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Dr. Baqer Obeid - Medical Microbiology in Small Bites

26/06/2025

🦠 Skin (wound) botulism is a life-threatening condition seen in people who inject drugs, especially black tar he**in. Clostridium botulinum spores contaminate injection sites and thrive in anaerobic conditions, releasing a neurotoxin that causes progressive, symmetric descending paralysis—starting with cranial nerves (ptosis, diplopia, dysarthria, dysphagia) and potentially leading to respiratory failure. Sensorium remains intact, and there’s usually no fever or sensory deficit. It should be suspected in IV drug users presenting with neurologic symptoms and infected injection sites. Treatment includes immediate administration of botulinum antitoxin, wound debridement, and antibiotics.

26/05/2025

HPV isn’t just one virus — it’s a whole group of over 100 types.
Most people associate it with cancer, but the truth is: not all HPV strains are dangerous.

Some types cause common warts on the hands or feet. Others affect the ge***al area and usually go away on their own without causing any problems.
But a few high-risk strains — like HPV 16 and 18 — can lead to cervical, throat, or a**l cancers over time if left unchecked.

That’s why regular screening and HPV vaccination are so important.
It’s not about fear — it’s about knowledge, prevention, and peace of mind.

02/07/2024

Hepatitis viruses, particularly hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), are closely associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a primary liver cancer. These viruses cause chronic infections that lead to persistent liver inflammation and damage, resulting in the accumulation of genetic mutations over time. HBV integrates its DNA into the host genome, which can disrupt normal cellular functions and promote oncogenesis. HCV, on the other hand, is an RNA virus that induces chronic liver inflammation and fibrosis, creating an environment conducive to cancer development. Both viruses interfere with normal cell cycle regulation and immune responses, further increasing the risk of cancerous transformations in liver cells. The prolonged immune-mediated damage and the regenerative proliferation of hepatocytes in response to infection and injury are key processes through which these hepatitis viruses contribute to liver cancer.

24/05/2024

🚨 🚨 Syncytia are large, multinucleated cells formed by the fusion of individual cells, often seen in viral infections like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and measles virus. This cell fusion allows viruses to spread from one cell to another while avoiding the host’s immune system. The formation of syncytia can lead to significant tissue damage and contribute to disease progression and symptoms.

12/05/2024

The one that looks like a wheel! Do not forget that it is a double stranded RNA virus.

18/03/2024

The human genome consists of around 20,000 to 25,000 genes. BUT … Parvovirus B19 is the smallest DNA virus to infect humans and its genome consists of “TWO Genes Only” - these two genes are enough to cause disease depending on the host status, and the symptoms are very variable.
Viruses are very simple yet they are capable of interacting with the human host in fascinating ways. It can tell a lot about how complex the human genome is to begin with.

06/03/2024

Some of the polio vaccine administered from 1955 and 1963 was contaminated by a virus called “Simian Virus 40”. The virus came from the monkey kidney cell culture that is used to produce the polio vaccine. Most, but not all of the contamination happened in the inactivated polio vaccine. Once the contamination was recognised, researchers took extra steps to eliminate it, and make sure it does not contaminate vaccines anymore.

SV40 is an oncogenic DNA virus that is capable of causing cancer in the human host under certain circumstances.

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