Guest guest Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 Wow, did you know about the Gila Monster? I read a fascinating article in the National Geographic about how they kill their prey. Since they're so slow, with only short bursts of speed, they inject them with a powerful, toxic microbe that slowly kills the animal. They do this when they bite the animal. At that time, their teeth erupt through their gums and cause bleeding which produces the toxin. The Gila Monster then tracks the dying animal, for up to a couple of days. But what's really remarkable is that the toxic microbes don't hurt the Gila Monster, and that's because they've developed their own personal supply of antidote that kicks in, every time they release the toxin. Makes senses Crocs can avoid HIV due to powerful immune systems. They're one of the oldest living animals on the planet. Lets hope we can learn something from them. (without depriving them of sleep). :-) penny > http://news./news? > tmpl=story & cid=571 & e=2 & u=/nm/20050816/hl_nm/australia_crocodile_dc > > Crocodile blood may yield powerful new antibiotics > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 Sue That's a good article. Also crocs eat peutrifying animals, as opposed to fresh.When they make that riverside kill they let it brew for a few days before devouring. this is possably natures way of building good antibodies- by exposing creatures over many thousands of years to rotting carcases.Imagine being able to come in and take advantage of a process that's taken that long to establish. The other issue that's a little more troubling is we possably don't have an antimicrobial problem, more a case of getting drugs to area's of long standing infection. > http://news./news? > tmpl=story & cid=571 & e=2 & u=/nm/20050816/hl_nm/australia_crocodile_dc > > Crocodile blood may yield powerful new antibiotics > > SYDNEY (Reuters) - Scientists in Australia's tropical north are > collecting blood from crocodiles in the hope of developing a > powerful antibiotic for humans, after tests showed that the > reptile's immune system kills the HIV virus. > > The crocodile's immune system is much more powerful than that of > humans, preventing life-threatening infections after savage > territorial fights which often leave the animals with gaping wounds > and missing limbs. > > " They tear limbs off each other and despite the fact that they live > in this environment with all these microbes, they heal up very > rapidly and normally almost always without infection, " said U.S. > scientist Mark Merchant, who has been taking crocodile blood samples > in the Northern Territory. > > Initial studies of the crocodile immune system in 1998 found that > several proteins (antibodies) in the reptile's blood killed bacteria > that were resistant to penicillin, such as Staphylococcus aureus or > golden staph, Australian scientist Adam Britton told Reuters on > Tuesday. It was also a more powerful killer of the HIV virus than > the human immune system. > > " If you take a test tube of HIV and add crocodile serum it will have > a greater effect than human serum. It can kill a much greater number > of HIV viral organisms, " Britton said from Darwin's Crocodylus Park, > a tourism park and research center. > > Britton said the crocodile immune system worked differently from the > human system by directly attacking bacteria immediately an infection > occurred in the body. > > " The crocodile has an immune system which attaches to bacteria and > tears it apart and it explodes. It's like putting a gun to the head > of the bacteria and pulling the trigger, " he said. > > For the past 10 days Britton and Merchant have been carefully > collecting blood from wild and captive crocodiles, both saltwater > and freshwater species. After capturing a crocodile and strapping > its powerful jaws closed the scientists extract blood from a large > vein behind the head. > > " It's called a sinus, right behind the head, and it's very easy just > to put a needle in the back of the neck and hit this sinus and then > you can take a large volume of blood very simply, " said Britton. > > The scientists hope to collect enough crocodile blood to isolate the > powerful antibodies and eventually develop an antibiotic for use by > humans. > > " We may be able to have antibiotics that you take orally, > potentially also antibiotics that you could run topically on wounds, > say diabetic ulcer wounds; burn patients often have their skin > infected and things like that, " said Merchant. > > However, the crocodile's immune system may be too powerful for > humans and may need to be synthesized for human consumption. > > " There is a lot of work to be done. It may take years before we can > get to the stage where we have something to market, " said Britton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 Good point about not getting the drugs to the bugs. On the rotten meat subject. You sound like that raw meat guru. The more rotten the better. He says it builds your immune system. I say he's nuts. penny > > http://news./news? > > tmpl=story & cid=571 & e=2 & u=/nm/20050816/hl_nm/australia_crocodile_dc > > > > Crocodile blood may yield powerful new antibiotics > > > > SYDNEY (Reuters) - Scientists in Australia's tropical north are > > collecting blood from crocodiles in the hope of developing a > > powerful antibiotic for humans, after tests showed that the > > reptile's immune system kills the HIV virus. > > > > The crocodile's immune system is much more powerful than that of > > humans, preventing life-threatening infections after savage > > territorial fights which often leave the animals with gaping wounds > > and missing limbs. > > > > " They tear limbs off each other and despite the fact that they live > > in this environment with all these microbes, they heal up very > > rapidly and normally almost always without infection, " said U.S. > > scientist Mark Merchant, who has been taking crocodile blood > samples > > in the Northern