retep_yelir
@retepyelir.bsky.social
Still (but only just) a clinical microbiologist
Tidying up my office and came across this - circa 1988. This is how we regularly identified anaerobes back then. The second image is the gas liquid chromatograph showing a butyric acid peak - a characteristic of fusobacterium. You could even do GLC directly on pus specimens.
November 24, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Tidying up my office and came across this - circa 1988. This is how we regularly identified anaerobes back then. The second image is the gas liquid chromatograph showing a butyric acid peak - a characteristic of fusobacterium. You could even do GLC directly on pus specimens.
This turned out better than I anticipated. Staph aureus, Serratia and Klebsiella on chromogenic agar combining to wish you all a Merry Christmas.
November 24, 2024 at 5:04 PM
This turned out better than I anticipated. Staph aureus, Serratia and Klebsiella on chromogenic agar combining to wish you all a Merry Christmas.
ES Anderson was born on 28th September 1916. He was instrumental in helping solve the cause of the 1964 Aberdeen typhoid outbreak, but is best remembered for his work on transmissible antibiotic resistance, being one of the first to warn on the dangers it posed to human health.
November 24, 2024 at 5:04 PM
ES Anderson was born on 28th September 1916. He was instrumental in helping solve the cause of the 1964 Aberdeen typhoid outbreak, but is best remembered for his work on transmissible antibiotic resistance, being one of the first to warn on the dangers it posed to human health.
Yesterday was the centenary of the birth of the bacteriologist Naomi Datta. In 1962 she observed transmissible antibiotic resistance during an outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium at the Hammersmith Hospital. She later became a leading expert on the "R factors" that cause this.
November 24, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Yesterday was the centenary of the birth of the bacteriologist Naomi Datta. In 1962 she observed transmissible antibiotic resistance during an outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium at the Hammersmith Hospital. She later became a leading expert on the "R factors" that cause this.
Driving through Tulare county. George McCoy isolated a bacterium from ground squirrels here in 1911, naming it Bacillus tularensis. In 1922 Edward Francis showed that it could infect humans. The disease is now known as tularemia and the bacterium as Francisella tularensis.
November 24, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Driving through Tulare county. George McCoy isolated a bacterium from ground squirrels here in 1911, naming it Bacillus tularensis. In 1922 Edward Francis showed that it could infect humans. The disease is now known as tularemia and the bacterium as Francisella tularensis.
Type 7 on the Bristol stool chart, I think. From a bear! On the Valley Loop Trail in Yosemite Valley.
November 24, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Type 7 on the Bristol stool chart, I think. From a bear! On the Valley Loop Trail in Yosemite Valley.
Even though I'm on holiday there is no escaping the day job. A poster on display in Yosemite.
November 24, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Even though I'm on holiday there is no escaping the day job. A poster on display in Yosemite.
Came across this on today's bench round in the lab. Colombia blood agar, 18 hour incubation at 37 C with 5% carbon dioxide. Small Gram-negative bacilli, catalase and oxidase positive with a very strong fruity smell, reminiscent of a very ripe pineapple. Identity of the bacteria?
November 24, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Came across this on today's bench round in the lab. Colombia blood agar, 18 hour incubation at 37 C with 5% carbon dioxide. Small Gram-negative bacilli, catalase and oxidase positive with a very strong fruity smell, reminiscent of a very ripe pineapple. Identity of the bacteria?
Adolf Weil was born 7th February 1848. Known for Weil's disease, he described the clinical condition in 1886. Much later this was shown to be caused by a spirochaete. See this really good review with historical details and up to date microbiology.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/CM…
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/CM…
November 24, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Adolf Weil was born 7th February 1848. Known for Weil's disease, he described the clinical condition in 1886. Much later this was shown to be caused by a spirochaete. See this really good review with historical details and up to date microbiology.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/CM…
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/CM…
Walter Burkholder, American plant pathologist, born 1st February 1891. The genus 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘬𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢, named in his honour, includes bacteria that cause diseases in plants, but also some important animal and human pathogens such as the causes of glanders and melioidosis.
