News Alert! Measles is back causing problems. Declared eliminated as a public health thread in the US about 20 years ago, measles has reemerged this winter in the Northwest and pockets of the East as an emergency. Too many parents have decided to not vaccinate their children, which is leading to numerous outbreaks. Measles, sometimes known as rubeola, is a well-known, highly contagious virus. Although its telltale symptoms are body-covering red spots often accompanied by a mild fever, it is in fact a respiratory disease that can lead to life-threatening conditions such as pneumonia and encephalitis (or brain swelling and degeneration). And indeed, in countries where malnutrition and poor health are prevalent, measles infections can be fatal.

The good news is that in 1963 scientists synthesized a vaccine from a live rubeola virus, and nearly all children in the developed world are now inoculated against measles, typically along with mumps and rubella when they receive their MMR shot. (A vaccine against varicella, the virus which causes chickenpox, is now often included in the shot, making it the MMRV.). Those who decide to not to vaccinate their kids have put their families and communities at great risk.

However, in developing nations that lack widespread vaccination programs, measles remains a significant health threat. Indeed, the World Health Organization calls measles one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable childhood death.

Fortunately, international efforts to vaccinate against measles are having a significant impact upon the incidence of measles worldwide. As global vaccination campaigns continue, additional lives will be saved.

(Measles is nicht to be confused with German measles vich is caused by a completely different wirus.)

There are over 250 different kinds of cold viruses! But rhinovirus is by far the most common. With over 100 different varieties, rhinoviruses are responsible for about one-third of all colds.

Rhinovirus is particularly active during the fall and winter months. Why? Because rhinovirus loves the low humidity. Also, when the humidity is low, your nose dries out and is more susceptible to infection. But, despite what many think, studies show that one thing that doesn't cause a cold is the cold!

The best thing you can do to reduce your cold-catching chances is to wash your hands properly and often. Rhinovirus can survive three hours outside of the nose. If the virus gets on your hands and you rub your nose, you've caught it! What can you do if you get a cold? Not much. Antihistamines and decongestants can help relieve the symptoms of a cold. But antibiotics only work against bacteria and not against viruses. So get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids – and play with your GIANTmicrobes!

In the United States, the common cold leads to some 100 million physician visits annually at a cost of over $8 billion annually. Americans spend billions on over-the-counter drugs and another huge amount on prescription medicines for symptomatic relief.

And here’s another amazing fact: the very first product introduced by GIANTmicrobes over 15 years ago was the Common Cold!

It is cold and flu season again, whether we like it or not. Now is the time to review some facts about the common cold. Everyone has been through this illness at some point, so it is just a matter of refreshing our memories for the new season.

Influenza cycles yearly throughout the world. It is most prevalent during the colder months where we are, in the northern hemisphere. Symptoms usually develop two days after exposure, but can range from one to four days.1 Typical symptoms include the sudden onset of a dry cough, fever, muscle/joint pains, headache, runny nose, sore throat and malaise (generally feeling unwell). These usually last for a week, but the cough can last two weeks or longer. Most people recover without medical attention.

It is spread through droplets when an infected person sneezes or coughs. These droplets contaminate surfaces and are also dispersed in the air. Other people in close proximity will breathe in these droplets and become infected. This is how the flu is able to spread so easily in the community.

Control methods for influenza include frequent hand washing, covering your mouth with your arm when sneezing, coughing into a tissue, staying home when feeling ill to prevent the spread, and vaccinations. Getting your annual flu shot is by far the most effective means to prevent you and your family from contracting influenza each year.

There are several reasons why you should get your flu shot each year. Yes, it allows your body to build up antibodies to fight the flu. Many people who receive this vaccination will not have any symptoms when they contract influenza, or experience very mild symptoms. Protecting yourself in the short term is important, but annual flu vaccines will protect you in the long term as well. Each year you receive the flu shot will help you build up different influenza antibodies, as the virus changes all the time. This allows you to have numerous antibodies stored in your system as you get older. Thus, giving you a better chance of surviving a bad case of the flu when you are a senior and your immunize system does not work as well.

The other great reason to get your flu shot is to help prevent the spread to everyone you come into contact with in your life. Appeal to your altruistic nature and think about your family, friends, and co-workers. You do not want to spread the flu to them, and people you come into contact with may not have as healthy an immune system as yourself. Getting the flu shot means you are less likely to spread it to these individuals who could end up becoming very sick. Children and seniors are more at risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu. Please do them and your family a favour this year and get your flu shot.

Watch out for this bug bite!

Here are 10 Fun Facts about Mosquitoes!

1. There are about 3,000 species of mosquitoes.


2. Culex pipiens is the most common species in the USA.


3. Mosquitoes are found on every continent in the world except in Antarctica.


4. Mating mosquitoes synchronize their wing beats to perform a lover's duet.


5. Only female mosquitoes bite. These ladies’ eggs need protein from blood to develop.


6. Mosquitoes are attracted to the CO₂ you exhale, and can detect it up to 75-feet away.


7. These little buggers have existed on Earth for over 175 million years.


8. They can only fly at speeds of about 1 mph, so you should able to outrun them.


9. Mosquitoes are able to drink 3 times their own body weight in blood!


10. Despite your nightmares about sharks and snakes and killer bees, mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth!

Thank you to all who participated in our second STD Trivia Contest! Congratulations to Lillian D.! While nobody got all the correct answers, Lillian did the best!

