It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
IMAGE: SEA URCHIN DEVELOPMENT IN UNCONTAMINATED SEAWATER AND VARIOUS CONCENTRATIONS OF PVC NURDLESview more
CREDIT: DR EVA JIMENEZ-GURI
Sea urchin larvae raised in high levels of plastic pollution die due to developmental abnormalities, new research shows.
Scientists put fertilised urchin eggs in seawater with varying levels of plastic, and compared the effects of newly made PVC pellets (called nurdles) with fragments collected on beaches.
In all three concentrations tested (1%, 5% and 10% of plastic in seawater), PVC led to significant abnormalities and all urchin larvae died.
Beach-collected fragments at 10% concentration also killed the larvae, which developed no proper shape.
Lower concentrations of beach-collected plastic did not kill the embryos, suggesting newly made plastic – which still contains high levels of additives that can leach out – are more harmful.
Although the concentrations tested in the study are rare in the oceans, they could occur after spills of plastic or in areas like the tide line where pollution accumulates.
The research team – from the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station and National Biodiversity Future Center (Italy), and the University of Exeter (UK) – previously found plastic additives can harm sea urchin larvae, and the new study develops this and reveals how this harm is caused.
“The larvae affected by plastic pollution showed developmental abnormalities including malformation of the skeleton, neural and immune cells,” said Dr Eva Jimenez-Guri, from the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station and the University of Exeter.
“They also showed ‘radialisation’ – meaning they lacked proper symmetrical structure, and were instead largely formless and therefore unable to survive.
“In these larvae, mitochondria (the ‘powerhouses’ of cells) didn’t work properly, and they showed signs of oxidative stress, which damages cells.”
The study reveals the genetic processes behind these abnormalities.
In the case of new PVC nurdles, the damage was caused by high concentrations of zinc that leached into the water.
Larvae exposed 10% PVC pollution developed their gut outside their body, while the 5% and 1% levels also lead to fatal abnormalities.
The beach-collected samples – gathered in Cornwall, UK – did not release high levels of zinc, as most of the additives they contained would already have been released in the sea.
However, such particles are known to collect a variety of organic pollutants, and the release of these pollutants explains the abnormalities seen in this study.
“Our findings point to clear and specific detrimental effects of marine plastic pollution on the development of sea urchin larvae,” said Dr Jimenez-Guri.
“We have identified the genes that are affected by these pollutants, and we know many animal species rely on the same genes for key early stages of development.
“So it’s possible that plastic pollution could cause similar abnormalities in other species, and we are already investigating this in the next stage of our research.
“While the levels of pollution assessed in the study are not common in the ocean, marine plastic pollution continues to increase at a rapid rate – with potentially serious consequences for marine life.”
Dr Jimenez-Guri’s work was funded by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship.
The paper, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, is entitled: “Plastic leachate-induced toxicity during sea urchin embryonic development: Insights into the molecular pathways affected by PVC.”
Anyone who’s ever had a dog knows how different one can be from another. For example, they can be reserved or friendly, playful or calm, fearful or bold, and prone to bark or fetch or not. Research has shown that some of these differences are genetically determined. But even within dog breeds, where line breeding and artificial selection have led to the loss of much of the original genetic variation, the behavior of individuals can differ widely.
Now, researchers show that part of the differences in temperament – in particular their ‘energy’ level and fear-related behaviors – depend on acquired differences in the epigenome. The epigenome, an individual’s unique set of chemical tags on DNA and its associated histone complexes (nucleosomes), can dial the expression of local genes up or down. Because the epigenome is known to depend on age, diet, exercise, training, socialization, and other environmental factors, it can impact the activity and wiring of nerve cells and thus alter behavior.
Corresponding author Dr Matteo Pellegrini, a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, said: “Here we show that the behavior of dogs is associated with their epigenome, in particular DNA methylation. Our results open the door to using epigenetics to screen and select for desired behavioral traits in companion or service dogs.”
Behavioral questionnaire
Pellegrini and his colleagues quantified the epigenetic, genetic, and behavioral differences between 46 female and male dogs from 31 different breeds, with an age between one and 16 years. Behavioral differences were quantified based on how the owners rated their dog in the Canine Behavioral and Research Assessment Questionnaire (C-BARQ) questionnaire, a widely used standardized tool that consists of 101 questions. The researchers used a form of machine learning, Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression, to identify significant associations between genetic or epigenetic variants and behavioral traits.
