Most interesting Micro-organism!!

[kcstudentnurse06]

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?

[loricatus]

I think H. Pyori is a facinating topic. Especially with the history of how the 2 docs were, for years, ridiculed as crazy for showing that a microorganism actually can live in an acidic environment; and, how that microrganism manipulates the environment to increase the pH.

[kmoonshine, RN]

How about e. coli 0157:H7? There's lots of info out there on this one. Interestingly, it became so pathogenic because a virus inserted its DNA in the bacteria (creating a "bacteriophage"), allowing for the microbe to produce a toxin. Something I recently read stated that the release of the toxin may be triggered by antibiotics...

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Loa loa

[jojotoo, RN]

One of my favorites: Clostridium botulinum.

I've actually had patients with botulism.

Or how about the rabies virus? That's an interesting one.

[casi, ASN, RN]

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.

I'll second this one. It's very interesting.

Also the AIDS virus has a very interesting history.

[evans_c1]

I like the idea of botulism..that is so interesting. Have you considered Invasive group A streptococcus (IGAS)? this is a bacterium known to be the culprit of the dreaded flesh-eating disease.

Proteus is another good one as is aspergillus. too many to choose from!

[jojotoo, RN]

Wait - I thought of some more!

Hantavirus

Giardia (a protozoa)

Toxoplasma gondii (another protozoa, I think)

Bartonnella henselae (causitive agent for cat scratch fever)

Ebola virus

Or something that is REALLY interesting - the causitive agent for prion diseases: the prion.

You could have a lot of fun with this assignment.

[rita359]

I think H. Pyori is a facinating topic. Especially with the history of how the 2 docs were, for years, ridiculed as crazy for showing that a microorganism actually can live in an acidic environment; and, how that microrganism manipulates the environment to increase the pH.

I agree with this one. For many years ulcers were treated with maalox or mylanta and when this microorginism was first discovered it took 10+years for the medical community to accept the findings. I see plenty of patients treated with appropriate drugs for ulcers now but rarely get an order for maalox or mylanta meaju

[fnlyRNstudent05]

My friends kids have a form of strep that infects the skin. it has been a sudden onset of pimples on the face and neck, no fever, or sore throat. The rash is itchey, and painful. I took my daughter to doc and they did not know what it was but other kids have had a "strep" diagnosis. I am researching this but if anyone else has seen it please post!

[jojotoo, RN]

Just a few more:

Plasmodium protozoa (There's four that cause malaria)

Marsburg virus

Lassa Fever virus

Flavivirus (causitive agent for Dengue fever)

[jojotoo, RN]

My friends kids have a form of strep that infects the skin. it has been a sudden onset of pimples on the face and neck, no fever, or sore throat. The rash is itchey, and painful. I took my daughter to doc and they did not know what it was but other kids have had a "strep" diagnosis. I am researching this but if anyone else has seen it please post!

Impetigo? Usually caused by staph, but can be caused by strep.

[fnlyRNstudent05]

from what i see online it is impetigo or scarlet fever. I am perturbed (>SP?) that my peditrician couldn't tell if that was it. Do you think I should call and get an oral antibiotic for daughter?