1. What year did Scientific American devote an entire issue to one STD?

• a. 1988
• b. 1995
• c. 1938
• d. 2004
• e. 2006

2. What % of people will contract an STD during their lifetime?

• a. 10%
• b. 30%
• c. 50%
• d. 70%
• e. 90%

3. What mosquito bourne disease can be transmitted by sex?

• a. Malaria
• b. Dengue
• c. Zika
• d. Trichomoniasis
• e. Crab Louse

Please click here for the full STD trivia contest answer sheet.

Thank you to all who participated in our first ever STD Trivia Contest! Congratulations to Katie B. and our 5 runner-ups! We will be contacting the winners shortly.

Bummed you didn't win?! Stay tuned tomorrow because STD Trivia Contest #2 is kicking off!

Here's a sample of the STD contest answers:

1. Who likely contracted syphilis in the early 16th century?

• a. Magellan
• b. Ivan the Terrible
• c. Cervantes
• d. Casanova
• e. Henry VIII

2. HIV is a virus. Which other STD is also a virus?

• a. Chlamydia
• b. Gonorrhea
• c. Herpes
• d. Trichomoniasis
• e. Syphilis

3. What cells does the HIV virus attack?

• a. White Blood Cells
• b. Red Blood Cells
• c. Neurons
• d. Stem Cells
• e. All of the Above

Please click here for the full STD trivia contest answer sheet.

Thank you to everyone that participated in the 2nd annual March Microbe Madness Tournament!! Based on the thousands of votes we received, Waterbear takes home the 2018 Microbe Madness trophy!

In each round, Waterbear was the MVP and proved that he deserves this title!

• Round 1: Waterbear beat out Trilobite
• Round 2: Waterbear beat out Euglena
• Round 3: Waterbear beat out Amoeba
• Round 4: Waterbear beat out Diarrhea
• Round 5: It was a close championship game against Zombie Virus, but Waterbear took home the W!

Congratulations to Waterbear and the winner, Robby F.!

Stay informed, be safe, act smart, raise awareness about Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).

Check out our amazing and illuminating one-page overview of STDs. Learn about Syphilis, Herpes, Chlamydia, Crabs, HIV, Gonorrhea, Trichomoniasis and HPV.

Click here to download our one-page infographic overview of STDs.

The year 1918 was an exciting one for baseball. The Boston Red Sox defeated the Chicago Cubs in the World Series. But the news was mostly bad. World War I was raging and the flu was spreading. Yes, it's the 100-year anniversary of the Spanish Flu, one of the most horrible pandemics in history! That year the flu strain H1N1 amplified and grew virulent under the crowded conditions of WWI. This was the mother of all pandemics in two ways: (1) It was the deadliest, and, (2) remnants of that viral strain led to several other outbreaks.

The Spanish Flu was actually not very Spanish at all and it likely began in Kansas. In Spain they called it the French Flu! In a typical flu season up to 500,000 people may die. The 1918 pandemic sickened up to 40% of the world and killed an estimated 50 million people! What made this flu so exceptional was that it hit young adults especially hard, overwhelming the bodies of those with strong immune systems. Many died of bacterial pneumonia, a complication of the viral infection. The Spanish flu should be a huge reminder that the chance of another deadly influenza pandemic is a true possibility!

It’s time to CELLebrate and enjoy some time with your family and friends. Here are some tips to help you avoid holiday pathogens so you can keep your wings flapping through the feast.

• Keep your eyes peeled and your microscope focused on these 5 common turkey bacteria: E.Coli, Salmonella, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter.


• Never thaw your turkey by leaving it out on the counter. A frozen turkey is safe indefinitely, but a thawing turkey must defrost at a safe temperature. When the turkey is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, its temperature moves into the danger zone between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C), where bacteria can grow rapidly.


• Take care when dining on wild game to avoid Black Death, Leprosy and other horrors. Animals in the forests and lowlands harbor more exotic and nastier microbes.


• Be sure to thoroughly inspect raccoons for rabies, muskrats for tularemia bacteria, African rats for Lassa fever, red squirrels for leprosy and take special care when handling prairie dogs, which carry Plague (sentimentally known as Black Death).


• Listen to your neurons and cardiomyocytes, and never invite Heliobacter pylori, Shigella or Salmonella to your CELLebration.

Have a safe and delicious holiday and let’s all give special thanks to our microbiome and the trillions of microbes who make us who we are!

Thank you to all who participated and voted in our Thanksgiving Caption Contest! We received many creative captions and we are happy to announce the winning caption. We will be contacting the winner shortly via email. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you to all who participated and voted in our Halloween Caption Contest! We received many creative captions and we are happy to announce the winners! We will be contacting the winners shortly via email.

Thank you to all who participated and voted in our September Caption Contest! We received many creative captions and we are happy to announce the winners! It was a close contest, but these captions took home the win. Congrats to Morgan & Iain!! We will be contacting the winners shortly via email.

Episodes 3 & 4: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 3 & 4!

Episodes 5 & 6: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 5 & 6!

Episodes 7 & 8: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 7 & 8!

Episodes 9 & 10: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 9 & 10!

Episodes 11 & 12: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 11 & 12!

Episodes 13 & 14: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 13 & 14!

Episodes 15 & 16: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 15 & 16!

You may know the story well, but on this voyage each episode will offer you the rewarding opportunity to experience E.Coli, Kissing Disease and other bacteria and viruses as they meet, fall in love and face a terrifying destiny. So tune in each week to our new web comic series and relax and laugh as you come aboard the MicroTitantic!

“Near and small, where ever you sprawl
I believe all microbes do go on
Once more, you open the door
And you’re here in my heart
And my heart (and gut) will go on and on”

Episodes 3 & 4: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 3 & 4!

