ScienceShark Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Today I was doing experiment and accidentally swallowed a few LB drops with bacteria. The bacteria is Yersinia Pseudotuberculosis - the "young" brother of Y. Pestis (causative agent of the plague). Actually Y.pseudotuberculosis is not so dangerous as pestis but anyway the feeling is not so comfortable. Has anyone experience of "drinking" Yersiniae ... I mean the one who is still alive )))) And the million dollar question - will I die or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomgwyther Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Having just readthis article via Wikipedia; If it were me, I'd consult a trained medical doctor immediately 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainPanic Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Today I was doing experiment and accidentally swallowed a few LB drops with bacteria. The bacteria is Yersinia Pseudotuberculosis - the "young" brother of Y. Pestis (causative agent of the plague). Actually Y.pseudotuberculosis is not so dangerous as pestis but anyway the feeling is not so comfortable. Has anyone experience of "drinking" Yersiniae ... I mean the one who is still alive )))) And the million dollar question - will I die or not? Go see a doctor immediately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phi for All Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 You're a professional senior scientist with a PhD in some flavor of chemistry or biology and you stopped off on your way to the doctor to ask on an online forum whether Yersinia Pseudotuberculosis could be fatal if swallowed?! You're either yanking our chain or your company has horrible protocols on infection. You should already know that your chances are better if you can be treated as early as possible. [/stern chastisement] I sincerely hope you can be successfully treated. After you're in the clear, we will want to know how this accidental swallowing happened, and what steps you are taking to make sure it doesn't happen again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michel123456 Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 And the million dollar question - will I die or not? Yes. You will die. The question is when. Did I won a million dollar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScienceShark Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 Hello everyone. And thank you for your participation. I'm still alive )))) YES, I'm "senior scientist" (as it was mentioned) and YES I'm working with Yersinia more than 5 years. And I know quite good how dangerous can be this kind of situations. But (if somebody misunderstood me) writing this topic wasn't the first step I did. Of course, I went to the doctor... actually ran there, of course, they treated me with all possible and impossible antibiotics (after they washed my stomach several times). I don't ask what to do ))) I know what to do better then anyone else, because that was a mutant that I made myself and actually I know against which antibiotic they have resistance. The aim of this topic was just to see if anyone else had that kind of BAD experience. "Did I won a million dollar?" - no, sorry ))) Answer is correct but you are not the first one who gave the correct answer. ))) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainPanic Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Well, I am happy that you are fine. Personally, I have never been infected by lifeforms that I created myself... and in fact, I don't even work with microorganisms in the lab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharonY Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Unless immunocompromised (or allowing it to enter bloodstream by some route) dying from it is extremely rare. Though from a safety point of view I am surprised that you actually managed to swallow medium. Needle accidents are more common, though. In Germany a researcher managed to prick herself with a needle that contained Ebola. Was quarantined but apparently did not show signs of infections. I also managed to prick myself once, but with nothing harmful in the syringe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Appolinaria Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Unless immunocompromised (or allowing it to enter bloodstream by some route) dying from it is extremely rare. Though from a safety point of view I am surprised that you actually managed to swallow medium. Needle accidents are more common, though. In Germany a researcher managed to prick herself with a needle that contained Ebola. Was quarantined but apparently did not show signs of infections. I also managed to prick myself once, but with nothing harmful in the syringe. I would probably die from the anxiety that would ensue as opposed to whatever the needle contained. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JorgeLobo Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 You'll probabky be ok this time but your very poor technique places you at conintued risk. Perhaps you shouldn't ne in a lab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greippi Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Shouldn't your lab have detailed health and safety procedures regarding the bacteria it works with? The first time I ever did French pressing it exploded and I swallowed some of my bacteria. Fortunately it's completely benign (a mutant strain of Rhodobacter sphaeroides that I created, strangely enough it tasted like soap). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 (edited) So you don't wear a mask of some kind?--this isn't like sneaking the saftey glasses off when OSHA walks away, you know, lol. Scary to think of irresponsible bacterial engineers messing around with public health, *ew*. Edited November 3, 2011 by matty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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