is very unlikely to cause infection and then disease, whereas thousands of the same pathogen contaminating a person is more likely to infect and eventually cause disease.

There is no healthy way to avoid pathogens. For instance, you’re not going to catch Lyme disease from your kitchen counter. You might contract it from ticks and other insects, but getting out in nature is crucial for good health. Also, our antimicrobial lifestyles are leading to superbugs and more fungal-based auto-immune diseases (nearly all autoimmune disease is fungal based or exasperated by fungal infection).

To make things even more complicated, many of the bacteria in our bodies that are part of our healthy microbiome can become pathogenic under the right (or wrong) circumstances. E. coli is a perfect example. We all have this bacterium in our gut, but without a healthy gut colony, E. coli can take over and cause infections in the gut and urinary tract. Candida is another one that just about everyone has in their gut. The spores and small amounts of yeast do not cause infection and are a necessary part of our body’s microbial, but without enough of a variety of bacteria to keep fungi in check, Candida becomes a pathogenic fungus that causes or exacerbates many illnesses.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut 

Pathogens inflict damage to us by secreting toxic waste byproducts throughout their lifecycle and death that inhibit normal, healthy cellular functions. A healthy microbiome has thousands of different kinds of bacteria (and other microbes) that can absorb and use these waste byproducts. Basically, to put it in the least scientific terms possible, one bacteria’s poop is another bacteria’s food source. Also, a body full of healthy bacteria leaves little room for infection. The more bacteria you have, both in variety and numbers, the less susceptible a host you are to pathogenic infection.

What doctors and most scientists still fail to understand is this: cells are made up of fats, starches, and sugars. Weak, decaying, and dead cells feed microorganisms. Pathogens, as they feed, produce toxic waste that causes more cellular damage, creating a feedback loop that feeds the infection. Beneficial microbes also feed off of our dead and decaying cells the same way, but their existence, due to their diversity, does not damage the surrounding human cells and does not allow room for pathogenic activity. To be clear, the difference between a bacterial infection and healthy bacteria doing their job is usually all about the variety.

Related:

In order to be healthy, perhaps it is even more important to understand that our gut bacteria resides not just in our gut, but all over our bodies. Our microbiome is everywhere, on our skin and in our hearts, and in our brains. Our gut, when healthy, is a microbiome-producing machine that supplies our entire body with beneficial bacteria. Unhealthy guts deliver pathogens into the body (and undigested foods and other toxins) while a healthy gut provides healthy bacteria to the entire body, bacteria that defend against pathogenic activity.

Now picture yourself as not so healthy. Maybe you smoke. Maybe you drink soda. Maybe both. Your throat feels rough. Your sinuses feel overly-sensitive. You can imagine that these rough surfaces are more likely to “catch” a few pathogens. On your tonsils and in your sinus cavities, where a healthy person has lots of diverse, healthy microbes to keep pathogens from proliferating, an unhealthy body instead has weak, poorly functioning cells that are ready to feed an incoming infection.

This is why we recommend healing the gut first and foremost for virtually any illness. Even a knee injury needs a healthy gut in order to properly heal as quickly and as well as possible. A nagging injury that never seems to heal almost always contains infectious activity. In other words, that nagging elbow pain you have may be from an old injury, from your back being out of alignment, from arthritis, or from something else, but infection will set in sooner or later as cellular degradation accelerates if your gut isn’t well enough to defend your whole body.

How Long Can Germs Survive on Surfaces? was originally published on Organic Lifestyle Magazine

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Acute Diarrhea or Fecal Incontinence

True Incontinence v. Pseudoincontinence (Most Cases)

Most important questions:

Is the person stable.

Is there any blood.

Is there any fever.

Is the person dehydrated.

- treat with fluids.

What role are medications playing.

.

Want to rule out:

- UGI Bleed.

- Lower GI Bleed.

- Mesenteric Ischemia.

- IBD.

- Diverticulitis.

- C-Diff or other inflammatory diarrhea.

- Overflow (Fecal Impaction).

.

True Incontinence:

1. Spincter Problem.

2. Nerve Problem.

3. Mixed.

.

