Most interesting Micro-organism!!

I need to write a 10 page research paper on a microorganism. Has anybody happened upon a very interesting one? I was thinking trich, and ofcourse there is the dreaded C-Diff. Do you have a better one?

Yersinia pestis, the organism that causes plague. There is a wealth of information on the internet about it. The CDC website is a good place to start. It is also very interesting from a historical viewpoint.

Community-acquired MRSA.

Community-acquired MRSA.

I would have to agree

We've had a recent rash of acinitobactor baumanii. Also, histoplasmosis is a very interesting one.

We've had some Acinetobacter lately as well. May want to do some research on this as some types are multi-drug resistant (there are several different types and they can mutate). Also, look into Seratia, it is pretty interesting.

How about Pseudomonas aeruginosa. I just finished micro and it was one of the ones we cultured. I found it interesting in its presentation: blue coloration and the grape smell. Most of the things we 'grew' smelled either weird or bad. P. aeruginosa was pretty neat.

Community acquired- MRSA. The CDC is a great resource and it would an interesting topic as it has become so prevalent.

I would have to agree

Me too.

pseudomonas is a good one...there are now many strains that are becoming multi drug resistant...which warrants a "critical value" phone call from the lab, when sensitivities are finished. Also ESBL...got a call from the lab the other day that a pt had Kleb pneumo (a common bug) in his urine but it was found to be ESBL positive...I believe this is something that is being seen more frequently, and something to do with common bugs now becoming resistant to antibiotics.

My husband grew nontuberculous mycobacteria in his Olecranon. He took a simple fall off of his mountain bike in the woods and had a puncture wound that turned into a cellulititis of his elbow. They kept tapping it- and it all negative so they ended up removing the olocran since it kept getting inflammed and red. The doctor told me it looked clean, etc after surgery.. wouldnt you know microbiology called me in the ER and said it looked to be growing TB:idea:

He is a medic so we were wondering if he somehow got it into the wound on the rescue truck. Low and behold after going to the state for further testing it was a non form of TB. He had to go on bactrim for 6 months though.. He always keeps things interesting thats for sure.

If you want to be really topical, look up which TB strain the man in the news has. He is now quarantined in Denver. I'll be the CDC website would have some info on him and his situation.