where do you draw the line?

Why viruses and bacteria should have a right to life, our lives may depend on it

In time we may regret our desire to eradicate viruses, even those as apparently deadly as Covid-19.

Introduction

Human beings are far more than simply ‘human’. Our bodies consist of not just ‘human cells’, we play host to billions, trillions of micro organisms.

Indeed, these micro-organisms (bacteria and viruses) significantly outnumber ‘human’ cells, and we are only just beginning to quantify them, let alone understand what they do. And yet here we are, gripped by fear, in a global pandemic, and seemingly at war with Covid-19, without apparently a moments thought. Is this right? Should a virus have a right to life? And what are the consequences if not?

basic rights

The midst of a pandemic is probably not the best time to talk about the basic right of all living things to life. Especially when it’s clear that the basic rights of our fellow human beings are still to be won — as events in the US so clearly show.

I believe all life matters, I believe the right to life is a fight for the hearts and minds of all. I do not believe it is a matter of building law and legislation one step at a time, fighting inch by inch. I believe this question is fundamental to our humanity.

And I know I am not alone, although I may take this further than the likes of William Blake, quoting but a line from Augurs of Innocence,

A dog starv’d at his Masters Gate Predicts the ruin of the State

So, even though the idea of defending the right of the virus to life at this time, and in these circumstances, may seem ludicrous to most. That is the purpose of this piece.

I know many will not care, many will refuse to even consider the point, and in many respects I don’t blame them, however I care, I believe there is more to the story than meets the eye, even those open to the ills in the worlds current response to the crisis, let alone those blinkered by the media and the state.

the right to a fair trial

I have utmost respect and sympathy for the loss of human life related to Covid-19. I am not advocating that: we do nothing; that this pandemic isn’t a tragedy; or that we don’t need to manage/minimise the impact of the virus on human life. We need to do something, it is and we do, but shouldn’t:

all life have a right to life? at the very least the right to a fair trial? Rights we fight so hard for as humans beings, the humans right act being one example;

we at least be considering other possibilities; the virus isn’t alive by our own definitions, it’s not trying to kill us, this is in many ways the ‘fault’ of our own immune/defence systems;

we be studying this virus from more angles than we currently seem to be, to understand more about it.

Before we rush to commit genocide — yet again.

my own position/view of our responsibilities

To declare my position up front, my only qualification to speak on this matter, my beliefs.

I believe that human beings, as the most intelligent species on earth, should have a duty of care to protect and nurture life on this planet. It’s a responsibility I’ve recently written about, and one I feel we fail at time and time again. So moving on:

Viruses —what we know — starting with the basics

Just how many viruses are there?

A series of relevant quotes from various scientific papers (each quote is linked):

There are about 10³² viruses on our planet, making them the most successful species.

Viruses are present in every single species on our planet, normally without notice. They populate the soil, the oceans, the air, our human body and even our genome.

Viruses are the most abundant entities in the biosphere totalling an estimated number of 1.2 × ¹⁰³⁰, 2.6 × ¹⁰³⁰, 3.5 × ¹⁰³¹, and 0.25–2.5 × ¹⁰³¹ in the open ocean, in soil and in oceanic and terrestrial sub-surfaces, respectively.

Within a reference 70kg man that there are “3.8 x 10¹³ bacteria… a mass of 0.2kg.” [authors note 3.8 x 10¹³ bacteria, that’s 38 trillion, 38,000,000,000,000! and that number is dwarfed by the number of viruses]

the 10¹³ human cells are outnumbered 10-fold by bacteria and 100-fold by viruses. [Author’s note — suggesting that there are 380 trillion viruses in the human body].

And, what Viruses do?

We don’t really know.

Given the number of virus in existence and our relatively recent ability to analyse them it’s not surprising. We are even unsure whether to classify them as alive or not. Although as this quote suggests that particular line is blurry at best:

Newly discovered giant viruses are almost bacteria in their composition, suggesting that the borderline between dead matter and life is continuous.

What do know about viruses

suggests they are more friend than foe, playing a vital role in our evolution, in our survival, and in our future.

We know that viruses are not deliberately trying to kill us. Indeed in many cases, like Covid 19 it is our bodies response to the virus that results in death rather than the virus itself.

The following quotes come directly from the above article and other scientific papers (quotes linked to relevant source article):

The success story of viruses started about 3.5 billion years ago when life began.

