In a recent Scientific American article (February 2010), The Art of Bacterial Warfare, the authors
state that 33% of humans are carrying the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria
-many without
actually getting sick. In addition, 50% of the human population is
carrying the bacteria
Helicobacter pylori (which causes stomach ulcers), and 50% is carrying Staphylococcus aureus
(which causes skin infections). Knowing that carriers are individuals
who often do not
show
any visible signs of disease, what challenges can you think of for health
care officials trying
to
control these types of communicable diseases?
In a CER