I hate to be the bearer of bad news.
Last night at approximately 3:30 AM, Dr. Richard Graham, renowned epidemiologist, passed away due to complications from the Masque strain of MRSA. By the time the antibiotic was given, he had already gone into septic shock. There was nothing the medical staff could do for him.
His life-saving antibiotic went on to help thousands suffering from the same infection, but subsequent tests have revealed that this particular MRSA strain has the ability to quickly adapt to new antibiotics. As always, the best method of protection is to prevent infection in the first place by following proper hygiene and avoiding cross-contamination with already infected people.
Dr. Graham was the most energetic, studious, fun-loving and big-hearted person I knew. He was a joy to have around our lab and he will be sorely missed by everyone here. Especially me.
Thank you for saving my life, Rick, and the lives of thousands. It's just a shame you had to lose your own life to do it. I'll miss you.
- Dr. Allison Jade, Sr. Epidemiologist, Center for Disease Control Maryland Branch
Friday, July 11, 2014
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Allison's Party
Allison's party was crashed last night, and it's one hell of a story on how exactly it was crashed.
I'd arrived at Allison's house around 5:30 that afternoon, carrying my famous mustard potato salad in a large porcelain dish. It's a family recipe, having been passed down from my parents to me.
"Rick, there you are!" Allison cried as I entered, smiling. She wore a cat costume, complete with ears and a tail, while her husband Warren wore a Phantom of the Opera mask and cape. Good old Warren Jade, a dependable man if ever there was one. He was an orthopedic surgeon by trade, skilled of hand and soft-spoken of voice, with eyes and hair such a dark brown that one could easily mistake both for pitch black.
"Dr. Graham, a pleasure to see you again." Warren smiled as I entered and shook his hand. "Food's on the table, you can just set your dish there.
He motioned to the kitchen, where several lab mates of mine were already schmoozing, drinking, and in general enjoying the party atmosphere. On the table was the most wonderful spread of potluck dishes, and in the center of it, a glass punch bowl filled with a spiked fruit punch and sprite medley. I wasted no time in setting my dish on the table and getting my share of the punch; Warren always did make wonderful punches.
The party continued without incident, filled with revelry and camaraderie, karaoke and food, liquor and fond stories shared. Little by little guests trickled in, although surprisingly, Wahlburn was nowhere to be found. Nobody seemed to notice until around ten at night, when a lab tech from Allison's area of the building piped up.
"Hey, wait," he said, dark face marred in confusion. "Where's Dr. Wahlburn? Didn't he say he was coming?"
The entire room fell silent and awkward, with the only sound being that of someone's cellphone going off. The chime was just as quickly silenced. Nobody wanted to express concern, but even so... it was unlike Wahlburn to be late for a party, especially one he could so easily become carried away at.
"He's probably lost," said Allison finally. "Again."
This explanation seemed to quell the tension in the room, and before too long someone agreed to call him. Apparently he was on his way and would be there soon. Something about construction blocking the highway.
All was uneventful until 11:30, when the front door opened with a quiet squeak, and everyone turned to greet at the newcomer in joy... but that joy quickly turned to yet another awkward silence as the guest entered. In the new guest stepped as everyone watched in quiet, shocked thrall.
The guest was about Wahlburn's height and weight, and was in perhaps the most complex costume of all of us. It was clear he'd spent some time on the details and accuracy of it, and perhaps even spent a tidy sum on it, but the attention to detail wasn't what captivated everyone. His cloak was made of what appeared to be genuine leather, and seemed hand-stitched by the look of it, but that wasn't what caught the crowd's eye. His gloves and had were of older make, and seemed to be part of the cloak itself, but that wasn't what held everyone's attention
No, what held everyone's attention was the antique plague doctor mask situated on the guest's face, its amber lenses too dark to see the guest's eyes through. It was foreboding in its antiquity and disturbing in its timeliness, its reference to the recent MRSA epidemic, and not one person dared say a word about any of it.
Not one person, that is, except for Allison.
"Wahlburn!" she cried, outraged. "How... you... Why would you... ugh!"
The entire crowd began murmuring in disapproval then, annoyed at Wahlburn's tasteless costume. Allison began to shake in rage.
"Take that off! That is so fucking tacky, how dare you make fun of that when my mother is in the hospital sick with it?!"
The guest tilted his head, seemingly amused by the question, but made no motion to take the mask off. This unnerved me. Not even Wahlburn would push a crass joke this far... would he?
Wanting no part in the crucible that was the living room, I wandered towards the punch bowl again, intent on getting more to drink. Lord knew I'd need it if the crucible boiled over.
"Seriously, Wahlburn, that's not funny!" Allison was now starting to become seriously upset, her voice cracking. "Take the mask off. Please take it off..."
Warren was... well, let's just say he was not pleased upon seeing his wife's reaction, storming up to Wahlburn in uncharacteristic anger. I stirred the punch bowl, not wanting to get involved. This was their house, and their issue - my interference would only make things worse.
"Why won't you answer her? Can't you see she's upset?" Warren scolded, pulling the now crying Allison close to him. "Take that damn thing off..."
The guest made no motion to remove the mask, his attention turning to Warren in curiosity. I continued to stir the punch bowl, scooping a serving into my plastic red cup.
"Hey, you listening to me or not? Take that damn costume off, or I'm calling the police on you for harassment!"
The guest remained silent a moment, deathly so, eerily so.
I took a swig of punch, and almost immediately gagged on a piece of something slimy before spitting it back into the cup. Had a piece of food gotten into the bowl?
I glanced into the cup, gazing at the flecks of slimy brown inside, and my stomach turned. At the same time I heard others murmur and glance at their own beverages, all thinking the same exact thought as me. They'd seen the brown flecks before. Many times before...
The guest lifted his gloved hands to the mask, preparing to concede to Warren's demands, but I was too busy turning to look at the punch bowl in sick anticipation. In that bowl, I saw the horrible confirmation I had hoped I wouldn't. Little brown flecks, hundreds of them, thousands of them, floating innocently on the surface of the punch, covering it. Covering it like a mask.
I looked up just in time to hear Allison scream in horror, and a cursory glance was all I needed to understand why. The masked guest, dressed in the tacky plague doctor costume, was not Wahlburn. In fact, he wasn't anything.
Because the guest had no face under that mask. There was nothing, nothing but a sick collection of mobile brown biofilm, creeping slowly forward and forward towards the remainder of the guests, who, one by one, began to panic. The brown film spread behind it as it crept, slowly covering the floors and multiplying out over the walls, towards Warren and Allison and all the others.
And then, people began to drop. Dropping one by one, like flies, instantly ill... I remember watching, watching in horror as they collapsed, the brown film slowly overtaking them, their skin necrotizing and sloughing off where it touched, consumed by the biofilm...
The biofilm that was heading directly for Allison.
I don't remember much about what happened after that. I recall scooping Allison up and running, sprinting over bodies and dying souls, tumbling my way out of the front door in terror. I remember collapsing as I begged Allison to run, and then after that, all I remember is the sirens. The emergency sirens...
I still don't know what that thing in Allison's house was. I don't think I want to ever know. All I do know is that Allison's safe.
I'm in the hospital, being treated for exposure to the Masque strain. I pray the antibiotics work, because if they don't... if they don't, this may be my last post. The doctors told me I was pretty cut up when they found me, and I'm lucky to have survived this long.
They gave me the antidote, the antibacterial I tested, through intravenous drip. I pray to God it works, because I am in so much pain... so much pain. They tell me if I make it through this and recover, they'll likely have to do skin grafts to restore the damage the necrosis did to my face, and rebuild my nose. Even then, I'd be lucky to live.
Allison is safe. She's been treated and is back on the job as far as I know. As for her husband... there was nothing I could do. There was nothing anyone could have done. The disease just devoured him, just as it devoured those other bacteria in its petri dish, just as it pushed back the antibiotics we tested on it...
This cure needs to work. Oh God, please, let it work... if not for me, then for all the others affected. Just for God's sake, let it work...
I'd arrived at Allison's house around 5:30 that afternoon, carrying my famous mustard potato salad in a large porcelain dish. It's a family recipe, having been passed down from my parents to me.
"Rick, there you are!" Allison cried as I entered, smiling. She wore a cat costume, complete with ears and a tail, while her husband Warren wore a Phantom of the Opera mask and cape. Good old Warren Jade, a dependable man if ever there was one. He was an orthopedic surgeon by trade, skilled of hand and soft-spoken of voice, with eyes and hair such a dark brown that one could easily mistake both for pitch black.
"Dr. Graham, a pleasure to see you again." Warren smiled as I entered and shook his hand. "Food's on the table, you can just set your dish there.
He motioned to the kitchen, where several lab mates of mine were already schmoozing, drinking, and in general enjoying the party atmosphere. On the table was the most wonderful spread of potluck dishes, and in the center of it, a glass punch bowl filled with a spiked fruit punch and sprite medley. I wasted no time in setting my dish on the table and getting my share of the punch; Warren always did make wonderful punches.
The party continued without incident, filled with revelry and camaraderie, karaoke and food, liquor and fond stories shared. Little by little guests trickled in, although surprisingly, Wahlburn was nowhere to be found. Nobody seemed to notice until around ten at night, when a lab tech from Allison's area of the building piped up.
"Hey, wait," he said, dark face marred in confusion. "Where's Dr. Wahlburn? Didn't he say he was coming?"
The entire room fell silent and awkward, with the only sound being that of someone's cellphone going off. The chime was just as quickly silenced. Nobody wanted to express concern, but even so... it was unlike Wahlburn to be late for a party, especially one he could so easily become carried away at.
"He's probably lost," said Allison finally. "Again."
This explanation seemed to quell the tension in the room, and before too long someone agreed to call him. Apparently he was on his way and would be there soon. Something about construction blocking the highway.
All was uneventful until 11:30, when the front door opened with a quiet squeak, and everyone turned to greet at the newcomer in joy... but that joy quickly turned to yet another awkward silence as the guest entered. In the new guest stepped as everyone watched in quiet, shocked thrall.
The guest was about Wahlburn's height and weight, and was in perhaps the most complex costume of all of us. It was clear he'd spent some time on the details and accuracy of it, and perhaps even spent a tidy sum on it, but the attention to detail wasn't what captivated everyone. His cloak was made of what appeared to be genuine leather, and seemed hand-stitched by the look of it, but that wasn't what caught the crowd's eye. His gloves and had were of older make, and seemed to be part of the cloak itself, but that wasn't what held everyone's attention
No, what held everyone's attention was the antique plague doctor mask situated on the guest's face, its amber lenses too dark to see the guest's eyes through. It was foreboding in its antiquity and disturbing in its timeliness, its reference to the recent MRSA epidemic, and not one person dared say a word about any of it.
Not one person, that is, except for Allison.
"Wahlburn!" she cried, outraged. "How... you... Why would you... ugh!"
The entire crowd began murmuring in disapproval then, annoyed at Wahlburn's tasteless costume. Allison began to shake in rage.
"Take that off! That is so fucking tacky, how dare you make fun of that when my mother is in the hospital sick with it?!"
The guest tilted his head, seemingly amused by the question, but made no motion to take the mask off. This unnerved me. Not even Wahlburn would push a crass joke this far... would he?
Wanting no part in the crucible that was the living room, I wandered towards the punch bowl again, intent on getting more to drink. Lord knew I'd need it if the crucible boiled over.
"Seriously, Wahlburn, that's not funny!" Allison was now starting to become seriously upset, her voice cracking. "Take the mask off. Please take it off..."
Warren was... well, let's just say he was not pleased upon seeing his wife's reaction, storming up to Wahlburn in uncharacteristic anger. I stirred the punch bowl, not wanting to get involved. This was their house, and their issue - my interference would only make things worse.
"Why won't you answer her? Can't you see she's upset?" Warren scolded, pulling the now crying Allison close to him. "Take that damn thing off..."
The guest made no motion to remove the mask, his attention turning to Warren in curiosity. I continued to stir the punch bowl, scooping a serving into my plastic red cup.
"Hey, you listening to me or not? Take that damn costume off, or I'm calling the police on you for harassment!"
The guest remained silent a moment, deathly so, eerily so.
I took a swig of punch, and almost immediately gagged on a piece of something slimy before spitting it back into the cup. Had a piece of food gotten into the bowl?
I glanced into the cup, gazing at the flecks of slimy brown inside, and my stomach turned. At the same time I heard others murmur and glance at their own beverages, all thinking the same exact thought as me. They'd seen the brown flecks before. Many times before...
The guest lifted his gloved hands to the mask, preparing to concede to Warren's demands, but I was too busy turning to look at the punch bowl in sick anticipation. In that bowl, I saw the horrible confirmation I had hoped I wouldn't. Little brown flecks, hundreds of them, thousands of them, floating innocently on the surface of the punch, covering it. Covering it like a mask.
I looked up just in time to hear Allison scream in horror, and a cursory glance was all I needed to understand why. The masked guest, dressed in the tacky plague doctor costume, was not Wahlburn. In fact, he wasn't anything.
Because the guest had no face under that mask. There was nothing, nothing but a sick collection of mobile brown biofilm, creeping slowly forward and forward towards the remainder of the guests, who, one by one, began to panic. The brown film spread behind it as it crept, slowly covering the floors and multiplying out over the walls, towards Warren and Allison and all the others.
And then, people began to drop. Dropping one by one, like flies, instantly ill... I remember watching, watching in horror as they collapsed, the brown film slowly overtaking them, their skin necrotizing and sloughing off where it touched, consumed by the biofilm...
The biofilm that was heading directly for Allison.
I don't remember much about what happened after that. I recall scooping Allison up and running, sprinting over bodies and dying souls, tumbling my way out of the front door in terror. I remember collapsing as I begged Allison to run, and then after that, all I remember is the sirens. The emergency sirens...
I still don't know what that thing in Allison's house was. I don't think I want to ever know. All I do know is that Allison's safe.
I'm in the hospital, being treated for exposure to the Masque strain. I pray the antibiotics work, because if they don't... if they don't, this may be my last post. The doctors told me I was pretty cut up when they found me, and I'm lucky to have survived this long.
They gave me the antidote, the antibacterial I tested, through intravenous drip. I pray to God it works, because I am in so much pain... so much pain. They tell me if I make it through this and recover, they'll likely have to do skin grafts to restore the damage the necrosis did to my face, and rebuild my nose. Even then, I'd be lucky to live.
Allison is safe. She's been treated and is back on the job as far as I know. As for her husband... there was nothing I could do. There was nothing anyone could have done. The disease just devoured him, just as it devoured those other bacteria in its petri dish, just as it pushed back the antibiotics we tested on it...
This cure needs to work. Oh God, please, let it work... if not for me, then for all the others affected. Just for God's sake, let it work...
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Very Concerned...
There's something not right about the most recent samples of the Masque MRSA strain that I've tested.
Last week, I plated a new batch of the bacteria and allowed it to incubate, as normal. Then, I proceeded to drop antibiotic on the plate, and let it sit for a few days. The results, as usual, were promising - the colonies where the antibiotic was placed died as usual, and growth of additional ones seemed to have stopped.
But the next day, when I checked the agar again, I saw something odd.
The colonies had started to grow back. And after testing the agar, I found the antibiotic still present on the plate.
This makes little sense, and it deeply worries me. I'm beginning to grow concerned that the Masque strain is adapting quickly. A bit too quickly...
I'm convinced it's a fluke, or an outlier, or something. This... simply isn't possible. It's not possible for a bacterium to become that resistant to a medicine and mutate that quickly. Even viruses don't mutate that fast.
I must be overthinking it. There's clearly an explanation for these odd happenings, I just need to find it. That, or I really, really need a rest from this project.
Allison's party is next weekend. I've chosen a simple purple and gold mask and I plan to wear a nice suit with it. No need to go all out, especially for an informal party. Besides, the festivities and the liquor will surely do me good. Lord knows I need to relax a bit, especially after the issues this project has faced...
Last week, I plated a new batch of the bacteria and allowed it to incubate, as normal. Then, I proceeded to drop antibiotic on the plate, and let it sit for a few days. The results, as usual, were promising - the colonies where the antibiotic was placed died as usual, and growth of additional ones seemed to have stopped.
But the next day, when I checked the agar again, I saw something odd.
The colonies had started to grow back. And after testing the agar, I found the antibiotic still present on the plate.
This makes little sense, and it deeply worries me. I'm beginning to grow concerned that the Masque strain is adapting quickly. A bit too quickly...
I'm convinced it's a fluke, or an outlier, or something. This... simply isn't possible. It's not possible for a bacterium to become that resistant to a medicine and mutate that quickly. Even viruses don't mutate that fast.
I must be overthinking it. There's clearly an explanation for these odd happenings, I just need to find it. That, or I really, really need a rest from this project.
Allison's party is next weekend. I've chosen a simple purple and gold mask and I plan to wear a nice suit with it. No need to go all out, especially for an informal party. Besides, the festivities and the liquor will surely do me good. Lord knows I need to relax a bit, especially after the issues this project has faced...
Friday, June 20, 2014
Congrats, Allison! :D
Dr. Allison Jade, a longtime friend and close colleague of mine, is celebrating her 10th anniversary in July this year. I've known her for years and I couldn't be happier for her.
Recently, she came to me for suggestions on the party she was going to throw. It was over lunch, I think, when she brought the party to my attention. She had wanted to invite the entire lab to celebrate with her, since so many of us were close friends.
"That's a wonderful idea!" I had told her, grinning. "Your lab techs are going to have a riot, I know how close you are with them."
"Like my little science children," Allison responded, smiling. "Are you going to attend, Rick?"
"I'm considering it. What's the theme?"
"Well that's the problem," she said, brow furrowing. "I haven't had much time to plan anything big, so it's just going to be informal. I've asked people to bring a dish to pass, to make it easier... but I don't know what I want the theme to be."
"Virii." I smirked.
"You are such an ass!" Allison laughed. "No. I was thinking costume party as the theme, but that seems too much, doesn't it?"
"Not at all," I reassured. "In fact, I think a costume party is a great idea. That way people can go all out, or they can just throw on a cheap masquerade mask. As long as they have at least a mask, it should qualify, right?"
"Right. Just as long as Wahlburn doesn't ruin it like he did last time someone threw a party - remember the pool noodle incident?"
I winced. Of course I remembered the pool noodle incident. Everyone in the lab remembered the pool noodle incident...
"Right. Well hopefully he'll be a little more considerate this time around."
"He'd better, or else he's getting thrown out."
The rest of the lunch period went fairly uneventfully as we discussed the Masque project and the promising new antibiotics that had been tested.
As for Allison's party, she's holding it a few weeks from now. I'll likely post about it after the fact, and then it's back to more work on the Masque project.
Recently, she came to me for suggestions on the party she was going to throw. It was over lunch, I think, when she brought the party to my attention. She had wanted to invite the entire lab to celebrate with her, since so many of us were close friends.
"That's a wonderful idea!" I had told her, grinning. "Your lab techs are going to have a riot, I know how close you are with them."
"Like my little science children," Allison responded, smiling. "Are you going to attend, Rick?"
"I'm considering it. What's the theme?"
"Well that's the problem," she said, brow furrowing. "I haven't had much time to plan anything big, so it's just going to be informal. I've asked people to bring a dish to pass, to make it easier... but I don't know what I want the theme to be."
"Virii." I smirked.
"You are such an ass!" Allison laughed. "No. I was thinking costume party as the theme, but that seems too much, doesn't it?"
"Not at all," I reassured. "In fact, I think a costume party is a great idea. That way people can go all out, or they can just throw on a cheap masquerade mask. As long as they have at least a mask, it should qualify, right?"
"Right. Just as long as Wahlburn doesn't ruin it like he did last time someone threw a party - remember the pool noodle incident?"
I winced. Of course I remembered the pool noodle incident. Everyone in the lab remembered the pool noodle incident...
"Right. Well hopefully he'll be a little more considerate this time around."
"He'd better, or else he's getting thrown out."
The rest of the lunch period went fairly uneventfully as we discussed the Masque project and the promising new antibiotics that had been tested.
As for Allison's party, she's holding it a few weeks from now. I'll likely post about it after the fact, and then it's back to more work on the Masque project.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Back to Work
Finally back from my hiatus.
Annie's funeral was beautiful and took place outside. There wasn't a cloud in the sky - just how she'd have wanted it. She was a wonderful, bubbly woman that always had a smile on her face and the sun in her heart, and I like to think when the sun shines it's her smiling on me from Heaven. I miss you, Annie - rest in peace, baby sis...
Work on my pet project has been halted due to a problem with the Masque project - the experimental quinolone is no longer working on the bacterial colonies. Not even at the highest doses.
This disturbs me. I've never seen a bacteria adapt so quickly to an antibiotic, or so easily suppress other bacterial colonies the way this one has. No wonder the Masque epidemic is spreading so quickly.
I'll be sharing my findings with my superiors; word is another lab has found another antibiotic that works well in treating infection with this bacterium. And the good news is, it's been approved by the FDA for use already. My only concern is, if this bacteria could defeat every antibiotic I threw at it so far, and so quickly... could it adapt easily to this one, too?
Clearly, more research is required. I'll be in touch.
Annie's funeral was beautiful and took place outside. There wasn't a cloud in the sky - just how she'd have wanted it. She was a wonderful, bubbly woman that always had a smile on her face and the sun in her heart, and I like to think when the sun shines it's her smiling on me from Heaven. I miss you, Annie - rest in peace, baby sis...
Work on my pet project has been halted due to a problem with the Masque project - the experimental quinolone is no longer working on the bacterial colonies. Not even at the highest doses.
This disturbs me. I've never seen a bacteria adapt so quickly to an antibiotic, or so easily suppress other bacterial colonies the way this one has. No wonder the Masque epidemic is spreading so quickly.
