The fight against microorganisms | Dianne Fair | TEDxFSCJ
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0:06 - 0:11What if you or a loved one
were diagnosed with an infectious disease: -
0:11 - 0:14strep throat, an ear infection,
bacterial pneumonia, -
0:14 - 0:18tuberculosis, or a sexually
transmitted disease? -
0:18 - 0:23Now imagine that there are
no drugs that will work -
0:23 - 0:26in effecting a cure for your infection.
-
0:26 - 0:28This is pretty scary.
-
0:28 - 0:30This is happening right now.
-
0:30 - 0:34There are people dying,
just like they used to before 1928, -
0:34 - 0:37when penicillin was discovered.
-
0:37 - 0:40Are we about to fall
into the edge of the volcano? -
0:40 - 0:43That would not be so good.
-
0:43 - 0:45What I would like to propose today
-
0:45 - 0:49is that we need to encourage
young and old scientists -
0:49 - 0:53to explore new opportunities
and new therapies. -
0:53 - 0:56Not just antibiotics.
-
0:56 - 0:58What else do we have?
-
0:58 - 1:00This is one of my heroes,
-
1:00 - 1:04a Scottish microbiologist who became
Sir Alexander Fleming. -
1:04 - 1:06He discovered penicillin in 1928,
-
1:06 - 1:10and he was worried
about antibiotic resistance, too. -
1:10 - 1:12Very, very concerned.
-
1:12 - 1:14Antibiotics? Well, what are they?
-
1:14 - 1:20Think of them as tiny chemical weapons
that are produced by bacteria and fungi, -
1:20 - 1:25so that they can kill off competitors
in a nutrient-limited environment. -
1:25 - 1:30These genes for antibiotics have been
around for 4 million years, -
1:30 - 1:34long before we humans needed Z-Paks.
-
1:34 - 1:36So this is not a new thing.
-
1:37 - 1:41Antibiotic resistance can be
easily detected, -
1:41 - 1:45and antibiotic resistance
is another weapon. -
1:45 - 1:49Do you remember Spy vs Spy,
if you're old enough? -
1:49 - 1:51So it's an escalation of weapons.
-
1:51 - 1:53The antibiotic producers,
that's one weapon. -
1:53 - 1:56The antibiotic resistance
is another weapon. -
1:56 - 1:59Antibiotic resistance is one
of those things that my students -
1:59 - 2:03- and there's two of them -
I told you I was going to use the picture. -
2:03 - 2:09You can detect antibiotic resistance
by growing plate cultures of bacteria. -
2:09 - 2:13On the left you have E. coli;
on the right you have Staph aureus. -
2:13 - 2:18And those little paper discs are treated
with antibiotics like penicillin, -
2:18 - 2:21tetracycline, Vancomycin,
you guys did this, too. -
2:21 - 2:23This is not new stuff.
-
2:23 - 2:25They did great, they did great by the way.
-
2:25 - 2:27When you look at antibiotic resistance,
-
2:27 - 2:31this means that we're
now facing Super Bugs. -
2:31 - 2:35And I don't mean "super" in a good "Yay!",
-
2:35 - 2:37"super" in a scary way.
-
2:37 - 2:38What about bacteria?
-
2:38 - 2:42You've heard of MRSA,
Methicillin-resistant Staph Aureus. -
2:42 - 2:44This one scares me.
-
2:44 - 2:46What about tuberculosis--
-
2:46 - 2:48multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis
-
2:48 - 2:51and extensively
drug-resistant tuberculosis. -
2:51 - 2:53They're out there.
-
2:53 - 2:54These infections are very scary
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2:54 - 2:57and they may take one of your loved ones.
-
2:57 - 2:59Or, God forbid, they'll take you.
-
3:00 - 3:03C. diff, Clostridium difficile--
-
3:03 - 3:06this one attacks
the weakest of the patients, -
3:06 - 3:09the elderly and the very, very young.
