scholarly journals At “half mask” or “nose commando:” A note demonstrating nasal breaths can spread microorganisms when improperly wearing a mask during COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Wolff

Many individuals are wearing face masks improperly at ‘half mask’ and potentially breathing out microbes that can contaminate the air as well as anything below the nose. This note provides the first report that bacteria and fungi breathed out during nasal air exhalation are able to be cultured after landing on blood agar plates. The CFU’s are higher after both 10 breaths and extremely significant for 20 breaths compared to the control plates exposed to the air. Implications of this finding are that going ‘nose commando’ may be able to continue the spread of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19. Minute bioaerosols carrying bacteria may be designated as microsnot.

Author(s):  
Robert Wolff

Many individuals are wearing face masks improperly at ‘half mask’ and potentially breathing out microbes that can contaminate the air as well as anything below the nose. This note provides the first report that bacteria and fungi breathed out during nasal air exhalation are able to be cultured after landing on blood agar plates. The CFU’s are higher after both 10 breaths and extremely significant for 20 breaths compared to the control plates exposed to the air. Implications of this finding are that going ‘nose commando’ may be able to continue the spread of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19.


2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Souza Neil Magalhães ◽  
Leandro dos Santos Machado ◽  
Arthur de Almeida Figueira ◽  
Thomas Salles Dias ◽  
Thiago de Almeida Feijó ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: Although rare, mycoplasmas are included among the causes of respiratory diseases in reptiles and, in the order Squamata, three reports of these microorganisms causing diseases in pythons have already been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of Mycoplasma species in captive snakes. A total of 26 snakes of the families Pythonidae (13), Boidae (7), Viperidae (5) and Colubridae (1) from RioZoo, Brazil, were evaluated. Animals were examined to determine clinical signs consistent with any infectious disease. Tracheal swab samples from snakes were collected in Frey medium and analyzed for the presence of Mycoplasma spp.by isolation and a genus-specific PCR. DNA sequencing analyses of six positive samples by PCR were carried out to identify the species. Using isolation 19.23% (5/26) was positive, while 65.38% (17/26) of the animals were positive by PCR. Based on the analyses of the six sequences obtained, there was similarity with a Mycoplasma spp. previously described in a phyton and, M. agassizii and M. testudineum reported in chelonians. This is the first report of Mycoplasma spp. in animals of the families Boidae and Viperidae. Mycoplasma spp. were detected in snakes with and without clinical signs. The mycoplasmas reported resented identity (range, 95% to 100%) to others already described in reptiles. There was no relationship between the presence of Mycoplasma spp. and clinical signs.


Revista CERES ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-59
Author(s):  
Kelly Cristine de Sousa Pontes ◽  
Camila Almeida Ramalho ◽  
Andrea Pacheco Batista Borges ◽  
Rodrigo Viana Sepúlveda ◽  
Renato Barros Eleotério

ABSTRACT The medium for storing biological tissues is of great importance for their optimal use in surgery. Glycerin has been proven efficient for storing diverse tissues for prolonged time, but the preservation of the bovine amniotic membrane in glycerin 99% at room temperature has never been evaluated to be used safely in surgical procedures. This study evaluated the preservation of 80 bovine amniotic membrane samples stored in glycerin 99% at room temperature. The samples were randomly divided evenly into four groups. Samples were microbiologically tested after 1, 6, 12 and 48 months of storage. The presence of bacteria and fungi in the samples was evaluated by inoculation on blood agar and incubation at 37 ºC for 48 hours and on Sabouraud agar at 25 ºC for 5 to 10 days. No fungal or bacterial growth was detected in any of the samples. It was concluded that glycerin is an efficient medium, regarding microbiology, for preserving pre-prepared bovine amniotic membrane, keeping the tissue free of microorganisms that grow in the media up to 48 months at room temperature.


