Bacteriophage Therapy

My partner Abi Grassler and I made an visual infographic page on http://www.easel.ly about bacteriophage therapy. Bacteriophage therapy is a process in which phages can be inserted into cells in order to target a specific strain of bacteria and either change the bacteria or expel it from the organism. We focused on the benefits of bacteriophage therapy over antibiotics, which we depicted in a chart. We also provided two diagrams of a bacteriophage and bacteriophage viral replication. Check it out here!

Don’t Sneeze, Please!

It is winter time, and you know what that means: Cold Season! While being in the cold does not directly translate to getting the virus for the common cold, lower temperatures often weaken the immune disease, inhibiting the body from properly fighting off the virus. There are over 200 different viruses of the common cold which circulate, causing most people to catch the cold two to three times per year. The common cold viruses are transmitted through breathing in the aerosol droplets of the virus and by touching your face with something that touched a surface that the cold resided on.  I’m sure you’ve experienced it – the stuffy nose, itchy throat, runny eyes, and the all around feeling of grossness. You feel yucky, chances are you have to take off from school or work, and it just is generally not a good experience. So then, the real question is, how can I not catch the cold this cold season? Below are some tips as to how to prevent catching the common cold:

1. WASH YOUR HANDS!!! Wash your hands as frequently as possible to avoid transmitting the virus by touching surfaces.
2. Stay warm: keep your immune system strong and running by staying out of the cold and keeping your body temperature warm.
3. Don’t share drinks.
4. Cough into your elbow or arm.
5. Eat foods that are high in Vitamin C to boost your immune system.
6. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. In general, just avoid touching your face!
7. Bring hand sanitizer with you in case you can’t find a sink before eating.
8. Wear a medical mask. While you might think it looks silly, wearing a mask could be a good way to protect yourself from the virus.

Stay healthy!

Ebola: The Merciless Killer

As Ebola has spread across Africa so has fear of this vicious virus. So far, according to the Center for Disease Control, Ebola has spread to a confirmed five countries since its outbreak in Guinea. The mortality has been thought to be up to 90%, meaning 9 out of 10 people infected with Ebola dies. One of the main challenges of fighting Ebola is containment: due to lack of proper health and sanitation care in African, this has become one of the most prominent reasons the virus has continued to spread. The international community has attempted to help control containment by putting international troops in these infected countries in attempt to try and contain the disease. However, I think the best way to control this virus (along with many other diseases) is to find the root of the problem – public health. By donating money and supporting foundations to help with public sanitation and health in Africa, other countries can in turn help with overcoming viruses such as Ebola. It is essential that other nations attempt to help in the fight against Ebola – otherwise, Ebola will go from some horrific-far-away-disease to a reality in our nation. Unless Ebola is stopped in its tracks, it WILL spread to other nations and become even more of a worldwide problem. This Ebola issue has affected how I think about health and medicine in my community because it has made me realize that access to good health care universally may be the ticket to stopping these diseases before they even start.

Works Cited:

“How Can We Help Fight the Ebola Outbreak?” KQED Education KQED Public Media for Northern CA. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.