Posts Tagged ‘bacteria’

Here’s a caution to criminals: forensics is about to get even more high-tech. It turns out that, aside from your traditional fingerprint, you also have a bacterial fingerprint. An emerging field of study involves the detection of the numerous variety of bacteria that live on our skin. As we go about our day, we leave traces of these little critters on the things we touch, each of us having our own unique mix of germs. One study showed that the average human hand contains about 150 species of bacteria with only about 13% shared by any two people. Another study involving a computer mouse (left untouched for 12 hours), the computer’s owner and 270 random people found that the closest match for the bacterial colonies on the mouse belonged to the computer owner. Researchers say that bacterial fingerprinting will someday facilitate identification of smudged fingerprints, in addition to determining who has touched things like fabrics and highly textured materials. [via AP News]

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Using surface disinfectants may contribute to bacterial antibiotic resistance, according to new research in January’s issue of Microbiology. We already know that the use of consumer-grade antimicrobial hand soaps contribute to the rise of antibiotic resistance. Similarly, the study demonstrated that when non-lethal amounts of disinfectant were added to bacteria in culture, the adapted bacteria were more likely to survive compared to the non-adapted bacteria. “In principle this means that residue from incorrectly diluted disinfectants left on hospital surfaces could promote the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” said Dr. Gerard Fleming who led the study. Bacteria that can resist both surface disinfectants and antibiotics could pose a very serious health concern to not only hospitalized patients, but the general public as well. [via Science Daily]

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New technologies developed after studying shark skin will soon be appearing at a hospital near you. Scientists at Sharklet Technologies, a Florida-based biotech company, have been studying shark skin for the interesting fact that bacteria just doesn’t seen to stick to it. Under the microscope, it appears that shark skin is composed of diamond-shaped bumps that give it this unique property. Hospital tests using plastic tubing (as used in intravenous lines and catheters) printed with this shark skin pattern showed that microorganisms which can cause potentially serious harm, such as E. coli and Staphylococcus Aureus, were unable to establish colonies large enough to infect humans. The technology is currently pending FDA approval for medical use, but in the interim look out for Sharklet to appear on high-touch surfaces like restroom door handles later this year. [via Popular Science]

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Antibiotics are one of the most important discoveries of modern medicine. However, indiscriminate usage can lead to the rise of antibiotics-resistant bacteria such as MRSA and VRE. Now, physicians are talking about infections due to the bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii, which has been steadily rising in the last three decades. Currently, multidrug resistant A. baumannii has been reported to be around 30%. Risk factors for infection with this bacteria include an extended hospitalization, advanced age, serious comorbid conditions, suppressed immune system, major trauma, invasive procedures (including catheters), and mechanical ventilation.

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