The Microbiota: A Microscopic Shield Against Covid-19

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Microorganisms, however, are also allies of our health, and medicine is focusing on how they respond to infections in order to develop personalized treatments that take our little guests into account. The set of microorganisms that inhabit another living organism is known as microbiota. These microorganisms also have genetic information, which is why the term microbiome (which would include all those genes) has also been coined.

A Microscopic Battle: Microbes To Defend Ourselves Against Pathogens

Our immune system has two types of response: innate immunity, the first line of defense against infectious agents, and the adaptive immune system, which creates a specific response for each infectious agent and stores in memory how to prevent reinfection in the future. In other words, it allows us to differentiate our own microorganisms from those of others. 

The Microbiota And Immunity Against Covid-19

According to the same study, microorganisms in our intestines, in addition to helping us regulate different aspects of our health, would also allow us to prevent potentially dangerous immune reactions that damage the lungs and other vital organs in cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. 

Strengthening the immune system is possible by interacting with those microorganisms that are part of our microbiota. 

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A Door To Personalized Precision Medicine

Understanding how our immune response against the virus works is essential in order to find the exact composition of the antivirals and vaccines necessary to treat it. In this sense, microbiology and the study of the human microbiome will make it possible to shift the limits of personalized precision medicine and thus study opportunistic or potentially pathogenic microorganisms, or that may interfere with potential treatments. According to the researcher, Lindsay Kalan, a biochemist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, it is “important to understand how the microbiome interacts with its human host before starting to manipulate it to treat ailments and diseases.”

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Role Of Microorganisms In The Pharmaceutical Industry

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By nature, our cells fight against microbes that enter our body, and this is frequently demonstrated by the formation of pus and inflammation of the sores. However, microbes could adapt and undergo genetic mutations quickly, resulting in opportunistic infectious diseases, such as HIV. On the contrary, microbes can also help us in the way the “good bacteria” lactobacilli work in our digestive system.

Pharmaceutical industry

Understanding the principles of microbiology and the mechanisms of human cells allows pharmacists to discover antimicrobial drugs that would be used against an increasing number of communicable diseases. Pharmacists and microbiologists work together to ensure that drug therapies target opportunistic microbes without harming the human host. Another important role in pharmaceuticals is the use of microbes for medically important studies, such as Bacteriorhodopsin, a protein from the plasma membrane of Halobacterium salinarum.

Medical equipment

Microbiology plays an important role in medical devices, such as fluorescence fusion, which are used for the rapid and precise detection of pathogens in tissue samples. It is a technology to perform immunofluorescence studies that can be applied to find specific cells in complex biological systems.

Cosmetic microbiology

According to International Microbiology, microbial contamination of cosmetic products is very important for the industry and can become a major cause of product loss and economic loss. In addition, contamination of cosmetics can lead to their conversion into dangerous products for consumers. The water and nutrients in cosmetics make them susceptible to microbial growth, although only a few cases of human injury from contaminated cosmetics have been reported. More often, microorganisms are the cause of organoleptic changes, such as unpleasant odors, and changes in viscosity and color.…

Safety Tips For Medication Use

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More than 7,000 children go to the emergency department annually for problems related to drug reactions and errors in administering them. The most common mistakes occur with pain and fever medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. To avoid these errors, certain security measures must be adopted.

Safety tips for general drug use

  • Cold medicine usually has several medicines mixed in one container. For example, do not give another fever reducer if you are already taking cold medicine. Remember, taking a single medication is generally best to avoid confusion.
  • Sometimes a two-year-old can tell you that he has a headache or stomach ache to get attention or to learn more about medications.

Safety measures regarding dosage

  • Give the correct dose. Measure the dose accurately.
  • Use a syringe to dispense medicine or a dropper to measure the exact amount as they are more accurate than a measuring spoon.
  • Give the medicine at the prescribed times. If you miss a dose, give it as soon as possible and give the next dose at the correct time interval after the last dose.
  • Take special care with over-the-counter medications. Some medicines with potency for adults should never be given to children. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.
  • Medications to reduce fever can be administered to treat fevers above 102 ° F (38.8 ° C). Remember that fever can be how the body fights infection. Try not to get used to taking fever-reducing medications without thinking twice.

Medications and food

  • It is generally best not to mix medications with food or drinks because they can interfere with the effectiveness of the medication or dilute the dose.
  • If you mix the medicine with food or liquids, you must take it COMPLETELY.
  • You can offer your child something to drink after giving the medicine to help him taste it if he deems it necessary.

Helping children take medications

    • Some medications don’t taste very good. To numb its taste, your child may suck on a popsicle before taking medicine. You can also offer your child his favorite drink to help him pass it on.
  • If the medication is not essential (for example, over-the-counter medications), discontinue use. If you are not sure, check with your healthcare provider.

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