Risk of infection?

[Johann]

So, I am busy trying to grow/multiply cultures from whatever grows in the natural dam close by...
I just looked at a sample, and i am seeing a gazillion tiny organisms wriggling and moving around.
(I've put in rice and split peas as food sources)

Considering I have no idea what is growing in there, what are the risks of picking up some bad bug/infection?
Does anyone take any precautions when working with unknown water samples?

[zzffnn]

Just use gloves and wash hands very well afterwards. The infection risk by parasite (worms) is real.

My wife pick up some parasites from a nature park in US (she held some wild turtles) and had to be treated with antiparasitic medication once (the doctors did find Strongyloides parasites). But her gut immunity has never been good to start with. I touched everything (including the turtles that) she touched and did not wash my hands as well as she did, but my gut immunity is much better and I did not get any parasite.

[75RR]

And forget about the hay infusion (which is often recommended). This is high in nutrients and really promotes bacterial growth. In my view almost a biohazard.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=71&p=286&hilit#p286

[Johann]

Had a look at my samples today. Its absolutely teaming with life. There are a lot of organisms I've seen before and a number I haven't seen before. I'm very happy with the result. I always though its like fish, that the water must be oxygenated - but I have them in little jam bottles, all closed up.

What I did was I boiled water - filled the jam jar bottle halfway - added 2 rice and 2 split pea kernels. After it cooled down I added a few drops of pond water. Its been standing for 3 weeks now.

I think I'll chance the risk of infection looking at these

[zzffnn]

Please do post photos or videos of your culture. I would like to know how much biodiversity your culture has - is it mostly Paramecium or are there lots of other TYPES of protists?

I may also want to feed my microaquarium culture some food to boost biodiversity, if possible.

[apochronaut]

There are a few naturally occurring organisms or parasites, that one needs to keep an eye out for but probably more importantly, attention to that which is upstream in the watershed of any sample area, will provide a lot of information as to the potential for contamination due to civilization.. Many municipalities are sloppy in their waste water management, with a surprising number allowing untreated sewage to spill straight into watercourses or lakes and oceans. The presence of gliding bacteria is often a sign of contamination from sewage, and low concentrations of oxygen.
It is now abundantly clear that bacteria easily share genetic material laterally and many species that were previously environmentally vulnerable have developed numerous strategies to either evade detection or buffer the effects of the chemical warfare waged against them. Some even have developed efflux pumps, or the ability to pump anti-biotics out of their cells.
Newly arrived on the scene of bacterial hi tech is the trojan horse technology, whereby bacteria, and some of them of human pathogenecity, that have been ingested by protists, can resist digestion and use the protist as a bus, to invade a host and obtain protection from anti-biotics. This was the method of infection in the legionnaires outbreak, where protists carried in tiny droplets of water from air conditioning tanks, harboured the infectious bacteria. Trojan horse technology, is in fact spreading, likely due to lateral genetic transmission. Campylobacter Jejuni is now known to be able to travel in this fashion.
The real point is. Stinky slimey potholes are really no more likely to be a source of infection than the pristine clear water from an air conditioner. It is all determined by what is upstream. In fact, where there is a phenomenal stew of organisms, is probably less likely to be a source of infection because the sheer number of species usually keeps the overall count of of any one low, due to predation and competition.

[Johann]

Thanks for the detailed feedback Apochronaut - very interesting.

Here is a video I quickly made (excuse the bad quality) of what is in the culture. I've also seen lots of little amoebas - none are showing in the video though.

[Crater Eddie]

Looks like you have a great culture going there! There are plenty of interesting organisms just begging for further study.
CE

[zzffnn]

Thanks for the detailed feedback Apochronaut - very interesting.

Here is a video I quickly made (excuse the bad quality) of what is in the culture. I've also seen lots of little amoebas - none are showing in the video though.

Nice video and good diversity there!
I guess I saw Stentor, Rotifer, Euplotes, Paramecium, Vorticella, Lacrymaria or their relatives thereof. But I am never a reliable source of ID.

[apochronaut]

I love videos like that. Lots of beautiful, benign, little creatures rubbing elbows at a pool party.

[rnabholz]

What a great variety of creatures you have in that sample.

Thanks for the tour. I have been so focused on diatoms for the last few months that I forgot how much fun it can be surfing around a good ole pound water wet slide.

Thanks,

Rod

[billbillt]

I loved your video... Plenty of action going on.. I don't see it as "poor quality" at all!..
BillT

[gekko]

I agree with BillT. I especially liked the image of that lovely Stentor.