Today is World Tuberculosis Day
Did you know today is World Tuberculosis Day?
Our Microbes Rule! exhibition places a spotlight on Streptomyces griseus, a microbe that was significant in fighting the battle against tuberculosis. It has its roots in New Jersey, hence the name "Garden State Hero."
Discovered in NJ in 1916, Streptomyces griseus drew international acclaim for its groundbreaking use as an antibiotic. In 1943, a research team from Rutgers–led by Dr. Selman Waksman with Albert Schatz and Elizabeth Bugie–used it to create streptomycin, the world’s first antibiotic for tuberculosis.
After clinical trials showed that streptomycin cured ailing tuberculosis patients, Merck & Company, a New Jersey-based pharmaceutical company, quickly made the drug available to the public.
Within ten years of streptomycin’s release, tuberculosis mortality rates in the U.S. fell to a historic low, saving millions of lives and ending tuberculosis as one of the leading causes of death in America. LSC is currently part of an initiative to get New Jersey to recognize Streptomyces griseus as the official state microbe.
When you stop by Microbes Rule! at LSC, you can experience Streptomyces griseus by smelling its earthy scent and touching a giant version of the microbe's colony defined by its unusual folds and shapes. Click here to learn more.