The epigenome is known to differ strongly between tissues. In principle, nervous tissue would be the best place to look for associations between behavior and the epigenome. But for ease of collection, the researchers studied the epigenome of epithelial and immune cells obtained from swabs inside the dogs’ cheeks. For this proof-of-concept study, they focused on DNA methylation at 3,059 CG sites, as this is easier to quantify than other types of epigenetic marks, for example methylation or acetylation of histones.
Epigenetics are more informative than genetics for behavior
The results showed that the epigenome was a better predictor of behavior than the genotype at the sites they measured. Even within the most represented breed – Australian shepherds with 12 dogs in the sample – only two of the 930 selected Single-Locus Polymorphisms (SNP) examined were strongly associated with behavioral traits. Two SNPs on chromosome 12 could partly predict a dog’s degree of stranger-directed fear (ie, fear of unfamiliar people).
But when the authors corrected for the potential confounding effect of differences in age, differences in DNA methylation between dogs explained a far greater proportion of observed variation in energy, attention seeking, nonsocial fear, and stranger-directed fear than genetic differences did. These results imply that the epigenome helps to shape behavioral differences in dogs, even in tissues that aren’t part of the nervous system.
Surprising results
“These associations between the DNA methylation of cells in the mouth and dog behaviors were surprising, and suggests that future studies that examine DNA methylation in nerve tissues may identify similar patterns,” said Pellegrini.
“We plan to conduct much larger studies in the future, with the goal of developing biomarkers that allow us to better identify dogs with specific behavioral predispositions.”
He concluded: “Ultimately, we would be very interested in examining the epigenomes of highly specialized dogs such as guide dogs or sled dogs, to be able to assist in the selection of dogs that might be more likely to successfully complete their training.”
Association of DNA methylation with energy and fear-related behaviors in canines
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
16-Dec-2022
The first mass screening system for Covid cases has been developed with a sensitivity of 97%
A hydroalcoholic gel with a QR code enables people to access to a test that assesses their ability to identify the smell of the product and eight symptoms of the disease. Using IA techniques, it instantly evaluates the risk of having Covid.
Washing your hands with hydroalcoholic gel, smelling it and using a QR code to answer a short questionnaire. These very simple actions make up the world’s first patented mass screening system for Covid cases. A research group from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, in conjunction with the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute, has developed this method, which is based on artificial intelligence techniques. The model instantly determines which people have a low, medium or high risk of having the disease at that moment with a sensitivity of 97%. The first prototype of this device has been installed at the entrance to the Sant Joan University Hospital in Reus and the research results have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Citrus fruits and apples are two of the first aromas that people with the SARS-CoV-2 virus stop detecting. Anosmia – that’s to say, the loss of the ability to detect smells – has been one of the characteristic symptoms of Covid since the beginning of the pandemic. But it is not the only one. A high temperature, a headache, a cough, discomfort and a sore throat are all signs of the coronavirus but also of a cold or flu. So, without any diagnostic test, how can you know which virus your symptoms are caused by? The system that has been patented is based on a hydroalcoholic gel to which a particular concentration of a citrus essence has been added. “We knew from the results of previous research that this aroma is one of the first that Covid sufferers cannot perceive when they lose their sense of smell,” said Eduard Llobet, a researcher from the URV’s Department of Electronic, Electrical and Automatic Engineering. “We did tests with different concentrations until we determined the one we needed,” he added.
This test was performed on approximately 500 patients who, during the second wave of the pandemic, attended the emergency department of the Sant Joan University Hospital in Reus and the primary care centres in Reus because they had Covid-like symptoms or because they were asymptomatic but had been in close contact of a positive case. They had to rub their hands with the gel and then smell them after three seconds. The result was considered negative if they recognized a citrus fruit, and positive if they couldn’t smell the gel or could not detect a citrus aroma. Once this had been done, the participants in the study had to fill in a short questionnaire with the result of the smell test and other data such as age, gender and the presence or absence of different symptoms. “We gave each symptom a diagnostic value based on our calculations, and there were eight that we regarded as statistically significant for detecting the disease,” explained Youcef Aceli, a researcher at the IISPV, who headed the research. Once the participants had given their answers were given, they were given a PCR test to check the result.
“The system we have developed is based on machine learning and the results of the questionnaire were used to generate a model that enables the mass detection of Covid cases when resources do not allow for diagnostic tests,” said Albert Fernandez, a URV researcher and developer of the algorithm based on artificial intelligence. The data ensure almost total sensitivity (97%), which makes it useful as a method for screening the population.