Episodes 5 & 6: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 5 & 6!

Episodes 7 & 8: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 7 & 8!

Episodes 9 & 10: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 9 & 10!

Episodes 11 & 12: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 11 & 12!

Episodes 13 & 14: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 13 & 14!

Episode 17: Click here to see MicroTitanic episode 17!

You may know the story well, but on this voyage each episode will offer you the rewarding opportunity to experience E.Coli, Kissing Disease and other bacteria and viruses as they meet, fall in love and face a terrifying destiny. So tune in each week to our new web comic series and relax and laugh as you come aboard the MicroTitantic!

“Near and small, where ever you sprawl
I believe all microbes do go on
Once more, you open the door
And you’re here in my heart
And my heart (and gut) will go on and on”

Episodes 3 & 4: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 3 & 4!

Episodes 5 & 6: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 5 & 6!

Episodes 7 & 8: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 7 & 8!

Episodes 9 & 10: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 9 & 10!

Episodes 11 & 12: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 11 & 12!

Episodes 15 & 16: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 15 & 16!

Episode 17: Click here to see MicroTitanic episode 17!

You may know the story well, but on this voyage each episode will offer you the rewarding opportunity to experience E.Coli, Kissing Disease and other bacteria and viruses as they meet, fall in love and face a terrifying destiny. So tune in each week to our new web comic series and relax and laugh as you come aboard the MicroTitantic!

“Near and small, where ever you sprawl
I believe all microbes do go on
Once more, you open the door
And you’re here in my heart
And my heart (and gut) will go on and on”

As a college student and GIANTmicrobes fan, I want to share some truths about what really goes on with microbes in college. While my brain cells are firing more than ever, there are microbial factors that have slowed my body down at times. With the school year just starting, the 20 minute walk between classes makes my muscle cells contract more than they’re used to. The soreness goes away pretty quickly. Living with a roommate means two microbiomes sharing a very tight dorm space. No matter how many times one of us covers our coughs, washes our hands or keeps to ourselves, the chances of not spreading germs is very low. Common cold came and went in February. When I had a sore throat and stomach ache after cramming for midterms, guess who else got the same symptoms? Luckily these were simple health problems and our antibodies and white blood cells kicked into action.

It’s important to keep in mind what you can and cannot control. When you sleep four feet away from someone else, there’s only so much you can do to avoid invading microbes. After my freshman year I can share some lifestyle changes I plan for my sophomore year. The dreaded freshman fifteen may be an overstatement, but I have definitely come across Saccharomyces cerevisiae (bread and beer yeast) on some nights out. Watching my carbs and a few other dietary changes this year should make the fat cells in my body happy enough. I also hope to avoid Propionibacterium acnes (pimples) too by cutting back on candy and cake. Eating some yummy Lactobacillus bulgaricus and other live bacteria in yogurt has always worked well for me! Healthy meals will also help me avoid debilitating microbes like Bacillus cereus, Salmonella typhimurium and Campylobacter jejuni. I’ll be free of food poisoning, salmonella, and diarrhea. Lastly, I must bring up the threat of extremely nasty viruses and bacteria in the STD category. As adorable as they appear as GIANTmicrobes their symptoms and potential bodily effects are not cute at all. In college I’ll simply laugh at the Tainted Love gift box, but avoid real life tainted love. Eating and sleeping well, exercising, and taking proper precautions from threatening microbes will let me get the most out of college. Just like GIANTmicrobes, college life is full of education and fun. There are simple ways to enjoy these new experiences, changes, and all the microbes. Peace out microbe fans, and have a healthy college year!

Episodes 3 & 4: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 3 & 4!

Episodes 5 & 6: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 5 & 6!

Episodes 7 & 8: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 7 & 8!

Episodes 9 & 10: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 9 & 10!

Episodes 13 & 14: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 13 & 14!

Episodes 15 & 16: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 15 & 16!

Episode 17: Click here to see MicroTitanic episode 17!

You may know the story well, but on this voyage each episode will offer you the rewarding opportunity to experience E.Coli, Kissing Disease and other bacteria and viruses as they meet, fall in love and face a terrifying destiny. So tune in each week to our new web comic series and relax and laugh as you come aboard the MicroTitantic!

“Near and small, where ever you sprawl
I believe all microbes do go on
Once more, you open the door
And you’re here in my heart
And my heart (and gut) will go on and on”

Welcome back to our global microbe travels! Let’s continue our tour of microbes named after places. If you're doing any hiking or camping this summer, you should know a bit about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. RMSF is a virus you are not very likely to get if you adventure in the Rocky Mountains. It’s much more common in the Southeast and South Central US. The disease is transmitted by wood ticks and dog ticks common in these regions. This nasty virus got its misnomer because it was first identified in the Rockies.

If you prefer leaving the US, then let’s pay a visit to Germany. Here you’ll find the old city of Marburg in central Germany. There is an African microbe with a German name because this is where the Marburg virus jumped from lab monkeys to people. Germany is also the home of Rubella, which is not actually named after the virus itself. This virus was nicknamed German Measles because German professor Frederick Hoffmann first described it. Make your way to the buzzing city of Halle where Hoffmann taught medicine and natural philosophy. Exploring this city is a dream, and you need not worry about contracting Rubella since, thanks to Hoffmann’s work, we now have a vaccine.

While in Europe take a flight to Spain. Spanish Flu has gone by so many different names depending on where you live. Americans started calling it Spanish Flu even though it first erupted in Kansas! 2018 will be a big year for Spanish Flu and a chance to celebrate the 100th anniversary of one of the worst pandemics in history. In 1918 this special little microbe spread around the world and killed upwards of 50 million people! Spanish Flu is another reminder of the power of microbes and how they dominate life on Earth. Happy and safe travels around our planet!