-
3:09 - 3:14Well, before we all get bummed out,
there have to be some good guys. -
3:14 - 3:17There have to be.
-
3:17 - 3:21My training is soil microbiology
so I love dirt. -
3:21 - 3:24Especially the dirt in my garden.
-
3:24 - 3:27This used to be my son's swing set,
but when he got too big, -
3:27 - 3:30and the swing set started getting
tippy, I said, "You know what? -
3:31 - 3:33It's going to be a garden box."
-
3:33 - 3:38Soil bacteria, soil fungi, they are
natural antibiotic producers. -
3:38 - 3:40This is one avenue to explore.
-
3:40 - 3:44How about we start looking
at more soil samples -
3:44 - 3:49on Mars, or other extraterrestrial places?
-
3:49 - 3:51Places even on Earth,
-
3:51 - 3:55slopes of volcanoes
where bacteria recolonize. -
3:55 - 3:58I'm up for that, I'm totally
going to volunteer. -
3:58 - 4:02This is cool, this is sci-fi,
this is Star Trek. -
4:02 - 4:06How about we use viruses
that attack bacteria -
4:06 - 4:09to do the dirty work for us?
-
4:09 - 4:13The T-even bacteriophages,
one of my favorites is T4. -
4:13 - 4:16The "even" stands for the even number.
-
4:16 - 4:19What they do is they attack bacteria
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4:19 - 4:23and kill them, without antibiotics.
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4:23 - 4:29This technology has been around,
believe it or not, since the 1930s. -
4:29 - 4:32It was discovered in France
by a microbiologist. -
4:32 - 4:37The technology was advanced
to clinical applications in the 1950s. -
4:37 - 4:38But there's a catch.
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4:38 - 4:41This was behind the former Iron Curtain.
-
4:41 - 4:45This was in Russia, and Poland,
and the original Georgia. -
4:45 - 4:48Not our Georgia.
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4:48 - 4:50This technology is very effective.
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4:50 - 4:53What if pharmaceutical companies
-
4:53 - 4:59could maybe advance the technology
to treat a patient with a virus, -
4:59 - 5:02instead of an antibiotic
or another type of drug? -
5:02 - 5:04There's a lot of philosophy.
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5:04 - 5:08Viruses, most people think,
are bad or terrible or the bad guys. -
5:08 - 5:13But the enemy of my enemy
is my friend, right? -
5:13 - 5:15Well, not so fast.
-
5:15 - 5:17Sometimes, the technology does go awry,
-
5:17 - 5:21and the viruses will carry genes
that we don't understand. -
5:21 - 5:23So, I told you I like Star Trek.
-
5:23 - 5:25["The enemy of my enemy is
the one I shall kill last."] -
5:25 - 5:27It could happen.
-
5:27 - 5:31Think of all the wonderful,
spicy cuisines that we love: -
5:32 - 5:36Thai food, Indian food,
-
5:36 - 5:39Vietnamese, Cambodian, Eastern European,
-
5:39 - 5:44West African, Caribbean, Tex Mex.
-
5:44 - 5:46Yay, Taco Tuesday!
-
5:46 - 5:48When you look at all
of the herbs and spices -
5:48 - 5:52that have been studied,
but only by anecdotal evidence: -
5:52 - 5:57turmeric, and peppers, and onions,
and garlic, and lemon grass, -
5:57 - 6:02and allspice, and cinnamon,
and coffee, and tea, -
6:02 - 6:04and beer.
-
6:04 - 6:05Yay!
-
6:05 - 6:07(Laughter)
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6:07 - 6:11What would happen if more people
grew their own food? -
6:12 - 6:15I garden a lot at home,
with my son and my partner. -
6:15 - 6:20And all of these produce
came from our garden. -
6:20 - 6:22No, you can't have any, I ate it already.
-
6:22 - 6:23But I'll trade you.
-
6:23 - 6:25What have you got to trade?