“The antigen tests on the market have an average sensitivity of 80%, which means that the number of false negatives is 20%. What we have developed is not a diagnostic test, but a screening system that aims to detect the maximum possible number of positives and prevent false negatives,” explained the researchers.
This device is designed to make it clear what risk people have of having Covid, which will help to interrupt the chains of transmission. “The aim is to protect the most vulnerable people and remind people with symptoms of Covid to stay at home or take extreme precautionary measures, such as wearing a mask and following the recommendations of the health authorities,” Aceli says.
The prototype, for which the IISPV and the URV have filed a European patent, is in the process of being put on the market. The aim is to have it installed in hospitals, residences, schools or public transport, so that the people who use it are aware of the risk of spreading the virus they have. The URV’s Valorization Unit and the IISPV’s Innovation and Transfer Unit have assisted the research team to protect the mass screening system.
Reference: Youcef Azeli, Alberto Fernández, Federico Capriles, Wojciech Rojewski, Vanesa Lopez-Madrid, David Sabaté-Lissner, Rosa Maria Serrano, Cristina Rey-Reñones, Marta Civit, Josefina Casellas, Abdelghani El Ouahabi-El Ouahabi, Maria Foglia-Fernández, Salvador Sarrá & Eduard Llobet. A machine learning COVID-19 mass screening based on symptoms and a simple olfactory test. Scientific Reports. DOI: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-19817-x.
IMAGE: EUROPEAN RED LIST OF INSECT TAXONOMISTS, COVER. ILLUSTRATION: FRAGRANT BUMBLE BEE (BOMBUS FRAGRANS) BY DENITSA PENEVA.view more
CREDIT: DENITSA PENEVA
While insect populations continue to decline, taxonomic expertise in Europe is at serious risk, confirms data obtained within the European Red List of Insect Taxonomists, a recent study commissioned by the European Union (EU).
Scientists who specialise in the identification and discovery of insect species - also known as insect taxonomists - are declining across Europe, highlights the newly released report by CETAF, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Pensoft. The authors of this report represent different perspectives within biodiversity science, including natural history and research institutions, nature conservation, academia and scholarly publishing.
Despite the global significance of its taxonomic collections, Europe has been losing taxonomic expertise at such a rate that, at the moment nearly half (41.4%) of the insect orders are not covered by a sufficient number of scientists. If only EU countries are counted, the number looks only slightly more positive (34.5%). Even the four largest insect orders: beetles (Coleoptera), moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera), flies (Diptera) and wasps, bees, ants and sawflies (Hymenoptera) are only adequately ‘covered’ in a fraction of the countries.
To obtain details about the number, location and productivity of insect taxonomists, the team extracted information from thousands of scientific articles published in the last decade, queried the most important scientific databases and reached out to over fifty natural science institutions and their networks. Furthermore, a dedicated campaign reached out to individual researchers through multiple communication channels. As a result, more than 1,500 taxonomists responded by filling in a self-declaration survey to provide information about their personal and academic profile, qualification and activities.
Then, the collected information was assessed against numerical criteria to classify the scientists into categories similar to those used by the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. In the European List of Insect Taxonomists, these range from Eroded Capacity (equivalent to Extinct) to Adequate Capacity (equivalent to Least Concern). The assessment was applied to the 29 insect orders (i.e. beetles, moths and butterflies, etc.) to figure out which insect groups the society, conservation practitioners and decision-makers need not be concerned at this point.
On a country level, the results showed that Czechia, Germany and Russia demonstrate the most adequate coverage of insect groups. Meanwhile, Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Luxembourg, Latvia, Ireland and Malta turned out to be the ones with insufficient number of taxonomists.
In most cases, the availability of experts seems to correlate to GDP, as wealthiest countries tend to invest more in their scientific institutions. What is particularly worrying is that the lack of taxonomic expertise is more evident in the countries with the greatest species diversity. This trend may cause even more significant problems in the knowledge and conservation of these species, further aggravating the situation. Thus, the report provides further evidence about a global pattern where the countries richest in biodiversity are also the ones poorest in financial and human resources.
The research team also reminds that it is European natural history museums that host the largest scientific collections - including insects - brought from all over the globe. As such, Europe is responsible to the world for maintaining taxonomic knowledge and building adequate expert capacity.
Overview of the taxonomic capacity in European countries based upon the Red List Index (colour gradient goes from red (Eroded Capacity) to green (Adequate Capacity).
CREDIT
European Red List of Taxonomists consortium
Other concerning trends revealed in the new report are that the community of taxonomists is also ageing and - especially in the older groups - male-dominated (82%).
