"From Kitchen to Classroom" - A Teacher's Blog

6) MY ENCOUNTER WITH PATHOGENS

(Facts Stranger than Fiction --Revealed)

I, Dr. Shiva Aithal, in search of a few pathogenic microbes and with a purpose of inviting one or two yesterday traveled inside my own body and started investigating. I began my journey from my mouth up to intestine; I could go no further and came back, as I went. My intentions were also to know their reactions on us humans calling them as “pathogens”.  When I was going down the throat, to my surprise I found myself immediately surrounded by millions of bacteria and all ‘yucky’ and slimy. I could not make up weather they were rapidly multiplying or rapidly dying, but it was a sea of bacteria nevertheless. They were curious why I came. To my amazement I found that there were in a ratio of 10 bacteria to 1 human cell. 

When I tried to ask something they dragged me to their “Chief” bacteria which looked like an old dying senior member in the crowd. The “Chief bacterium” was casual and my presence had no effect on him. It took me a great deal to grab his attention and put up an interview with him. The chief of the bacterial community said he had no time and as he was in his death phase will die soon. I grabbed an interview without paying attention. The excerpts of the interview are given below.

Me: “So Chief how many of YOU are there in my body, I see so many of you, can you give me the exact number and yes how many of you are pathogenic?

(The chief was clearly irritated by the last part of my question)

Chief Bacteria: What do you mean by how many are pathogenic?? It is relative term. How easily you forget what our Godfather had said “Never underestimate the power of microbes”. Whatever you call us by different names do you really know that we are more than 100 trillion – and more than two kilos of “ONLY US” inside your body? We are your “micro-biomes” and we behave as another organ in your body.

Me: Why get so angry chief? Do you not consider yourself a pathogen? I guess you are one because you have a ‘capsule’ surrounding you!

Chief Bacteria: Hey! So what you shameless creature – did you not create knives, guns, bombs and nuclear weapons to kill and burn your own people? Can you forget Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Who is a “Pathogen” You or Me? (He resembled a powerful orator) We don’t kill our own community like that only. Even when we do it is a highly mutually understood balance of energy, when we die, we become source of energy to our own community and many a times for you too. When will you realize that, Oh!! You will never understand because you never know how to LISTEN to us! How many of you die for your own brothers and sisters-MAN-come on tell me-give examples!! You never do that! You betray your own community, we never do that Sir!! Yes NEVER – MIND IT!! I don’t have time for your “nonsense” and I have not time for you either I have to die with glory. And about my “capsule” and its relation with being a “pathogen” My Dear Boy!!! (it was EERIE feeling-a bacterium calling me like that) a knife in the hand of a thief takes away life but in the hands of a surgeon saves many. Think on that!!! If you have the intellect.

(Saying this chief called another bacterium, which was passing by and told him to answer the rest of my questions. I saw the old chief dying and just getting dissolved and vanishing in to the sea of vigorous metabolism. But what a glorious speech before death I thought. In my world this speech would have become immortal. The new bacterium looked somewhat younger, a bit matured, and more thoughtful; I probed further, as I asked the bacteria in front of me – still deep in my thoughts)

Me: Hello-Buddy may I know your name?

It replied in Bond Style.

Bacterium: I am Influenzae! H. influenzae

Me: Oh-Hi! You seemed to be bit relaxed. You look like a pathogen too. What do you cause to us? (On this it laughed sarcastically).

H. influenza: Ha! Ha! Ha! You humans and your terminologies. OK in your language I am an opportunistic pathogen; like my younger brother E. coli. that is, I live in you without causing disease, but can cause you problems only when you allow viral infections, if you develop reduced immune function or get chronically inflamed tissues from allergies. What I want to say is that if you create an opportunity then in your language I am a pathogen.

Me: Oh I see. You want to play the blame game? Why blame us and our “system” when you too are an integral part of us? Can’t you ever help us rather than causing disease always?

H. influenza: Dear Doctor-Please be mindful when you are giving suggestions. What do you think - is it us who cause disease? No never! Go and ask your ancestors if possible. We are associated with you right from your evolution days.

(I clearly knew my next question will make him angry, but I was confident because no one from my world was watching me and anyway strangely when you go inside your own body the “EGO” does not function.)

Me: Now what has YOUR ‘Pathogenicity’ to do with OUR ancestors?