-
6:25 - 6:29We make beer, we make cheese,
we have chickens. -
6:29 - 6:30They're awesome.
-
6:30 - 6:33Our little miniature dinosaurs.
-
6:33 - 6:37What about encouraging young scientists
to work on science fair projects -
6:37 - 6:42that might advance one tiny field
of this type of research? -
6:42 - 6:45So, when your child comes home,
-
6:45 - 6:49and they have their first
science project assignment ... -
6:49 - 6:51Oh, God.
-
6:52 - 6:54Put a smile on your face.
-
6:54 - 6:57Stock up on those art supplies,
stock up on that alcohol, -
6:57 - 7:01and say, "Yes, honey, we can do this!"
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7:01 - 7:05My son's first project is due in January.
-
7:05 - 7:07Oh, please help me.
-
7:08 - 7:12When we went to Hawaii in February,
we really did go to a science fair. -
7:12 - 7:16So look, even school children
in Hawaii do science fair projects. -
7:16 - 7:19How bad would that be?
-
7:19 - 7:21Some of them were really, really good.
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7:21 - 7:23You'll like this one.
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7:23 - 7:25There's an anthropologist,
-
7:25 - 7:27an American anthropologist
called Jeff Leach. -
7:27 - 7:31And after his daughter was
diagnosed with Type I Diabetes, -
7:31 - 7:35he moved to Tanzania, and he went native,
-
7:35 - 7:38living with a hunter-gatherer tribe.
-
7:38 - 7:41He ate what they ate--lots and lots
of fresh fruit and vegetables; -
7:41 - 7:45lots and lots of roots
that they had gathered. -
7:45 - 7:46Not a whole lot of protein,
-
7:46 - 7:50unless that had hunted
and killed on that particular day. -
7:50 - 7:52You also eat a lot of dirt
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7:52 - 7:55when you consume
fruit and vegetable material. -
7:55 - 7:57But what he found in the year
-
7:57 - 8:01when he was taking
stool samples and blood samples, -
8:01 - 8:05was that in humans, with a higher rate
of intestinal worm infections, -
8:05 - 8:10they have a lower rate of inflammatory
and autoimmune diseases, -
8:10 - 8:13like diabetes, like Crohn's Disease,
-
8:13 - 8:17like celiac, like irritable bowel,
like rheumatoid arthritis. -
8:17 - 8:20Now, I'm not saying go out
and eat dirt and eat worms, -
8:20 - 8:22unless that's what you're into.
-
8:22 - 8:27But what if some aspect
of the parasitic worms, -
8:27 - 8:31like tapeworms and hook worms,
was actually beneficial to our health? -
8:31 - 8:34Because the immune system is so busy
-
8:34 - 8:36modulating and controlling
the worm infection, -
8:36 - 8:38that is doesn't have time to pay attention
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8:38 - 8:41to the inflammation
elsewhere in our bodies. -
8:41 - 8:43His project is called
The Human Food Project. -
8:43 - 8:46He's got another one
that you might be interested in, -
8:46 - 8:48so Google it on break.
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8:48 - 8:51It's called The American Gut Project.
-
8:51 - 8:53And for a small fee,
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8:54 - 8:58from anywhere from $99 to $10,000,
-
8:58 - 9:03you can send in
a fecal sample for testing. -
9:03 - 9:07And he'll even do
fecal samples from your dog, -
9:07 - 9:11to study the American human gut,
and dog gut as well. -
9:11 - 9:13Tempting.
-
9:13 - 9:15I saved the best for last.
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9:17 - 9:21FMT: Fecal Mass Transplantation.
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9:21 - 9:25This is used in 2013, the United States
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9:25 - 9:29approved this for treatment of C. diff.
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9:29 - 9:31It actually works.
-
9:31 - 9:35When you take
healthy donor fecal material, -
9:35 - 9:38and you transplant it into a recipient,
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9:38 - 9:42they have a better than 90% chance
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9:42 - 9:45of recovery from their C. diff infection.