“One reason to have fewer young taxonomists could be due to limited opportunities for professional training (...), and the fact that not all professional taxonomists provide it, as a significant number of taxonomists are employed by museums and their opportunities for interaction with university students is probably not optimal.” comments Ana Casino, CETAF’s Executive Director. “Gender bias is very likely caused by multiple factors, including fewer opportunities for women to be exposed to taxonomic research and gain an interest, unequal offer of career opportunities and hiring decisions,” according to the authors. “A fair-playing field for all genders will be crucial to address these shortcomings and close the gap.”
***
The European Red List of Taxonomists concludes with practical recommendations concerning strategic, science and societal priorities, addressed to specific decision-makers. The authors give practical examples and potential solutions in support of their call to action.
For instance, in order to develop targeted and sustainable funding mechanisms to support taxonomy, they propose the launch of regular targeted Horizon Europe calls to study important insect groups for which taxonomic capacity has been identified to be at a particularly high risk of erosion.
To address specific gaps in expertise - such as the ones reported in the publication from Romania - a country known for its rich insect diversity, yet poor in taxonomic expertise - the consortium proposes the establishment of a natural history museum or entomological research institute that is well-fitted to serve as a taxonomic facility.
Amongst the scientific recommendations, the authors propose measures to ensure better recognition of taxonomic work at a multidisciplinary level. The scientific community, including disciplines that use taxonomic research, such as molecular biology, medicine and agriculture - need to embrace universal standards and rigorous conduct for the correct citation of scientific publications by insect taxonomists.
Societal engagement is another important call. “It is pivotal to widely raise awareness of the value and impact of taxonomy and the work of taxonomists. We must motivate young generations to join the scientific community” points Prof. Lyubomir Penev, Managing Director of Pensoft.
***
“Understanding taxonomy is a key to understanding the extinction risk of species. If we strategically target the gaps in expert capacity that this European Red List identifies, we can better protect biodiversity and support the well-being and livelihoods of our societies. With the climate crisis at hand, there is no time left to waste,” added David Allen from the IUCN Red List team.
“As a dedicated supporter of the IUCN Red List, I am inspired by this call to strengthen the capacity, guided by evidence and proven scientific methods. However, Europe has much more scientific capacity than most biodiversity-rich regions of the world. So, what this report particularly highlights is the need for massively increasing investment in scientific discovery, and building taxonomic expertise, around the world,” said Jon Paul Rodríguez, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
***
The results of the study will be presented at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP-15) on 15 December within a side event (#4788) dedicated to the role of taxonomy for the implementation and monitoring of the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework.
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Follow and join the conversation on Twitter using the #RedListTaxonomists hashtag.
Additional information:
CETAFis the European organisation of Natural History Museums, Botanic Gardens and Research Centers with their associated natural science collections comprising 74 of the largest taxonomic institutions from 24 European countries (19 EU, 2 EEA and 3 non-EU), gathering expertise of more than 5,000 researchers. Their collections contain a wide range of specimens including animals, plants, fungi and rocks, and genetic resources which are used for scientific research and exhibitions. CETAF aims to promote training, research collaborations and understanding in taxonomy and systematic biology as well as to facilitate access to our natural heritage by sharing the information derived from the collections. Follow CETAF on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature) is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of more than 15,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
Through its Species Survival Commission (SSC), IUCN assists societies to conserve biodiversity by building knowledge on the status and threats to species, providing advice, developing policies and guidelines, facilitating conservation planning, and catalysing conservation action. Follow IUCN on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Pensoft is an independent academic publishing company and technology provider, well known worldwide for its novel cutting-edge publishing tools, workflows and methods for text and data publishing of journals, books and conference materials. Through its Research and Technical Development department, the company is involved in various research and technology projects. Founded in 1992 "by scientists, for scientists" and initially focusing on book publishing, Pensoft is now a leading publisher of innovative open access journals in taxonomy and biodiversity science. Follow Pensoft on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
A new study demonstrates how anonymized GPS data from people’s smartphones can be used to monitor the public’s use of parks and other green spaces in urban areas, which could help inform their management. Alessandro Filazzola of ApexRMS and the University of Toronto, Mississauga, Canada, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS Computational Biology on December 15, 2022.
Parks and other green spaces in urban areas perform several key functions, including promotion of human physical and mental health, preservation of ecosystem biodiversity, and services such as stormwater management and heat reduction. People’s interactions with green spaces influence these functions, but it is challenging to capture human activity at a fine enough resolution to inform green space management. Anonymized GPS data from people’s smartphones could help address this challenge.