Episodes 3 & 4: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 3 & 4!

Episodes 5 & 6: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 5 & 6!

Episodes 7 & 8: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 7 & 8!

Episodes 11 & 12: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 11 & 12!

Episodes 13 & 14: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 13 & 14!

Episodes 15 & 16: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 15 & 16!

Episode 17: Click here to see MicroTitanic episode 17!

You may know the story well, but on this voyage each episode will offer you the rewarding opportunity to experience E.Coli, Kissing Disease and other bacteria and viruses as they meet, fall in love and face a terrifying destiny. So tune in each week to our new web comic series and relax and laugh as you come aboard the MicroTitantic!

“Near and small, where ever you sprawl
I believe all microbes do go on
Once more, you open the door
And you’re here in my heart
And my heart (and gut) will go on and on”

Episodes 3 & 4: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 3 & 4!

Episodes 5 & 6: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 5 & 6!

Episodes 9 & 10: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 9 & 10!

Episodes 11 & 12: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 11 & 12!

Episodes 13 & 14: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 13 & 14!

Episodes 15 & 16: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 15 & 16!

Episode 17: Click here to see MicroTitanic episode 17!

You may know the story well, but on this voyage each episode will offer you the rewarding opportunity to experience E.Coli, Kissing Disease and other bacteria and viruses as they meet, fall in love and face a terrifying destiny. So tune in each week to our new web comic series and relax and laugh as you come aboard the MicroTitantic!

“Near and small, where ever you sprawl
I believe all microbes do go on
Once more, you open the door
And you’re here in my heart
And my heart (and gut) will go on and on”

Episodes 3 & 4: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 3 & 4!

Episodes 7 & 8: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 7 & 8!

Episodes 9 & 10: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 9 & 10!

Episodes 11 & 12: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 11 & 12!

Episodes 13 & 14: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 13 & 14!

Episodes 15 & 16: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 15 & 16!

Episode 17: Click here to see MicroTitanic episode 17!

You may know the story well, but on this voyage each episode will offer you the rewarding opportunity to experience E.Coli, Kissing Disease and other bacteria and viruses as they meet, fall in love and face a terrifying destiny. So tune in each week to our new web comic series and relax and laugh as you come aboard the MicroTitantic!

“Near and small, where ever you sprawl
I believe all microbes do go on
Once more, you open the door
And you’re here in my heart
And my heart (and gut) will go on and on”

Episodes 5 & 6: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 5 & 6!

Episodes 7 & 8: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 7 & 8!

Episodes 9 & 10: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 9 & 10!

Episodes 11 & 12: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 11 & 12!

Episodes 13 & 14: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 13 & 14!

Episodes 15 & 16: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 15 & 16!

Episode 17: Click here to see MicroTitanic episode 17!

You may know the story well, but on this voyage each episode will offer you the rewarding opportunity to experience E.Coli, Kissing Disease and other bacteria and viruses as they meet, fall in love and face a terrifying destiny. So tune in each week to our new web comic series and relax and laugh as you come aboard the MicroTitantic!

“Near and small, where ever you sprawl
I believe all microbes do go on
Once more, you open the door
And you’re here in my heart
And my heart (and gut) will go on and on”

Episodes 5 & 6: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 5 & 6!

Episodes 7 & 8: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 7 & 8!

Episodes 9 & 10: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 9 & 10!

Episodes 11 & 12: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 11 & 12!

Episodes 13 & 14: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 13 & 14!

Episodes 15 & 16: Click here to see MicroTitanic episodes 15 & 16!

Episode 17: Click here to see MicroTitanic episode 17!

Whether or not you’re planning your own ocean cruise this summer, why not take a journey on the MicroTitantic! On this trip you will discover a cast of microorganisms who come flagella to flagella in an adventure packed with romance and tragedy. While grasping your favorite GIANTmicrobes, there is simply no better way to explore the microscopic world than aboard the colorful and elegant MicroTitanic!

You may know the story well, but on this voyage each episode will offer you the rewarding opportunity to experience E.Coli, Kissing Disease and other bacteria and viruses as they meet, fall in love and face a terrifying destiny. So tune in each week to our new web comic series and relax and laugh as you come aboard the MicroTitantic!

“Near and small, where ever you sprawl
I believe all microbes do go on
Once more, you open the door
And you’re here in my heart
And my heart (and gut) will go on and on”

Thanks to everyone that voted in our Campfire Caption Contest! We received a vast number of creative captions. The finalists were so witty that the voting was extremely close! Everyone's love for the gift of science really came through. Here is the clever winning caption from Rebecca that is guaranteed to produce laughs that keep on coming!

"Welcome to Campylobacter."

Summer 2017 has arrived and it’s time to enjoy warm weather and an introduction to the latest rage in travel, Microbe Tourism! Many will head to beaches, waterparks, or cruise ships. But why not avoid the crowds and traffic and experience a different type of adventure? As a fan of the microbial world, you will pleased to know there are wonderful tourist spots with great science gifts right up your alley. You could skip the city zoo and join a virus hunting expedition in search of the next zoonotic microbe. There certainly are millions of unknown creatures, most of them viruses, bacteria, fungi, protists and other microbes yet to be discovered. But in this blog series we’ll offer some safer travel ideas. We’ll take you to famous towns and forests, as well as marvelous museums, research centers and places you may not realize are well connected to microbes. So put down your microscope this summer and hop on the GIANTmicrobes magical microbe tour!

