Neat virus game got it wrong... help me write a letter please.

[ecoli]

http://www.mindistortion.net/games/infect

 

This is a pretty well-designed game and it's fun to play, but they got one fundemental biological fact wrong. That is, they are saying antibiotics are killing viruses. To help prevent stop the spread of misinformation I'm going to send them an email ( mindistortion@gmail.com) but before I do I was wondering if anybody here wanted to add/subtract anything to my letter. I appreciate the help.

 

 

 

To whom it may concern,

 

I enjoyed playing your game "Infect, evolve, repeat" however this is one flaw in the game that I felt compelled to point out, in the interest of maintaining scientific integrity. That is the simple fact that antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria, but do not kill viruses. In fact, it is this commonly overlooked fact that is causing the over-perscription of antibiotics today. When people use too many antibiotics (such as perscibing them to fight a viral infection) the number of bacteria that are able to resist biological infection increase thus making them harder to treat.

In fact, you may find it surprizing how many trained medical proffesionals are unaware of this simple fact. Using antibiotics to fight viral infections cause complications because the antibiotics often wind up harming the good bacteria that your body needs. You wouldn't use gasoline to quench a forest fire, and antibiotics shouldn't be used to fight a viral infection.

I respectfully understand that this is only a simple flash animation game, but I feel it is important that the scientific flaw in this game be corrected if possbile, if only to insure that the people playing you game do not get the wrong idea about viral infections. If we correclty educated ourselves in science today we help create a healthier and wiser tommorow.

Thank you for attention and consideration.

 

 

Sincerly,

 

XXXXX

 

PS. For more information about antibiotics, this is a good resource: http://familydoctor.org/680.xml

[Glider]

http://www.mindistortion.net/games/infect

 

This is a pretty well-designed game and it's fun to play, but they got one fundemental biological fact wrong. That is, they are saying antibiotics are killing viruses. To help prevent stop the spread of misinformation I'm going to send them an email ( mindistortion@gmail.com) but before I do I was wondering if anybody here wanted to add/subtract anything to my letter. I appreciate the help.

 

 

 

To whom it may concern,

 

I enjoyed playing your game "Infect, evolve, repeat" however this is one flaw in the game that I felt compelled to point out, in the interest of maintaining scientific integrity. That is the simple fact that antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria, but do not kill viruses. In fact, it is this commonly overlooked fact that is causing the over-perscription of antibiotics today. When people use too many antibiotics (such as perscibing them to fight a viral infection)

Spelling = PREscribe.

the number of bacteria that are able to resist biological infection increase thus making them harder to treat.

In fact, you may find it surprizing how many trained medical proffesionals are unaware of this simple fact.

I would be surprised if any trained medical professionals are ignorant of this fact these days.

Using antibiotics to fight viral infections cause complications because the antibiotics often wind up harming the good bacteria that your body needs.

Only at very high doses

You wouldn't use gasoline to quench a forest fire, and antibiotics shouldn't be used to fight a viral infection.

I think this is a poor analogy.

I respectfully understand

'Respectfully understand'? What does that mean?

that this is only a simple flash animation game, but I feel it is important that the scientific flaw in this game be corrected if possbile,

Spelling = Possible

if only to insure that the people playing you game do not get the wrong idea about viral infections. If we correclty

Spelling = 'correctly'

educated ourselves in science today we help create a healthier and wiser tommorow.

Thank you for attention and consideration.

Ok in principle, but I think it's a little long. See re-draft.

 

 

To whom it may concern,

 

I enjoyed playing your game "Infect, evolve, repeat". However, the game contains one significant flaw that I feel compelled to point out in the interest of accuracy. Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria, but have no effect on viruses. It is this commonly overlooked fact that results in the over-prescription of antibiotics. When people use antibiotics incorrectly (e.g. to fight a viral infection such as a cold) the number of bacteria that are able to resist biological infection increases thus making them harder to treat.

 

I understand that this is only a simple flash animation game but with respect, I suggest that it is important that the scientific flaw in this game be corrected if possible, if only to insure that the people playing your game do not get the wrong idea about viral infections and their treatment. If we educate ourselves in science today we help create a healthier and wiser tommorow.

 

Thank you for your attention and consideration.

[ecoli]

I would be surprised if any trained medical professionals are ignorant of this fact these days.

 

Then be surprized. I had a scheduled doctors appointment that, for whatever reason my usual GP couldn't make. So, his assistant (not sure what degree she had) stepped in. She took a culture (wanted to make sure it wasn't streptococcus) and prescribed antibiotics. She wanted my to take it even before she knew if it was a bacterial infection. I held on to the prescription until the test came back negative and then threw it out.

