| fighting superbugs |  | |
drug resistant bacteria combating infectious diseases | ||
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
What I've learned...plus some links
CBS news(superbugs)
Food and Drug Administration(antibiotic resistance)
PubMed(bacterial resistance to disinfectants)
In the research I've done thus far, I've learned that the overuse of antibiotics is allowing bacteria to become resistant to the most common antibiotics, such as penicillin and amoxicillin. People are contracting super bugs, which are only treatable by the strongest, most expensive, and last resort antibiotic called vancomycin. The largest problem is that certain infections (mainly the staph infection seen in DuPage County) are becoming resistant to this drug as well, leaving us with no last resorts. Another problem contributing to the development of super bugs is the overuse of disinfectants. When people use disinfectants when they are healthy, it makes them less effective when they actually need them. This is because the most common disinfectant is becoming less effective as bacteria are starting to resist it. This, in turn, is contributing to stronger bacteria that are able to resist antibiotics. Another problem with disinfectants is that once you use them, you become instantly re-contaminated the second you touch something. The most important thing in fighting these super bugs is hand washing-especially the scrubbing action, which is what gets rid of the germs. Contrary to popular belief, the scrubbing action and warm water are more important than whether or not the soap is antibacterial.
What I still need to learn is how the chemicals in disinfectants are affecting our immune system and how this is affecting our bodies' ability to fight the super bugs on its own. I also need to decide if I want to include America's obsession with antibiotics and disinfectants-the psychological side of things. There is also a lot more information about types of antibiotics and disinfectants and how they actually work that I haven't even touched on yet.
Food and Drug Administration(antibiotic resistance)
PubMed(bacterial resistance to disinfectants)
In the research I've done thus far, I've learned that the overuse of antibiotics is allowing bacteria to become resistant to the most common antibiotics, such as penicillin and amoxicillin. People are contracting super bugs, which are only treatable by the strongest, most expensive, and last resort antibiotic called vancomycin. The largest problem is that certain infections (mainly the staph infection seen in DuPage County) are becoming resistant to this drug as well, leaving us with no last resorts. Another problem contributing to the development of super bugs is the overuse of disinfectants. When people use disinfectants when they are healthy, it makes them less effective when they actually need them. This is because the most common disinfectant is becoming less effective as bacteria are starting to resist it. This, in turn, is contributing to stronger bacteria that are able to resist antibiotics. Another problem with disinfectants is that once you use them, you become instantly re-contaminated the second you touch something. The most important thing in fighting these super bugs is hand washing-especially the scrubbing action, which is what gets rid of the germs. Contrary to popular belief, the scrubbing action and warm water are more important than whether or not the soap is antibacterial.
What I still need to learn is how the chemicals in disinfectants are affecting our immune system and how this is affecting our bodies' ability to fight the super bugs on its own. I also need to decide if I want to include America's obsession with antibiotics and disinfectants-the psychological side of things. There is also a lot more information about types of antibiotics and disinfectants and how they actually work that I haven't even touched on yet.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Purpose and Audience--Plans to Do
Topic: How does the overuse of antibiotics and disinfectants affect our immune systems? What is the obsession with these products?
Purpose: To illustrate America's obsession with being sanitary and the increase in germaphobes.To argue how the overuse of disinfectants may affect the way our immune systems develop, and how these products are allowing the strongest bacteria to survive and reproduce, creating a larger problem-super bugs.
Audience:
Primary-Parents of young children
Secondary-The school system
Purpose: To illustrate America's obsession with being sanitary and the increase in germaphobes.To argue how the overuse of disinfectants may affect the way our immune systems develop, and how these products are allowing the strongest bacteria to survive and reproduce, creating a larger problem-super bugs.
Audience:
Primary-Parents of young children
Secondary-The school system
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Bacteria's Resistance to Disinfectants and Antibiotics
Focus: Many disinfectants kill 99.9% of bacteria, leaving the strongest .1% behind to reproduce and create super bugs. Bacteria also builds up a resistance to antibiotics, forcing doctor's to up the effective dose.
How are disinfectants and antibiotics actually affecting our immune system?
Is the overuse of disinfectants due in part to the obsession to feel clean?
How are disinfectants and antibiotics affecting the world around us?
How are disinfectants and antibiotics actually affecting our immune system?
Is the overuse of disinfectants due in part to the obsession to feel clean?
How are disinfectants and antibiotics affecting the world around us?
