Isikhunta—Singaba Usizo, Sibe Ingozi!

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! ESWEDEN

Esinye isikhunta sisindisa ukuphila; esinye siyabulala. Esinye senza ushizi newayini kunambitheke kamnandi; esinye senza ukudla kube nobuthi. Esinye sitholakala ezingodweni; esinye sakhela ezindlini zangasese nasezincwadini. Empeleni, isikhunta sikuyo yonke indawo—kungenzeka ukuthi njengoba ufunda lo musho sekungene izinhlamvu zaso ezincane emakhaleni akho.

UMA ungabaza ukuthi isikhunta sikuyo yonke indawo, ake ushiye ucezu lwesinkwa kunoma iyiphi indawo, ngisho nasesiqandisini imbala. Uyothi uthuka ubone selumbozwe uboyana obuntofontofo—isikhunta!

Siyini Isikhunta?

Isikhunta siwuhlobo lwezimila okuthiwa ama-fungus, futhi siyizinhlobo ezingaphezu kuka-100 000, kuhlanganise nomngcithi, amakhowe, iziwumba zezitshalo (plant rusts) kanye nembiliso. Zingaba yikhulu kuphela izinhlobo zaso ezaziwa njengezibangela izifo kubantu nasezilwaneni. Izinhlobo zaso eziningi zinengxenye ebalulekile ekukhiqizweni kokudla—zibolisa izinto ezifile kanjalo zikhiqize kabusha izakhi ezibalulekile ezingasetshenziswa izitshalo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ezinye zisebenza ngokubambisana okukhulu nezitshalo, zizisiza ukuba zikwazi ukuthola izakhi ezizinika amandla enhlabathini. Kanti ezinye izinhlobo ziphila ngezinto esimila kuzo.

Isikhunta siqala ukuphila njengohlamvana oluncane olungabonakali oluthwalwa umoya. Uma uhlamvu luwela emthonjeni okahle wokudla, phakathi kokunye, umthombo onezinga elikahle lokufudumala nomswakama, luyamila lube amangqamuzana asamicwana abizwa ngokuthi ama-hypha. Uma la ma-hypha anda, akha imicu ehlangene esaboyana obuntofontofo ebizwa ngokuthi ama-mycelium, okuyisikhunta esibonakalayo. Isikhunta singase sibonakale njengodoti noma ibala elithile, njengalapho simila phakathi kwama-tile asendlini yangasese.

Isikhunta siyingcweti ekukhiqizeni. Isinkwa sivame ukuba nesikhunta okuthiwa i-Rhizopus stolonifer, esinamachashazana amnyama noma ama-sporangium. Ichashazi elilodwa nje liqukethe izinhlamvu ezingaphezu kuka-50 000, futhi ngalunye lungakhiqiza amakhulu ezinkulungwane ezinhlamvu ezintsha ngezinsuku ezimbalwa nje! Futhi uma sithola izimo ezikahle, isikhunta singakhela ngisho nasencwadini, ehhudlwini noma ephepheni lokuhlobisa elinanyekwa odongeni njengoba nje simila nasogodweni ehlathini.

Isikhunta “sidla” kanjani? Ngokungafani nezilwane nabantu, bona abaqale badle ukudla bese umzimba uqala ukukugaya, isikhunta ngokuvamile senza okuphambene. Lapho izinto ezibolile zizinkulu noma ziyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu ukuba singazidla, kancane kancane isikhunta sikhipha ama-enzyme agaya lezo zinto zibe zincane, ukuze sikwazi ukuzidla. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba singenakukwazi ukuhambahamba sifuna ukudla, kumelwe sihlale ezintweni esizidlayo.

Isikhunta singakhiqiza amakhemikhali anobuthi abizwa ngokuthi ama-mycotoxin, angabangela umonakalo omkhulu kubantu nasezilwaneni. Umuntu angathola isikhunta lapho ephefumula, egwinya, noma lapho sihlala esikhunjeni. Kodwa-ke isikhunta asiyona ingozi ngaso sonke isikhathi, ngoba sinezinye izici ezibaluleke kakhulu.

Izici Eziwusizo Zesikhunta

Ngo-1928, esinye isazi sesayensi, u-Alexander Fleming, sathi singalindele sabona ukuthi isikhunta esiluhlaza sinamandla okubulala amagciwane. Kwatholakala ukuthi lesi sikhunta esiluhlaza, kamuva esaziwa ngelithi Penicillium notatum, sibulala amagciwane kuphela kodwa asiyona ingozi kubantu nasezilwaneni. Lokhu okwatholakala kwaholela ekukhiqizweni kwe-penicillin, eye yabizwa ngokuthi “umsindisi omkhulu wokuphila emkhakheni wamuva wezokwelapha.” Ngenxa yalo msebenzi wabo, uFleming nabanye abacwaningi ayebambisene nabo, oHoward Florey no-Ernst Chain, baklonyeliswa ngoMklomelo KaNobel emkhakheni wezokwelapha ngo-1945. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, isikhunta siye saba isithako esibalulekile ekukhiqizweni kwezinye izinto zokwelapha, kuhlanganise nemithi yokuqeda amahlule, yokwelapha ukunkenketha kwekhanda kanye nesifo i-Parkinson’s.