 

She knew that antibiotics didn't kill viruses, but she didn't seem to know of complications that result from using antibiotics unnecessarily.

 

Anyway, thanks for you help with the email.

[swansont]

Then be surprized. I had a scheduled doctors appointment that, for whatever reason my usual GP couldn't make. So, his assistant (not sure what degree she had) stepped in. She took a culture (wanted to make sure it wasn't streptococcus) and prescribed antibiotics. She wanted my to take it even before she knew if it was a bacterial infection. I held on to the prescription until the test came back negative and then threw it out.

 

She knew that antibiotics didn't kill viruses, but she didn't seem to know of complications that result from using antibiotics unnecessarily.

 

I don't think that one can validly conclude that ignorance exists simply because overprescription (including prophylactic prescription, as would seem to apply to your case) exists. They may be ignorant of the full scope of the ramifications, and/or might be rationalizing it (it's just one case, and that can't matter, right?), but that's a different failing.

 

However, I applaud your effort. The lay public, to be sure, is under-informed about such basics. No sense in reinforcing bad information.

[CanadaAotS]

I've played that game before, and I completely admit to its addictability lol.

 

I think a good suggestion to replace anti-biotics (because without it, the game would be too easy) would be an immunization...

 

I'm not a biology expert though, does immunization do anything after you are infected? How exactly do doctors go about treating viruses anyway?

[Glider]

Then be surprized. I had a scheduled doctors appointment that, for whatever reason my usual GP couldn't make. So, his assistant (not sure what degree she had) stepped in. She took a culture (wanted to make sure it wasn't streptococcus) and prescribed antibiotics. She wanted my to take it even before she knew if it was a bacterial infection. I held on to the prescription until the test came back negative and then threw it out.

You were right, I am very surprised! I don't know about the US, but in the UK, only physicians can prescribe anything (and diagnose for that matter). For their 'assistants' to do it would be against the law. Even nurses (unless they are specialist nurse-practitioners) cannot prescribe medication. Could the 'assistant' have been a locum doctor?

 

She knew that antibiotics didn't kill viruses, but she didn't seem to know of complications that result from using antibiotics unnecessarily.

That too is exremely surprising. Given the publicity the topic has recieved recently, even the public are becoming more aware.

 

However, whilst the public are becoming more aware of the problems associated with the unecessary prescription of antibiotics, they are not yet fully aware of what constitutes 'unecessary'. For example, one of the biggest problems associated with severe viral infection is 'secondary infection'. These come about through opportunistic baceria (often varieties of streptococcus) taking advantage of a weakened immune system. In severe cases it is often the secondary that will kill you. So it is not unusual to be prescribed a prophylactic dose of antibiotics during a viral infection, simply to guard against secondary infections. Whether or not this is an unecessary use of antibiotics is a topic for debate.

 

Anyway, thanks for you help with the email.

No worries. I think it's a good idea. People pick up information from all kinds of places. This being so, I think it's good that you're trying to make sure it's accurate

[Glider]

I've played that game before, and I completely admit to its addictability lol.

 

I think a good suggestion to replace anti-biotics (because without it, the game would be too easy) would be an immunization...

 

I'm not a biology expert though, does immunization do anything after you are infected?

If you are still in the incubation period, it might help you produce antibodies faster which would help to moderate the severity of the infection. If it is not too severe (i.e. not lethal), the infection itself immunises you.

How exactly do doctors go about treating viruses anyway?

Doctors try not to treat viruses. They're the enemy. However, when they treat patients infected by viruses (viral infections), they use antiviral drugs.

[ecoli]

I got a response:

Hi,

 

Thanks for your mail. I'm aware of this inaccuracy and it has been pointed out before. However I had the feel that I would need the additional factor of antibiotics and immunity to add to the gameplay. And I don't know any bacteria that infect blood cells to use them as their hatchery. Like you pointed out, it's only a Flashgame. And like most other flashgames it has only been made for entertainment and not education

 

 

Greetings,

Manuel Fallmann

http://www.MINDistortion.net

 

Should I bother to tell him about anti-viral drugs?

[CanadaAotS]

Nah... like he says, it is just a flash game... a horribly addicting one at that

[Glider]

As CanadaAotS says, it's probably not worth it.

 

But if you did, yes, you could tell him about antivirals whilst pointing out that your concern wasn't that the game should provide education, but that it should avoid providing misinformation.

[Skye]

And I don't know any bacteria that infect blood cells to use them as their hatchery.

Well they're protozoans, but malaria would interesting, as they breed within RBCs. And hepatocytes, but well maybe that would be taking it too far.

 

Then instead of antibiotics you could use a G&T