Cory Nebacterium vs. Sally Staph
April 18, 2013 11:43 AM Subscribe
Microbiomes & Health "We conducted a study during a flat track roller derby tournament, and found that teammates shared distinct skin microbial communities before and after playing against another team, but that opposing teams’ bacterial communities converged during the course of a roller derby bout."
"The two bouts that were sampled took place at 12:00pm (Emerald City vs. Silicon Valley) and 6:00pm (Emerald City vs. DC)."
"The two bouts that were sampled took place at 12:00pm (Emerald City vs. Silicon Valley) and 6:00pm (Emerald City vs. DC)."
Crashing and brushing up against other people (and the surfaces they have crashed on and brushed up against) a whole lot in a short period of time and the bacterial communities converge? Who knew.
posted by rtha at 11:59 AM on April 18, 2013
posted by rtha at 11:59 AM on April 18, 2013
You don't develop a diverse microbiome staying home and watching TV!
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 12:07 PM on April 18, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 12:07 PM on April 18, 2013 [2 favorites]
So this is why human beings play sport - so our microbial overlords can get around. This explains a lot.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 12:13 PM on April 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by the quidnunc kid at 12:13 PM on April 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
I am looking forward to the next Bay Area Derby Girls match between Oakland and Berkeley (April 27 in Oakland - come on down!), and maybe I'll get me a t-shirt and some new microbes!
posted by rtha at 12:27 PM on April 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by rtha at 12:27 PM on April 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
I think what's important here is not that microbes get transferred. We all know that. But that it can be measured, documented, captured.
posted by stonepharisee at 12:31 PM on April 18, 2013
posted by stonepharisee at 12:31 PM on April 18, 2013
I think what's important here is not that microbes get transferred. We all know that. But that it can be measured, documented, captured.
It's actually not totally obvious to me that microbiota should be that easy to transfer - most probiotics, for instance, leave your gut without ever colonizing it (though that doesn't mean they are ineffective). It may be, for example, that the immune system is just less picky about skin bacteria.
posted by en forme de poire at 2:42 PM on April 18, 2013
It's actually not totally obvious to me that microbiota should be that easy to transfer - most probiotics, for instance, leave your gut without ever colonizing it (though that doesn't mean they are ineffective). It may be, for example, that the immune system is just less picky about skin bacteria.
posted by en forme de poire at 2:42 PM on April 18, 2013
This went around the derbyverse a while back. Spread like wildfire. Gives a whole new resonance to the popular jeer YOU HAVE HERPES *clap clap, clapclapclap* often chanted from the sidelines.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 3:46 PM on April 18, 2013
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 3:46 PM on April 18, 2013
herpes is a virus
posted by en forme de poire at 4:09 PM on April 18, 2013
posted by en forme de poire at 4:09 PM on April 18, 2013
oops forgot </pedantic>
posted by en forme de poire at 4:09 PM on April 18, 2013
posted by en forme de poire at 4:09 PM on April 18, 2013
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posted by etc. at 11:48 AM on April 18, 2013 [2 favorites]