The bacteria that live in and on us

Hand washing is an effective way to help prevent the spread of bacteria. rawpixel/unsplash

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Bacteria are everywhere, including in and on our bodies. There are estimated to be as many bacteria in a human body as there are human cells.
Much like Pig Pen in the comic strip Peanuts, we actually carry around a cloud of bacteria in the air surrounding us.
Bacteria are found in soil, in food, and on surfaces we touch all the time '" our mobile phones, for example, are teeming with them.
Bacteria can be good. Our gut is full of bacteria, which help digest food. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut and yoghurt are made with, and contain, millions of bacteria.
But bacteria can be bad, too. They may infiltrate our skin and other defences and get into the wrong places, causing infection. There are several possible reasons for this, and they depend on the nature of the bacteria themselves, the types of entry points bacteria have available to them, and other factors.

What is the human microbiome"

How do our bodies fight bacteria"
Our bodies are normally very good at keeping bacteria where they generally don't cause damage '" on skin surfaces and in the digestive tract '" and away from areas...

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