Diarrhea:

[A] Infectious:

Inflammatory:

1. Salmonella.

2. Shigella

3. Campylobacter.

4. Yersinea.

5. E Coli.

6. Entamoeba Histolytica.

7. C Difficile (nursing home residents).

Non-inflammatory:

1. Viruses (Eg. Norwalk).

2. Parasites (Eg. Giardia).

3. Bacterial Preformed Toxins (Staph Aureus, Bacillus Cereus, Botulism).

*** Avoid antibiotics in all instances of infection except C-Diff. Risk of C-Diff. ***

[B] Non-Infectious:

1. Fecal Impaction (elderly, do rectal).

2. Mesenteric Ischemia (elderly).

3. Diverticulitis.

4. IBD.

5. Hyperthyroidism.

6. Medication (PAN-AM).

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A Guide to Common Duck Diseases

Domestic duck breeds are generally extremely hardy and don’t often get sick as long as they are fed a healthy diet, given plenty of room to exercise and access to fresh water daily, but there are some fairly common duck diseases that you should be aware of if you raise backyard ducks. Hopefully you will never have to treat any of these illnesses, but it’s always best to be prepared.

COMMON DUCK DISEASES Hardware Disease/Botulism/Aspergillosis Bumblefoot/Staph Infection Sticky Eye/Eye Infection Impacted Crop Prolapsed Penis/Vent Wet Feather Wry Neck

Hardware Disease/Botulism/Aspergillosis

What do ducks eat? Just about anything. Ducks love to eat shiny things including spare change, screws, bolts, wire, staples or pieces of metal, which can lead to a duck disease called “hardware disease,” which isn’t really a duck disease at all but rather a type of poisoning. Signs of poisoning, whether it be from hardware disease, botulism, which is caused by bacteria found in stagnant water, or aspergillosis, which is caused by mold spores in wet feed or bedding, include lethargy, diarrhea, decreased appetite/weight, seizures, dehydration, vomiting, drooping wings, unsteadiness or difficulty walking. Toxins can work quickly, so while a visit to a vet is highly recommended in a suspected poisoning situation, feeding some molasses can help flush the toxin, as can charcoal pills, followed by lots of fresh, clean water, and of course removing the offending metal, dirty bedding or water or spoiled feed.

Ready for Ducks in your Backyard?

Learn how to raise ducks in this FREE Special Report, How to Raise Ducks: Best Ducks for Eggs, What Ducks Eat, Duck Diseases and Other Facts About Ducks. YES! I want this Free Report »

  To prevent all kinds of poisoning, be sure your duck yard is free of debris, standing water, and that your ducks have lots of healthy treats, good-quality feed, and clean, fresh water.

  Bumblefoot/Staph Infection

The heavier duck breeds including Pekins and Appleyards can be susceptible to bumblefoot, which is basically a staphylococcus infection caused by a cut, hard landing or splinter. It manifests itself as a black scab on the bottom of the foot. Often catching it early enough means it can be treated using Vetericyn or an herbal salve to draw out the infection, but more advanced cases often require surgery to cut out the kernel of infection with a scalpel and then keeping the foot clean and dry until a new scab forms.

  Sticky Eye/Eye Infection

Debris, a scratch or rough mating can all cause eye infections in ducks. Their sinuses run down the back of their head, so often eye issues and respiratory issues go hand in hand in ducks. Symptoms of an eye infection include a closed eye, bubbling eye, redness or tearing. Cleansing the eye well with saline and then making sure the duck has access to a nice, deep water bowl to submerge her entire head can often clear up the problem, but if it doesn’t seem to get better in a few days, a compress of steeped chamomile tea or goldenseal can help clear up the irritation. A more serious infection might require Vet-Rx, a natural camphor-based solution that can be added to the water or applied to the nostrils.

Impacted Crop

Since ducks will eat practically anything they can get hold of, they sometimes suffer impacted crop if they ingest long pieces of string, twine, plastic or even rubber bands. A crop should be empty in the morning, since ducks digest everything they eat overnight, so if you suspect impacted crop, gently massage the area, then offer grit, some olive oil and plenty of water. Be sure to keep the area your ducks roam in free of any potentially dangerous materials, and if you feed your ducks cut grass or weeds, be sure to cut them into fairly short lengths.

  Prolapsed Penis/Vent

A prolapse occurs when a portion of the oviduct pushes outside the duck’s body while she’s laying an egg, or the drake’s penis doesn’t retract after mating. In both cases, it can correct itself on its own, but it’s a good idea to keep the area clean, and apply some coconut oil and sugar for a few days to tighten the skin tissue and keep it soft. For either a duck or a drake suffering a prolapse, it’s a good idea to separate them to prevent mating while the prolapse is healing. You can try to carefully push the prolapse back inside if you don’t see any improvement in a few days. And allowing your flock plenty of room to exercise and a healthy diet can help prevent prolapses in your flock. In extreme cases, a visit to the vet might be in order. A drake’s penis will fall off anyway in the fall and he grows a new one each spring, so that should correct the problem, in a duck’s case, often the prolapse of her vent will recur and not be able to be successfully treated.

