Word: bacterias
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...seems like a no-brainer: Bacteria are evil and must be destroyed. And Americans have taken to the hunt with vigor, employing a dizzying array of "anti-bacterial" soap, cleansers and lotions in a desperate attempt to rid their environment of each and every last microbe. Unfortunately, say doctors, that vigilance could yield disastrous effects. In a move that sent the brass of the world's major soap companies running to their executive bathrooms, the American Medical Association announced Wednesday that they'd like to see the Food and Drug Administration step in and regulate anti-microbial agents in consumer...
...Friday, Walkerton police launched a criminal probe into the cause of the local epidemic, which is blamed thus far for 5 deaths and hundreds of cases of illness. Doctors worry the death toll has not yet peaked; several infected children are on dialysis and in extremely critical condition. The bacteria, which travels through the digestive system when ingested, can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stools and kidney failure, and in the most severe cases, death. As with many illnesses, children and the elderly are most at risk...
Predictably, officials in this farming community are horrified by the outbreak - and their lousy mood was recently exacerbated by revelations that the city?s water authorities knew back on May 18 that their supply was contaminated but did nothing to stop its distribution. No one knows how the bacteria got into the water, although some speculate recent rains could have pushed manure-contaminated floodwaters into drinking reservoirs. Police are also examining the filtering and chlorinating systems at local water stations...
...Since water can also carry the bacteria with alarming ease, Walkerton?s disastrous encounter with the illness serves as a terrifying nudge into a state of vigilance. In the case of water-borne outbreaks, people become infected after coming into contact with swimming or drinking water that?s been contaminated with sewage and/or human or animal fecal matter. With that delightful image in mind, doctors recommend taking the following precautions around water: Avoid swallowing lake or pool water when swimming; do everyone a favor and don?t swim when you are having gastrointestinal issues; keep children who wear diapers...
...does a little gum inflammation manage to disrupt the entire body? Scientists are still feeling their way through this mystery, but Dr. Jeffcoat presents one possible explanation for one unwanted result of gum disease. "Doctors theorize that bacteria in plaque causes infection, which can lead to inflammation. The inflammation means the body is putting out chemicals to try and fight off the infection. And one of the chemicals the body puts out is prostaglandin, which is very similar to drug used to induce labor." So keep flossing and brushing - and remember, the recommended two minutes is longer than you think...