...Introduction Banana (Musaspp.) is the fourth most important global food commodity after rice, wheat and maize in terms of gross value production. At present, it is grown in more than 120 countries throughout tropical and subtropical regions and it is the staple food for more than400 million people (Molina and Valmayor, 1999). Among the production constraints, Fusarium wilt caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp cubense(Foc) is the most devastating disease affecting commercial and subsistence of banana production through out the banana producing areas of the world (Ploetz, 2005). The disease is ranked as one of the top 6 important plant diseases in the world (Ploetz & Pegg, 1997). In terms of crop destruction, it ranks with the few most devastating diseases such as wheat rust and potato blight (Carefoot andsprott, 1969). The disease almost destroyed the banana export industry, built on the Gros Michel variety, in Central America during the 1950’s (Stover, 1962). In addition, the widely grown clones in the ABB ‘Bluggoe’ and AAA ‘Gros Michel and Cavendish’ sub groups are also highly susceptible to this disease worldwide. Presently, Fusarium wilt has been reported in all banana growing regions of the world (Asia, Africa, Australia and the tropical Americas) except some islands in the South Pacific, the Mediterranean, Melanesia,and Somalia (Stover, 1962; Anonymous, 1977; Ploetz and Pegg, 2000). The fungus Focis the soilborne hyphomycete and is one of more than 100 formae...
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...Exercise 12: Creative Document on the importance of Pseudomonas lundensis The species of Pseudomonas that I chose Pseudomonas lundensis is a gram negative, rod shaped bacteria that are motile with one polar flagella that propels it forward. The optimal temperature for P. lundensis is 25°C but its temperature range is from 0°C to 33°C. One third of P. lundensis strains can also grow at 37°C (optimal human body temperature). The colonies on nutrient agar will be smooth, circular and lack pigment but a green tinge may sometimes be seen. P. lundensis cannot grow at a pH of 4.5. P. lundensis was isolated and discovered living on refrigerated meat, other cases found on refrigerated spoiled meat and spoiled fish. This species of pseudomonas produces the fluorescent pigment pyoverdine. This pigment is best seen on King B medium which contains a proteose peptone & glycerol which enhances pigment production (2011, King’s). Pyoverdine pigments are yellowgreen siderophores seen under UV light, that are water soluble and efficient Iron(III) scavengers and transporters (Iain 2002). P. lundensis produces catalase, oxidase and has a arginine dihydrolase system all similar characteristics to pseudomonas species. Most strains of P. lundensis liquefy gelatin as well. P. lundensis metabolism is respitory; it does not have the ability to ferment thus the strains all produce acid but no gas...
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...Cystic fibrosis, also known as mucoviscidosis, is an autosomal recessive disorder.1,2,22 It is the most common inherited disease in the Caucasian population affecting 1 in 3000 children in Western Europe.3 It is a multiorgan disorder caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein, which is located on the long arm of chromosome 7 and encodes for a special chloride ion channel.4,5 The vast majority of mutations involve three or fewer nucleotides and result in primarily amino acid substitutions, frameshifts, splice site, or nonsense mutations.11 Of more than 800 identified CFTR mutations, the 3 base pair deletion of phenylalanine at position 508 is found worldwide in 70% of cystic fibrosis sufferers, therefore making F508 CFTR the most common deadly mutant in the Caucasian populations.6 Since cystic fibrosis has a genetic origin the opportunity to treat by replacing the defective gene with a normal healthy gene (gene therapy) offers a ‘novel therapeutic approach’ for sufferers.7 The estimated survival age of cystic fibrosis sufferers is 33.4 years (Fig 1). In this essay we will discuss the aetiology and symptoms of cystic fibrosis and the current available treatments, with particular emphasis on gene therapy and furanones, which prevent the build up of bacterial biofilms and thus reduce lung infection. Mutations in the CF gene can disrupt CFTR function within epithelial cells in different ways, ranging from complete loss...
