You Make Me Sick!

Last night I was watching PBS and saw a story about a molecular biologist who discovered how bacteria communicate with each other. Through transmission and reception of certain chemicals, they are able to detect how many of them there are. When a critical number is reached, they then do whatever it is they do, whether they light up by bioluminsecence or make us sick.
This knowledge might help us manage bacteria when antibiotics inevitably become totally ineffective. We may be able to inhibit their communication and prevent disease that way.
Not to be outdone, however, the cold virus in my body decided last night was the time to remind me that viruses are around too...

Comments

Jer said…
It might be harder than that. Sure, we could disrupt the communication so they don't attack, but then they'd just keep multiplying... ewww.. maybe they'd form a new multicelled organism...

Now, if we could find a way to tell them to attack when there were only a few, BAM! Our bodies would nail em.

On another note, what the crap ARE viruses, anyway? I've heard them classified as "not living", so what are they? How is there something that can move on its own and reproduce, but isn't alive? (note to self. viruses are zombies)
July 18, 2007 at 10:15 AM
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