Wet Feather

Ducks not allowed regular access to water in which to swim, or ducks in generally poor health or kept in unsanitary conditions can suffer wet feather, a condition where their preen gland, which they use to keep their feathers well-oiled and waterproofed, stops working. This leads to the duck not being able to stay dry in the rain or water, and risking the chance of drowning or getting chilled. If your duck seems to not be waterproof anymore, give her a bath in Dawn detergent, then rinse her well and blow dry her. This will remove any dirt and old oil and give her a chance to start over. Only give her a tub of water to drink out of and splash water over herself for a few days and then allow her pool access again to see if she has regained her waterproofing. Severe cases often require the duck to go through a molt and grow in all new feathers before she is waterproof again.

Wry Neck

Wry neck is a condition that normally only affects ducklings. It can be fatal if not treated, since the ducklings is unable to hold its head up and will often not be able to walk correctly. Wry neck can be caused by a vitamin deficiency, blow to the head, or ingestion of toxins. Adding B1 and E vitamins, as well as selenium to the duckling’s diet can reverse the condition. You can supplement with vitamin capsules, or add some brewers yeast, bran, sunflower seeds or wheat germ to their diet or some herbs and spices such as parsley, sage, thyme, cinnamon, spinach, dandelion greens, alfalfa, marjoram or turmeric, which contain both Vitamin E and selenium.

Regardless of the duck type, ducks are far more cold-hardy and healthier in general than chickens. You shouldn’t encounter too many issues with duck diseases. It’s easy to research ducks and duck breed pictures. So, why not consider a few for your backyard flock?

Visit my blog Fresh Eggs Daily for more tips and tricks to raising happy, healthy ducks…naturally. Be sure to check out my Duck Care Guide to learn more about the various duck diseases mentioned in this post.

A Guide to Common Duck Diseases was originally posted by All About Chickens

[theforestbee-blog]

Raw honey is the best option for many illnesses and for maintaining a good health

Health is a major concern and top priority for all, and each tries to cope up with their health and well-being differently. However, in today’s fast-paced life and lifestyle options do not make it easy to maintain good health. The excellent means to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is with natural, readily available home remedies. Honey is one of the readily accessible products at home and in markets. It is used for various reasons and comes with additional qualities of goodness and health. With a variety of nutrients and enzymes, honey provides the right balance between health and goodness. Therefore, making it one of the natural remedies used in many medicines throughout history. The honey you find in grocery stores are processed by, and health benefits are specific to unpasteurized honey. The benefits of raw honey are:

Antioxidant

Antioxidants called phenolic compounds are found in raw honey. Some types of honey are known to contain an equivalent amount of antioxidants as fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help protect your body from cell damage due to free radicals, reduces the ageing process, it may also help deal with chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties

Raw honey naturally contains hydrogen peroxide, an antiseptic which can kill unwanted bacteria and fungus. In Europe, several hospitals use Manuka honey to fight methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of staph bacterial infection that is known for being resistant to antibiotics.

Heal Wounds

Manuka honey is an effective germ killer and is used in medical settings to treat wounds. Researchers believe it has added antibacterial properties besides the regular hydrogen peroxide.

Filled with Phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are compounds observed in plants that help shield the plant from harm. Phytonutrients provide both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory perks resulting in good health. As honey is made from plants, it contains phytonutrients. These valuable nutrients are unique and found only in raw honey and dissolve if the honey is heavily processed.

Digestive Issues

There are not much research showcasing the effects of honey while treating digestive issues such as diarrhoea but a lot of people use it as a cure. However, honey is proven to be beneficial in curing Peptic ulcers that occur in the stomach or digestive system. Consume 1-2 teaspoons on an empty stomach to soothe pain and accelerate the healing process.

A sore Throat

Honey is an old sore throat remedy and has to be consumed with hot tea with lemon to get rid of cold. Many cough syrups use honey as a cough suppressant. One or two teaspoons can give you relief from a cough, cold and sore throat.

