Conn. company's stuffed germ toys catching on

[December 20, 2010]  STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Jim Henson's Muppets made pigs and frogs endearing, and Walt Disney turned a mouse into a cultural icon.

Now, Drew Oliver thinks it's time for bacteria, viruses and other offensive little organisms to share the love. The oversized, stuffed toy germs produced by his Stamford-based company have spawned Facebook fan sites and a subculture of eager collectors.

The company, Giant Microbes, has grown so much that Oliver was able to quit his job as an attorney and run what's now an international business.

The stuffed germs and other microbes are showing up as offbeat gifts, sometimes among parents who want to comfort their sick children or explain good hygiene.

[Associated Press]

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