They settle the ghosts of the sea,
Your skin unraveling
at the closing of water.
What was sustained
lazy,
Sipts,
rags
himself in invisible hands.
In the remains of flowering
Small weights gather
Press against the broken matter,
Turn him –
A tide of exchanges
folded inside
And outside.
Here, below
The surface sliding
Something moves invisible
carried forward
for the weight of what
It was left behind.
This poem is inspired by Recent researchwhich has found that decomposition jellyfish flowers create access points for antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Medusa flowers can alter marine ecosystems, but their role in the spread of antimicrobial resistance is often overlooked. When these flowers collapse, they release organic material that feeds bacterial growth, creating ideal conditions for microbes to interact and exchange genes. Some bacteria carry antimicrobial resistance genes, which allow them to survive antibiotics that would normally kill them. If these genes spread to harmful bacteria, infections in humans and animals may be more difficult to treat.
This research found that organic matter derived from the jellyfish significantly increases the abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes in marine bacteria. Bacteria exposed to this material transported many more resistance genes and mobile genetic elements, DNA that helps spread resistance. The study identified the Vibrio bacteria, some of which can cause diseases, such as key players in this process. When linking the flowers of jellyfish with the propagation of antimicrobial resistance, these findings highlight an emerging risk of environmental and public health, reinforcing the deep connection between the ocean and human health.
#resistance #grows