Isikhunta siye saba usizo olukhulu ekwenzeni ukudla kunambitheke kamnandi. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngoshizi. Uthi bewazi nje ukuthi lezi zinhlobo zikashizi, i-Brie, i-Camembert, i-Danish blue, i-Gorgonzola, i-Roquefort ne-Stilton, zinambitheka ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ngenxa yesikhunta okuthiwa yi-Penicillium? Isikhunta siwusizo ngendlela efanayo nalapho kukhiqizwa i-salami, usoso wesoya nobhiya.

Kwenzeka okufanayo nalapho kukhiqizwa iwayini. Lapho amagilebhisi afanelekayo evunwa ngesikhathi sawo futhi enesilinganiso esikahle sesikhunta ehlukuzweni ngalinye, angasetshenziswa ekwenzeni amawayini ehla esiphundu. Isikhunta okuthiwa yi-Botrytis cinerea senza amagilebhisi abe noshukela omningi, okuwenza abe mnandi kakhulu. Ezindaweni zokugcina iwayini, isikhunta okuthiwa yi-Cladosporium cellare senezela obunye ubumnandi njengoba lisagciniwe ukuze livuthwe. Uma sibekwa ngamanye amazwi, isisho sabenzi bewayini baseHungary sithi: ‘Isikhunta esihle senza iwayini elehla esiphundu.’

Lapho Isikhunta Siba Ingozi

Sekuyisikhathi eside zaziwa nezinye izici zesikhunta eziyingozi. Ngekhulu lesithupha B.C.E., abantu base-Asiriya babesebenzisa isikhunta okuthiwa i-Claviceps purpurea ukuze bafake ubuthi emithonjeni yezitha zabo—indlela yamandulo yokulwa ngamagciwane abulalayo. NgeNkathi Ephakathi, sona lesi sikhunta, ngezinye izikhathi esimila kukolo okuthiwa yi-rye, sasenza abantu abaningi baquleke, bezwe ubuhlungu njengokungathi bashile, babe nezilonda ezibhibhayo futhi babone izinto ezingekho. Lesi sifo manje esibizwa ngokuthi yi-ergotism, ngaphambili sasibizwa ngokuthi yi-St. Anthony’s fire ngoba abantu abaningi abanalesi sifo babevame ukuya eFrance beyokhulekela ethempelini likaSanta Anthony, ngethemba lokuthi bazokwelapheka ngokuyisimangaliso.

I-aflatoxin—ubuthi obubangelwa isikhunta—yibona buthi obunamandla obaziwa njengobubangela umdlavuza. Kwelinye izwe lase-Asia, kuthiwa lobu buthi be-aflatoxin bubulala abantu abangu-20 000 ngonyaka. Le ngxube ebulalayo iye yasetshenziswa ekukhiqizeni izikhali zanamuhla zamagciwane abulalayo.

Kodwa ekuphileni kwansuku zonke, ukuchayeka esikhunteni esivamile kuyacasula nje kunokuba kube usongo olukhulu empilweni. “Izinhlobo eziningi zesikhunta, ngisho noma ungazihogela, aziyona ingozi,” kusho i-UC Berkeley Wellness Letter. Abantu abavame ukugula yilabo abanenkinga yamaphaphu, njengesifuba somoya; abantu abanomzimba ongezwani nezinto ezithile, abangezwani namakhemikhali, noma abanesimiso esibuthaka sokuzivikela ezifweni; kanye nezisebenzi zasemapulazini ezingase zisebenze ngezinto eziningi ezinesikhunta. Izinsana nabantu asebekhulile nabo basengozini yokugula lapho bechayeka endaweni enesikhunta.

NgokoMnyango Wezempilo WaseCalifornia, e-United States, isikhunta singase sibangele lezi zimpawu zokugula: ‘Izinkinga zokuphefumula, njengokucinana kwesifuba, ukuphefumula kanzima nephika; ukucinana kwamakhala namankanka; ukuluma kwamehlo (amehlo abuhlungu, akhalayo, noma abomvu); isifuba esomile lapho ukhwehlela; ukuluma kwamakhala noma usi emphinjeni; ukuqubuka noma ukuluma kwesikhumba.

