My Christian faith is very important to my daily life. One of the better things about living in America is that, by law, I am allowed the freedom to express and practice my faith. Many people around the world do not have the luxury of such a freedom and are forced to hide their religious beliefs. Another benefit of living in America is that I have ready access to healthcare, specifically vaccines, that promote herd immunity and limit disease-related deaths. However, what happens when these two benefits, religious freedom and public health, become opposed?

Recently, just such a situation has come to light. According to a New York Times article, a recent bill in New Jersey failed to pass, in part, because of the opposition of an Orthodox Jewish group. This group opposed the bill because they believed it prohibited the aforementioned American right to practice one’s religion freely. But how did this bill relate to vaccines or religious freedom in the first place? According to the New York Times article, this bill was drafted in response to the measles outbreak that happened last year. (This outbreak is discussed more fully in one of my previous blog posts.) In an effort to prevent such preventable outbreaks again, this bill cut back on the ways in which students can exempt themselves from becoming vaccinated, including religious reasons. In this way, the bill could be seen as limiting religious freedom.

On the other hand, however, this bill could be seen as a promotion of the quality and length of life of US citizens. After all, the CDC reports that the MMR vaccine, which includes protection against measles, is 97% effective against the measles when two doses are taken. Even if somebody were to only take one dose, it is still 93% effective against measles. In other words, measles is a preventable sickness. Nobody needs to suffer from the measles anymore, yet, according to an update by the CDC, 1,282 people came down with the measles in the US in 2019. This was primarily a result of people not getting vaccinated. However, those unable to get the vaccine because they are immunocompromised could also become sick if those of us who are not immunocompromised choose not to get the vaccine.

All of this really makes for a tricky decision. Should we prioritize religious freedom or public health? Naturally, my leaning is to say public health, simply because my religious beliefs don’t conflict with vaccinations. However, what if this issue were about something else that did conflict with my faith or morals? In that case, I don’t know if I would be so quick to abandon religious freedom in the name of public health. At the end of the day, it’s hard to say if there is a 100% correct answer to this problem. That is a pretty dreary conclusion to this topic, but there really doesn’t appear to be a perfect solution to this situation from my point of view.

January is finally over, and with it’s departure comes the advent of midterm season at Carolina. There are so many projects and tests due over the next few weeks, that stress seems to have become a main feature of my life. This probably runs true for other UNC students as well. In order to fight the growing feelings of worry, I often spend time with friends and family. Interestingly enough, my microbiome might actually have something to do with my stress and social activities!

In a news article by Oxford University, I was informed that there is a new study that demonstrates a link between social behavior, stress, and the microbiome. This new study found that “people with larger social networks tend to have a more diverse microbiome.” This in it of itself is very interesting, but what interested me more was the finding that a less diverse microbiome actually correlated with higher levels of stress and anxiety. Currently it is unclear whether stress and social networks impact the microbiome or vice-versa, but this finding is very interesting nonetheless. It also leads one to consider whether altering the microbiome or socializing more could possibly help reduce symptoms of anxiety.

At first it seemed fairly far-fetched that my gut health could be a cause of stress and anxiety. However, the more I researched, the more support I found for this idea. For example, another recent study reported on by Oregon State University found that there were differences between the microbiomes of “children with behavioral problems and higher socioeconomic stress” and the microbiomes of children without these factors. Indeed, it seems that the growing body of research on the microbiome indicates that it has a larger impact on total-body wellness than ever thought before. I will be sure to keep my eye on the upcoming research to see if somebody comes up with a microbiome-related way of reducing stress. Until that happens though, I guess I will just have to consign myself to a normal level of worry over exams.

The 2019-nCoV has been sweeping through China and has recently begun to infect people in the US as well. According a report from the CDC, as of the 5th of February, 11 people in the US have tested positive for this virus with 76 cases still pending. Additionally, in a meeting at the end of January, the World Health Organization decided to name the 2019-nCoV a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern.” All of this knowledge is very alarming, leading many to wonder in a panic whether we are on the verge of massive pandemic. Exactly how contagious is this virus? These questions are particularly relevant to me, as my best friend’s uncle and nephew are currently in China, and are unable to return to their pregnant wife/mother.