Raw honey is directly extracted from honey comb and can contain impurities and harmful bacteria such as botulism and hence, it is advised not to feed raw honey to children who are less than a year old. Switching to raw honey is the best option with regards to monetary and health benefits. When nature has so much to offer why not optimise the benefits rather than looking for false and unhealthy choices? One can get raw and unprocessed honey from a local vendor and enjoy the bounty of awesomeness.

[coralcollectortastemaker-me-blog]

Nosodes

Nosodes are the homeopathic version of vaccines. They contain the dead virus, bacteria or toxin coated on a sugar and lactose pellet. They provide immunity without injecting chemicals into the body. For every single vaccine, there is a nosode. In fact, there are nosodes for many viruses, bacteria and toxins that aren’t available as vaccine.

Ever heard of the Botulism vaccine? No? That’s because it doesn’t exist. However, the Botulism nosode is readily available and can provide your child and you with immunity against Botulism. What about the Hepatitis C vaccine? It doesn’t exist. However, the Hepatitis C nosode does exist and provides immunity against this virus.

Other nosodes that exist, but have no vaccine counterpart: Loxosceles Reclusa (Reclusive Spider Bite), Lyme Disease, Malaria, Mononucleosis, Staph, Strep, Tuberculosis, E. Coli, Epstein-Barr Virus, Herpes, MRSA and West Nile Virus. Others, like Anthrax and Smallpox are readily available in nosodes, but vaccines are only available to first responders, certain medical personnel and active duty military.

You sure don’t need to give your child all of these nosodes, so I’ve broken it down into a list of 21 nosodes your child needs, 7 nosodes that are option and 5 nosodes that are pointless to give, unless you are traveling outside the United States.

The ONLY known side effect of nosodes is an increased white blood cell count. This is because the body is fighting a DEAD virus, bacteria or toxin. Unlike vaccines, the child cannot and will not develop symptoms of the disease after vaccination, cannot get the disease from the vaccine itself and won’t experience common vaccine side effects.

Why give vaccines when nosodes are safer, more effective and easier to get?

Nosodes Your Child Needs:

1. Hepatitis B

2. Tetanus

3. Pertussis

4. Flu

5. Measles

6. Mumps

7. Rubella

8. Chickenpox

9. Meningoccocal

10. Hepatitis A

11. Botulism

12. Dengue Fever

13. Hepatitis C

14. HPV

15. Loxosceles Reclusa

16. Lyme

17. Malaria

18. Mononucleosis

19. Staph

20. Strep

21. Tuberculosis

22. Typhoid Fever

Optional Nosodes (Extremely Rare Disease):

1. HIB

2. Pneumococcal

3. E.Coli

4. Epstein-Barr Virus

5. Herpes

6. MRSA

7. West Nile Virus

Nosodes Your Child Doesn’t Need (Extinct Disease in United States)

1. Diptheria

2. Polio

3. Anthrax

4. Smallpox

5. Yellow Fever

[mentalmilkshakes]

Focus on his hair OK

[glitteredice]

Processing Raw Honey

After the beekeeper collects the honey it's processed immediately after harvesting because it crystallizes when it's allowed to sit. It has to be heated up to 150-170 degrees because it carries the bacterium that causes botulism, which can be dangerous since this is the very bacterium that causes food poisoning. Honey is actually sweeter than table sugar, but the problem with table sugar is that it's bleached white since actual unprocessed raw sugar is brown. Honey is pasteurized to kill off the bacteria like botulism to make it safe to eat and to put in food.

Honey actually doesn't have that golden color it's actually white and pasty looking before it's cooked down to the point that it caramelizes. Honey also serves a purpose in medicine and in many vitamin supplements since raw unprocessed honey carries a high level of antioxidants and enzymes and aids in digestion and other health properties.

What is great about honey is that it's slowly taking the place of corn syrup being used in a lot of the food that we eat today because it's been linked to causing diabetes because people eat it in such an increased amount. Honey is being used because it's produced naturally since corn syrup is mechanically processed. 

The best place to get raw honey online is farmhoney, if you want to get raw honey without checmicals it is one of them.

Honey is also being used in beer and other beverage like teas and is readily becoming a hugely useful product that puts a lot of beekeepers back in the spotlight to produce high quality, honey. For the past 2700 years according to history honey was used in medicine to provide topical relief for rashes and skin irritation like the condition called MRSA (pronounced mersa-a type of resistant staph infection). Honey is also good for mixing it with a little lemon to treat laryngitis and was used to treat contagious conjunctivitis (pink eye).