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9:45 - 9:48It sound really gross.
-
9:48 - 9:51Because here's what you do.
-
9:51 - 9:52(Laughter)
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9:55 - 9:58You can make a frozen poo pill,
-
9:59 - 10:03as long as the material has been
screened and freed of parasites; -
10:03 - 10:06you can receive it by an endoscope;
-
10:06 - 10:09you can receive it by an enema.
-
10:09 - 10:12[How about a big bowl of "Poop Soup"?]
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10:12 - 10:13(Laughter)
-
10:15 - 10:20This technology has been around
since the 4th or 5th century in China. -
10:20 - 10:23There are recipes online for yellow soup.
-
10:23 - 10:25Last night, I went online
and did some research. -
10:25 - 10:27There are Pinterest pins,
-
10:27 - 10:29(Laughter)
-
10:30 - 10:32for do-it-yourself at home.
-
10:32 - 10:34(Laughter)
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10:38 - 10:40There are recipes.
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10:42 - 10:43I haven't tried it yet.
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10:43 - 10:48It's on my list for 2017.
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10:49 - 10:50(Laughter)
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10:50 - 10:52No, I haven't tried it.
-
10:52 - 10:55But what if, what if,
-
10:55 - 10:58your loved one
has exhausted all the options? -
10:58 - 11:01Antibiotics are not working,
they've had multiple surgeries. -
11:01 - 11:04They're depressed, they're
in the hospital, they're losing hope. -
11:04 - 11:08What if something this simple
-
11:08 - 11:11could actually help them?
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11:11 - 11:13I'd do it. I'd do it in a heartbeat.
-
11:13 - 11:19I hope that with this very short talk
I have stimulated your imagination -
11:19 - 11:23to at least learn more,
read more, find out more. -
11:23 - 11:26Antibiotic therapy
won't always be with us. -
11:26 - 11:29But there are other avenues to explore.
-
11:29 - 11:31Yeah, I've read all those books.
-
11:31 - 11:33That's not my nightstand, I promise.
-
11:33 - 11:35But people look at you funny
-
11:35 - 11:36when you're waiting at an airport
-
11:36 - 11:38to get on a plane for a flight somewhere,
-
11:38 - 11:41and you have one
of these books in your hand. -
11:41 - 11:45But then you mention that you heard
about it on NPR Science Friday, -
11:45 - 11:46and then it's all good.
-
11:46 - 11:48It's all good, they're happy with you.
-
11:48 - 11:51Anyway, thank you for your kind attention.
-
11:51 - 11:53(Applause)
- Title:
- The fight against microorganisms | Dianne Fair | TEDxFSCJ
- Description:
-
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
Dr. Dianne Fair discusses antibiotics, antibiotic resistance and optional therapies for treatment of infectious disease. With global economy, increasing populations and travel, healthcare is fighting an uphill battle against microorganisms such as Staphylococcus bacteria or E. coli that were once easily defeated. We need options as stronger and stronger antibiotic resistant microbes are playing a bigger role in our health and that of our loved ones.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 12:01
Denise RQ approved English subtitles for The fight against microorganisms | Dianne Fair | TEDxFSCJ | ||
Denise RQ edited English subtitles for The fight against microorganisms | Dianne Fair | TEDxFSCJ | ||
Denise RQ edited English subtitles for The fight against microorganisms | Dianne Fair | TEDxFSCJ | ||
Denise RQ edited English subtitles for The fight against microorganisms | Dianne Fair | TEDxFSCJ | ||
Denise RQ accepted English subtitles for The fight against microorganisms | Dianne Fair | TEDxFSCJ | ||
Denise RQ edited English subtitles for The fight against microorganisms | Dianne Fair | TEDxFSCJ | ||
Denise RQ edited English subtitles for The fight against microorganisms | Dianne Fair | TEDxFSCJ | ||
Denise RQ edited English subtitles for The fight against microorganisms | Dianne Fair | TEDxFSCJ |