A mummy discovered in the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, Cuzco, was found to have genes associated with antibiotic resistance in the 11th century, long before antibiotics were introduced. The genes were found in the mummy’s colon and feces which explains that gene mutations responsible for antibiotic resistance naturally occurred in over 1,000-year-old bacteria. This also explains that gene mutations are not necessarily related to the overuse of antibiotics. This particular mummy was created following funerary customs: the body was arranged in a fetal position with ropes tied around the wrists, ankles, and hips and was wrapped in baskets with only the faces of the dead showing. Researchers believe the woman who had died was between the ages of 18 and 23 and had a chronic case of the Chagas’ disease as a result of her abnormally enlarged heart, esophagus, and colon, all containing an abnormal amount of feces. This condition is caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, can be life-threatening, and is spread by bloodsucking insects. About 6-7 million people are still infected by this disease worldwide, especially in Latin America. Although the parasite in the woman was more primitive than modern forms, researchers say it was 98 to 99 percent similar to today’s virus and that it was most likely treated with coca leaves. The antibiotic resistant genes found in the woman would have proven modern drugs to be ineffective such as vancomycin. Interestingly, vancomycin-resistant genes have increased with the use of the antibiotic.
This article has many practical implications in modern medicine today. The findings in the genetic coding of the mummy can lead to a better understanding of the evolution of pathogens. Scientists in modern medicine are constantly looking for antibiotics to cure many bacterial diseases and infections, and this new understanding of antibiotic-resistance genes can help further the drug creating process.
I was initially drawn to this article because I find the study of mummies and how they have evolved over time rather interesting. The author did a fine job laying out the background information, the history behind this particular mummy and why she was sitting in the position she was in the picture shown. She also did a nice job explaining the similarities between the mummy’s disease and similar diseases today. However, the author could make some improvements: I was confused when I was reading about the Chaga’s disease because she did not elaborate on what the effects of the disease was, only how it is obtained. I also think the author could have left out a paragraph she wrote on several different viruses, such as forms of HPV, found in the mummy that have no significance to the purpose of the article as a whole. Over all, I truly enjoyed reading the article and liked learning about how particular mummies in a certain region of the world are preserved.
Lorenzi, Rossella. "Antibiotic-Resistant Genes Found in Mummy : DNews." DNews. Discovery News, 20 Oct. 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
Caroline, your article review about a mummy containing antibiotic resistant genes was very interesting. Your choice of an original topic was one of the strong suits of your review, making it stand out amongst the other articles. In addition, your incorporation of specific details were well placed and made the review stronger overall. Lastly, your review was a nice length, and did not have so much information that it became boring and redundant to read.
ReplyDeleteDespite all the positive attributes of your review, there are a few things that you can improve upon to make it even better. First, try to explain more of what chagas’ disease is, specifically, symptoms and effects on the body. Second, try to review your sentence structure, because some of the sentences seemed very long and read awkwardly.
One of the things I learned from reading your article is the possibility that antibiotic resistance may not be a complete result of over prescription, but also a result of random genetic mutations. Hopefully, this will open many doors for the medical industry and allow them to figure out how to reduce growing resistance to antibiotics.
Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI thought you did a great job with your current event review. One thing you did especially well is that you got right to the point. This made your article very easy to read and it also made the information extremely accessible. Another thing I felt you did well was that you filled your article with information, making the most of each line. You have a very interesting topic, so having so much information in your review made it very enjoyable to read. Finally, I thought you did an excellent job in organizing your review. The change in topic is clearly marked each and every time with a fresh paragraph, and each paragraph stays on target with laser-like focus.
One thing I thought you could have improved on is elaborating on Chagas’ disease: I appreciate that you mentioned it is still prevalent today, yet I struggle to understand what exactly it does and why. The only other thing I think can be improved is your consistence grammatically. For example, Chagas’ Disease appears in your review as both “Chagas’“ and “Chaga’s” which makes it a little confusing.
What I learned from your review is that antibiotic resistance may, in fact, be linked to a genetic trait. I found this topic very interesting and I felt that your review was very well written.
Again, great job.