Why wear gloves? - Page 2

Worth1 · February 8, 2007

Grub
That’s all fine and dandy for down under but here in the U.S.A we have an advanced culture and technology that wouldn’t allow such diseases to be in our highly advanced potting soils.

:wink:

Worth

Grub · February 9, 2007

You guys are so sanitised. Lol.
We get our potting mix from the moors.

landarc · February 10, 2007

someday you guys down under will have the nice clean sterile peat moss and artificial soil that we have soent decades developing up here.

cdntomato · February 10, 2007

This was all over the news in the past few days. Affects me bigtime and likely a few of you as well.

So gloves and mask it will be this year, a first for me in the garden. Prevention rather than reaction, everytime.

http://news.google.ca/nwshp?oe=UTF-8...13463555&hl=en

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/heal...181489.0.0.php
(note especially 5th paragraph, in light of the discussion on this thread--perhaps Carolyn, our resident microbiologist could comment)

Jennifer, who had mega doses of an antibiotic to deal with pneumonia last month, an antibiotic that some say shouldn't be given to someone with a compromised immune system (though it did work well and without apparently grevious side effects,..but I am wondering now about the not-obvious effects). However, the docs in emerg were having a hard time figuring out what were pneumonia symptoms and what were heartnstroke problems or what might have been a reinstallation of Infective Endocarditis now that some of my mitral valve cords are broken. You had to be there. And we have a severe bed shortage here in Kingston. 3 major teaching-hospitals and yet...

Jennifer, trying to figure out how to be protective but not paranoid, given her need for a lifetime of antibiotic use. Praying for a break-though at Mac, another teaching hospital in Ontario (see article linked below)
http://www.canada.com/topics/bodyand...c2108a&k=34974

Big sigh.

**carolyn137** · February 10, 2007

The drugs belong to a family of broad-spectrum antibiotics called macrolides which are derived from soil bacteria and are used to treat many infections.

*****

Is that what you're referring to Jennifer?

Yes, various macrolide antibiotics are produced from a class of soil bacteria called Actinomyces. And without those bacteria in the soil the surface of the earth would be miles thick b'c they are responsible for breaking down chitin and cellulose, among other things.

Streptomyces is in the same group, source of streptomycin and it produces geosin which gives the earthy smell to soil.

Actinomyces are everywhere and when you breathe in dust or any other soil based prodcut, sure, you're probably getting some inside you.

But, and i say BUT, there are many many different species of Actinomyces and even if inside you they aren't going to synthsize any antibiotics that will affect your body or the flora inside your body.

Special strains of bacteria are tinkered with genetically before making commercial amounts of antibiotics in large fermentation tanks or sometimes in surface mats.

Antibiotics are naturally produced by bacteria that do it and are part of the normal life cycle of those bacteria.

So individual Actinos that might be breathed in can't produce enough antibiotic to do anything; it's only the large amounts administered orally, or otherwise, that might have an effect, as the article explains.

cdntomato · February 10, 2007

Thanks very much for replying, Carolyn!! Sorry, seems my nowevenmorefaulty brain was buzzing in another, too personal direction.

Any chance that the intro of that strep bacteria into my system came from the soil? I know that certain medical and dental procedures must be always preceded by antibiotics from now on. Just curious if I should be more cautious on the gardening/farming front?

Thanks heaps.

Jennifer, obviously having trouble dotting i and crossing t

PS. Buying a car next month so could be of help this season, if wanted. Note to self: get passport too.

**carolyn137** · February 10, 2007

Jennifer, if you're referring to Enterococci, then no, they aren't free living bacteria and don't exist in the soil.

Streps, not Streptomyces, are obligate in vivo dwellers, and are found only within warm mammalian bodies. But of course by various means can be distributed with in certain environments as hospitals, nursing homes, home care patients, etc., via what I defined as fomites in another post here, which are inanimate objects which serve to allow for transmission of disease.

I too have to take prophylactic antibiotics before dental work now, b/c of the new hip prosthesis. I carry a card with me giving me several choices and the amounts to take and when to take them prior to any dental work at all.

Carolyn, going soon to spend the PM on SSE requests received to date.

blatanna · February 10, 2007

I think each and every one of us need to heed the advice in the posting by the health dept on the use of garden gloves when handling potting compost.
It does,nt really matter what part of the world we live in, we all need to take the warning seriously.

landarc · February 10, 2007

As one of the other fun with bacteria crowd on this forum, I have to think that sitting down with Carolyn and Jennifer at a nice quite cafe and discussing all of the permutations of infectious microbes and adventures in hospital would be of tremendous interest to all the surrounding diners.

Oddly, due to my chronic and constant battles with resistant staph, my doctors are loathe to give me any antibiotics. Most friends get a load of antibiotic for various things, even viruses. My doctors refuse to give me antibiotics unless it is a life saving situation due to my experiences. I also rarely get a single antibiotic, I usually get multiple types at one time.

cdntomato · February 11, 2007

Oh, Bob, the visuals on that luncheon....

The very pronounced imp in me would love to do it.

My tales of woe are so benign when compared to yours and Carolyn's. Jeepers you two, be and stay well.

Jennifer, formerly the reservoir for Penicillin G in Kingston and this after 6 weeks of multiple antibotics PIC-lined in megadoses right into my heart. My GI tract (note the spelling, Carolyn :>) has still not recovered. Well, really, when has it had time to, given the latest and seemingly chronic a-b doses.