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...1. Amoxicillin works by inhibiting cell wall synthesis during the stage of active multiplication and is a broad spectrum drug. The organisms that we tested with Amoxicillin, both Gram + & - were all resistant to this drug. The Zone of Inhibition was 0mm for E. Coli, S. Aureus, P. aeruginosa, S. marcescens. 2. Ampicillin’s mode of action is to penetrate Gram + and some Gram – cells. It has an Amino group which helps it to penetrate the outer membrane of Gram- bacteria. It inhibits bacteria from making cell walls and leads to cell lysis and is a broad spectrum drug. All bacteria that we tested, Gram -and Gram + were resistant to this drug. E.Coli was resistant to this drug, its Zone of Inhibition was 0mm. S. Aureus was resistant to this drug, its Zone of Inhibition was 8mm. P.Aeruginosa was resistant to this bacteria, its Zone of Inhibition was 0mm. S.marcescens was resistant to this drug, its Zone of Inhibition was 0mm. 3. Cephalothin’s mode of action is to prevent cell wall synthesis and is narrow spectrum. E.coli was resistant to this drug. Its Zone of Inhibition was 11mm. S. aureus was sensitive to this drug. Its Zone of Inhibition was 34mm. P.aeruginosa was resistant to this drug. Its Zone of Inhibition was 0mm. S. marcescens was resistant to this drug. Its Zone of Inhibition was 0mm. Gram + bacteria: S.aureus was sensitive to this drug. Gram – bacteria: E.coli, P.aeruginosa, and S.marcescens were resistant to this drug. 4. Erythromycin’s...
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...Introduction The increasing problem of drug resistant bacteria has pushed health care providers to seek out alternative methods to reduce hospital-acquired infections. On the forefront of these alternative methods is the use of high intensity narrow spectrum lighting (HINS lighting) to inactivate harmful bacteria (Bach, Maclean, MacGregor, Anderson, Gettinby, Coia, & Tagger, 2012). This HINS lighting system works by using a narrow band of light, which is lethal to bacteria, but harmless to people. The light penetrates the microbes and excites the molecules inside, causing them to self-destruct. This ceiling mounted light provides continuous environmental disinfection (Bach et al., 2012). In the wake of the healthcare reform, an analysis of this new technology is important to providers, who stand to lose reimbursement payment for hospital-acquired conditions (Straube, B. & Blum, J. D. 2009). HINS lighting system may offer a way to escape financial loss while improving quality of care. Background In 2011 it was estimated that between five and ten percent of inpatients in the US acquire infections during their hospital stay, resulting in a cost of over 30 billion dollars (Haplin et al., 2011). CMS and other insurance programs have begun shifting this financial burden onto the providers in the form of reduced reimbursement for hospital-acquired conditions and mandatory reporting of infection rates (Straube & Blum, 2009). In addition to the financial pressure faced by providers...
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...buildings near by. The fire of 1952 was the largest and most famous fire, which led to the environmental movements of the late 1960’s. Until the 1980's, this river was devoid of any fish or living organism except the Oscillatoria, which is a filamentous cyanpbacterium, which reproduces by fragmentation. The last fire of 1969 caused the movement that resulted in the creation of Clean Water Act, Great Lakes waster Quality Agreement, and the Environmental Protection Agency. These movements led to the halt of city sewage and factory toxins to be dumped in the river. As a teenager, I remember getting hot tub folliculitis after getting in the hot tub of the local gym known as Ballys Scandinavian. This id caused by the gram-negative bacillus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Hot tub folliculitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the hair follicles. This condition presents itself as a rash similar to chicken pox. Hot tub folliculitis has led to organizations checking the pH levels of the hot tubs twice a day and also led to the treatment of chlorine to prevent these organisms that thrive to grow in warm...
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...1. Explain why is each of these is often resistant to disinfectants. 1. Mycobacterium Mycobacterium is often resistant to disinfectants because of their waxy outer layer which classifies them as an acid fast bacterium. Mycobacterium are the rod shaped aerobic bacteria. 2. Pseudomonas may be resistant to disinfectants dependent on which surfaces may be disinfected with which product. 3. Bacillus are often resistant to disinfectants as these gram-positive rods have the ability to form an endospore. Endospores can survive environmental changes and usually kill the bacteria. When extreme cases of high temperature, high UV irradiation, desiccation, chemical damage and enzymatic destruction they cannot. There are many disinfecting products available for use, including Cavicide, Cidexplus, Clorox, Exspor, Lysol, Renalin and Wavacide. 2. Entamoeba histoltyica and Giardia lamblia were isolated from the stool sample of a 45 year old man, and Shigella sonnei were isolated from the stool sample of a 18 year old woman. Both patients experienced diarrhea and severe abdominal cramping, and prior to the onset of digestive symptoms both had been treated by the same chiropractor. The same chiropractor had administered colonic irrigations (enemas) to these patients. The device used for this treatment was gravity –dependent apparatus using 12 liters of tap water. There were no check valves to prevent back flow, so all parts of the apparatus could be contaminated with feces during...
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