Course Code: Science 203

Course Title: Special Topics in Biology

Professor: Dan Azriel N. San Agustin
Writer: Alvin A. Pabores
Course: MAEd - Science and Technology

Microbiology

Toxoplasma gondii: A Microbe That Turns Mice Into Zombies

Did you know that there is a microbe capable of turning mice into zombies? It sounds like a myth, does it
not? But it is real! The name of this microbe is Toxoplasma gondii, and it is a parasite with the ability to
infect a broad range of animals, including humans, and thrive in their muscles, eyes, and brains. T. gondii
can change the behavior of the animal whose brain it has infected and can cause mice to lose their fear
of being eaten by cats. In this article, you will get to know a little more about this parasite and how it
turns mice into zombies!

Reference:

Mendonça-Natividade, F. C., & Ricci-Azevedo, R. (2020). Toxoplasma gondii: A Microbe That Turns Mice
Into Zombies. Frontiers for Young Minds, 8(36). https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2020.00036

Microbiology

Meningitis as an Initial Presentation of COVID-19: A Case Report

The common presenting symptoms of fever, fatigue, and mild respiratory symptoms like dry
cough, are associated with COVID-19, however, patients can also develop neurological manifestations
like headache, anosmia, hyposmia, dysgeusia, meningitis, encephalitis, and acute cerebrovascular
accidents during the disease. Although very rare, these neurological manifestations are sometimes the
sole initial presenting complaint of COVID-19. This case report discusses patients where the initial
presenting symptoms seemed to be exclusive to meningitis but the later diagnosis was COVID-19. It is
important to increase awareness of these rare presentations in physicians and healthcare workers and
facilitate early diagnosis and management to prevent the horizontal spread of the disease.

Reference:

Naz, S., Hanif, M., Haider, M. A., Ali, M. J., Ahmed, M. U., & Saleem, S. (2020). Meningitis as an Initial
Presentation of COVID-19: A Case Report. Frontiers in Public Health, 8.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00474
Microbiology

Maggot debridement therapy: Utility in chronic wounds and a perspective beyond

Complementary medicinal techniques have a wide history, but the recent focus of modern medicine has
been on possible effect mechanisms. Chronic wounds are not only a problem to their patients, but also a
burden on the healthcare system due to their extensive costs. Among complementary therapies, maggot
debridement therapy (MDT) is by far the most widely studied method in the field of wound prevention
and management. MDT is a very effective treatment technique for chronic wounds and, in addition, is a
cheap and easy-to-use method, with only minor, rare adverse effects. Many studies have attempted to
clarify the actual effect mechanisms of MDT. MDT works in four ways: debridement, antimicrobial
effects, wound healing, and biofilm degradation. These actions are mainly achieved by protein
substances exhibiting very variable molecular masses and actions. MDT has a certain positive effect on
chronic wounds and is a strong candidate to maintain a bold presence in Maggot debridement therapy:
Utility in chronic wounds and a perspective beyond the multidisciplinary approach to chronic wound
care. Its cost, application simplicity, minimal side effects, and easy-accessibility are major superiorities
among other wound-care methods.

Reference:

Sig, Ali Korhan & Koru, Ozgur & Araz, Engin. (2018). Maggot debridement therapy: Utility in chronic
wounds and a perspective beyond.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328163846_Maggot_debridement_therapy_Utility_in_chron
ic_wounds_and_a_perspective_beyond/citation/download