There are 7 different ways honey can be processed the most common are comb honey that's heated and treated through pasteurization and then you got the raw honey which is the base for pasteurized honey you see mostly in the stores today. 

Parents are advised to be careful in giving infant honey products because of the acid levels and potential exposure to the botulism bacteria. That's why it is wise to eat honey that's been pasteurized since you don't know what kind of exposure the bees who produced the honey has been around so it's better to eat honey that's been pasteurized or produced by an organic farmer that does raw honey because that's probably the safest kind of honey you can eat that isn't going to expose you to harmful bacteria.

Many beekeepers are trying to take the honey they produce to the organic level because they don't believe in producing a product using harmful pesticides and chemicals. If anything organic is your best bet because these farmers only produce a product on land that's not treated with chemicals. Organic farming also has standards they adhere to in terms of what the market expects of the product and beekeepers are usually about the natural way of things especially when it comes to the honey they produce.

[emmagreen1220-blog]

New Post has been published on Biology Dictionary

New Post has been published on https://biologydictionary.net/anaerobic-organism/

Anaerobic Organism

Anaerobic Organism Definition

Anaerobic organisms are those that live an anoxic environment – one which lacks oxygen. While most living things require oxygen to survive – they’re aerobic – oxygen can actually be toxic to anaerobic organisms. The great majority of organisms produce energy molecules called ATP (adenosine triphosphate) through a process of aerobic cellular respiration. This complex set of chemical interactions takes place in the cytoplasm and cell membrane of prokaryotes, and in the mitochondria of eukaryotes. During respiration, oxygen acts as the final electron acceptor at the end of an electron transport chain, which is why aerobic organisms must breathe air containing oxygen in order to survive. However, anaerobic organisms use either fermentation or anaerobic cellular respiration to produce ATP. In this case, an atom other than oxygen is the final electron acceptor. For example, some anaerobic bacteria that live deep in mud in swampy areas use a sulfate ion instead of oxygen, and hydrogen sulfide is produced as a byproduct, rather than water. This explains the sulfurous smell in many swamps and mudflats.

Two Types of Anaerobes

There are two main types of anaerobes: facultative and obligate. Facultative anaerobes can live with or without oxygen. When oxygen is present in their environment, they use aerobic cellular respiration to produce energy in the form of ATP. If oxygen becomes depleted, they can switch to anaerobic respiration or fermentation. In contrast, obligate anaerobes must live without oxygen. They are only equipped to undergo anaerobic respiration or fermentation, and the presence of oxygen kills them.

Facultative Anaerobes

Human muscle cells are facultative anaerobes. During exercise in which a person gets plenty of oxygen to their muscles, like distance running, the cells undergo aerobic respiration. But during intense exercise such as sprinting, in which the body’s oxygen needs outstrip the lungs’ ability to provide it, muscle cells will switch to lactic acid fermentation. This process is much less efficient than aerobic respiration and produces lactic acid as a byproduct, which builds up in the muscles and causes the burning sensation commonly felt during strenuous exercise. Because this is so much less efficient, a person can only do such intense activity for a very short period of time before “hitting the wall” and having to stop.

Another familiar facultative anaerobe is the bacterium Escherichia coli. While E.coli has had a bad rap in the press due to incidents of food poisoning, E.coli are actually very important and beneficial residents of the human gastrointestinal tract. They aid in digestion of food and absorption of necessary vitamins, as well as protection from potentially harmful infections. These bacteria can easily function with or without oxygen, which makes them highly adaptable to different environments. In the anaerobic intestine, they use fermentation to produce energy. If found in the oxygen-rich environment outside the gut, they switch to aerobic respiration.

Other Examples of Facultative Anaerobes

Staphylococcus aureus: Causes staph infections. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus is responsible for MRSA.

Lactococcus lactis: Its lactic acid fermentation is used in processing many types of cheese.

Obligate Anaerobes

One infamous example of an obligate anaerobe is Clostridium botulinum. This common bacterium produces a potent neurotoxin that can be fatal in even small amounts. It is found growing in items such as home-canned products, baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil, and honey. Under poor survival conditions, C. botulinum produces spores with a tough coat that allows them to survive for years. When conditions improve, the bacteria begin to grow and produce potentially lethal toxins. If a person consumes food contaminated with actively growing C. botulinum they are likely to succumb to a deadly food poisoning called botulism, the early symptoms of which are nausea, vomiting, and weakness. Then come the neurological effects: blurred vision, difficulty speaking and swallowing, and impaired muscle control, followed by difficulty in breathing and possibly death by asphyxia. Infantile botulism occurs after a baby ingests C. botulinum spores, which may be found in soil, dust, or honey. This is why young babies should never be given honey; before one year of age, their immune system isn’t strong enough to handle the spores, so they begin to grow and cause severe illness.