Authors note: ie significantly before human beings, it’s estimated that we evolved some 2–300,000 years ago and only began to talk some 50,000 years ago.

There is a close connection between microbes and humans. Experts believe about half of all human DNA originated from viruses that infected and embedded their nucleic acid in our ancestors’ egg and sperm cells

in the long run they have a shared interest in our survival. For these tiny invaders, a dead host is a dead end

Viruses interact with their host and are able to transfer genetic material across various species. Thus the genetic composition of viruses changes and is a combination derived from many hosts — raising the problem, of how to define or type a virus on the basis of its genetic material. The mechanism of horizontal gene transfer is the basis for the complexity of all genomes, including the human genome.

Most … do not cause diseases. Their reputation as pathogens is based on the history of medicine…Only about 1,000 viruses are known to cause diseases in humans, some of their pathogenicity is due to environmental effects. The phrase “I got a cold” is indicative for an altered, a cold environment, which can promote a viral disease by activating rhinoviruses or Influenza viruses. Also lifestyle of the host, of people, can play a role as in the case of HIV

Authors note: 1,000, 10³ out of a total of 10³² estimated in existence.

Viruses are normally defined as pathogens and have a bad reputation because of pandemics such as Influenza, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and SARS. Most viruses are, however, not enemies or killers

[Viruses] play important roles in the origin, development and maintenance of life of all species on our planet. … They influence our health, our well‐being, mental properties, our gut microbiota including obesity, and may help to cope with multi‐drug‐resistant bacteria ... Viruses built our immunity: viruses protect against viruses. We do not have to lay eggs — thanks to viruses! They are the drivers of evolution and adaptation to environmental changes.

Our genome…When it was sequenced, it was indeed one of the biggest surprises that it consists of almost 50 % of retroviruses or retrovirus‐like sequences. Sequencing of whole genomes was first applied to the human genome. It revealed, that the human genome is composed of up to 80 % of viral information

Our experience as virologists suggests that the use of “good” viruses is common practice. ……The ability to treat diseases using viruses, often referred to as virotherapy, has become the subject of intensive research in recent years.

Let’s think for a moment about that, only 1,000 are known to be harmful to man; viruses built our immunity; their genetic make up is a combination of many hosts; viruses fight viruses. The thought it prompts has already been essentially stated, they are vital for life, they are vital for the entire biosphere of which we are put a part. For fans of Star Wars — put simply they are the midi-chlorians of real life (well kind of!):

“Without the midi-chlorians, life could not exist, and we would have no knowledge of the Force. They continually speak to us, telling us the will of the Force. When you learn to quiet your mind, you’ll hear them speaking to you.”―Qui-Gon Jinn,

Turning to Covid-19 specifically

On face value, the case against Covid-19 is damning, millions of people have been infected, hundreds of thousands have died and the virus is therefore defined by us as a pathogen.

With the value that most of us put on human life above and beyond all other life it is perhaps not surprising that we have the global reaction we have. And yet I still do not believe that should shut this case. The significant majority of those infected by Corona-virus/Covid 19 do not die, they recover, if they show symptoms at all. Turning again to science:

COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus SARS-Cov-2, has infected over 4 million people in 212 countries, of whom at least 272,000 have died. The ongoing economic and social impact of the pandemic is staggering, but despite a daily flood of news on the disease, few laypeople know that paradoxically, COVID-19 mostly kills through an overreaction of the immune system, whose function is precisely to fight infections.

“With COVID-19, the inflammation goes haywire, and it may be the inflammatory response that is killing the patient, more so than the virus itself,”

The survivors of Covid-19

So 92.5% of those infected survive. If this wasn’t human life we were talking about it would barely make the news. Human being have been responsible for so much worse in the animal world. But that is another story.

So, anyway, I asked Google UK: “why do people survive Covid 19?”

Surprisingly I found little of real significance. Most of what I did find continued to promote the seriousness of the infection. But this (linked) quote from the UK Government is relevant:

Generally, coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.

I’m going to return to this shortly: but before I do, a necessary and brief interlude:

Covid-19 and Bats

Given the limited direct ‘scientific’ based information on why Covid 19 is not killing more human beings, I wondered about the impact on Bats, apparently the source of the virus. What does Covid-19 do to bats?