To demonstrate such an approach, Filazzola and colleagues analyzed anonymized smartphone data that captured people’s visits to 53 green spaces in the greater Toronto area in Canada, including parks, trail systems, and areas closed to the public for conservation purposes.
They found that the GPS data did indeed capture insights about people’s use of these green spaces, showing, for instance, that mobile device activity was strongly correlated with data on reservations made by people to access parks. The data also revealed which areas within green spaces had more or less human activity, with established trails being particularly popular. In addition, greater human presence was linked to certain types of land cover, such as rock formations, as well as certain tree species.
These findings highlight the potential for anonymized GPS smartphone data to help inform management of green spaces, especially as cities grow worldwide. Such efforts could optimize the benefits of green spaces for people while also preserving biodiversity.
The researchers note several challenges to this approach, such as some people’s tendency to disconnect from the mobile devices when visiting green spaces and the difficulty of distinguishing between a smart phone located within a green space versus passing in a car just outside the perimeter. Future research could address these issues and refine the methodology.
The authors add: “Access to parks is important for city residents for recreation, connecting to nature, and socialization, but it’s challenging to understand how people use these green spaces. Our study is using anonymized mobility data to help shed light on relationship between people and nature in parks.”
Citation: Filazzola A, Xie G, Barrett K, Dunn A, Johnson MTJ, MacIvor JS (2022) Using smartphone-GPS data to quantify human activity in green spaces. PLoS Comput Biol 18(12): e1010725. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010725
Author Countries: Canada
Funding: This research was funded by a Post-Doctoral Fellowship awarded to AF by the Center for Urban Environments and School of Cities at the University of Toronto, Canada. GX was funded by an Ontario Graduate Scholarship, a Center for Environmental Research in the Anthropocene Graduate Fellowship, and NSERC CREATE funding (# 401276521) awarded to JSM. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Using smartphone-GPS data to quantify human activity in green spaces
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
15-Dec-2022
Study probes how plague spreads through wild rodent populations
Mathematical modeling revealed how fleas with early-stage Yersinia pestis infections are insufficient to drive epizootic outbreaks but can help promote a low level of enzootic plague.
IMAGE: OROPSYLLA MONTANA (A GROUND SQUIRREL FLEA) INFECTED AND BLOCKED WITH YERSINIA PESTIS.view more
CREDIT: MITCHELL ET AL, CC-BY 4.0, HTTPS://CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG/LICENSES/BY/4.0/)
Scientists have long been puzzled how the bubonic plague bacteria, Yersinia pestis, can cause both stable, enzootic disease among rodents, as well as sudden, lethal epizootic outbreaks that decimate the same rodent populations. A new study concludes that the difference might relate to the fleas that carry Y. pestis between animals. Fleas with only early-phase infection are insufficient to drive an epizootic among most wild rodents, and favor a more stable enzootic state, according to the research published this week in PLOS Pathogens by Joseph Hinnebusch of the National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases Rocky Mountain Laboratories, U.S., and colleagues.
Plague primarily afflicts rodents, including rats, mice, gerbils, squirrels, marmots and prairie dogs. The bacteria circulate within these host populations through several flea vector species. Fleas can transmit Y. pestis in different stages following an infectious blood meal; transmission can occur the very next time they feed, a phenomenon referred to as early-phase transmission. Later, “blockage-dependent transmission” occurs after Y. pestis forms a bacterial biofilm in the fleas’ digestive systems, blocking the flow of an incoming meal and causing blood to recoil back into the bite site after mixing with the biofilm.
In the new study, researchers for the first time empirically evaluated the relative efficiency of the different phases of transmission by individual fleas. Cohorts of a ground squirrel flea, Oropsyllamontana, were infected by feeding on mouse or rat blood infected with Y. pestis. Transmission efficiency of individual O. montana fleas was then measured over a four-week period and the researchers created models to show how this efficiency would translate to the spread of Y. pestis through a rodent population.
The results indicated that blockage-dependent transmission is much more efficient than early-phase transmission, in terms of the probability of transmission, the number of bacteria transmitted, and the capability of driving an epizootic outbreak. Early-phase transmission, the models showed, could drive an epizootic only in naïve, very susceptible host populations and when the flea burden is high. Moreover, the low dose of bacteria typically transmitted in early-phase transmission may “immunize” many individuals, acting to promote an enzootic state.
