h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Do you know what is nanotechnology?

Do you know the implications of bacteriophages in medicine and other areas of biotechnology?

Are you counscious of the future influence of biotechnology in all kinds os areas ( since art to engeneering)?

Yes.

Yes, too

Yes.


Is this a survey?

1) Kinda... I've watched some Star Trek.
2) No... tell me more.
3) No... tell me more.

Y.

A lot of this comes up in the Science Matters column in The Post.

Bacteriophages are a great way to combat viruses, whilst our health system (UK) relies on anti-biotics and gets more and more mrsa infections, countries like Georgia can fight off far more serious infections then we can. A favourite bug bear of mine, which I covered a lot on my own website, before starting the science column here.

Kandarian,

>Do you know what is nanotechnology?

Yes.

>Do you know the implications of bacteriophages in medicine and other >areas of biotechnology?

Yes. The Russians and a few other countries of the former Soviet Union have been using it for years.

>Are you counscious of the future influence of biotechnology in all >kinds os areas ( since art to engeneering)?

Yes; judging by the way that Biology and Biomedical sciences are being funded at a University level. Unfortunately the short-sighted middle management don't quite realise that you still need Maths, Physics and Engineering departments in order for the things in BioTech to work. Ho hum.

Stay ,
WD

Yes, at least I thought I did. I thought bacteriophages were viruses that attacked bacteria? Surely you can't use them to combat other viruses?

bacteria

was writing 3 things at once

Indeed
Slip of the fingers I'd say on that one.

Bacteriophages are only one weapon though and not a panacea.

If they were all conquering of bacteria then there wouldn't be any now and life would long have ceased to exist. Like all other organisms they are part of the war. Bacteria can resist them too.

Constant use of them does not compromise the immune system though, anti-biotics does and we all know the resaults of that one. What annoys me is that UK hospitals do not even have the facilities to try and use bacteriophages, they would always rather turn to the one option of antibios.

Incidentally, my answers, yes, yes and yes

Why do you ask?

Constant use of antibiotics has transformed our civilisation so I wouldn't get too down on them.

What we all 'know' is in fact complete tosh, largely what journalists who know naff all about what they are talking about spout off.

The reasons for the spread of drug resistant bacteria in hospitals are complex and the ways of dealing with the problem equally so. There are no simple solutions, no quick fix, bacteriophages represent an important part of the fight against them but they are by no means the only, nor necessarily the best way to fight this problem.

Far be it from me to advertise my own articles but...

A591374 

They would be a good start though. To realise that there are more ways of fighting infections would also be a new approach in hospitals. There are many reasons for mrsa indeed, but to widen the methods to fight infection would be a good start, but won't happen whilst they are fixated on the current tired method. I am always reading of new novel approaches used in areas of poverty, where they have to think differently, but they are never utilised here, I guess because the nhs doesn't feel it has to think outside the box.

I would certainly agree with that.

Does thinking outside the box include remembering to wash your hands? It's pretty staggering that this was a lost art amongst the wards of our hospitals until very recently.

I think that comes under common sense, which seems to be lost.

Your article is very good and covers a lot. I have also read of cold therapy to give the body time to fight infection, cold as in temperature that is!

Last time I was in a hospital I was very* impressed with the clenliness regeme they opperated; it was a specialist ward for premature babies, and they had some very very sensible precautions in place for visitors to the ward. Though I get the idea, that, at the same hospital the other wards are still as filthy as when I was a patient there on a surgical ward, where there were certainly some very obvious signs of lax cleaning; anyone for a leftover sandwich left in the locker next to my bed from the previous patient?

Thankyou It's a bit out of date now though.

Cold therapy is not a bad idea but it may not be idea to give someone who's just had a major operation one though

A while back I read an article about some kind of "paint" that was very effective at killing bacteria mechanically, as it formed sharp spikes on a microscopic scale. No pharmaceuticals required and hardly any chance of resistance. Not much use internally, but could be used on hospital walls and floors. Anyone heard any more about this? Struck me as a very good idea.