I came across this piece in Science Daily featuring featuring Rochester biology professors Vera Gorbunova and Andrei Seluanov (who are married):

Relevant quotes:

bats are remarkably able to tolerate viruses, and, additionally, live much longer than similar-sized land mammals.

bats’ longevity and capacity to tolerate viruses may stem from their ability to control inflammation, which is a hallmark of disease and aging

Note: it is the inflammation response in humans that results in death as repeated by Gorbunova who says.

“With COVID-19, the inflammation goes haywire, and it may be the inflammatory response that is killing the patient, more so than the virus itself,”

Although bats were carriers, they seemed to be unaffected by the virus.

Another perplexing factor: generally, a species’ lifespan correlates with its body mass; the smaller a species, the shorter its lifespan, and vice versa. Many bat species, however, have lifespans of 30 to 40 years.

inflammation is a hallmark of the aging process and age-related diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, and cardiovascular disease. Viruses, including COVID-19, are one factor that can trigger inflammation

Alzheimer’s is one of the most frequent co-morbidity issues in the death of elderly patients with Covid-19. Source Gov.UK

Unlike humans, bats have developed specific mechanisms that reduce viral replication and also dampen the immune response to a virus. The result is a beneficial balance: their immune systems control viruses but at the same time, do not mount a strong inflammatory response.

So, returning to Covid-19 and human beings

Given we know there are 38 trillion viruses in the human body, our bodies may well have developed similar mechanisms for other ‘pathogenic’ (or rather at one time ‘pathogenic’ viruses. Is it possible that this explains why many of us are asymptomatic/only mildly affected?

Extending on this, I first looked into the pandemic when it first hit the UK in force. My research, conducted during the first few weeks of lock down in the UK, surprised me. It suggested that personally I did not need to be alarmed, the two biggest factor of Covid 19 deaths was ill health within those who contracted the disease. What I now know is referred to as co-morbidity. My conclusion then was that:

our best defence against virus attacks, such as the one we are experiencing is to build our individual and collective health

At that time I didn’t consider the Human Biome and Virome as an integral part of human health, I do now.

Since then more and information has become available to support the view that it is not the virus itself that kills, with few exceptions, it is the patients state of general health, which is driven in turn by diet, exercise and management of stress. In more detail and linked quotes to relevant sources (UK government and scientific papers):

Firstly, Co-morbidity (ie Covid 19 not being the primary cause of death) within the UK, quoting the Office of National Statistics;

Of the 50,335 deaths that occurred in March to June 2020 involving COVID-19 in England and Wales, 45,859 (91.1%) had at least one pre-existing condition, while 4,476 (8.9%) had none. The mean number of pre-existing conditions for deaths involving COVID-19 between March and June 2020 was 2.1 for those aged 0 to 69 years and 2.3 for those aged 70 years and over.

Note: UK confirmed Covid 19 cases are in the region of 300,000. (Therefore 85% resulting in death).

Secondly, the impact of obesity. Again taking the UK as an example

Obesity rates among adults in the UK have almost quadrupled in the last 25 years, and now around 1 in 4 fall into this category. What’s more, over 60% of adults are classed as overweight or obese, leaving only 40% of women and 33% of UK men.

Obesity has a high risk of consequences with conditions that can often be overlooked for a number of years before the realisation hits. …You are also 2–4% more likely to develop high blood pressure.

The UK government has recognised the impact of obesity on the likelihood of Covid-19 related death and begun an education drive to this effect. The following quotes comes from a UK government press release published on 25th July (note I published my initial investigation on April 17th).

Being obese or excessively overweight increases the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, a new Public Health England (PHE) report confirms.

One study found that for people with a BMI of 35 to 40, risk of death from COVID-19 increases by 40% and with a BMI over 40 by 90%, compared to those not living with obesity.

Authors note: unsurprisingly I feel that Governments around the world should have been more dynamic in driving this health message during the early phases of the pandemic.

Further considerations

Shin Jie Yong, who I follow for an unbiased overview of Scientific works on micro-organisms and Covi9 19, recently published this paper:

Shin Jie Yong highlights the unintended impact of anti-biotics on the development of us in infancy (especially in relation to gut bacteria and the possible link to obesity later in life). Quoting the paper:

The gut microbiota is undergoing rapid changes in infancy and childhood. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum ones, tend to wipe out beneficial gut microbes. Not to mention that children’s brain and physique are also experiencing sensitive growth phases.