Territory. > > > > Initial studies of the crocodile immune system in 1998 found that > > several proteins (antibodies) in the reptile's blood killed > bacteria > > that were resistant to penicillin, such as Staphylococcus aureus or > > golden staph, Australian scientist Adam Britton told Reuters on > > Tuesday. It was also a more powerful killer of the HIV virus than > > the human immune system. > > > > " If you take a test tube of HIV and add crocodile serum it will > have > > a greater effect than human serum. It can kill a much greater > number > > of HIV viral organisms, " Britton said from Darwin's Crocodylus > Park, > > a tourism park and research center. > > > > Britton said the crocodile immune system worked differently from > the > > human system by directly attacking bacteria immediately an > infection > > occurred in the body. > > > > " The crocodile has an immune system which attaches to bacteria and > > tears it apart and it explodes. It's like putting a gun to the head > > of the bacteria and pulling the trigger, " he said. > > > > For the past 10 days Britton and Merchant have been carefully > > collecting blood from wild and captive crocodiles, both saltwater > > and freshwater species. After capturing a crocodile and strapping > > its powerful jaws closed the scientists extract blood from a large > > vein behind the head. > > > > " It's called a sinus, right behind the head, and it's very easy > just > > to put a needle in the back of the neck and hit this sinus and then > > you can take a large volume of blood very simply, " said Britton. > > > > The scientists hope to collect enough crocodile blood to isolate > the > > powerful antibodies and eventually develop an antibiotic for use by > > humans. > > > > " We may be able to have antibiotics that you take orally, > > potentially also antibiotics that you could run topically on > wounds, > > say diabetic ulcer wounds; burn patients often have their skin > > infected and things like that, " said Merchant. > > > > However, the crocodile's immune system may be too powerful for > > humans and may need to be synthesized for human consumption. > > > > " There is a lot of work to be done. It may take years before we can > > get to the stage where we have something to market, " said Britton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2005 Report Share Posted August 27, 2005 He plays russian roulette, once he gets a bug that bypasses the immune system and kills him it'll teach him to talk that crap. > > > http://news./news? > > > > tmpl=story & cid=571 & e=2 & u=/nm/20050816/hl_nm/australia_crocodile_dc > > > > > > Crocodile blood may yield powerful new antibiotics > > > > > > SYDNEY (Reuters) - Scientists in Australia's tropical north are > > > collecting blood from crocodiles in the hope of developing a > > > powerful antibiotic for humans, after tests showed that the > > > reptile's immune system kills the HIV virus. > > > > > > The crocodile's immune system is much more powerful than that of > > > humans, preventing life-threatening infections after savage > > > territorial fights which often leave the animals with gaping > wounds > > > and missing limbs. > > > > > > " They tear limbs off each other and despite the fact that they > live > > > in this environment with all these microbes, they heal up very > > > rapidly and normally almost always without infection, " said U.S. > > > scientist Mark Merchant, who has been taking crocodile blood > > samples > > > in the Northern Territory. > > > > > > Initial studies of the crocodile immune system in 1998 found that > > > several proteins (antibodies) in the reptile's blood killed > > bacteria > > > that were resistant to penicillin, such as Staphylococcus aureus > or > > > golden staph, Australian scientist Adam Britton told Reuters on > > > Tuesday. It was also a more powerful killer of the HIV virus than > > > the human immune system. > > > > > > " If you take a test tube of HIV and add crocodile serum it will > > have > > > a greater effect than human serum. It can kill a much greater > > number > > > of HIV viral organisms, " Britton said from Darwin's Crocodylus > > Park, > > > a tourism park and research center. > > > > > > Britton said the crocodile immune system worked differently from > > the > > > human system by directly attacking bacteria immediately an > > infection > > > occurred in the body. > > > > > > " The crocodile has an immune system which attaches to bacteria > and > > > tears it apart and it explodes. It's like putting a gun to the > head > > > of the bacteria and pulling the trigger, " he said. > > > > > > For the past 10 days Britton and Merchant have been carefully > > > collecting blood from wild and captive crocodiles, both saltwater > > > and freshwater species. After capturing a crocodile and strapping > > > its powerful jaws closed the scientists extract blood from a > large > > > vein behind the head. > > > > > > " It's called a sinus, right behind the head, and it's very easy > > just > > > to put a needle in the back of the neck and hit this sinus and > then > > > you can take a large volume of blood very simply, " said Britton. > > > > > > The scientists hope to collect enough crocodile blood to isolate > > the > > > powerful antibodies and eventually develop an antibiotic for use > by > > > humans. > > > > > > " We may be able to have antibiotics that you take orally, > > > potentially also antibiotics that you could run topically on > > wounds, > > > say diabetic ulcer wounds; burn patients often have their skin > > > infected and things like that, " said Merchant. > > > > > > However, the crocodile's immune system may be too powerful for > > > humans and may need to be synthesized for human consumption. > > > > > > " There is a lot of work to be done. It may take years before we > can > > > get to the stage where we have something to market, " said > Britton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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