Microbes Are Evolving to Eat Cleaning Supplies, and Whooping Cough Is Making a Comeback

Science Quickly

Scientific American

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4.2 • 639 Ratings

🗓️ 21 October 2024

⏱️ 9 minutes

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Summary

NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have confirmed we’re in the solar maximum, a period of increased solar activity that could lead to more auroras. Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a fivefold surge in whooping cough cases. And a new study suggests that some microbes might be using our disinfectants against us by chowing down on them. Recommended reading: Whooping Cough Is Spreading Again after Years of Relative Quiet Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Anaissa Ruiz Tejada. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check our show. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:00.0	Understanding the human body is a team effort. That's where the Yachtel group comes in.
0:05.8	Researchers at Yachtolt have been delving into the secrets of probiotics for 90 years. Yacold also
0:11.5	partners with nature portfolio to advance gut microbiome science through the global grants for
0:16.6	gut health, an investigator-led research program. To learn more about Yachtold, visit yawcult.co.j
0:23.9	That's Y-A-K-U-L-T-C-O-J-P. When it comes to a guide for your gut, count on Yacult.
0:40.1	Happy Monday listeners, For Scientific American Science Quickly, I'm Rachel Thaltman.
0:44.1	You're listening to our weekly Science News Roundup.
0:47.0	Earlier this month, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced a surge in whooping cough cases, bringing us back to pre-pandemic patterns for the disease, which is also known as pertussis.
1:00.4	We've seen about five times as many whooping cough cases this year as we had by the same time in 2023.
1:06.8	That uptick is even sharper in some regions in particular.
1:10.7	Cases are more than 10 times higher
1:12.5	in Pennsylvania than at this point last year and 17 times higher in Delaware. Whooping cough, which is
1:18.3	caused by the bacterium Bortatela pertussis, is highly contagious even when an infected person's
1:24.1	symptoms are mild. Infants are especially vulnerable to serious illness.
1:28.4	According to the CDC, about a third of children under the age of 12 months who get who
1:32.4	whooping cough end up in the hospital.
1:34.2	The DETAP, or diphtheria, tetanus, and accellular pertussis vaccine covers whooping cough.
1:40.3	We'll include a link in the show notes to the CDC's pertussis recommendations so you can make sure your family's vaccines are all up to date.
1:48.6	Speaking of microbes, a study published last Thursday suggests that they might be using our own disinfectants against us.
1:55.7	Researchers studied hundreds of microbial strains in samples taken from urban surfaces and the skin of city dwellers
2:01.8	in Hong Kong. Some of the strains featured genes that allow them to metabolize compounds found
2:07.0	in cleaning products. In other words, they're eating the disinfectants. For instance, the study
	...

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