February 10, 2007	#18
landarc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Left Coasty Posts: 964	someday you guys down under will have the nice clean sterile peat moss and artificial soil that we have soent decades developing up here. __________________ Lets see...$10 for Worth and $5 for Fusion, man. Tomatoes are expensive! Bob

February 10, 2007	#20
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	The drugs belong to a family of broad-spectrum antibiotics called macrolides which are derived from soil bacteria and are used to treat many infections. ***** Is that what you're referring to Jennifer? Yes, various macrolide antibiotics are produced from a class of soil bacteria called Actinomyces. And without those bacteria in the soil the surface of the earth would be miles thick b'c they are responsible for breaking down chitin and cellulose, among other things. Streptomyces is in the same group, source of streptomycin and it produces geosin which gives the earthy smell to soil. Actinomyces are everywhere and when you breathe in dust or any other soil based prodcut, sure, you're probably getting some inside you. But, and i say BUT, there are many many different species of Actinomyces and even if inside you they aren't going to synthsize any antibiotics that will affect your body or the flora inside your body. Special strains of bacteria are tinkered with genetically before making commercial amounts of antibiotics in large fermentation tanks or sometimes in surface mats. Antibiotics are naturally produced by bacteria that do it and are part of the normal life cycle of those bacteria. So individual Actinos that might be breathed in can't produce enough antibiotic to do anything; it's only the large amounts administered orally, or otherwise, that might have an effect, as the article explains. __________________ Carolyn

February 10, 2007	#22
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Jennifer, if you're referring to Enterococci, then no, they aren't free living bacteria and don't exist in the soil. Streps, not Streptomyces, are obligate in vivo dwellers, and are found only within warm mammalian bodies. But of course by various means can be distributed with in certain environments as hospitals, nursing homes, home care patients, etc., via what I defined as fomites in another post here, which are inanimate objects which serve to allow for transmission of disease. I too have to take prophylactic antibiotics before dental work now, b/c of the new hip prosthesis. I carry a card with me giving me several choices and the amounts to take and when to take them prior to any dental work at all. Carolyn, going soon to spend the PM on SSE requests received to date. __________________ Carolyn

February 10, 2007	#23
blatanna Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 150	why wear gloves. I think each and every one of us need to heed the advice in the posting by the health dept on the use of garden gloves when handling potting compost. It does,nt really matter what part of the world we live in, we all need to take the warning seriously. __________________ Blatanna

February 10, 2007	#24
landarc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Left Coasty Posts: 964	As one of the other fun with bacteria crowd on this forum, I have to think that sitting down with Carolyn and Jennifer at a nice quite cafe and discussing all of the permutations of infectious microbes and adventures in hospital would be of tremendous interest to all the surrounding diners. Oddly, due to my chronic and constant battles with resistant staph, my doctors are loathe to give me any antibiotics. Most friends get a load of antibiotic for various things, even viruses. My doctors refuse to give me antibiotics unless it is a life saving situation due to my experiences. I also rarely get a single antibiotic, I usually get multiple types at one time. __________________ Lets see...$10 for Worth and $5 for Fusion, man. Tomatoes are expensive! Bob

February 8, 2007	#16
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Grub That’s all fine and dandy for down under but here in the U.S.A we have an advanced culture and technology that wouldn’t allow such diseases to be in our highly advanced potting soils. :wink: Worth

February 9, 2007	#17
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	You guys are so sanitised. Lol. We get our potting mix from the moors.

February 10, 2007	#19
cdntomato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Kingston, Ontario Posts: 554	This was all over the news in the past few days. Affects me bigtime and likely a few of you as well. So gloves and mask it will be this year, a first for me in the garden. Prevention rather than reaction, everytime. http://news.google.ca/nwshp?oe=UTF-8...13463555&hl=en http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/heal...181489.0.0.php (note especially 5th paragraph, in light of the discussion on this thread--perhaps Carolyn, our resident microbiologist could comment) Jennifer, who had mega doses of an antibiotic to deal with pneumonia last month, an antibiotic that some say shouldn't be given to someone with a compromised immune system (though it did work well and without apparently grevious side effects,..but I am wondering now about the not-obvious effects). However, the docs in emerg were having a hard time figuring out what were pneumonia symptoms and what were heartnstroke problems or what might have been a reinstallation of Infective Endocarditis now that some of my mitral valve cords are broken. You had to be there. And we have a severe bed shortage here in Kingston. 3 major teaching-hospitals and yet... Jennifer, trying to figure out how to be protective but not paranoid, given her need for a lifetime of antibiotic use. Praying for a break-though at Mac, another teaching hospital in Ontario (see article linked below) http://www.canada.com/topics/bodyand...c2108a&k=34974 Big sigh.

February 11, 2007	#25
cdntomato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Kingston, Ontario Posts: 554	Oh, Bob, the visuals on that luncheon.... The very pronounced imp in me would love to do it. My tales of woe are so benign when compared to yours and Carolyn's. Jeepers you two, be and stay well. Jennifer, formerly the reservoir for Penicillin G in Kingston and this after 6 weeks of multiple antibotics PIC-lined in megadoses right into my heart. My GI tract (note the spelling, Carolyn :>) has still not recovered. Well, really, when has it had time to, given the latest and seemingly chronic a-b doses.