I'm a clinical microbiologist working in a teaching hospital in India. We've been seeing multi-drug resistant strains of hospital bugs (Gram negative) for quite some time now.
In fact, more than 60% of the Gram negative isolates in our hospital (in-patients) appear to be producing an enzyme called extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBL). These ESBL-strains are often resistant to other classes of antibiotics as well, narrowing therapeutic options. In a subset of cases, these bugs turn up as resistant to almost all the antibiotics we test.
But, I am yet to come across a case where the isolate was resistant to colistin and polymyxin B. No clinician would even think of using these drugs if other options are available. But, if, as the article reports, these organisms turn out to be resistant to even these last-resort drug... we can safely assume that we are in deep shit.
Like the parent poster says, Escherichia coli is part of our gut flora... but that does not mean that it does not cause diseases in humans.
It is the COMMONEST cause of urinary tract infections. It can cause various forms of diarrhoeal diseases, including traveler's diarrhoea and haemorrhagic diarrhoea. It easily acquires resistance to multiple antibiotics in the hospital environment... and is a very common agent in hospital acquired infections. Treating an infection caused by multi-drug resistant E. coli is a HUGE pain in the butt (I speak from experience).
I do not think there are any vaccines that are given intra-venously, anyway. Most vaccines that I know know of are given by the intra-muscular route, and some by the sub-cutaneous and intra-dermal route. So administering any vaccine should well be within your field of expertise as an EMT.
That means the genetic material of this virus is RNA, not DNA. So what DNA exactly are they using in this vaccine? I did RTFM, but it does not answer this question.
But maybe, they are using DNA that corresponds to the viral RNA.
There is a bit of irony here... if Patrick had presented with these complaints in India (less of diagnostic facilities are available here, compared to Europe or USA), he might have been diagnosed earlier... this condition is rather more common here... and doctors maintain a higher degree of suspicion.
By the way, I am a doctor and an infectious disease specialist.
As the parent post says, isn't the/. summary a bit premature?
But still, it would be wise to be cautious, who knows what the next offer to Google might be? An offer they can't refuse?
Anyway, its nice to know we do have some alternatives: the open source search engine Nutch is in its larval stage. Lets hope they get it up and running before some company with plans for WORLD DOMINATION takes over Google!
Slashdot Mirror
In fact, more than 60% of the Gram negative isolates in our hospital (in-patients) appear to be producing an enzyme called extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBL). These ESBL-strains are often resistant to other classes of antibiotics as well, narrowing therapeutic options. In a subset of cases, these bugs turn up as resistant to almost all the antibiotics we test.
But, I am yet to come across a case where the isolate was resistant to colistin and polymyxin B. No clinician would even think of using these drugs if other options are available. But, if, as the article reports, these organisms turn out to be resistant to even these last-resort drug... we can safely assume that we are in deep shit.
Like the parent poster says, Escherichia coli is part of our gut flora... but that does not mean that it does not cause diseases in humans.
It is the COMMONEST cause of urinary tract infections. It can cause various forms of diarrhoeal diseases, including traveler's diarrhoea and haemorrhagic diarrhoea. It easily acquires resistance to multiple antibiotics in the hospital environment... and is a very common agent in hospital acquired infections. Treating an infection caused by multi-drug resistant E. coli is a HUGE pain in the butt (I speak from experience).
Case Sensitivity...
The difference between "I helped my uncle Jack off the horse" and "I helped my uncle jack off the horse".
I do not think there are any vaccines that are given intra-venously, anyway. Most vaccines that I know know of are given by the intra-muscular route, and some by the sub-cutaneous and intra-dermal route. So administering any vaccine should well be within your field of expertise as an EMT.
But maybe, they are using DNA that corresponds to the viral RNA.
By the way, I am a doctor and an infectious disease specialist.
Individuals who refer to themselves as "we" are:
Royalty
Government
People with tapeworms
There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and the words of Mr Darl McBride.
"They haven't got a clue what they're doing, but they're doing it."
They never had a clue what they're doing. They even have no idea what the history of a particular snippet of code might be!
As the parent post says, isn't the /. summary a bit premature?
But still, it would be wise to be cautious, who knows what the next offer to Google might be? An offer they can't refuse?
Anyway, its nice to know we do have some alternatives: the open source search engine Nutch is in its larval stage. Lets hope they get it up and running before some company with plans for WORLD DOMINATION takes over Google!
Rats deserting a sinking SCOw...