Best Giant Microbes Plush Toys

Giant Microbes are plushies inspired by the most common (and some very uncommon) disease-causing microbes. They are perfect for people with a sense of humor or fondness for science. You can get them in plushie size or find one perfect for decorating your key ring. Here you can find some of the best of all microbes, what makes them so fascinating, and the pure joy of discovering just how amazing our immune system can actually be.

Picture from: http://www.geogum.com/explore/tags/giant

Did you know we actually have tons of e.coli hanging out inside of us? They are actually beneficial. When you hear of people getting sick from e.coli, it is usually O157:H7. This strain is infamous for causing nasty cases of food poisoning. To avoid it, always make sure to cook meat fully as one of the greatest sources of contamination is poor sanitation in slaughterhouses. So consider getting your burger well done instead of rare!

From an Actual Microbe Owner

Giant Microbes make a great gift or awesome personal plushie. I know this from first hand experience which started long ago when I was just a little college freshmen. My plan was to be a theater major and so I opted to choose the non-bio course known as Microbe Friend or Foe. Taking that class changed my entire career path (I graduated pre-med) and introduced me to the fascinating world of Giant Microbes and immunology. Not just me but our entire biology department was such a fan they purchased a collection of some of the Giant Microbe's most famous disease causing trouble makers.

So you see, Giant Microbes are for everyone. They are perfect for kids in grade school as reminders of those icky things which can cause serious trouble when you do not take care of your hygiene (*cough wash your hands cough*). Our entire pre-med class found them hilarious and just about everyone owns at least one and even our college (rated one of the top in the U.S.) purchased a worthy display. So there you have it, you can 'give' your favorite disease in a cute form without actually infecting them!

By the way, that's me in the picture my freshmen year of college enjoying some time in the lab!

The rhinovirus, one of the most famous and annoying microbes of all time. This is responsible for those nasty winter colds. The virus mutates quickly making new versions meaning lots of misery for us. I have to say its microbial form is actually pretty cute! To avoid the not-so-cute runny nose and miserable cold, always wash your hands. If you have it, make sure to cover your nose to avoid sneezing germs onto the healthy people around you.

Many people know of Mad Cow disease because it is so often in the media. Mad Cow does NOT affect humans but it does affect animals like cows and deer. The disease is actually caused by a prion. Prions are misfolded proteins which literally need to be killed multiple times in multiple ways to be destroyed. A similar form does exist in humans and is known as Creutzfeld-Jacob disease. What these diseases do is basically turn the brain into a sponge filled with holes. Not very pleasant at all...

Prions are one of the scariest and most fascinating of all aspects in immunological biology. They are misfolded proteins which essentially turn your brain into something resembling a sponge. And the most terrifying part is how impossibly they are to destroy, no autoclave one and it's done. You need to use multiple methods to kill off these highly contagious microbes.

Leukocytes are amazing. Well, to those who love immunology they are. These cells are part of the immune system and their job is to keep us safe from invading microbes and bacteria. They come in several different types but their main purpose is to be our defense! Having low amounts of white blood cells, puts you at a higher risk for getting all different kinds of infections. If you are sick with an infection, a blood test can reveal high amounts of these little buddies meaning your immune system is hard at work for you!

HIV is NOT AIDS. People often get the two confused. Modern medicine now has a 'cocktail' mixture of drugs which can help people with HIV to live without it becoming AIDS. People like Magic Johnson are an example of this, they have the disease but are still living just fine. However, when the T-cell count drops below a certain number (your T-cells and B-cells are the major components of the Acquired Immune System), you are considered to have AIDS. Your immune system is no longer able to protect you and catching even a common cold can be fatal.

This is one disease which has been cropping up a lot lately and should not be. People are turning down the vaccine for this microbe and it is having sad results (so get vaccinated and don't get it!). The disease causes uncontrollable and violent coughing. So much coughing makes it difficult to breathe, so after a bad fit, a person will try to get in a deep breath creating a 'whoopinig' sound. This can be fatal in young children and especially infants under one year old. So protect our little ones and get vaccinated. You may be fine after a case of the whooping cough, but their immune systems might not leave them so lucky.

Your neurons are extremely important, not only in the brain but all throughout the body. They receive electric impulses which tell your body what to do. For example, you touch a hot stove. The nerves zap a message to the brain and your brain neuron cells send one back saying, "Move your hand! That's hot!" I have to say...I think this little brain neuron is pretty cute. Inside your brain, these little neurons are all connected in an intense network which is always looking out for you.

Mono is one of the most feared diseases by college students. Get a nasty case of mono, and you could be out most of a semester. All you can do is basically lie in bed and hope the misery passes through. Keep safe from mono by not sharing items like water bottles and lip gloss with other people. Trust me. This is one microbe which may look cute but is pure misery in disguise.

Remember how people would say to much stress causes an ulcer? Actually, it is these little microbes which cause those ulcers.They cause gnawing and burning pain in the epigastrium. Most of the time, the pain occurs when the stomach is empty. Since the cause of ulcers have been identified, antibiotics can be used to treat the bacteria and help patients recover.

This microbe looks scary because it is scary. There have been no known cases in the United States which is a very good things. Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever which causes the cell wall to become weak and the insides to literally start oozing out. People begin bleeding from places like their eyes as the disease grows progressively worse. There is no known cause for Ebola and it is highly fatal. Luckily, Ebola can be easily prevented by not coming in to contact with blood or feces from the infected person. Wearing gloves between patients is highly effective at prevention and so is practicing proper sanitation procedures.

The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story is a bio-thriller and bestseller which focuses on four different viral hemorrhagic fevers and the brave biosafety level 4 agent who have the dangerous job of hunting them down to uncover their mysteries. If you have no idea what a viral hemorrhagic fever is then let me just give you a tidbit of information, depending on the strain it can be highly lethal and in the case of Ebola, you start hemorrhaging blood from your eyes. No wonder I got nightmares the night after reading this book the first time. By the way, I loved it and you definitely must give it a try!

Stem cells are pretty famous throughout the world and there is a lot of controversy regarding their use. We all have stem cells, regardless of age. They are amazing because they can turn into any cell within the body. For example, low on white blood cells? The body can tell its stem cells to start becoming white blood cells. Amazing!

Ebay is a great place to shop for Giant Microbes and you can find so many different types at an array of prices. Take a look and see what you find. After all, you can always look for free.

Would you purchase or give a Giant Microbe as a gift?