2017 ◽  
Vol XXII (127) ◽  
pp. 82-85
Author(s):  
Armando Ruben Delgado ◽  
Juan Alberto Lorente ◽  
Juan Carlos Troiano ◽  
Paula Karina Rejf

This article reports for the first time the isolation of a Chrysosporium species from a juvenile green iguana (Iguana iguana) in Argentina. Since the animal presented a lesion in the distal third of the tail and had been refractory to different treatments, caudal amputation was the elected approach. Sterile tissue samples were seeded in Sabouraud agar with glucose and inhibitors, 8% ovine blood agar and McConkey agar (AMc), and incubated at 37 ºC. Under these conditions, white opaque fungal colonies with light brown pigmentation on the underside developed. Microscopically, the genus Chrysosporium was identified by the observation of septate, straight, irregularly branched hyphae with smooth surface and globose conidia. Histological findings included loss of epithelial continuity with infiltration of granulocytes and the presence of the saprophytic organism. In the dermis, granulomatous lesion with scarce fibroblastic and angioblastic reactions were observed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 612-618
Author(s):  
Rotimi A. Larayetan ◽  
Yahaya Abdulrazaq ◽  
Omobola O. Okoh

Callistemon citrinus belong to the kingdom plantae, family Myrtaceae and genus Callistemon. It grows in Australia but has been naturalized in South Africa. It is used as traditional herb to combat both gastro-intestinal and respiratory diseases, pain, diseases caused by bacteria and fungi infection. About 500 g of the air-dried leaves were pulverized each month and subjected to hydro-distillation using a modified Clevenger apparatus. Hydro-distillation of the fresh leaves of C. citrinus gave a pale yellow volatile oil with a strong scenty fragrance, about 97 components were identified in the 12 treatments analyzed each month. The key components were pinocarvone (1.25-6.17 %), pinocarveol (0.10-9.56 %), α-terpineol (5.24-9.94 %), α-pinene (7.45-22.75 %), limonene (24.08) and eucalyptol (14.69-72.35 %). The compositional profile of the leaves of C. citrinus varied between (January-December). Treatments under investigation revealed markedly qualitatively and quantitatively differences. Antioxidant capacity of the volatile oil of C. citrinus leaves evaluated also demonstrated significance influence of seasonal variation on its activity. The most exigent activity for DPPH free radical scavenging was recorded in the month of September (spring) with an IC50 of 0.50 ± 0.04 mg mL-1, while the most paramount activity for the ABTS assay was 0.94 ± 0.02 mg mL-1 in January (summer).The lowest activity were observed in the June (winter) collection with IC50 of 1.45 ± 0.00 mg mL-1 and 2.19 ± 0.05 mg mL-1 for DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively. Results show that seasonal variations affected the chemical compositions, oil yield as well as antioxidant activities of the volatile oil of the leaves of (C. citrinus); therefore, it is important to consider such effects for industrial and therapeutic purposes.


1988 ◽  
Vol 62 (01) ◽  
pp. 141-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard M. Thomas ◽  
George O. Poinar

A sporulating Aspergillus is described from a piece of Eocene amber originating from the Dominican Republic. The Aspergillus most closely resembles a form of the white spored phase of Aspergillus janus Raper and Thom. This is the first report of a fossil species of Aspergillus.


2020 ◽  
Vol 477 (14) ◽  
pp. 2679-2696
Author(s):  
Riddhi Trivedi ◽  
Kalyani Barve

The intestinal microbial flora has risen to be one of the important etiological factors in the development of diseases like colorectal cancer, obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, anxiety and Parkinson's. The emergence of the association between bacterial flora and lungs led to the discovery of the gut–lung axis. Dysbiosis of several species of colonic bacteria such as Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and transfer of these bacteria from gut to lungs via lymphatic and systemic circulation are associated with several respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, asthma, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, etc. Current therapies for dysbiosis include use of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics to restore the balance between various species of beneficial bacteria. Various approaches like nanotechnology and microencapsulation have been explored to increase the permeability and viability of probiotics in the body. The need of the day is comprehensive study of mechanisms behind dysbiosis, translocation of microbiota from gut to lung through various channels and new technology for evaluating treatment to correct this dysbiosis which in turn can be used to manage various respiratory diseases. Microfluidics and organ on chip model are emerging technologies that can satisfy these needs. This review gives an overview of colonic commensals in lung pathology and novel systems that help in alleviating symptoms of lung diseases. We have also hypothesized new models to help in understanding bacterial pathways involved in the gut–lung axis as well as act as a futuristic approach in finding treatment of respiratory diseases caused by dysbiosis.


2005 ◽  
Vol 173 (4S) ◽  
pp. 377-378
Author(s):  
Yasunori Hiraoka ◽  
Kazuhiko Yamada ◽  
Yuji Shimizu ◽  
Hiroyuki Abe
Keyword(s):  

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