Resources

Attached is the latest “New Items in the NBMA Resource Library,” a monthly selection of research abstracts from the University of Washington.  This is a benefit for NEBRA members.

August, 2010:  Bad bugs?      This month's library is all about anti-microbials in biosolids.  It includes just-released papers on triclocarbon from George O'Connor's group, as well as a paper from Ed Topp (both former Biofest speakers).  Seems that triclocarbon persists longer than triclosan (the other antimicrobial that is commonly mentioned).  All this fuss about a pathogen-free environment, hand sanitizers every time you turn around.  Anti-microbial tooth paste, sink cleaner, soaps... Turns out we may have the whole thing backwards. An article in the New York Times; “How Microbes Defend and Define Us” (July 13, 2010) told the story of a gastroenterologist who was able to cure a patient who had been wasting away for months as a result of Clostridium difficile (know that pathogen?) in a few days. Different rounds of antibiotics had not helped.  Instead, he injected healthy bacteria taken from her husbands colon into her colon.  Within a day or so, she was on the mend. In fact  our bodies are full of bacteria and it seems like the more, the healthier, the better.  So read these papers and hope that soon we will recognize the benefits of bacteria and not have to worry about what happens to the environment when you try to kill them.  Who knows, maybe direct ingestion of biosolids will turn out to be the new health trend.

--Sally Brown, Ph.D., Univ. of Washington

NEBRA members can request searches and copies of full articles from the NBMA Resource Library; the limit is 5 per month.  Please contact the NEBRA office for details and/or to submit a request.