• Question: What is the most dangerous disease you have worked with?

    Asked by anon-318408 to Richa on 10 Mar 2022.
    • Photo: Richa Sharma

      Richa Sharma answered on 10 Mar 2022:

      I have worked with Salmonella, that causes salmonellosis. Also with streptococcus, staphylococcus which are considered to be very infectious. Right now working on tuberculosis bacteria – although with a less harmful version of it.

Comments

  • Photo: Fiona

    Fiona commented on :

    As an organic chemist, I don’t work with diseases or pathogens. A lot of chemicals I work with can make one very sick, however. Some common ones I work with everyday are suspected carcinogens. One must be very careful when handling chemicals – read labels, know hazards, wear protective clothing (gloves, goggles, mask, lab coat) and work in a fume cupboard and well-ventilated area.

  • Photo: Lucy

    Lucy commented on :

    This is a great question! I’ve worked with lots of diseases, like HIV, Ebola and Covid. But when you’re a scientist you’re always safe, because that’s why we wear gloves, goggles, masks, coats, and sometimes we even put the samples in a glass box (called a fume cupboard). So things very rarely go wrong and are dangerous for us.