To be clear, bacteria are not viruses, but I believe the principle is the same, we undergo immense and rapid change in infancy. It stands to reason that as a child we have been exposed to less outside agents than as adults.

Part of growing up is about picking up viruses and bacteria from our environment, our family, our friends, our environment. I’ve already mentioned as adults it’s estimated that we play host to 38 trillion bacteria and 380 trillion viruses, I have been unable to find equivalent numbers for children, not the change in composition. Yet it is clear that as children we have not been exposed to the same extent as adults.

Extending this principle to adults though, it is a well known fact we overuse that antibiotics. We wage war on micro-organisms, who amongst us hasn’t heard that bleach:

Kills 99% of all known bacteria

Many of us are obsessed with it, but at what cost? Our own health? Our own lives? Could it be that this as well as bad diet (processed fatty foods) contribute to such high levels of obesity within adults?

Conclusion

In writing this I’m aware that this is increasingly sounding like an ‘anti-vaccination’ piece, at best a loony piece about the rights of microbes to life.

It is not, if anything I am advocating that more ‘science’ is required, we need more knowledge. We need to understand our own evolution and our journey from baby to adult (our the we not the I). We need to understand more about the Human Biome and Virome. Put simply we are simply not alone, we are not I, I is we, and we includes those micro-organisms past, present and future that co-habit our bodies and help us not only survive but prosper.

I do believe we need to exercise more caution. What I thought was a question of the right to life of micro-organisms, has in my own mind turned into a question of preserving our own health, both now and in the future. It seems clear to me that if we continue to wage war on such bacteria and viruses,

we are waging war with ourselves.

As Gorbunova says

“Humans have two possible strategies if we want to prevent inflammation, live longer, and avoid the deadly effects of diseases like COVID-19,” . “One would be to not be exposed to any viruses, but that’s not practical. The second would be to regulate our immune system more like a bat.”

How did the bat do it? It evolved alongside viruses, it got ‘infected’, it was healthy, it survived. So what would that leave us? I’ll return to my own quote:

our best defence against virus attacks, such as the one we are experiencing is to build our individual and collective health

We need to get serious about addressing obesity within our society, we need to help all access a better diet, and moderate exercise.

We need to invest in better ways of dealing with stress in everyday life, tackling problems with drink, comfort food and drugs.

And we need to learn to de-stress our environment, change the way we do things from the ground up, we need to promote unity and resist division, resist anger and hate.

and finally

If you have doubts over what I say, you are right to do so. Virology is not my sphere or expertise so, to an extent I have some doubts, for example: I do not understand why the mainstream narrative is so strongly supported; right across the world; nor do I understand why at this time we are not doing more to promote healthy lifestyle choices.

What is clear to me is that the mainstream media is failing us, opposition parties are failing us. We need to take responsibility. We need to educate ourselves, open our minds to other possibilities — the possibility that we may be wrong. It’s in our own best interests to read widely, to use our own intellect to make our own minds up, not to have them made up for us.

If not, we should simply put up and shut up and accept our lot, to me this seems to be what most of us have chosen to do and choose to do everyday on this and other matters of equality or rather quality of live.

In any event, and as ever, between us we will continue to do both and leave the outcome in the hands of fate or as I fear worse, in the hands of the (potentially manipulated) majority.

Also, this is not my usual article, especially in subject, or length so I’d welcome any feedback any reader may have. Regardless if you got this far you have my thanks for reading.

Finally, finally, about the author — me

I ‘busk’ for a living these days, so if you like the thoughts I share freely I’m glad. If you really like them you can always buy me a coffee and we’ll share a toast to our good health, https://ko-fi.com/bottomatt, but don’t feel the need as I don’t care much for money, it’s a necessity for sure, but one I can do without — I’m one of the lucky ones.

You normally won’t find me within any publications other than my own, I’m not seeking fame or fortune. I like to think of myself as a man who sleeps under the stars rather than within any particular tent, however on this, and perhaps other occasions and when invited, I will publish within Illumination because from all I see Dr Mehmet Yildiz shares many of my own core values, in particular a belief in the power of true co-operation and collaboration. I guess in life, sometimes it’s nice to feel the warmth of genuine hospitality on your face — even for free spirits like me.

Relevant source papers: