New paper on bacterial diversity in NICUs

Quick post here.  There is a new paper out on bacterial diversity in NICUs: PLOS ONE: Bacterial Diversity in Two Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). Full citation: Hewitt KM, Mannino FL, Gonzalez A, Chase JH, Caporaso JG, et al. (2013) Bacterial Diversity in Two Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). PLoS ONE 8(1): e54703. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054703. Quick summary: they …

Evolutionary Biology of the Built Environment Working Group: Call for Participants #NESCent #microBEnet

Call for participants for a meeting on Evolutionary Biology of the Built Environment.  Details copied from the announcement and posted below: The Basics: We need your help. We are organizing the first working group aimed at understanding the evolutionary biology of the built environment–our bedrooms, our houses, our backyards and our cities. This working group will occur June …

Session on Citizen Microbiology at ASM meeting; Denver 5/19; abstracts due 1/15

This is going to rock.  Citizen microbiology – highlighted at the American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting in Denver in May.  The details on the session are below.  Sunday May 19 at the American Society for Microbiology General Meeting in Denver.  If you are interested in attending Register here.  If you work on some aspect of …

“HICprevent” blog on hospital infection control & prevention (microBEnet blog of the day)

HICprevent is today’s microBEnet microbiology’s Blog of the Day.  Blogs are taken from list of Microbiology Blogs we have curated at microBEnet. This blog is one of the few blogs we have found out there that is heavily focused on microbes specifically in the built environment.  The blog is by Gary Evans and is associated with a publication from AHC media “Hospital …

“The Germ Guy: Confessions of a Mercurial Microbiologist” blog (microBEnet blog of the day)

The Germ Guy is today’s microBEnet microbiology’s Blog of the Day.  Blogs are taken from list of Microbiology Blogs we have curated at microBEnet.  The germ guy blog is by Jason “Germ Guy” Tetro and it focuses on  “A personal and unique look at germs, hygiene and staying healthy.”  He is pretty active in media and social media (e.g., follow him on …

“ERV” blog by Abbie Smith focusing on endogenous retroviruses (microBEnet microbiology blog of the day)

ERV is today’s microBEnet microbiology’s Blog of the Day.  Blogs are taken from list of Microbiology Blogs we have curated at microBEnet. ERV, though it does not specifically say this anywhere I could find, is short for endogenous retroviruses.  Written by Abbie Smith, ERV pretty consistently focuses on issues relating to endogenous retroviruses, HIV and other retroviruses or the …

“The Febrile Muse” focusing on “Portrayal of Infectious Diseases in Literature & the Arts” (microBEnet microbiology blog of the day)

The Febrile Muse is today’s microBEnet microbiology blog of the day.  The blog focuses on the “Portrayal of Infectious Diseases in Literature and the Arts” according to the tagline. The author, who is not named, describes herself as “passionate about science literacy and wishes to inspire people to read and write and learn.”  More about the author …

In Abu Dhabi keep your pool clean …

Well, microbial studies of swimming pools may get a boost from the Abu Dhabi government.  In Fines of up to Dh100,000 for breaking pool rules in Abu Dhabi – The National there is a discussion of rules to make sure pools are safe and clean.  I particularly like the line: “We do not get the bacteria in the …