Skin as delicate as a butterfly’s wing – this is how patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) are often described. The condition causes skin to blister and tear painfully in response to the lightest touch – even the touch of light clothing can be enough. EB is a genetic condition that occurs due to an absence […]
Variations in viruses
Imagine a disease that can infect millions of people a year. One that can spread by merely coughing and sneezing. One that an outbreak in 1918 caused the death of at least 50 million people. No, I’m not talking about Ebola, Zika virus or any other disease that tends to dominate the news. I’m talking […]
Coral reefs: the ‘canary in a coal mine’?
When you hear the words ‘coral reef’, you probably imagine a vibrant underwater community, made up of colourful fish and tangled corals. Taking up less than 0.1% of the ocean area, coral reefs are home to over a million different species – this is about 25% of all marine species. In comparison, around 70,000 land […]
Resistance Is Futile!!!
You hear stories about it in the news weekly, but just what is antibiotic resistance, and is the future of antibiotic era of healthcare as vulnerable as we are lead to believe? Antibiotic resistance is arguably one of the biggest global problems facing humans today. Without a way to defend ourselves against diseases, we hardly […]