canada.com— A British Columbia teenager's dream trip to Africa turned into a nightmare when bacteria began eating her eyes.
May 21, 2007View in Crawl 4
I knew a guy who had went blind for 6 years. He was walking towards the bathroom in a bar, and someone leaving the bathroom poked him in the eye, fumbling with the door. A few days later he started loosing his vision. The fungus, or whatever, spread to the other eye, and eventually he went completely blind. Six years later, he started getting his eye sight back. I'm sure it's not perfect, but now his eye sight is mostly back. Crazy world.
@anonym41414You are right, for the most part. I didn't miss anything though :) Pseudomonas *is* an opportunistic bacteria. It is also your normal, run of the mill infect healthy people bacteria too, but not as common. Also, as another commenter (guice) pointed out, she was healthy. This gets into the splitting hairs of "opportunistic infection". There are two ways that is used. 1. (Like in AIDS) No immune system, and you end up with PML, or crypto or P. jiroveci pneumonia (was PCP)2. Barrier breakdown, bugs where they shouldn't be ..etc..(as in this case)I am not fond of the second description, because to some extent, all bacteria are opportunistic when using that criteria.The most common cause of otitis externa, usually amongst swimmers, is our old friend Pseudomonas, and these people tend to be healthy.But in the end I was mostly commenting on the headline of "African bacteria".
OMG AN AFRICAN EYE EATING BACTERIA!!... UM NOT REALLY, sorry to this break to you guys but this bacteria is actually pretty common and is probably living on your own body right now forming part of your normal flora. its an opportunistic pathogen, meaning that it will be harmful to you only if your immune system is low or difficient. People often get infections from it at hospitals and people who suffer from cancer, aids or severe burns are more susceptible to infection. It can infect any part of your body given the chance to multiply. its pretty resistant to antibiotics but infections & virulence can vary. that poor girl just had bad luck & got it pretty bad! neways I know about this cuz im in Microbiology doind a project on this! ive actually worked with this bug in a lab :)
saintstryfeMay 22, 2007
I can't believe I got dugg down for that joke.
vulapineMay 22, 2007
I'm teh bakteriaz, I eatz yur eyez.
kndeMay 22, 2007
I would have liked pictures of the early stages.....so one can at least have an idea of what the symptoms looks like. In case it were to occur.
socokoolaidMay 22, 2007
I knew a guy who had went blind for 6 years. He was walking towards the bathroom in a bar, and someone leaving the bathroom poked him in the eye, fumbling with the door. A few days later he started loosing his vision. The fungus, or whatever, spread to the other eye, and eventually he went completely blind. Six years later, he started getting his eye sight back. I'm sure it's not perfect, but now his eye sight is mostly back. Crazy world.
chullMay 22, 2007
Pics?
Closed AccountMay 22, 2007
holes in eyes look like dark spots. if you shine a light into them they're still dark.glad she didn't completely lose her vision.
ratph1nkMay 26, 2007
@anonym41414You are right, for the most part. I didn't miss anything though :) Pseudomonas *is* an opportunistic bacteria. It is also your normal, run of the mill infect healthy people bacteria too, but not as common. Also, as another commenter (guice) pointed out, she was healthy. This gets into the splitting hairs of "opportunistic infection". There are two ways that is used. 1. (Like in AIDS) No immune system, and you end up with PML, or crypto or P. jiroveci pneumonia (was PCP)2. Barrier breakdown, bugs where they shouldn't be ..etc..(as in this case)I am not fond of the second description, because to some extent, all bacteria are opportunistic when using that criteria.The most common cause of otitis externa, usually amongst swimmers, is our old friend Pseudomonas, and these people tend to be healthy.But in the end I was mostly commenting on the headline of "African bacteria".
medabeeApr 22, 2008
OMG AN AFRICAN EYE EATING BACTERIA!!... UM NOT REALLY, sorry to this break to you guys but this bacteria is actually pretty common and is probably living on your own body right now forming part of your normal flora. its an opportunistic pathogen, meaning that it will be harmful to you only if your immune system is low or difficient. People often get infections from it at hospitals and people who suffer from cancer, aids or severe burns are more susceptible to infection. It can infect any part of your body given the chance to multiply. its pretty resistant to antibiotics but infections & virulence can vary. that poor girl just had bad luck & got it pretty bad! neways I know about this cuz im in Microbiology doind a project on this! ive actually worked with this bug in a lab :)
medabeeApr 22, 2008
u call urself a sexy geek?? hahah u should see me!! u don't even know what ur talkin about
medabeeApr 22, 2008
oh and I haven't lost my eyes yet....