Possibly the largest aggregation of obligate anaerobes on the planet is found on the deep-sea floor, where they populate hydrothermal vents. These underwater hot springs erupting from the Earth’s crust are laden with minerals, which the bacteria use to energize their process of chemosynthesis, thereby building organic molecules. First discovered in 1977 by researchers off the Galapagos Islands, their existence re-wrote all biology textbooks. Before then, it was thought that photosynthesis was the only means by which autotrophic organisms could convert energy into food for themselves. Bob Ballard, the deep-sea explorer who discovered the wreck of the Titanic, was on the Alvin submersible the day it went down to film the vents. He later said that the discovery of chemosynthesis in vent bacteria was one of the biggest biological discoveries of the 20th century – far more important than any historical wreck. Evolutionists speculate that life began on the deep-sea floor, energized by chemosynthesis.

Other Examples of Obligate Anaerobes

Clostridium tetani: Causes tetanus

Chlorobium, Chloroflexus and several other species contribute to the prismatic colors of Yellowstone National Park’s hot springs

Anaerobes: Friend or Foe?

It is clear that our planet is well-populated with diverse anaerobic organisms. Some are pathogenic, causing severe infections such as MRSA, botulism, and tetanus. Others are beneficial, adding beauty to hot springs, flavoring cheeses, and shaping the communities of the ocean. For others, like E. coli, their status depends on their location: while E. coli is a necessary, helpful resident of the human gut, it can become pathogenic if ingested orally or some other way. In summary, anaerobes are important residents of Earth which brilliantly fulfill their ecological niches.

Quiz

1. Which of the following metabolic pathways requires oxygen? A. Aerobic cellular respiration. B. Anaerobic cellular respiration. C. Lactic acid fermentation. D. Alcoholic fermentation.

Answer to Question #1

A is correct. The term “aerobic” refers to oxygen. The other three processes all require the absence of oxygen in order to occur.

2. Which of the following is not a facultative anaerobe? A. Escherichia coli B. Staphylococcus aureus C. Clostridium botulinum D. Human muscle cell

Answer to Question #2

B is correct. C. botulinum is the obligate anaerobe responsible for botulism food poisoning. E. coli, S. aureus, and human muscle cells are all facultative anaerobes, able to switch back and forth between aerobic and anaerobic respiration, depending on their environment.

3. Where is the largest aggregation of obligate anaerobes found on the planet? A. Swamps and marshes B. Temperate and tropical rainforests C. The deep-sea floor D. Grassland and agricultural soils

Answer to Question #3

C is correct. The world’s largest population of obligate anaerobes inhabits hydrothermal vents found along undersea ridges, which stretch for 40,000 miles along the edges of Earth’s tectonic plates.

References

Arnold, P. (2009). Examples of Anaerobic Bacteria. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com

Reece, J. B., & Campbell, N. A. (2011). Campbell Biology. Boston: Benjamin Cummings / Pearson.

Clostridium botulinum. (2013). United States Department of Agriculture, Food Inspection and Safety Service. Retrieved from www.fsis.usda.gov

Duwat, P., Sourice, S., Cesselin, B., Lamberet, G., Vido, K., Gaudu, P., et al. (2001). Respiration Capacity of the Fermenting Bacterium Lactococcus lactis and Its Positive Effects on Growth and Survival. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC95345/

Gazda, L. et al. (2003). The Microbes That Keep Hydrothermal Vents Pumping. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Retrieved from www.ocean.si.edu

Hoecker, J. (2015). How can I protect my baby from infant botulism? The Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org

Hu, H. (2002). Looks can be deceiving: the case of Escherichia coli. Journal of Young Investigators. Retrieved from http://legacy.jyi.org

Roth, S.E. (2006). Why Does Lactic Acid Build Up in Muscles? And Why Does It Cause Soreness? Scientific American. Retrieved from www.scientificamerican.com

Taylor, A. (2016). What Makes Yellowstone’s Hot Springs So Colorful? Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com

[mentalmilkshakes]

LOOK AT HIM

[mentalmilkshakes]

[mentalmilkshakes]

He’s photosynthesizing

[mentalmilkshakes]

Highkey