In order to determine how contagious a virus, is it is very important to consider how it is transmitted. According to an informational article from the CDC, the 2019-nCoV is thought to be spread by person-to-person contact. Specifically, it is spread through respiratory droplets that are released into the air by infected people when they sneeze or cough. These droplets are then breathed in by anybody within a 6-foot radius of the person who sneezed/coughed. Since this method of transmission is very similar to other methods of acquiring a respiratory illness, it is possible that the 2019-nCoV could also be spread in all the ways other respiratory illnesses are spread. For example, the 2019-nCoV could also be spread by inanimate objects coated in respiratory secretions that are then touched by an unsuspecting passerby. If the contaminated hand is then rubbed into the eyes, the virus will be able to infect its unwitting victim. Thus, while a requirement of person-to-person contact would normally result in a less contagious virus, the possibility of indirect spread would increase the contagious nature of the virus.

One important thing to note is that none of the previous information on transmission of this virus is certain, as the CDC has made clear. Currently, the experts are just using what they know about similar diseases to make predictions about this new one. While it may seem pretty scary that a lot of what we “know” about this virus consists of educated guesses, science can and must work like this. After all, when something unexplained needs explaining, the best way to learn about it is to first form an educated hypothesis and test it. While all of this information is helpful, it is not very calming to those with family members who could be exposed to the virus. In situations like this, the best thing we can do is trust that the experts are doing their best and do OUR best to protect ourselves from the sickness. For example, you should NEVER touch your face and you should wash your hands a LOT.

Flu season has long been upon us, and we are all hoping desperately to not catch this acutely debilitating virus. The uncomfortable nature of the flu virus leads many to vaccinate themselves every fall. However, why is it necessary to get a shot every year? Also, do these vaccines actually work? If so, what exactly are they protecting us against? I have heard many people talk about how they do not want to get the flu shot this year because they are afraid of getting the flu (both I and my roommate are guilty of this). Is this rumor true?

According to an informational post by the CDC, ‘the flu’ can result from many different viruses and these viruses are constantly changing. Thus, it is necessary to update the flu vaccines every year to better match the primary viruses actually circulating. In a weekly surveillance report for the fourth week of January, the CDC reported that the main viruses predominant this season are A(H1N1)pdm09e, A(H3N2), B-Victoria lineage, and B-Yamagata lineage. In the informational article mentioned earlier, the CDC notes that all regular-dose and recombinant flu vaccines this season will be quadrivalent, protecting against these four viruses. The regular-does vaccine contains inactivated flu virus, whereas the recombinant vaccine is made through a technological process that does not require the actual flu virus in its production. Reader, please note that NEITHER of these vaccines has a live virus in it. It is IMPOSSIBLE for these vaccines to give you the flu. For those who would like to avoid an injection, however, there is also a live attenuated vaccination option (which contains actual live flu virus) that can be administered as a nasal spray.

Clearly, there are a lot of flu vaccine options. However, are these vaccines actually effective? While there is not much data on the effectiveness of this year’s vaccine yet, the CDC does note that flu vaccines are generally between 40%-60% effective at preventing the flu. Thus, while vaccines are not a perfect preventative, they are definitely helpful. According to Dr. William Schaffner (medical director for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases) in a recent ABC news article, “The flu season began early this year and took off aggressively…So far, there is no sign that the momentum of the annual epidemic is slowing.” Additionally, this article notes that the flu virus has already killed 10,000 people this year. In light of this information, it seems only logical to do all that you can to prevent yourself from this spreading sickness. In other words, next time CVS offers you $5 to get the flue shot (yes, they pay YOU, and yes, CVS has actually done this) you had better take them up on that offer! Also, in case you have not yet been able to discern it, this whole post is basically me yelling at myself for choosing to not get paid to protect myself from the flu. Here’s to hoping it doesn’t strike me during midterm season…

If you were to read the news today, it would be hard to avoid a story on the new coronavirus. According to a study on the source of this sickness, it is caused by a novel coronavirus pathogen that was identified in 2019, leading it to be named 2019-nCoV. According to the CDC, this virus originated in the Wuhan Hubei Province of China. As of late January (1/26/2020) more than 2,000 people had been infected with the virus. But where did this virus come from and how did humans start spreading it?