H. influenza: Oh! How ignorant you are? How good were those days when we struggled together for existence? We helped out each other in difficult times. No pollution, clean water and air, cleaner nature, no medicines and no pharmacy. They knew us better and controlled us nicely with their “immune system” which was not only their “main factory” but a friendly one too.  It was their property; it never harmed us so we never meant any loss to them. Go and if possible ask them - Did they ever suffer like your present generation? They were more sensible and friendly with us.

(I was obviously defensive and asked rather over confidently).

Me: And now what have we done?

H. influenza: You present people- eating junk food, you push your immune system to its limit, by doing things that weaken it more such as eating junk foods/sugar, stress, lack of water and sleep, years of body abuse and unhealthy lifestyle, you will get sick, you invite and provide us the “opportunity” to grow. We are just doing our natural job, with your permission. You will eventually reap what you sow.

(I was beginning to lose my confidence as I thoughtfully asked my next question.)

Me: OK! OK! I agree? But why the rage, why the anger? When you cause epidemic? You spare no one?

(I was taken by surprise when he unexpectedly reprimanded me for this question)

H. influenza: You idiots you will never understand us - Will you? It is you who call it as endemics, pandemics whatever! We just go on an immunization spree once in a while to help you out from our possible mutations. All those fools without an efficient own immune power succumb. Tell me clearly do we have a role in your immune system-NO boss never. It is only you who make it weaker.

Me: Never ever thought like that! But why will you ever wish to help us humans out?

H. influenza: It was a tryst with destiny. We promised your ancestral man, that we will protect you from any of our ‘natural mutations’ which is a natural part of our evolution process. But now it seems that you have broken that trust and YOU create environments by your “bad habits” in which we are mutating more rapidly than ever. It is so sad that it is neither in your control or ours. (He was now getting irritated) OK let me go, I am in my “log-phase”, I cannot waste my precious time like this I have a lot to “Synthesize” and “Finish” before I die. Growing up with only “Talking” and no work seems to be your “Tendency” not ours. Time is short for me. Will you ever understand these words??? Huh?

Before I could say anything he just dashed off and became invisible to me. I went further down and entered my Stomach, I felt the burnt. Stinging sensation grabbed my feet. I realized it was my Stomach’s acid. Today I drank less water than regular. How unforgivable my body is for me, I thought, every day I drink 6 liters of water for this very purpose and even then, one day I forget and no excuses. I resolved that I will never forget to consume the required quantity of H2O from here on. 

With great difficulty I crossed the Stomach as I could only see enzymes oozing out from my own cells and food getting broken down. It was hell of a workshop. Only few bacteria were present and all tried to behave like “big-shots” and unheedingly doing their work, each one looked after one “molecule” only and acted like Incharge of that molecule. They simply did not rest till it was converted to ATP. I thought the acidic environment has made these stomach bacteria workaholic. As I moved further, with great difficulty, I found myself pitying their acrimonious behavior. Still I could not grab a “Pathogen” when suddenly a number of bright yellow colored balls fell on my head, they just kept rolling and falling in a sequence and I got “a bad bump” on my head. In a fit of anger, I grabbed one by my hand and was about to throw away when it shouted.

Ball like Structure: Oye! Oye! Oye! Boss-I am cocci- Staphylocci. Don’t you respect other than yourself type of “life-forms”. Keep me down and mind you be gentle.

One more I thought. I carefully (rather fearfully) kept it down slowly.

Me: What are you up to Mr. Staph? Showing your pathogenic powers here? (One more Pathogen I thought and prayed out of fear it not be the dangerous methicillin resistant species MRSA).

Staph: What do you think? I am as good as you want me to be! Lucky you! I know what you are thinking-Don’t worry I’m not what you think. I’m just your normal staph and not the resistant one. And it’s you who bought me here.

Me: ME and how’s that? Could you please explain??

Staph: Crazy fellow you ate “Paani-puri” with your friends and transported me here. (suddenly I heard echoing dual voice and saw that infront of my eyes the staph I was talking to was just doubling in planes and I was talking to four Staphylococci as it continued….) I was happy in that food-stuff with that pani-puri wallah. But you like that “Junk” so much that you could never stop after eating a few. So here I am having a tough time fighting with your antibodies, who are hell bent to kill me? What will you do if your enemy attacks you, will you sacrifice yourself or counter attack in defense??? Answer me! And you call me a ‘pathogen’ (it kept on doubling and strangely were not separating from each other and I was getting confused to whom I was really talking to).

