Humanity vs Bacteria and Viruses - We are Losing
Humans are on top of the food chain, but we are not apex predators, I used to be relieved at the thought that giant dinasaurs went extinct, because I can't imagine how humanity would have survived if those giants still walked the earth. So are we safe now. The answer is no.
Apparently the giants were never our predators, our species has been hunted for thousands of years by microscopic entities. It's the war on humans by Bacteria and Viruses.
We have some of them which are good for us, and many that are harmless in our environment and nature. But the so called "few" that cause mild to severe disease keep emerging.
When we are born and in the first years of our lives we aquire a number of good germs, which are a mixture of viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, collectively they are called microbiota.
They stay with us throughout our lives forming a symbiotic relationship with the health of our bodies.
We have no need to worry from them as long as our immune system is healthy, however, if it is compromised and interacts with any of these germs in a way which is inappropriate then any of these can turn into a disease causing pathogen.
So if we take care of our immune system we'll be okay? Yes, but unfortunately immunosuppression can happen in many ways, due to internal or external factors.
Some examples are surgery, antibiotics, antiviral drugs, genetics, and infections, all can result in compromise of the immune system.
1. Antibiotics can kill the germs of the microbiota when administered to kill infection causing germs.
2. During surgery germs of the microbiota may get removed.
3. Genetics could have defects that cause immune system compromise.
4. Antiviral drugs have shown in laboratory culture tests to cause inhibition of the immune system.
5. Infections like HIV and many others can cause weakening of the immune system.
Our only true defense against germs is the health of our immune system, therefore compromise of it is a possibly life threatening condition.
What about medical and technological advancement, and the assistance of artificial intelligence. What about the many methods of sterilisation, after all this is the 21st century.
Why does it feel like we are still in the middle ages when it comes to the fight against bacteria and viruses? Why haven't we eliminated the "few" disease causing germs. Why did we have a 3 year pandemic? Covid-19 is still causing thousands of deaths.
It's an extremely complex story to simplify but let us take the Streptococcus Pyogene, the bacteria that causes Strep A as a case study.
Descriptions of it's symptoms can be found far back in 4th century writings. The bacteria's name is derived from Greek words meaning 'A Chain.'
Outbreaks of Scarlet Fever, one of the diseases that Strep A can cause occurred throughout Europe and North America during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Another setback for humans is that there are thousands of strains of bacteria.
Scientists have identified 8,000 strains of bacteria with information about their genetics and metabolism.
However, there are few molecular studies about the age of bacterial pathogens that affected humans before the start of medical bacteriology.
Genetic studies of human skeletons and mummies have found Tuberculosis and Plagues dating back 5,000 and 6,000 years.
So why haven't modern science been able to eliminate these pathogens? And can it be predicted which bacteria or strain will turn pathogenic?
The answer is yes and no.
Mutations and evolution have been studied in laboratories, but these models cannot replicate natural settings with the limitless interactions of these microorganisms with nature.
Therefore scientists have always been several steps behind. Our intelligence is the only weapon we have to keep ourselves on top of the food chain, because if nature keeps outsmarting us at this pace, as far as bacteria and viruses go that is serious bad news for mankind.
So is nature bad for us? No. We have tilted the balance of nature, and are suffering it's consequences.
According to an article in Nature.com that cites various studies, Climate Change has made many diseases worse, bringing people and disease causing microorganisms closer together.
Everything we have learned has been by observing it in nature first. If we can ever get ahead of viruses and bacteria or find stronger antibiotics or other methods of treatment it will only be found in nature. So we need to protect naturel habitats of all species from destruction, and not just the species themselves. The ecology holds the secrets of behaviors of microorganisms.
Scientists of the world and media need to talk sense into people that have projects damaging nature, and there needs to be trust between the public and health officials.
Unfortunately after the many conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 vaccines, much of the trust in the World Health Organisation was severely damaged in a section of the public.
The rise in global stroke levels didn't help either as it cast suspicion on the vaccines which were known to cause blood clots in people susceptible to it.
In the Twitter WHO comments many tweets are there blaming vaccines for the recent surge in the deaths of children by iGAS, however in the UK 89.1% children under 12 were less likely to be vaccinated according to the UK Health Security Agency website.
Scientists are debating if lockdowns caused the children to not develope better immunity against the bacteria due to lack of exposure.
Matt Koci, virologist and immunologist warns in a NC State University article by Matt Shipman that humans are not apex predators and viruses and bacteria are around to show us whose boss.
He explained how the genome of the 1918 virus that killed soldiers with pneumonia like symptoms was restored by extracting its RNA in the 1990s by Jeffrey K. Taubenbergen and a team from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology to study it.
It was done in hope of learning how to deal with an outbreak of the pathogen should it happen.
We must stay vigilant in the fight against Bacteria and Viruses because we are precariously close to losing.
Many articles on the web suggest having a pet can boost children's immune system. Parents who choose to get a pet please keep in mind to teach your children to be kind to pets, and they are a lifelong responsibility and should not be discarded like toys. Adopt pets don't buy.
Foods that boost immune system should also be a priority and avoidance as much as possible of foods that weaken the immune system.
Arjuwan Lakkdawala is an author and independent journalist. Her Twitter is @Spellrainia
Copyright ©️ Arjuwan Lakkdawala 2022
The Royal Society Publishing - Mark Achtman
Nature.com - Heidi Ledford
National Library of Medicine - W Heagy et al, J Clin Invest 1991 Jun
BMC Biology - Liise-anne Pirofski, Arturo Casadevall
PMC - Immunity and immunopathology to viruses: what decides the outcome?
Barry T. Rouse and Sharvan Sehrawat
Wikipedia- Pathogenic Bacteria
NIH - History of Streptococcal Research
Nature.com - McKenzie Prillaman
Wikipedia - Strain (Biology)
