Any microbiologists out there?

FunkyCowie

FunkyCowie

FunkyCowie

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I am writing a sci fi book and I need a certain thing to occur but want some scientific basis behind it.


Situation:

1000 litres of a self-sustaining, highly self-replicating, non dangerous microbe is introduced into the water system of a planet that in its human like evolution has only just reached the stage where the 'humans' would be practising sedentry agriculture so say 12-15K years ago.


Question:

How long would it take for the 'Humans' all over the planet to show significant levels in their systems enough to be noticeable to modern mediciene?
 
That would depend on how they would transfer from water source to water source (Unless there is just one giant water source?). If they're able to survive a trip through the human body, they can be transferred by humans, which will in turn depend on how well they're able to get around the planet.
 
A single bacteria of a highly replicating source can split into 2 within 20 minutes.
8 in an hour
64 in 2 hours
Billions within 12 hours.

Have a read at this
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/01/090112-clouds-bacteria.html
It demonstrates the ability for rain to spread bacteria.

So the human population could have a fully infected source of bacteria within one planetary weather cycle.
This will depend for your own world, so you can set whatever value you like.

The replication isn't an issue. They'd be within the gut in sufficient numbers as fast as they could be disseminated by rainclouds.
 
Thanks guys, I knew I could trust GD :)

Its an earth like planet so similar water to earth ratio, the microbes could be transmitted through consumption of animals or just by drinking water and would thrive in blood.

However their rate of growth can be killed outside of -50 degrees centigrade to +200 degrees, and maintained at body temperature.

Hikari Kisugi said:
Have a read at this
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/01/090112-clouds-bacteria.html
It demonstrates the ability for rain to spread bacteria.
Click to expand...

Thats very interesting and would apply.
 
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FunkyCowie said:
Thanks guys, I knew I could trust GD :)

Its an earth like planet so similar water to earth ratio, the microbes could be transmitted through consumption of animals or just by drinking water and would thrive in blood.

However their rate of growth can be killed outside of -50 degrees centigrade to +200 degrees, and maintained at body temperature.



Thats very interesting and would apply.
Click to expand...

No they'll freeze and stop reproducing at zero degrees, and be killed at any sustained temperature over 70 degrees, a minute at 90 degrees will thermally disinfect any surface.

The answer to your question lies entirely upon the planets weather system, and how fast the winds/clouds circle the planet, simplest mechanism to include as a frame of reference, as if they populate in water everyone drinks, daily, thus as soon as all the water is populated, everything and everyone drinking it is populated.
 
ISTM that the critical factor is whether this is specific to humans Or (like infuenza) it is a microbe that can vector via other species. And of course the extent to which the bacteria can survive outside (One of) its host(s)

Whether the "Human" population are actually seafarers is also highly relevant.
 
Orionaut said:
ISTM that the critical factor is whether this is specific to humans Or (like infuenza) it is a microbe that can vector via other species. And of course the extent to which the bacteria can survive outside (One of) its host(s)

Whether the "Human" population are actually seafarers is also highly relevant.
Click to expand...

He said bacteria. Most bacteria do not need a host. Viruses do. He said bacteria, they are everywhere, all over the world on ever surface, quite happily dividing away.
 
Hikari Kisugi said:
No they'll freeze and stop reproducing at zero degrees, and be killed at any sustained temperature over 70 degrees, a minute at 90 degrees will thermally disinfect any surface.

The answer to your question lies entirely upon the planets weather system, and how fast the winds/clouds circle the planet, simplest mechanism to include as a frame of reference, as if they populate in water everyone drinks, daily, thus as soon as all the water is populated, everything and everyone drinking it is populated.
Click to expand...

Not strictly true, organism can easily survive sustained temperatures above 90 degrees. Where so you think things like Taq polymerase for PCR comes from.

It's difficult to tell, as it has already been stated there are too many factors to take into consideration.
 
Hikari Kisugi said:
He said bacteria. Most bacteria do not need a host. Viruses do. He said bacteria, they are everywhere, all over the world on ever surface, quite happily dividing away.
Click to expand...

Actually ;) (goes back to OP to check :))

He said "Microbe" not "Bacteria" (Yours was the first mention of Bacteria, not His! ;))

And I am pretty sure that though some bacteria can live almost anywhere others are actually pretty fragile and cannot survive long outside a suitable host

What sort of "Microbe" we are considering has not really been fully defined yet perhaps?? ;):p
 
Archaea with the photosythesis properties of Cyanobacteria, however not an archaea that fits in with current sub group classifications as it can survive extreme cold, heat and be spread through sea water as well as fresh water. I think it highly plausible that the 'humans' are beginning exploration of the oceans.
 
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They aren't bees... I am working on the background for my story, to make it work I need an event to happen in its history that triggers its dominant life form to diverge from how we humans have progressed if they also have experienced stuff like the dark ages and wars that held us back.
 
Dark ages may have held us back, open to debate, but wars let us advance most magnificantly.
The second world war remains a period of mass innovation, creation, and set the pathways for modern technology to evolve.
I am quite sure if we were properly at war currently, we'd be innovating like crazy.
 
Don't forget that even if you are labelling this microbe as "non-harmful" that the immune system does not talk in terms of harm and safety - merely self and non-self. If you are talking about this organism being in people then it would in all likelihood being attacked rather than happily existing in some peaceful symbiotic relationship. Have you considered therefore having this organism be a like a retrovirus and insert its genetic material into the humans. Maybe have a read here: http://phenomena.nationalgeographic...irus-hid-in-our-genome-for-six-million-years/. The reason I am saying this is that you could argue say bacteria are found in the gut etc but from a purely reader enjoyment point of view I would rather here about some really cool DNA analysis technique for detection than someone pooing in a bottle and then them waiting to see what colonies appear on a petridish.
 
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