November 24, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Walter Burkholder, American plant pathologist, born 1st February 1891. The genus 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘬𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢, named in his honour, includes bacteria that cause diseases in plants, but also some important animal and human pathogens such as the causes of glanders and melioidosis.
Ferdinand Cohn born 24thJanuary 1828. Trained as a botanist, he worked on algae before switching to bacteriology. He was the first to describe endospores and his taxonomy of bacteria based on morphology is still in use. He was also instrumental in promoting Koch's early work.
November 24, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Ferdinand Cohn born 24thJanuary 1828. Trained as a botanist, he worked on algae before switching to bacteriology. He was the first to describe endospores and his taxonomy of bacteria based on morphology is still in use. He was also instrumental in promoting Koch's early work.
Philip Bruce White was born on 29th December 1891. He researched the antigenic structure of salmonella and purposes a method of classification in his 1926 publication. Fritz Kaufmann expanded this in the 1930s leading to the widely used Kaufmann-White scheme. 1/2.
November 24, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Philip Bruce White was born on 29th December 1891. He researched the antigenic structure of salmonella and purposes a method of classification in his 1926 publication. Fritz Kaufmann expanded this in the 1930s leading to the widely used Kaufmann-White scheme. 1/2.
Merry Christmas to everyone. Here is some agar art from our microbiology/infectious diseases trainees at St George's. Alexander Fleming is believed to have been the first germ artist and some of his "paintings" can be seen at the Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum at St Mary's.
November 24, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Merry Christmas to everyone. Here is some agar art from our microbiology/infectious diseases trainees at St George's. Alexander Fleming is believed to have been the first germ artist and some of his "paintings" can be seen at the Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum at St Mary's.
Gladys Dick, American bacteriologist, born on 18th December 1881. With her husband George, she investigated the pathogenesis of scarlet fever, demonstrating the role of haemolytic streptococci. They devoloped antitoxin treatment which was widely used in the pre-antibiotic era.
November 24, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Gladys Dick, American bacteriologist, born on 18th December 1881. With her husband George, she investigated the pathogenesis of scarlet fever, demonstrating the role of haemolytic streptococci. They devoloped antitoxin treatment which was widely used in the pre-antibiotic era.
Something different today. Ludwig Zamenhof was born on 15th December 1859 and became an ophthalmologist. His dream was a world without war and conflict. His proposed solution was a universal language to promote understanding between all peoples. Feliĉan naskiĝtagon Dr Esperanto!
November 24, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Something different today. Ludwig Zamenhof was born on 15th December 1859 and became an ophthalmologist. His dream was a world without war and conflict. His proposed solution was a universal language to promote understanding between all peoples. Feliĉan naskiĝtagon Dr Esperanto!
Robert Koch is a name well known to many of us. He was born on the 11th December 1843. He is most famous for his work identifying the bacterial cause of tuberculosis, but studied many other important diseases including cholera, anthrax and the animal viral infection rinderpest.
November 24, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Robert Koch is a name well known to many of us. He was born on the 11th December 1843. He is most famous for his work identifying the bacterial cause of tuberculosis, but studied many other important diseases including cholera, anthrax and the animal viral infection rinderpest.
Gerhard Domagk, German bacteriologist was born on 30th October 1895. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1939 for his work performed in 1931, demonstrating the antibacterial activity of sulfonamides, in particular the agent known as Prontosil Red (sulfamidochrysoidine).
November 24, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Gerhard Domagk, German bacteriologist was born on 30th October 1895. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1939 for his work performed in 1931, demonstrating the antibacterial activity of sulfonamides, in particular the agent known as Prontosil Red (sulfamidochrysoidine).