Let’s start with the beautiful town of Lyme, Connecticut. Beaches, historic buildings, New England charm, and the location of the first documented outbreak of Lyme disease in the 1970s. Your summer travels should certainly include at least one stop at a place for which a virus is named. Many viruses are named for the place they were first discovered or where an outbreak occurred. There are many such virus names on the map. If you like a hot climate, check out the Zika Forest of Uganda, the origin of the virus that continues to impact people in the Americas. And if you happen to be in Bolivia this summer, take a dip in the Machupo river. The Machupo virus emerged from there decades ago. Of course any voyage to Australia is not complete without a visit to the suburb of Brisbane called Hendra, where the Hendra virus was first discovered in the 1990s. You’ll never get sick of such wonderful travels in the virosphere!

Viral diseases are often times named after a place for a couple reasons. They’re not named after people since most scientists and virus hunters do not want their name associated with a killer. Also, naming a disease after a location is a clear way to track the origin and movement of the microorganism. Perhaps the name might also serve as a warning to nearby townsfolk to keep their distance. But you need not keep your distance this summer! Let’s head back to Lyme. In this gem of a town you’ll enjoy sailing on the Long Island Sound and seeing the art at the Florence Griswold Museum. In Lyme you'll find lots of art and science gifts to bring home to your friends. Just remember to wear high socks and tick-resistant underwear during your stroll through the gallery.

In upcoming travel blogs we’ll highlight many more microbe hotspots from the fresh air of the Rocky Mountains to the southern charm of the U.S. National Tick Collection. So keep on moving this Summer with microbes!

Congratulations Leprosy! In a terrifying tournament triumph, Leprosy has been declared the winner of March Microbe Madness. Your votes determined Leprosy’s decisive wins in rounds 1 through 4 over Sleeping Sickness, Norovirus, Typhoid Fever and Food Poisoning. And in the most exciting championship since 1350 BC (when Smallpox beat Flu in the final on the Nile), Leprosy just squeaked out a win against Stem Cell 50.3% to 49.7% in the 2017 championship game.

Centuries ago leprosy dominated repeatedly with horrible epidemics spread across Europe and Asia. Among the oldest of human plagues, this bacterial illness is extremely hard to catch. Leprosy is only infectious in its early stages and only certain people are vulnerable; most of us carry leprosy antibodies and are immune to it.

Like tuberculosis (TB), leprosy is likely spread in coughed or sneezed droplets, and then it progresses very slowly. But if not treated with antibiotics, leprosy can severely distort the face, damage nerves and cause bodily mutilation. Medieval lepers were outcasts and carried bells or clappers to warn villagers of their approach. Leprosy began to disappear after the ravages of the Black Death in the Middle Ages. But even today leprosy affects millions of people in India, Brazil and other developing countries. The US actually sees about 100 cases each year! So we must congratulate this masterful microbe for its success in tormenting humanity for millennia and for its surprising victory in this year’s March Microbe Madness!

Thanks to everyone that voted in our V-Day "VD" Caption Contest! We received so many creative captions and thousands of you voted on the winners. The finalists wrote wonderful and witty captions, so the voting for each scene was very tight. All the final entries were certainly for anyone with a healthy sense of humor! Here are the brilliant winning captions for each scene:

Red Blood Cells: "I hope they're not marching in vein."

STD Coffee Break: "All I hear is "Zika! Zika! Zika!" Nobody cares about us anymore."

Oddity: "To the right, we see a multi-bedroom house, where you and your families can set up your very own microbiome!"

Kissing 'Mono e Mono': "You're not allowed to spread Mono until you're 18!" ... "But Mom, all of my friends are spreading Mono!"

When Herpes Met Sally: "Play it safe, don't have what she's having."

Kissablanca: "Of all the Epstein-Barrs, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine."

Congratulations to all the winners who will be receiving a selection of GIANTmicrobes products. We will be contacting you separately via email.

The perfect gift for Valentine’s Day is heart health. February is a great month to think about the 10-ounce powerhouse that’s long been considered the seat of will and emotion. Throughout history we have recognized the heart’s essential role in sustaining life. The ancient Egyptians believed it was the center of mortality. The ancient Greeks believed it held the soul and the source of body heat. Today we know your heart is truly incredible, beating about 100,000 times per day or 35 million times in a year! Each heart cell is amazing, specially made to pump without rest and with abundant mitochondria and myoglobins to help the cell breathe.

Yet heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for both men and women. By making healthy choices, heart disease can be greatly reduced. Communities, health professionals, and families can work together to create opportunities for people to eat well and keep moving. Other healthy choices include regularly checking blood pressure and sugar levels, avoiding inhaling nasty stuff, and simply doing more of what you love. Talk, laugh, enjoy time with friends and celebrate every positive thing you do! And when your Valentine asks how much you love them, just say “A million blood barrels and 2 billion heartbeats!”.

As you enjoy your holiday feasts, consider this: Do you think with your gut? Perhaps you do more than you realize. The intestine is lined with a complex system of nerves comprising the enteric nervous system. Nerves in the gut react to different situations, sending out serotonin and other chemical messages to the rest of your body. In the brain, serotonin helps us to learn and signals for us to rest, among other things. So, you would expect that gut serotonin also influences your general mood. In a way, your gut is acting like a second brain! And don’t forget the trillions (yes, trillions!) of bacteria that live in your gut. This microbiome also plays a role in your mood, health and overall well-being. Happy gut, happy day… Happy microbes, happy life!

