Reasons Bacteria Is Good in Humans
There are 10 times more bacteria living in you than your body has cells; hundreds of species on surface tissues such as your skin, mouth and intestinal tract. This normal flora is introduced at birth and helps your body remain healthy.
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Facts
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The bacteria in your body prevent infection of the tissues on which they live by preventing bacteria from other parts of the body or from outside sources from attaching to the tissues. Most bacteria passively prevent infection by monopolizing space and nutrients, while some actively secrete compounds which inhibit the growth of other bacteria.
Beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract aid digestion and provide essential nutrients while your immune system gets a workout by responding to excess resident bacteria, developing antibodies which recognize disease-causing organisms which are similar to your normal flora.
Skin
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The average adult is covered in about two square meters of skin, most of which is inhabited by several species of bacteria. Bacteria are most common in warm, moist areas such as your groin, underarms and between your toes, mostly living in your sweat glands. Cooler, drier areas like your face, hands and trunk have a lower concentration of normal flora, while your upper legs and arms have even fewer.
Staphylococcus epidermis makes up to 90 percent of the bacteria population in some areas, and secretes fatty acids that prevent fungal infections. -
Oral and Respiratory System
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Your mouth, nose and throat are relatively high in resident bacteria, the most common normal flora of the nose being S. epidermis. Although there are over 200 different species of bacteria living in your mouth, fewer than a dozen contribute to tooth decay and gum disease. The lower respiratory system, including your lungs and bronchial tubes, are generally sterile.
Urogenital System
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Your urinary tract is generally free from bacteria, although the lower portion of it is sometimes colonized by bacteria usually found on the skin.
Lactobacillus acidophilus is the most common bacteria in the vagina, and secretes acids which kill other bacteria and yeasts, such as Candida albicans, the primary cause of yeast infections.
Gastrointestinal System
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There is very little normal flora of the stomach because of the high acidity, but the lower intestine has the highest concentration of resident bacteria in your body.
Many hormones, nutrients and medications secreted by the liver are unable to be reabsorbed by the intestines without the enzymes secreted by the normal flora of the lower intestine. Some beneficial bacteria species also produce excesses of nutrients such as vitamins K, thiamine and B12, which your body absorbs, and break down dietary fiber into a form that your body can use.
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