Interesting update on the deadly E coli outbreak."It's an unholy combination of microbes"

[snagglepuss]

snip

This particular outbreak appears to have been caused by an unholy combination of microbes — two older strains of E. coli, which have hybridised and mutated, plus an unrelated virus that has infected the bacteria, giving them the genes to produce the Shiga toxin.

This causes a complication called haemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), which damages the kidneys and blood vessels, and can kill.

Ironically, the fact that E. coli O104:H4 is resistant to almost all commonly prescribed antibiotics is, in clinical terms, not important.

Even if antibiotics worked perfectly against this germ, doctors would never prescribe them because, in destroying the microbes, the drug would hasten the release of the Shiga toxin as the bacterial cells burst.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1395078/E-coli-outbreak-Over-use-antibiotics-led-deadly-strain.html#ixzz1Oby1vIac

[elleng]

1. 'Unholy!!!'

[obxhead]

3. Yes. They failed to depict jesus as they grew.

:evilgrin:

[MineralMan]

2. ANATHEMA! ANATHEMA!

Seriously, this is not a good thing, but the use of "unholy" is pretty over the top. What does religion have to do with mutations and evolution, anyhow?

[snagglepuss]

4. The inability of DUers to handle a mere word is fricking unbelievable.

Hard to believe would get hung up on a word which imo is apt since in this situation, one in which even if there were antibiotics available to 'combat' this strain of e coli they couldn't be used because the bacteria itself has been infected - kill the bacteria and the shinga virus is released. If that is not an unholy situation, I don't know what is.



Is it not basic knowledge that words have more than one meaning, that unholy has more than one meaning? :shrug:






http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-cobuild/unholy

[Chemisse]

5. This is interesting! That explains why people in Europe were being warned not to use

their antibiotics. I think the article I read said it was because they didn't want the E.Coli to develop a resistance against the more powerful antibiotics, but it seemed to me you would not care about that if you were infected with a deadly disease. Concern about the release of a toxin if the microbes are killed makes a lot more sense.

And what is wrong with Unholy? It is often used as a slang that is void of any religious meaning. Besides, imagine having to come up with enticing headlines for science stories.