Comments for It's a MicrobeFul World!

Comment on About this weblog by quiet

quiet — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:01:37 +0000

thanx alot

Comment on The parasite of our parasite is our friend?! by Noha El Hosseiny

Noha El Hosseiny — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:10:37 +0000

dear prof. Aziz,
first i wish to thank u again for the wonderful lectures u have given us last year…we really miss micro all of us this term.
About this virophage topic: last year 2nd term we’ve learnt that it was found that AIDS patient who suffer a hepatitis G co-infection usually suffer less symptoms than the patients with no hepatitis co-infection, so does this have anything to do with virophages, or is it just a type of interference between the two viral infections without one of the viruses using the other as a host?
it is probably completely diff…lol,i know,but it just hit me while i was reading the topic when they wrote,:”and is the first time a virus has been seen to propagate at the expense of a viral host.”
anyhow,it’ll be nice to have a possible cure for some of the deadliest viruses like AIDS someday,though we believe that there’s no illness that has no cure…
thanks.

Comment on When your job is to discover microbes and give them names… by Mike

Mike — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:49:54 +0000

Hey, its my advanced microbiology teacher from OSU!

Comment on The parasite of our parasite is our friend?! by samar

samar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:58:38 +0000

what about using them as a vectors for delivering gene of interest in gene therapy?
As you said Dr Ramy, it needs more investigation, but
I don’t think variophage will carry some infectious genes (this is due to the fact that viruses are usually more simple, having the genes essential for their survival)
Conventional viruses which already have been used in gene therapy carry some infectious genes. Although these infectious genes must be deleted before administration, the patient is still exposed to getting infection and this is one major obstacle the clinical application of gene therapy facing.Variophages may solve this problem?

This Sputnick is attacking mamavirus which only attacks ameoba?so will it be different when the variophage’s host will be a human virus?

is it possible if we find some variophages which are specific to viruses attacking human, they will carry the genes they need for defending their lives from an extra host (human body) ??
Or will it be hidden from our immune system, and this will be an excellent “delivery system”?

I know it is too early for answers, but I don’t think it is for asking.

Comment on The parasite of our parasite is our friend?! by RKA

RKA — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:39:02 +0000

Samar,
there is a big discussion about this question “are viruses alive?” on the Nature (journal) website, that you can follow. However, I don’t think viruses fulfill all the classical definition of a “living organism,” but it is humans who put these definitions; Nature (mother Nature) does not follow our definitions. We can say that viruses are not cellular, and that’s it. Also, I guess that virophage cannot “infect” a virus that is not host-associated.

Ahmed,
the virophage was just discovered less than two weeks ago. It’s still early to look for a research using it to treat viral diseases: first you have to discover a virophage that is specific to a human virus; then, you have to test whether it kills it or not; then, you have to see if the virophage does not cause a tougher disaease.

For example, bacteriophages have been discovered about 100 years ago, and still phage therapy is not fully approved.

Comment on The parasite of our parasite is our friend?! by ahmed said

ahmed said — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:13:42 +0000

verrrrrrrrrrry good news!!!!
finally we can kill virus,but i want to know if there is aresearch about using virophage in treatment of viral diseases?
i think that using virophage in treatment of viral infection will be the most greatest discovery in microbiology.

please,i wait for more news about virophage

thanks for your hard work

Comment on The parasite of our parasite is our friend?! by pharma2010

pharma2010 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:23:34 +0000

it is gooooooooooooood news really

thanks you doctor sooooo much

and it is nice of you to tell us

and i would say nice to see you Mr. Sputnik

and i would like to see your family

Comment on The parasite of our parasite is our friend?! by MICRO WRITERS » Sputnik, the first Virophage: I’m on the Radio, I’m on the Video

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:12:18 +0000

[...] the infected amoebae. They named it Sputnik after the first man-made satellite. It’ll be the first isolated “Virophage“. The story won’t stop at this discovery. The discovery of the virophage will [...]

Comment on The parasite of our parasite is our friend?! by samar

samar — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 08:33:27 +0000

I don’t understand why variophage could suggest that a virus is alive.
I agree that viruses are alive since they have a certain tropism, they have their own host, they replicate and express genes..and act like any other living.so why their susceptiblity to infection is the issue suggesting life?
should anything exposed to infection be “alive”?
or because an infectious matter will not survive except in living organism?

Comment on To learn about microbes, think like a microbe!! by radwaraed

radwaraed — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 18:59:45 +0000

hhaha

creativity at its best

thnx Dr

Comment on To learn about microbes, think like a microbe!! by pharma2010

pharma2010 — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:52:28 +0000

thanks alot doctor

it is nice and on time with our study of virology

Comment on When your job is to discover microbes and give them names… by pharma2010

pharma2010 — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:43:57 +0000

thanks very much doctor for replay

i am sure it was interesting

thanks god any way

Comment on When your job is to discover microbes and give them names… by RKA

RKA — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:17:55 +0000

Dear pharma2010,
I am really sorry for the late notice. I thought there were enough announcements posted in the faculty buildings: the workshop was today- Monday 25 Feb at noon, and about a dozen of students have attended.

Comment on When your job is to discover microbes and give them names… by pharma2010

pharma2010 — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:27:32 +0000

it is very great news

but can student attend ??

and when will the seminar ??

thanks alot doctor

Comment on Disclaimer by Amanda Everse

Amanda Everse — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 02:15:35 +0000

Hi,

I noticed you were a user of the MicrobesCount! publication, and thought I’d let you know that we’ve now just published Vol VII of the BioQUEST Library. We haven’t made our big announcement yet, but that should be happening in the next week or so. It’s online, and free for the first time in 20 years. There are currently 14 microbiology resources related to the software modules and simulations that are part of the library. That is bound to grow.

Thanks
Amanda

Comment on Fall2007 Competition: More Winners at Stage II by Nehal Adel

Nehal Adel — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 20:50:02 +0000

I really appreciate it.

Thank you very much doctor for everything..for explanation , types of questions and even the quiz ( although I didn’t take it yet but I heard about it)

Really I’m very happy with it…Thanks a lot

I really wish you the best of all..

Comment on Third-year students: welcome to the world of microbes. by RKA

RKA — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 10:44:56 +0000

Ayoy,
this site is not really a “help” for students. It is a place to enjoy learning microbiology, and most information here are not exam subjects.
So, it can help you if you want to learn and enjoy this science, and you can try to find new info and send it as well.

As for help related to the third-year microbiology course, there is now a dedicated site on: Egybio Online Courses. Let me know if that one helps you.

Comment on Many winners… and many thanks to all participants! by Fall2007 Competition: More Winners at Stage II « Learning Microbiology and Immunology

Sat, 27 Oct 2007 03:02:51 +0000

[...] Learning Microbiology and Immunology Explore the exciting world of microbes… « Many winners… and many thanks to all participants! [...]

Comment on Competition! QuestionI/GroupA: What’s the microbe that withstands high radiation dose? by RKA

RKA — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 21:13:03 +0000

Soha,
I have your prize.
The problem is that I am not there Thursday unless I have a prelab lecture. Please come by next week, either Tuesday or Wednesday and you will get your award.

Comment on Competition! QuestionI/GroupA: What’s the microbe that withstands high radiation dose? by soha gamal

soha gamal — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:22:42 +0000

I’m Soha Gamal , i’d like to till u dr. Ramy that i dont get my prize,although my name was written with winners, i’m in thursday @ 2-5
thanx.

Comment on Third-year students: welcome to the world of microbes. by Ayoy

Ayoy — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:05:23 +0000

hi Dr/ Ramy

I really love this site & I’m sure you did your best to make it
But honstly
I don’t know how can this site help me
i’m sorry I’m sure the proplem from me

when ch.7 will be on the site?

Comment on Week 2-3 lectures (Part I- Chapters 2-3) now online by eman taha

eman taha — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:13:27 +0000

Thanks alot DR RAMY

Comment on Bacteria become more virulent in a space shuttle? by samarkabeel

samarkabeel — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 23:24:20 +0000

TAB vaccine(typhoid and paratyphoid A and B)

A suspension of killed typhoid and paratyphoid A and B bacilli.

Comment on Bacteria become more virulent in a space shuttle? by RKA

RKA — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:41:37 +0000

Samar,
this is a good point; let’s discuss it.
What’s the TAB vaccine against? Which Salmonella species? Which diseases?

Most likely the article is referring to Salmonella food poisoning rather than enteric fever.

Comment on Bacteria become more virulent in a space shuttle? by samarkabeel

samarkabeel — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:13:08 +0000

The story was concluded by(there is no vaccine available or Salmonella food borne infections in human)

how?

what about TAB vaccine?Isn’t it for Salmonella?

Comment on Week 2-3 lectures (Part I- Chapters 2-3) now online by donia

donia — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:19:41 +0000

thanks dr for your effort

Comment on About this weblog by lisa

lisa — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 07:00:59 +0000

it so beautiful way to communicate with you . thanks for your hard work with us .

Comment on Competition! QuestionI/GroupA: What’s the microbe that withstands high radiation dose? by Many winners… and many thanks to all participants! « Learning Microbiology and Immunology

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 22:46:04 +0000

[...] Soha Gamal (9 Oct, 10:18 [...]

Comment on Competition! QuestionI/GroupA: What’s the microbe that withstands high radiation dose? by Bishoy Saad

Bishoy Saad — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 23:43:28 +0000

But there’s one bacterium called Deinococcus radiodurans that can live through blasts of radiation thousands of times greater than the level that would kill a human being. Radiation is measured in units called rads. A dose of 500 to 1,000 rads is enough to kill a person. D. radiodurans thrives even after being hit by up to 1,500,000 rads—yikes!

The bacterium’s Latin name means “strange berry that withstands radiation.” Scientists who study D. radiodurans have nicknamed it “Conan the Bacterium.”
http://www.microbeworld.org/know/radiation.aspx

Comment on Week 2-3 lectures (Part I- Chapters 2-3) now online by Aya

Aya — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 08:24:39 +0000

Thanks alot Dr and I wish a happy year for us with Microbiology