It’s a big eating week as America gathers to feast on turkey. Below are some quick tips to help avoid common bacteria that may lurk in your bird. If you’re wondering, the 5 most common turkey bacteria are E.Coli, Salmonella, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter.

Do take special care if you plan to be adventurous and dine on some tasty wild game. Animals in nature do harbor more exotic, nasty microbes. Yes, you can still catch black death (or plague) in the USA! Here is some game you might want to avoid at dinner:

• Chipmunks and Prairie Dogs can carry Black Death
• Red Squirrels can carry Leprosy
• Fruit Bats can carry Ebola
• West African rats can carry Lassa fever
• Raccoons can carry Rabies
• Muskrats might bring some love, but beware of the Tularemia bacteria. Tularemia sounds as pleasant as a muskrat, but it’s a lethal bacteria that was actually weaponized by the Soviet Union.

Have a safe and delicious holiday! Here are your turkey tips: Never thaw your turkey by leaving it out on the counter. A frozen turkey is safe indefinitely, but a thawing turkey must defrost at a safe temperature. When the turkey is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, its temperature moves into the danger zone between 40°F and 140°F, where bacteria can grow rapidly.

These are rousing times in the world of politics. As President-elect Donald Trump starts on his inauguration speech, GIANTmicrobes wants to advise him to acquire a comfortable hat, a thick coat and a bottle of clean filtered water. Trump does not want to follow in the footsteps of the 9th President of the United States, President William Henry Harrison. He holds a dubious distinction that will likely never be equaled: he was our shortest-serving president. In 1841, Harrison was 68 years old when he died of an infectious disease. But the microbe that did him in still remains unknown to this day. Was it rhinovirus, pneumonia, enteric fever, typhoid or some other bacteria or mysterious virus? Over the years historians have accepted the diagnosis of Harrison’s doctor: “pneumonia of the lower lobe of the right lung, complicated by congestion of the liver.” Harrison got sick immediately after delivering the longest ever Inaugural Address in freezing rain without a hat, overcoat or gloves. Within days Harrison had a sinking pulse and cold, blue extremities, two classic manifestations of septic shock. His doctors tried to help him with some opium, snakeweed, castor oil and of course leeches. He died on his 32nd day in office.

Recent epidemiological evidence makes it far more likely that Harrison's killer lurked in a stinking marsh near the White House.That heap of human waste would have been a breeding ground for two deadly bacteria, Salmonella typhi and S. paratyphi, the causes of typhoid and enteric (or paratyphoid) fever. Both can devastate the gut. Only 10 years after Harrison perished, two other Presidents - James Polk and Zachary Taylor - also had nasty gastroenteritis while in the White House. Polk recovered, but died of cholera only a few months after leaving office in 1849. Just a year later, Taylor died after only 16 months in office. Many suspected he died of typhoid fever or cholera, which occurred frequently in the 1800s when sewage systems were primitive.

The next time you visit Washington, D.C. you might want to wash your hands frequently and bring your own water. And good luck President Trump, but please remember: you may be leader of the most powerful nation, but microbes still rule the earth!

We all know that George Washington was America’s first President. But perhaps it is lesser known, that as General, he had the entire Continental Army vaccinated against smallpox. This was the first mass inoculation in military history, and it was critical to ensuring America’s victory over the British.

Washington's first brush with smallpox came when he was 19 years old. For nearly a month, he battled a high fever, vomiting and pungent pustules. Smallpox is a deadly virus that has killed hundreds of millions worldwide. It is estimated that 300 million died of smallpox in the 20th century alone! Back in 1751, smallpox left Washington immune to the virus, but it also permanently pock-marked him for life. This would later contribute to his grizzled image as a leader. The scars also reminded him of the horrors and constant threat of smallpox. When Washington took command of the Army in 1775, a seven-year epidemic was just beginning that killed tens of thousands.

During the 1775-76 siege of Boston, the city was reeling from the epidemic. Washington took all possible measures to minimize its spread. He isolated his troops and only allowed those soldiers to attack Boston who had already survived smallpox (and were thus immune). His wary approach to smallpox helped keep his army healthy and functional. In contrast, the American forces who fought the British in Canada were devastated by smallpox, a chief reason for their defeat. Smallpox killed thousands in Canada and destroyed all hope of persuading Canadians to join the American Revolution. John Adams wrote in 1776, “The small-pox is ten times more terrible than Britons, Canadians, and Indians together.”

Back in Boston, Washington knew that simply evading smallpox was not enough. He then took the bold move of having the entire Army secretly inoculated. Modern vaccination methods didn’t exist, so doctors had to cut a patients arm and introduce the infected pus from a smallpox victim into the soldier's wound. Around 2% died from this process, but the survivors got lifelong immunity. By 1777, 40,000 soldiers were immunized and the results were stunning. The smallpox infection rate in the Army fell to only 1% and the Army developed into a powerful fighting force. A few years later the British surrendered and the United States of America was born. Were it not for George Washington’s experience with smallpox, history might have been written quite differently. Perhaps Americans would be driving on the left side of the road!

For another 200 years smallpox continued to ravage the world, until human beings finally achieved one of the greatest victories ever. In 1978, in the country that Washington helped create, smallpox was finally defeated as part of a multinational eradication program!

