It's Raining Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

Bacteria are everywhere, including clouds, and the rain that falls from them. Not only can they survive the harsh environment and hitchhike across continents, they can share their genes, too. Including the ones that make them resistant to antibiotics.

Hosted by: Hank Green (he/him)
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[hammerr]

The fact that he’s fighting cancer and still educating YouTube 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[graydybug]

We lost both of my grandparents to MRSA contracted at the hospital during previous stays. It is so hard to explain how terrifying it is to hear that the bacteria killing your loved one is resistent to all medication the medical system can give. Thank you for discussing this important issue, I hope others do not have to face this horror. Please do not take antibiotics if you do not NEED them.

[vanityhusk]

Back in february I got what a doctor said appeared to be an incredibly antibiotic resistant strain of strepthroat. It was absolute torture. Nearly 2 months of extreme pain, alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofin to no effect, and several full rounds of antibiotics. Thinking of other bacteria far more dangerous than a simple strep throat infection developing strong resistances is the thing of nightmares for me now

[izakshuvo]

So apperently even bacteria are being uploaded into the cloud 😅

[bren]

I had a microbiology instructor who was certain that it will be bacteria that brings humans to their knees not viruses. They talked about many of these points and more. That was an eye opening and scary topic. Viruses can be quite harmful, but wait until bacteria has their day.
Stay healthy and safe out there.

[adambier]

I remember being given antibiotics for acne. While us humans have abused antibiotics on ourselves, it’s really the big businesses raising animals and pumping them full of antibiotics.

[soluteemoji]

As a bio major I am extremely afraid 🫡🫡🫡

[Crowald]

I gotta admit, the idea of a sci-fi story having a "bacteria-storm" weather alert would make for some great worldbuilding while also being apparently completely realistic. Sounds exactly like the kind of dystopian fiction that post-apocalypse setting writers have been waiting to hear. Plague storms sound incredibly on-brand for the Warhammer canon, for example.

I'm certainly going to take a stab at it when I write my next set of short stories. Thanks for the inspiration, Hank.

[pyrocat]

It's all fun and games till microorganisms learn to use cloud technology

[shannon]

I lost my Grandad about a month ago after he was staying in the hospital and they found that he had drug resistant bacteria and cancer in his lungs. While they likely wouldn't have been able to treat his cancer, we would have had more time with him if it wasn't for the bacterial infection. Drugs resistance is definitely a big problem right now.

[rabidsamfan]

My dad was talking about antibiotic resistance in the early eighties. He wanted to ban using antibiotics for animals that are used on people.😊

[carlbartels]

A few years ago I learned about dust blowing across the Atlantic from the Sahara to South America and making their crop land more fertile because the dust deposits so many nutrients. Now I wonder if dust can distribute more stuff.

[michaelsipos]

So when is Plague Inc. going to do an update for cloud-borne transmission? And Greenland was definitely mentioned too!

[Richard.Sanchez]

I've been misdiagnosed and prescribed antibiotics at least 3 times in my life. It's crazy that when you tell a doctor, "These antibiotics are not working" they're like here, take more!

[turtlezinthesky]

I work in a hospital in a capital "M" Major city, and the amount of MRSA patients just keeps growing

[SinisterMD]

I think the fact that you referenced the picking up of plasmids as "loot" is absolutely fantastic and one of the reasons this show has the impact it does. It's relatable to gamers and folks that are likely to watch. Thanks as always for the energy you put into this.

[aw]

"And while of course scrubbing the world's clouds of bacteria is an impossible task"

Well we're not gonna get any clouds scrubbed with that attitude!

[LegengaryOak]

My takeaway? Bacteriophage therapies can't come soon enough.

[thejoshman]

Something struck me. could the myth of people getting sick after being in the rain or snow have come from some one getting infected by cloud germs?

[telotawa]

legalize bacteriophage therapy already!