Today is the anniversary of the birth in 1912 of the American microbiologist Elizabeth King. An acknowledged expert in the identification of a Gram negative bacteria, she discovered many new species, several of which were subsequently named in her honour.
wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22…
wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22…
November 24, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Today is the anniversary of the birth in 1912 of the American microbiologist Elizabeth King. An acknowledged expert in the identification of a Gram negative bacteria, she discovered many new species, several of which were subsequently named in her honour.
wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22…
wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22…
Today is the anniversary of the death in 1885 of the Peruvian medical student Daniel Carrión, born 12th August 1857. By self-inoculation he set out to show that Oroya fever and verruga peruana were different manifestations of the same disease, now also known as Carrión's disease.
November 24, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Today is the anniversary of the death in 1885 of the Peruvian medical student Daniel Carrión, born 12th August 1857. By self-inoculation he set out to show that Oroya fever and verruga peruana were different manifestations of the same disease, now also known as Carrión's disease.
Howard Florey, Australian pathologist was born 24th September1898. Fleming (and others) had described the in vitro antibacterial effect of moulds, but it was Florey, Ernst Chain and Norman Heatley who turned this observation into the life saving treatment that we still use today.
November 24, 2024 at 5:02 PM
Howard Florey, Australian pathologist was born 24th September1898. Fleming (and others) had described the in vitro antibacterial effect of moulds, but it was Florey, Ernst Chain and Norman Heatley who turned this observation into the life saving treatment that we still use today.
I mentioned Edward Derrick in my post about MacFarlane Burnett. Derrick was born on 20th September 1898. He used the term "Q fever" (Query fever) to describe an unknown febrile illness in abattoir workers in Brisbane. It was meant to be a temporary name but has stuck ever since.
November 24, 2024 at 5:02 PM
I mentioned Edward Derrick in my post about MacFarlane Burnett. Derrick was born on 20th September 1898. He used the term "Q fever" (Query fever) to describe an unknown febrile illness in abattoir workers in Brisbane. It was meant to be a temporary name but has stuck ever since.
How on earth did I forget that on Monday 13th September, it was the anniversary of the birth of the Danish bacteriologist Hans Christian Gram? I think I have probably used the word Gram on several occasions every day of my working life for the last 35 years.
November 24, 2024 at 5:02 PM
How on earth did I forget that on Monday 13th September, it was the anniversary of the birth of the Danish bacteriologist Hans Christian Gram? I think I have probably used the word Gram on several occasions every day of my working life for the last 35 years.
Aldo Castellani, Italian physician, born 8th September 1874, made numerous discoveries during his colourful 97 year life, including 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘦𝘣𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘪, 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘦 (the cause of yaws) and 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘶𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘮.
November 24, 2024 at 5:02 PM
Aldo Castellani, Italian physician, born 8th September 1874, made numerous discoveries during his colourful 97 year life, including 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘦𝘣𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘪, 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘦 (the cause of yaws) and 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘶𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘮.
McFarlane Burnet, Australian microbiologist and immunologist, was born on 3rd September 1899. He is best remembered for his theories of acquired immunological tolerance and clonal selection. He was a co-discoverer of 𝘊𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘪, the cause of Q fever.
November 24, 2024 at 5:02 PM
McFarlane Burnet, Australian microbiologist and immunologist, was born on 3rd September 1899. He is best remembered for his theories of acquired immunological tolerance and clonal selection. He was a co-discoverer of 𝘊𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘪, the cause of Q fever.
The 58th annual convention of the American Legion's Pennsylvania Department started on 21st July 1976. 4,400 delegates attended the 4 day convention at a large hotel in Philadelphia. By August 3rd, 149 of the legionnaires had developed pneumonia which had no identifiable cause.
November 24, 2024 at 5:02 PM
The 58th annual convention of the American Legion's Pennsylvania Department started on 21st July 1976. 4,400 delegates attended the 4 day convention at a large hotel in Philadelphia. By August 3rd, 149 of the legionnaires had developed pneumonia which had no identifiable cause.