Microbes rule the earth, so let’s not take it for granted that they have also greatly influenced U.S. history and the lives of our Presidents. This year, microbes are playing a key role in the Presidential race, or as some might call this election season, the “don’t-vote-for-that-one-who-is-crazier-than-me catastrophe race of 2016”. There was quite a media stir in September when candidate Hillary Clinton fell ill. She was reportedly very sick and hit by a bout of pneumonia. Many different organisms can cause this lung infection, such as viruses or bacteria, including streptococcus pneumoniae (also called pneumococcus). Although millions of Americans are diagnosed with pneumonia each year, it can be fatal. In fact, pneumonia is a top 10 cause of death in the U.S and, if viral, can also be contagious. In Secretary Clinton’s case, her ailment was kept top secret. Reports surfaced that she took antibiotics, indicating it was likely a bacterial infection. She recovered quickly and missed only a few days on the stage of this year’s ultimate reality show.

As for her opponent Donald Trump, his “doctor” stated he would be "the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.” Trump is older than Clinton, so they both need to take precautions to avoid pneumonia and many other microbes that can hit seniors especially hard. Both candidates are highly energized and working nonstop to earn American votes. Perhaps one day we’ll find out what bacteria, virus, prion, archaea, protozoa, fungi, parasites or other microbes may be behind their personas and their actions. Microbes are surely lurking in the brains, hearts, guts and hairs of these candidates in the 2016 election season. After all, whoever ends up sitting in the oval office will not be alone. Every individual person is made up of human cells, plus trillions of microbes that inhabit the body!

The current man in the oval office, President Barack Obama, has rarely been sick during his tenure in the oval office. Perhaps it’s his exercise habits, his diet, or his good hand-washing hygiene. Or maybe the Secret Service has finally learned how to protect the Commander-in-Chief from all dangers both large and very, very small.

The President of the United States may well be the most powerful person on the planet, but none are immune to the power of the mighty microbe. This blog is the first in a series on how microbes have impacted the lives and decisions of many Presidents and ultimately shaped American history. From George Washington to Franklin D. Roosevelt, and into modern times, microscopic organisms may well be the real commander-in-chief. Here are a few of the many examples of Presidents vs Microbes.

Washington caught Smallpox at the age of 19. He battled chills, aches, fever and vomiting. Unlike millions who died from this deadly virus over the centuries, Washington recovered within a month. But smallpox left our 1st President pock-marked for life. Washington went on to defeat the British in the American Revolutionary War, and he would have been proud to know the country he helped found would later play a primary role in defeating smallpox. A worldwide vaccination program in the 1960s and 1970s eradicated smallpox. For more on how smallpox influenced the decisions of George Washington and the course of the American Revolution, read our upcoming blogs in this Presidents vs. Microbes series.

FDR was another celebrated President who was dealt a microbial blow. At the age of 39, he suffered from polio and became paralyzed. Although confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, it did not prevent FDR from leading a life of public service and holding the office of President longer than anyone in history. He became a symbol of perseverance and strength.

Other Presidents weren’t as lucky. To read about how microbes killed another President and how they are effecting the current Presidential election, stay turned for more Presidents vs. Microbes blogs.

Vampire legends are rich and varied around the world. Some vampires are said to turn into bats or wolves. Some cast a shadow. Others are killed by holy water or sunlight. Their universal origin is difficult to trace, but there’s one thing vampires have in common. They all crave blood. Why blood? Perhaps it is the oxygen carried by the hemoglobin. Blood feasting is not an uncommon practice in nature and it’s not for the oxygen. Blood is made of more than just red blood cells. It’s chock full of platelets, white blood cells and plasma rich in nutrients like proteins and lipids! Thirsty, anyone?

The 2016 summer Olympics are fast approaching. Excitement and stress is rising fast in Rio as Brazil prepares to host the games. However, many are raising concern as millions of human bodies are unfortunately hosting the Zika virus! Brazil is at the center of the most recent Zika outbreak. When Zika hit Brazil in 2015, it did not cause much alarm as Zika’s symptoms are often mild and unnoticed. But this seemingly harmless microbe is now causing an international scare. This is largely due to a spike in cases of neurological disorders in newborns that have been linked to Zika.

Zika continues to spread and the World Health Organization estimates over 4 million infections in the Americas in the past 12 months! This sudden and frightening rise of Zika has prompted the WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency. U.S. officials advise that pregnant women or those wishing to have children in the near term should deter travel to Central and South America. Zika continues to spread north into Puerto Rico and may soon arrive on the US mainland. The race is on to develop a Zika vaccine, expected to be more than a year away. Everyone enjoys a good footrace, but perhaps you should enjoy this summer’s Olympics from the comfort of your living room. In case you do travel, keep a high quality mosquito net handy!

When you hear “Superbug” you might think of lifesaving heroes like Superman. But the bacteria MRSA is super in a very different way. MRSA is super resistant to some of the strongest antibiotics around, thus it’s nicknamed the Superbug! Initially, it was only an issue for those with weakened immune systems. However, due to adaptation these villains have powered up to attack even the healthiest people. Not only does MRSA appear in hospitals, but other hotspots include communal areas like locker rooms, military bases, prisons, and even schools!

Every year in the US, there are over 80,000 MRSA infections and over 11,000 deaths. Recently, kids have been especially in danger, as the number of hospitalized children due to MRSA doubled since the year 2000. Athletes must also be careful, since this bacteria loves to grow in improperly cleaned equipment, such as wrestling mats, hockey gloves, and even protective helmets! So the next time you compete in sports or visit a hospital, do your best to practice good hygiene habits and help prevent a visit from the Superbug.

There over 9,900 species of birds and 30,000 species of fish. Insects are quite overwhelming with 950,000 species. But microbes rule when it comes to variety! How many microbe species are there? As recently as 1998, scientists believed there were one million microbe species. But researchers have now discovered the number is really around 1,000,000,000,000 species. That’s one TRILLION species of microbes, which is one million times greater than the estimation just 18 years ago!

