Case Maryann was watching TV as she ate her dinner. She was fully engrossed on w

Question

Case Maryann was watching TV as she ate her dinner. She was fully engrossed on what was happening on the screen and did not pay full attention to the toasted slice of bread that she had picked up to eat. As she took a bite off the bread, she noticed it had a sour taste but did not really pay attention to it. During the break, as she looked at what was left of the bread she was eating, she noticed it was spoiled bread. As she examined the bread, she did not see any fungal contamination, but noticed that some areas had a sticky, stringy consistency Not taking any chances, she decided to go see her physician who performed some laboratory tests of samples from the bread. The results showed viable that the bread was contaminated by a rod shaped bacteria that may contaminate food. He then proceeded to tell her the background history of the bacteria, how it was discovered by Nazi German medical corps in N. Africa in 1942 that were dying of uncontrolled Dysentery. At that time there were no antibiotics. They noticed that the Arabs were not dying and when they observed their behaviors to find out the reason why, they observed that when they fell sick with dysentery, they ate warm camel dung. They then concluded that there must be something in the dung that was providing the healing. On experimental examination of the dung, this bacterial was identified and it was also found that it promotes dramatic haling benefits in humans. It does this by cannibalizing al harmful microorganisms in the human body, particularly pathogenic bacteria like the virulent strain which was causing dysentery in the German troops. Maryann was puzzled that the doctor sent her home with no advice for a follow-up, nor did he ask her to bring her children in for treatment. All he told her was to come in if she felt ill to be too alarmed, after telling her this long story about an occurrence in 1941. In her mind, she has consumed a bacterial that causes bread to spoil and is not normal flora of her body. Why was the doctor not alarmed at the fact that she had consumed some of the bacteria? Does she have any cause to worry? Why? What is the normal habitat of this bacterium? The bread was toasted, yet it still contained viable bacteria. Does this mean her toaster is malfunctioning and thus did not get to the required temperature? Explain

Explanation / Answer

Bacteria spoiling the bread is Bacillus subtilis . This bacteria kills pathogenic bacteria and fungus. German troops suffering from dysentry were made to eat camel dung as it heals dysentry. This bacteria was responsible for the healing effect made by camel dung.

Although not part of the normal micro flora of our body, it is non-pathogenic and does not cause food poisioning. On contrary to maryann's concern , It has potential health benefits like ability to kill harmful pathogenic bacteria, act as fungicide inhibiting the growth fungus, ability to destroy harmful mycotoxins produced by fungi.

The normal habitat of this bacterium is soil and vegetation.

Bacillus subtilis is a spore forming bacteria. These spores are resistant to high temperature and may have survived. Later on, when nutrients become abundant in surrounding they can germinate and form colonies

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