Monday, October 15, 2007
possible topics...
1. Identify the issue or problem that you plan to focus on in your research project.
There are many additives and preservatives added to food to keep it fresh. Are those good things to put into our bodies?
2. What is your personal connection to and interest in this topic?
I've just always wondered how healthy it is to eat food that can sit on the shelf for a year without going bad.
3. What opinions do you already hold about this topic?
I'm pretty sure a lot of preservatives are really bad for the body, but I don't know which ones or how bad they are.
4. What knowledge do you already have about this topic?
Mostly just my assumptions...
5. What are your main questions about this topic? What are you most curious about?
How do preservatives affect our bodies? I'm really curious about aspartame(found in diet sodas and other sugar free drinks) in particular just because I've heard bad things about it.
6. Within what scholarly discipline (such as history, biology, psychology) do you expect to do most of your research? How does this discipline approach or study this topic?
I'm expecting to do most of my research in the consumer sciences.
7. How could you research this topic outside the library (for example, through interviews
and/or observations)?
I could do a survey of people who drink diet soda and see if they complain of anything out of the ordinary (I know someone who gets intense migraine headaches from diet soda)
Focus:
-I think that a lot of preservatives are not healthy and are used too much without examining the side effects. My questions are- How much do these preservatives and additives affect us? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of going organic?
1. Identify the issue or problem that you plan to focus on in your research project.
There are a lot of chemicals in household cleaning products and disinfectants that may affect the development of children's immune systems.
2. What is your personal connection to and interest in this topic?
I have two baby cousins that I babysit for all the time, and I just wonder about how beneficial these cleaning products are.
3. What opinions do you already hold about this topic?
I think that children who are never exposed to germs are not going to develop a strong immune system based on things I've read and heard...I could be wrong-we'll see.
4. What knowledge do you already have about this topic?
I've heard that products which kill 99.9% of bacteria are actually very bad because they allow the strongest .1% of bacteria to reproduce and create even stronger bacteria-super bugs.
5. What are your main questions about this topic? What are you most curious about?
How beneficial are disinfectants? How do the affect the development of the immune system?
6. Within what scholarly discipline (such as history, biology, psychology) do you expect to do most of your research? How does this discipline approach or study this topic?
I expect to do most of my research in the sciences.
7. How could you research this topic outside the library (for example, through interviews
and/or observations)?
Focus:
How do household cleaning products affect the development of immune systems in children and/or adults? Are the chemicals and disinfectants helping, or are they bad for our health?
There are many additives and preservatives added to food to keep it fresh. Are those good things to put into our bodies?
2. What is your personal connection to and interest in this topic?
I've just always wondered how healthy it is to eat food that can sit on the shelf for a year without going bad.
3. What opinions do you already hold about this topic?
I'm pretty sure a lot of preservatives are really bad for the body, but I don't know which ones or how bad they are.
4. What knowledge do you already have about this topic?
Mostly just my assumptions...
5. What are your main questions about this topic? What are you most curious about?
How do preservatives affect our bodies? I'm really curious about aspartame(found in diet sodas and other sugar free drinks) in particular just because I've heard bad things about it.
6. Within what scholarly discipline (such as history, biology, psychology) do you expect to do most of your research? How does this discipline approach or study this topic?
I'm expecting to do most of my research in the consumer sciences.
7. How could you research this topic outside the library (for example, through interviews
and/or observations)?
I could do a survey of people who drink diet soda and see if they complain of anything out of the ordinary (I know someone who gets intense migraine headaches from diet soda)
Focus:
-I think that a lot of preservatives are not healthy and are used too much without examining the side effects. My questions are- How much do these preservatives and additives affect us? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of going organic?
1. Identify the issue or problem that you plan to focus on in your research project.
There are a lot of chemicals in household cleaning products and disinfectants that may affect the development of children's immune systems.
2. What is your personal connection to and interest in this topic?
I have two baby cousins that I babysit for all the time, and I just wonder about how beneficial these cleaning products are.
3. What opinions do you already hold about this topic?
I think that children who are never exposed to germs are not going to develop a strong immune system based on things I've read and heard...I could be wrong-we'll see.
4. What knowledge do you already have about this topic?
I've heard that products which kill 99.9% of bacteria are actually very bad because they allow the strongest .1% of bacteria to reproduce and create even stronger bacteria-super bugs.