Me: You mean to say you are my food borne infection, then why have I not got symptoms like vomiting or fever?? (I was really wondering)

Staph: Gracious goodness!! What a gratitude MAN? Do good and cast it in the river! Eh? All the time I have been “Controlling myself” for your sake, my progeny and parent are getting killed-for your sake and you question my credentials. Wait till dawn – Doctor – you better start writing a sick application to your boss from here itself??

As it expressed its anger, it grew in clusters more rapidly and I could not make its words. It seemed as if it growled and howled and just moved away further like a bunch of growing grapes. I thought I angered the food borne Staph. and was beginning to think ‘why the hell I ate that road-side stuff’. I was beginning to worry about my health. What if it started to produce toxins, I decided to leave it alone and hurried away from there. 

I was about to move further when I saw some bacteria suspiciously hiding behind the mucous, I just tried to peek in when I realized that there were many deep down, shocked just as I was about to retreat, a good bent curved rod attracted my sight. It was so hell “bent” and doing something, which raised my curiosity as I moved closer to it. As I approached nearer I could see them in thousands all furiously working and not noticing me. I had never read about them in my B.Sc. or M.Sc. I wondered why our syllabus was so un-informative. I tried to communicate with one of them, and enquired (after my Staph. Encounter I was automatically beginning to get more polite)

Me: “Hello! Sir may I know who are you in my body and what are you doing???”

Curved Rod:  I am Pylori - Helicobacter pylori, move aside let some air pass in, previously you people used to call me Campylobacter pyloridis. Ah!! A good question what am I doing here?? But if I keep answering your silly questions I will die without glory – get lost ask someone else.

Saying this he suddenly took one molecule of Urea (I never knew that my stomach had so many molecules of urea) and spit some fluid on it and suddenly converted that urea molecule to ammonia. Oh I remembered it had “spit” urease enzyme and converted it to ammonia – which made the acidic molecule to alkaline and it survived. This was the vigorous work which all similar curved bacteria were doing. I still wondered from where it came and why is it doing all these. But somehow I felt better to see my acidity getting lowered down. These guys were regulating my stomach acidity.

Me: Ahem! Sir! Can I ask you (I asked hesitantly) are you pathogenic??

H. pylori: Look Boss! First of all, please move aside let some air pass in and secondly move away from me – we are not only Pathogens but also the first formally recognized bacterial carcinogen and one of the most successful human pathogens, as over half of the world's population is colonized with us. Unless treated, we remain with you for your life, and why the hell don’t you move aside and let some air come through.

I realized that it was microoerophillic and so kept demanding for air. I recently read that mounting evidence suggests that H. pylori though undoubtedly a ‘Pathogen’ have an important role in protecting from some diseases and regulating stomach acidity. All were vigorously working, due to which they looked like the “Hunchback of Notre-Dame”. Some were so bent that they almost became coccoidal. Most of them held hand in hand while working, they did seem to like getting separated. Like this collectively they appeared like a transparent film, Ah! What a ‘biofilm’ I thought.

Me: Err! Sir can you tell me even being Pathogenic why I don’t get to feel your presence?

Actually I meant to say “Infections” but then I tried to be humble while questioning but I had used the term “Pathogen” confidently because it had not only proclaimed itself as one but also called itself a “Bacterial carcinogen” a new terminology which I had to Google after going back. To my surprise it was not angry being called a ‘pathogen’ as it replied.

H. pylori: See my dear HOST! Many of our types are fighting it out in your digestive tract, and the winners can determine your risk for a range of health problems. Your belly is a very popular place. We as many as 100 trillion microbes call it our home. One good thing for you is that many of them are beneficial for you because they process hard-to-digest foods, produce nutrients, and as we're now learning to guard you against disease. We as a community synthesize vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin K and b and one biotin, ferment complex indigestible carbohydrates inside your body. Even outside in the nature, when you throw us out of your body, we decompose and recycle dead insects, animals and organisms. And please why don’t you take a deep breath boss! I need some air and now please move on, I have a hell lot of work to finish off.

Saying this he held the hand of his co-workers and all combined to form a big ‘biofilm’ and got back to their work. I decided to leave them alone. At least they accepted that they were pathogens and more than that, and Boy! Were they not humble in that? I dared not trigger ‘antagonism’ in them which will affect no one else but only me.

As I advanced further my curiosity reached newer levels and I was wondering what lay in store of my GUT, I had already started to get that eerie "feeling!!!".

……..Can be Continued by Readers