Isikhunta Nezakhiwo

Kwamanye amazwe kuvamile ukuba uzwe ngokuvalwa kwezikole ezithile noma ngabantu okuye kwadingeka ukuba baphume ezindlini noma emahhovisi ukuze kususwe isikhunta. Ekuqaleni kuka-2002, isakhiwo esasisanda kuvulwa iMuseum of Modern Arts esiseStockholm, eSweden, kwadingeka sivalwe ngenxa yesikhunta. Ukususwa kwaleso sikhunta kwabiza imali engaba amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-32! Kungani le nkinga seyande kangaka muva nje?

Impendulo ihilela izici ezimbili ezibalulekile: izinto zokwakha nezindlela zokwakha. Emashumini amuva nje eminyaka, izinto zokwakha ziye zahlanganisa nezinto ezithandwa isikhunta kakhulu. Isibonelo salokhu amabhodi e-drywall noma e-gypsum, enziwa ngezingqimba eziningana zamaphepha ananyatheliswe kusimende oqinile. Lo simende ubamba umswakama. Ngakho uma la mabhodi ehlala emanzi isikhathi esithile, izinhlamvu zesikhunta zingase ziqhume bese ziyanda, zidle iphepha okwakhiwa ngalo la mabhodi.

Izindlela zokwakha nazo sezishintshile. Ngaphambi kwawo-1970, izakhiwo eziningi e-United States nakwamanye amazwe amaningi zazingakuvimbeli ukushisa namakhaza futhi zazingenazo izintuba eziningi ezifaka umoya kunezakhiwo eziningi zamuva. Lolu shintsho lwabangelwa yisifiso sokwakha izakhiwo ezonga imithombo yamandla ngokuvimbela amakhaza nokushisa kungangeni ngaphakathi futhi zivimbele nokungena komoya. Ngakho-ke uma amanzi engena ngaphakathi, avame ukuhlala isikhathi eside, okwenza isikhunta sande. Ingabe likhona ikhambi lale nkinga?

Indlela ephumelela kunazo zonke yokuxazulula lezi zinkinga zesikhunta, noma okungenani yokuzinciphisa, iwukugcina konke okungaphakathi esakhiweni kuhlanzekile nokusula zonke izinto ezimanzi, ugcine isakhiwo singenawo umswakama kakhulu. Uma kwenzeka ukuba indawo ethile ibe nomswakama omningi, yisule ngokushesha bese wenza ushintsho oludingekayo noma ulungise okumelwe kulungiswe ukuze leyo ndawo ingaphinde ibe namanzi amaningi ami ndawonye. Ngokwesibonelo, gcina uphahla nogadasi kuhlanzekile futhi kusesimweni esihle. Futhi qikelela ukuba ingadi negceke kube nomthambeka owenza amanzi agelezele ngaphandle ukuze angemi ndawonye onakalise isisekelo sendlu. Uma unesiphephetha-moya, gcina amapani okuconsela kuwo amanzi ehlanzekile namapayipi akhipha amanzi evulekile.

“Ukulawula umswakama yikona okubaluleke kakhulu ekunciphiseni isikhunta,” kusho esinye isikhulu. Ukuthatha izinyathelo ezilula kungakusindisa wena nomkhaya wakho ekubhekaneni nezingozi zesikhunta. Ngezindlela ezithile, isikhunta sinjengomlilo. Singenza umonakalo, kodwa futhi singaba usizo olukhulu. Okuningi kuxhomeke ekutheni sisisebenzisa futhi sisilawule kanjani. Yiqiniso, kusekuningi esisazokufunda ngesikhunta. Kodwa ukwazi ngendalo kaNkulunkulu emangalisayo kungasizuzisa kakhulu.

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 14, 15]

INGABE ISIKHUNTA SASIKHONA NGEZIKHATHI ZEBHAYIBHELI?

IBhayibheli likhuluma ‘ngesifo sochoko endlini ethile,’ okuwukuthi isifo esasisesakhiweni uqobo. (Levitikusi 14:34-48) Kucatshangwa ukuthi lesi sifo esimangalisayo, esasibizwa nangokuthi ‘uchoko olubulalayo,’ kwakuwuhlobo oluthile lomngcithi noma isikhunta, kodwa akukho okuqinisekile ngalokhu. Noma ngabe yikuphi, uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawuyala abanikazi bezindlu ukuba bakhiphe amatshe analesi sifo, baphale lonke ingaphakathi lendlu, futhi balahle konke okunalesi sifo ngaphandle komuzi “endaweni engahlanzekile.” Uma lesi sifo sibuya futhi, yonke indlu kwakuthiwa ingcolile, ngakho yayidilizwa bese kulahlwa konke eyayakhiwe ngako. Iziqondiso zikaJehova eziningiliziwe zabonisa ukuthi wayebathanda ngokujulile abantu bakhe nenhlalakahle yabo.

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Imithi eyenziwe ngesikhunta iye yasindisa ukuphila kwabantu abaningi

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Amabhodi e-“drywall” kanye ne-“vinyl” kunga-bamba umswakama, obangela isikhunta