Bio safety level 4...ooooh scary! Just in time for halloween......Blog #8!

Blog #8 Describe in as much detail as you can the procedures and protections for enetering a hot zone bio containment facility.


Many precautions must be taken before entering a 'hot zone' (biosafety level 4) bio containment facility. This is because Bio safety level 4 is required to work with extremely dangerous infections and diseases, which have absolutely NO cure. 


Firstly, when dealing with hazardous materials a 'Hazmat' suit (HAZardous MATerials) and a self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. Both the entrance and exit of this lab will contain many showers and both a vacuum and ultraviolet light room, which was created to destroy any traces of the hazardous materials or substances. Also, airlocks are carefully secured to make sure that both doors will not open simultaneously. On top of that, both air and water service going to and coming from a Level 4 lab go through a decontamination process to prevent an accidental release of the biological hazards. As you can see, level 4 must be handled with caution!


Secondly, the whole staff MUST be aware of how to handle hazardous and infectious agents, and are trained thoroughly in order to prepare for work around the substances. Basically, they know everything about the equipment, practices and the lab design. They are also carefully supervised by experienced professionals just in case anything were to go wrong. Furthermore, the whole lab is run by a director, who is aware of everything going on.


The facility is isolated and confined to avoid mistakes that can lead to other areas of the building. Positive pressure personnel suits are also ventilated by a life support system and are provided to staff.


Specific procedures are provided and building protocols usually use negative pressurized facilities to prevent contamination. Those facilities will contain an outbreak of pathogens, when needed.


Info from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosafety_level#Biosafety_level_4

Lyk..this blog is jus rite for mee..I HAT3 TYPING LYK DIS. -_- ...Blog #7! ;D

Blog #7 Go to CYOA look at the example of an IM message Write an IM and its translation about a contagious disease.

I.M.:
Heyyyy.
Anywayyyss i am lyk soo miserable. I cot the chick pox! I was visitin myy frend wit it but i thot id be ok after i dint get it for a fw days. but then i found out ppl r infectious 1 to 5 days b4 the rash appears. and it take 10 to 21 days afta contact to get it. and LEMME tell you, the rash is lyk reeelly reely gross. D: i shoulda never went over since the pox infect some1 if they breath in da same air after the person lyk sneezes or cofs. :(So gross rite!?!? Anyyyway, im lyin in bed rite now, with little red dots all ova my body.:( on da brite side tho, at least im not an adult yet, cuz chicken pox is even worse wen u old.:D And the dots even darker and uglier in adults! ewwww. and da scars are more prominent 2. I don't wana be seen like dis! well at least i dont think i gota worry bout that, since isolation is the best way. dont want any1 else gettin infected 2 u no...anyway it prob take about a wk until its all clear! Then u can come c me!
ttyl! :D

Translation:
Hey.
Anyway, I am so miserable. I caught the chicken pox! I was visiting my friend who had it, but I thought I would be okay after I didn't get it for a few days! But then I found out that people are infectious 1 to 5 days before the rash appears, and it takes 10 to 21 days after contact to get it. And, let me tell you, the rash is really gross. I should have never visited my friend! Apparently, the a person can get infected if they breathe in the same air after the person sneezes or coughs.:( Isn't that gross? D: Anyway, I'm lying in bed right now, with little red dots all over my body. :( On the bright side though, at least I'm not an adult yet, because chicken pox is even more severe when you get old. :D And the dots are darker and the scars are more prominent too! I don't want to be seen like this! Well, at least I don't think I have to worry about that, since isolation is the best way to prevent anyone else from getting infected too. Anyway, it will probably take about a week until I'm not contagious anymore! Then you can come and visit. :)
Talk to you later! :D

info from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenpox

THIS WAS SO HARD. I never type that horrible. :(

Marburg Virus kills an average of "only" one in two infected. How reassuring. (Bio Blog #6)

Blog #6 Go to Soar Higher click on Biology and then CYOA find a poetry form you like Write a poem about Marburg (the disease that killed Monet in Hot Zone) in your blog. Add a picture for extra points.

Cinquain Poem:

Marburg

Fatal, unbelievable

Aching, bleeding, dying

Destroying, attacking, overtaking, contaminating

Disease

Helpful Bacteria? Harmful Bacteria? (Bio Blog #5)

Although most people think of bad things once they hear the word 'bacteria,' not all bacteria is actually harmful to the body. One good bacteria for the human body is gut microflora. They are in the intestines and are also known as 'helpful bacteria.' After scientists studied the helpful bacteria in our gut, it led to the development of probiotics, which is a substance that encourages growth of the beneficial bacteria in our gut. Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli are the 2 most common species of bacteria used as a probiotics. It is helpful to us because it can prevent many diseases and sicknesses such as different infections and Chron's Disease. Furthermore, it helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It may even relieve allergies! Info from:    http://www.buzzle.com/articles/beneficial-bacteria.html    and   http://biomedme.com/biomed-articles/gut-microflora-probiotics-and-gastrointestinal-health_3769.html   

Bad bacteria of course, also exists. It is known as pathogenic bacteria and it can be so harmful that it can cause death. 'Pathogenic' means 'disease carrying' which, as you can tell, is NOT good. They are usually called germs and there are 3 different categories of germs called coccus, bacillus, and spirillium. Coccus produces pus and boils on the skin which can lead to infections of a wound. Bacilli causes much more horrible diseases, the most common being tuberculosis and influenza. Lastly, spirilla causes diseases also such as syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease that can produce skin ulcers, weakness and skeletal damage. Info from: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-harmful-bacteria.htm