In a study of 9 patients with 2019-nCoV, 8 were found to have visited the same seafood market. Indeed, it is thought that these people likely contracted the disease from an animal being sold there. This same study sequenced full and partial genomes of the virus from the 9 patients, and found an approximate 99% similarity between the genomes of the virus within each patient. This similarity indicates a lack of mutation in the virus, leading the researchers to believe that the virus had moved to humans only recently. Additionally, the virus found in these patients was 88% similar to two other bat-derived coronaviruses, leading the researchers to conclude it came from bats. However, it is believed that the virus was spread through an intermediary animal that was being sold in the seafood market that the patients had shopped at.

According to the CDC, there have been cases of the 2019-nCoV in the US. This has led many people to start worrying about contracting it. What do these people need to know about this virus? According to the CDC, this new coronavirus is not the same as the type of coronavirus that causes the common cold. Additionally, it is spread person-to-person, but it is not yet known exactly how contagious it is. This virus leads to symptoms similar to a respiratory illness and also causes a fever. If a person were to display these symptoms within 14 days of traveling to China, they should immediately check with their doctor. Finally, since there is no vaccine for this virus, the CDC recommends avoiding contact with this virus by methods such as hand-washing and not touching one’s face.

The capacity for one man or woman to leave a lasting impact on the world around them is truly amazing. Throughout history, there are many examples of movements being led by a singular persistent and passionate individual. Indeed, many religions can be traced back to the teachings of one person who captivated and convinced their peers. Within the world of healthcare, one such man is Andrew Wakefield. Unfortunately, the legacy he left behind was riddled with sickness, fear, corruption, and death.

Andrew Wakefield was a fairly unknown gastroenterologist until the late 90’s. Then, when he published a study connecting the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine to autism in 1998, he become somewhat famous. This claim, of course, led to concerns about the safety of this vaccine. Despite the boldness of this claim, Wakefield’s study was neither accurate nor ethical. Indeed, as a recent New Yorker article points out, there were only 12 participants in the study, far too small a group to make any reliable conclusions. Additionally, the original study reveals that all of the participants were already coming to the doctor with the suspicion that the MMR vaccine had caused developmental delays in their children. Even more, an article in the BMJ notes that much of the information reported by Wakefield concerning these 12 children in the study was falsified. This article also discredits Wakefield’s study by pointing out that the implication of the MMR vaccine in autism was financially beneficial for him as he was in a lawsuit with the manufacturers of the MMR vaccine at the time. Finally, the article relates that over the 10 years following his study, no other studies supported Wakefield’s dramatic findings.

Clearly, there was a lot of corruption and bias involved in this study. Nevertheless, Wakefield published it and managed to frighten many people away from vaccines in the process. As a Public Health article notes, it was only later that it was discovered that Wakefield could receive certain financial benefits from the ‘results’ he published. When this was found, Wakefield’s medical license was pulled. Unfortunately, he continues to insist on the verity of his claims. Because of Wakefield’s persistence, and the shocking nature of his ‘findings,’ this falsified study continues to affect the world today.

One example of Wakefield’s legacy is the recent outbreak of measles in the US. According to a national update from the CDC, between January and September of last year, the US experienced the highest resurgence of measles cases since 1992, at 1,249 cases. Most of these cases (89%) were found in unvaccinated patients. How is it that measles has returned with such a vengeance, despite its effective eradication from the US in 2000? Well, there is an increased contact with the rest of the world, and the disease is being carried to the US, where it finds a perfect breeding ground in unvaccinated communities.

So, yes, while some men and women do leave a lasting, positive impact on the world around them, there are just as many who change the world for the worse. For proof of this, one need only look to those such as Andrew Wakefield.

I am currently taking medical microbiology at UNC Chapel Hill in order to pursue my BSN (and also to learn more about microbes). In the future, I hope to study nursing at a graduate level in order to become a CNM. Microbiology has (in the few short weeks that I have studied it) taught me a lot about the natural world and healthcare. Among several other things, I have learned to be thankful to my mom for vaccinating me. Over the course of this blog, I hope to explore some interesting, unique, and possibly strange aspects and applications of microbiology.

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.