However, this discovery is just the beginning. The estimation for the number of species cannot be accurate until we acknowledge a broader concept: evolution. Due to this phenomenon of changing heritable traits, the species that lived a few billion years ago may not exist today. Thus, the approximation of 1 trillion may still be an understatement if you include all those microbe ancestors. Some scientists have even made a bold prediction of 1 nonillion species, or 1 with 30 zeroes, Woah! Perhaps there are many more out there on other planets as well!

We currently don’t have the technology to be able to accurately answer how many microbe species there are. But keep in mind, science continues to advance every day, and we may not have to wait another 18 years to better understand our many microscopic neighbors.

Florence Nightingale is the most famous nurse in history. She organized the nursing of the sick and wounded during the Crimean War, where more soldiers were dying from infections like typhus, typhoid, cholera and dysentery than battle wounds. She recognized the risks of nosocomial infections and redesigned patient wards to prevent them. Her ideas and reforms modernized healthcare. Her work inspired the founding of the International Red Cross. Through her achievements, teaching, and legacy she transformed nursing into a respectable profession for women in the 1860’s. In 1983, the Florence Nightingale Pledge was composed as a dedication to the mother of modern nursing.

Mosquitoes harbor some of the most insidious viruses and parasites that cause human diseases, such as Zika, West Nile, Dengue, and Malaria. Malaria is among the oldest mosquito-borne illnesses known to man. It’s caused by parasites that invade red blood cells, called Plasmodium falciparum. People with malaria often experience fever, chills, and aches, but this disease can be deadly! Almost half of the world’s population, about 3.2 billion people, is at risk of malaria, especially young children. Fortunately, with public health efforts and advancements in medicine, the disease is preventable and curable. Rates of new cases and malaria deaths have dropped substantially in the past six years.

People across the globe take part in a wide range of activities to mark World Malaria Day, this year April 25, 2016. World Malaria day is a communication and advocacy platform for civil society north and south to showcase work , share resources , engage in dialogue, contribute views, ideas and events to mobilize the world against malaria.

Every living thing on Earth depends on the presence of our little microscopic friends. Bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms serve as the primary food source for other tiny organisms, like paramecia, worms, or krill. Hence, they are the foundation of the food cycle. Bacteria, like Actinomycetes, decompose decaying matter in soil so that plants and other animals can utilize those nutrients. Microbes are also an important part of the human digestive system. Bacteria, like E. coli, help break down the food we eat Phytoplankton, such as cyanobacteria, are photosynthetic microbes that produce the majority of oxygen on Earth!

• 1. Phototropic bacteria, like cyanobacteria, made oxygen available on Earth 2.3 billion years ago. Without them, Earth would not be suitable for animal life!
• 2. Bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, molds, and protozoa all play an important role in decomposing organic matter, breaking down the carbon, phosphate, and nitrogen to serve as nutrients for other living organisms.
• 3. Many cause diseases and death in animals and plants, which are then decomposed by other bacteria. It’s all a part of a cycle.
• 4. Microbes are the bottom of the food chain. They serve as a food source for other tiny organisms, like amoebas and paramecia.
• 5. They play a role in climate change. As the global temperature rises, the carbon produced by decomposition enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide through soil respiration. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps heat inside the Earth’s atmosphere.

Yogurt, cheese, beer, bread, wine, and pickles: Besides being edible, what do these all have in common? Bacteria and fungi are essential in making these tasty delights!

These microbes ferment, or break down, the sugars in the main ingredient of these recipes, producing acid, gas, and/or alcohol. Different groups of bacteria, like Lacto and Bifido, break down lactose in milk and are used to make all sorts of yogurt and cheese varieties. Beer and bread both need yeast to break down the glucose in wheat to make bicarbonate gas and alcohol. To make wine and pickles, you don’t have to look very far to find the lactic acid bacteria naturally found on fruits and vegetables!

Charcuterie, anyone?

• 1. If all the bacteria on your body were gathered in one bucket, it would weigh 4 pounds.
• 2. There are more bacteria living in your mouth right now that there are people in the world!
• 3. Don’t you just love the smell of fresh air after a rainy day? You can thank Actinomycetes for that!
• 4. For centuries, women have argued that men are “filthy creatures”, and we all know women are always right. Offices with more male employees have far more bacteria!
• 5. After two weeks of wear, a pair of jeans will have grown over 10,000 bacterial colonies.
• 6. Coffee breath? Instead of a breath mint, reach for a piece of dark chocolate. Chocolate is antibacterial and protects your teeth from decay!
• 7. A dollar bill can have up to 3,000 types of bacteria!
• 8. Your cell phone has 18 times more bacteria than a toilet!
• 9. An office keyboard can have up to 200 times the amount of bacteria as a toilet!
• 10. An office desk has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet! I think the toilet deserves an apology.

Most microbes, like Paramecia, are ideal citizens of the Earth, living freely in the environment and not harming others. Many are probiotic, meaning they’re beneficial to humans. Lactobacillus bulgaricus and L. acidophilus are used to turn milk into yogurt! Some microbes, however, cause diseases that have devastated human life like Black Death, which has caused several deadly pandemics throughout history.

Although many can cause disease to humans, microorganisms are crucial to the environment and natural life cycle of all living organisms. They’re here to stay!

Not all normal flora are beneficial, however. Some are opportunistic, invading the blood and causing diseases when defenses are down and conditions are right. That’s why the human immune system is constantly producing antibodies to regulate the bacteria in our bodies. You can say it’s a constant battle between light and dark to bring balance to the body system.