“Our models suggest that exposure of most wild rodents to sublethal, immunizing doses of Y. pestis transmitted during the early phase may ameliorate rapid epizootic spread by reducing the number of susceptible individuals in the population,” the authors say. “In many situations early-phase transmission may be more important in maintaining the enzootic state than in driving an epizootic.”
Citation: Mitchell CL, Schwarzer AR, Miarinjara A, Jarrett CO, Luis AD, Hinnebusch BJ (2022) A Role for Early-Phase Transmission in the Enzootic Maintenance of Plague. PLoS Pathog 18(12): e1010996. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1010996
Author Countries: USA
Funding: This research was funded by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH (to BJH), NIAID (ZIA AI000796-25) and by the National Science Foundation (2109828 to ADL). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
A Role for Early-Phase Transmission in the Enzootic Maintenance of Plague
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
15-Dec-2022
Herpes vaccines could mean billions of dollars of cost savings and prevent the loss of millions of quality of life years by reducing HSV-2 infections and HSV-2 driven HIV infections, according to a modelling study in 90 low and middle income countries
Article Title: Estimated economic burden of genital herpes and HIV attributable to herpes simplex virus type 2 infections in 90 low- and middle-income countries: A modeling study
Author Countries: United States, Qatar
Funding: HHA acknowledges the joint support of Qatar University and Marubeni M-QJRC-2020-5. LJA acknowledges the support of NPRP grant number 9-040-3-008 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
The recalled products, which include various lots of all of the brand’s laundry and cleaning products, may contain a variety of bacteria, “including Burkholderia cepacia complex, Klebsiella aerogenes, and multiple different species of Pseudomonas,” according to the CPSC. Those with weakened immune systems, external medical devices, and underlying lung conditions who are exposed to the bacteria face a serious risk of infection that could require medical treatment. The bacteria can enter the body through the eyes, breaks in the skin, or if inhaled. Symptoms of these types of bacteria include fever, chills, serious upper respiratory infections to no symptoms at all, and vary based on each type. People with healthy immune systems are usually not affected by the bacteria, per the CPSC.
The Laundress voluntarily recalled around eight million units of laundry and cleaning products after multiple different species of bacteria were detected.
Products with lot codes that begin with the letter F and the last four digits are numbered 9354 or lower Products with lot codes that begin with the letter H and the last four digits are numbered 2262 or lower Products with lot codes that begin with the letter T and the last four digits are numbered 5264 or lower
The products were sold at TheLaundress.com, Amazon.com, Target, Bloomingdales, The Container Store, and other major retailers through September 2022, per the CPSC.
Anybody with contaminated products should immediately stop using and “dispose of the product by closing the bottle tightly and placing it in household trash,” The Laundress explained. “Do not empty the product prior to disposal.”
The company shared information about the recall with their customers today, urging those with affected products to cease use and navigate to their website (www.TheLaundressRecall.com) for more information about refunds, specific products involved in the recall, and product disposal.
The brand took to social media to delve a bit deeper into what happened. “We deeply apologize to all our loyal customers for this situation,” the brand wrote. “We are undertaking decisive steps with our suppliers to ensure production processes meet our safety and quality standards. Sincerely, The Laundress Team.”
Their announcement on Instagram followed a string of other updates from the brand regarding product safety beginning two weeks before the official recall. On November 17, the brand posted a “safety notice” warning customers of the “potential presence of elevated levels of bacteria in some of our products that present a safety concern.” The CPSC noted at the time of their press release that there are 11 customers who have reported Pseudomonas infections, which are under investigation for connection to the recalled products.
On November 19th, the brand posted an update, noting the creation of an FAQ page for concerns related to the recall, writing: “We are working hard to provide as much clarity to you as possible and we understand the concerns you may feel as we await answers.”
Customers were understandably upset about the safety issues and the brand’s slowness in providing information. “This is really alarming,” one customer commented on the brand’s Instagram post announcing the recall. “I love your products but to have this kind of issue with products that are so expensive and then such a vague safety notice?”
Another added: “The more I think about this the more infuriated I become. The Laundress is the only detergent I have ever used on my 15-month-old daughter’s clothes, blankets, towels, etc. At the price points we pay for these ‘luxury’ products, this is absolutely something we should never, EVER have to worry about.”
If you have questions about the recall or would like to request reimbursement for the purchase of the affected product, you can visit The Laundress’ voluntary recall website or email the company at customerservice@thelaundress.com.
Talk to your physician if you have any health concerns related to using the product involved in the recall.