5. What are your main questions about this topic? What are you most curious about?
How beneficial are disinfectants? How do the affect the development of the immune system?
6. Within what scholarly discipline (such as history, biology, psychology) do you expect to do most of your research? How does this discipline approach or study this topic?
I expect to do most of my research in the sciences.
7. How could you research this topic outside the library (for example, through interviews
and/or observations)?
Focus:
How do household cleaning products affect the development of immune systems in children and/or adults? Are the chemicals and disinfectants helping, or are they bad for our health?
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Links for Synthesis Writing
http://www.gapinc.com/red/
www.avert.org/global-fund.htm
www.alertnet.org/db/blogs/1265/2007/02/9-194956-1.htm
http://www.pressureworks.org.uk/frontline/features/181006_red2.html
http://adage.com/article?article_id=115287
http://www.wheremostneeded.org/2007/03/where_bono_blun.html
Summary of the alertnet article "Bono rebrands 'sexy' Africa"
Even in his effort to "save Africa", Bono faces naysayers. According to Bono himself, 5,000 Africans are dying every day of AIDS. In order to raise awareness and money for those in need of medical attention due to the AIDS virus, he has teamed up with Apple, The Gap, Emporio Armani, Motorola, American Express, and Converse to create stylish products supporting the cause, in which a certain amount of revenue will be donated to Global Fund for the distribution of medication and medical care.
This seems like a noble cause, but is still met with much skepticism. The New York Times suggests that "the effort to chic out Africa" may come across as a hobby for the wealthy--a way to showcase expensive trends with an outer philanthropic appearance. Advertising Age calls them "Philanthropic Fashionistas". While this rings true, Bono maintains that as a global community, we are losing a fight against AIDS, and this is his way of fighting back.
Even still, it seems as if the companies are benefiting more than their causes. "Shop so the unfortunate can live" says Karen Heller of the Philadelphia Inquirer-in other words, these campaigns are feeding off of America's addiction to spending money. What about those who opt out of dropping $300 for an iPod when only ten dollars get donated, and instead donate the full $300? They don't get the kindness mark, because these campaigns are all about show. More money has gone to the advertising of the products for the campaign than the actual cause itself. Yes, spend money to make money is a common used phrase, but maybe in philanthropic situations, the opposite should be true.
Brenjo, Nina. "Bono rebrands 'sexy' Africa". Reuters Foundation Alertnet. 09 March 2007. 03 October 2007. http://www.alertnet.org/db/blogs/1265/2007/02/9-194956-1.htm
www.avert.org/global-fund.htm
www.alertnet.org/db/blogs/1265/2007/02/9-194956-1.htm
http://www.pressureworks.org.uk/frontline/features/181006_red2.html
http://adage.com/article?article_id=115287
http://www.wheremostneeded.org/2007/03/where_bono_blun.html
Summary of the alertnet article "Bono rebrands 'sexy' Africa"
Even in his effort to "save Africa", Bono faces naysayers. According to Bono himself, 5,000 Africans are dying every day of AIDS. In order to raise awareness and money for those in need of medical attention due to the AIDS virus, he has teamed up with Apple, The Gap, Emporio Armani, Motorola, American Express, and Converse to create stylish products supporting the cause, in which a certain amount of revenue will be donated to Global Fund for the distribution of medication and medical care.
This seems like a noble cause, but is still met with much skepticism. The New York Times suggests that "the effort to chic out Africa" may come across as a hobby for the wealthy--a way to showcase expensive trends with an outer philanthropic appearance. Advertising Age calls them "Philanthropic Fashionistas". While this rings true, Bono maintains that as a global community, we are losing a fight against AIDS, and this is his way of fighting back.
Even still, it seems as if the companies are benefiting more than their causes. "Shop so the unfortunate can live" says Karen Heller of the Philadelphia Inquirer-in other words, these campaigns are feeding off of America's addiction to spending money. What about those who opt out of dropping $300 for an iPod when only ten dollars get donated, and instead donate the full $300? They don't get the kindness mark, because these campaigns are all about show. More money has gone to the advertising of the products for the campaign than the actual cause itself. Yes, spend money to make money is a common used phrase, but maybe in philanthropic situations, the opposite should be true.
Brenjo, Nina. "Bono rebrands 'sexy' Africa". Reuters Foundation Alertnet. 09 March 2007. 03 October 2007. http://www.alertnet.org/db/blogs/1265/2007/02/9-194956-1.htm
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