I'll be sharing my findings with my superiors; word is another lab has found another antibiotic that works well in treating infection with this bacterium. And the good news is, it's been approved by the FDA for use already. My only concern is, if this bacteria could defeat every antibiotic I threw at it so far, and so quickly... could it adapt easily to this one, too?
Clearly, more research is required. I'll be in touch.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Hiatus
Due to family events, I'll be going on hiatus for a few months. My sister is unfortunately dealing with a particularly nasty skin cancer and is undergoing treatment for it, but is not expected to live much past another month. She's been hospitalized and wants me to visit her in Alabama. I won't be posting again for a while, sorry... :(
Monday, March 17, 2014
Epidemic Warning
There have been increased cases of Masque MRSA strain infection in the western and central United States. The bacteria has been found in hospitals in the following states: California, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota, Colorado. It is believed that unwashed meats and produce from these states may be spreading the strain even to healthy people due to an increase in food poisoning cases caused by this bacteria.
Please, please be sure to wash any fruits and vegetables you purchase, and cook all meat thoroughly! Wash your hands and be sure to practice basic hygiene - you can spread the Masque strain without even realizing you've got it on you. If at any point you believe that a wound may be infected with this MRSA strain, seek medical attention. Do not wait - this bacteria causes tissue necrosis and can easily kill even healthy people who wait too long. Stay safe and healthy, readers!
Please, please be sure to wash any fruits and vegetables you purchase, and cook all meat thoroughly! Wash your hands and be sure to practice basic hygiene - you can spread the Masque strain without even realizing you've got it on you. If at any point you believe that a wound may be infected with this MRSA strain, seek medical attention. Do not wait - this bacteria causes tissue necrosis and can easily kill even healthy people who wait too long. Stay safe and healthy, readers!
Back on Track, and a New Development...
Back to work, finally! Hope all my readers stayed safe during the flooding these past few weeks - I know it's been a mess for me. Hopefully it hasn't been one for you, too - I know some districts are still dealing with floodwater damage.
Today, I checked on the previously treated samples from a week ago. It seems the experimental quinolone I treated them with has killed nearly all but the most resistant colonies. Success! I'll definitely be trying more trials with that antibiotic and others like it, just to be sure.
I also checked on my pet project with the penicillium and two different Staph strains, and discovered something... interesting. I know for a fact I swabbed some mold spores on there, but when I went to check, all I found were little brown colonies of the Masque strain of bacteria. I also had coughed on the plate, to be sure of other bacterial growth, and noticed there were some other unidentified colonies, but very few of them. This seems to indicate that the Masque strain is particularly persistent in crowding out other bacteria, and perhaps is even preventing them from growing entirely. I'll check the pet project again next week to see if anything new happens, but unless something big occurs I'll be devoting all my time to my research.
Today, I checked on the previously treated samples from a week ago. It seems the experimental quinolone I treated them with has killed nearly all but the most resistant colonies. Success! I'll definitely be trying more trials with that antibiotic and others like it, just to be sure.
I also checked on my pet project with the penicillium and two different Staph strains, and discovered something... interesting. I know for a fact I swabbed some mold spores on there, but when I went to check, all I found were little brown colonies of the Masque strain of bacteria. I also had coughed on the plate, to be sure of other bacterial growth, and noticed there were some other unidentified colonies, but very few of them. This seems to indicate that the Masque strain is particularly persistent in crowding out other bacteria, and perhaps is even preventing them from growing entirely. I'll check the pet project again next week to see if anything new happens, but unless something big occurs I'll be devoting all my time to my research.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Local Warning
Due to heavy flooding from snow melt, the Maryland area has become flooded in many districts, including the one my lab's located at. Unfortunately, this has caused the lower floor of the CDC building to be shut down, meaning I can't get into work and check my samples until the mess is cleaned up. The samples will be fine; they're kept in a sterile environment so no more contamination can happen, and I'm always the last one to lock up at night, so I know things are safe in there.
Until the floodwaters cede, stay safe and make sure to drink only bottled water, as it's likely that many water sources have been contaminated. I know there was a nasty water main and sewage pipe break over on 52nd, backing things up in that district. Keep safe and try to stay dry, guys. :)
Until the floodwaters cede, stay safe and make sure to drink only bottled water, as it's likely that many water sources have been contaminated. I know there was a nasty water main and sewage pipe break over on 52nd, backing things up in that district. Keep safe and try to stay dry, guys. :)
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