The Germ Connection!

Let’s start with a guess game!

Name something which can’t be seen but is present all around us, inside us and even on us?

Yes, they are the microbes, commonly called germs. It’s not true they are only meant for harm and destruction, the microbial world has lot more to say! Scientists have turned all focus towards them and how they can be used for betterment of human race.

Here are three weird facts about microbes and its connection with human that you barely imagined:

1.When you move your microbes move with you: The microbes are all over your body mainly Staphylococcus epidermidis and also the ones inside your gut that keeps your digestive tract healthy like Escherichia coli. So, they can be present on the door knobs, light switches, your pet, the utensils possibly anywhere and can stay alive upto six weeks. Even partners tend to develop each others microbiome. A 10 second intimate kiss can transfer 80 million bacteria from mouth to mouth and can stay there for almost three days. Each home has a distinct microbial community and scientists could tell which home a person lived in just by matching microbial profiles. When the families moved, their microbiological aura followed.

2.You are born bacteria free: There are more microbes in and on your body than your total number of cells. Yeah you may live with so many microbes now but you were not born with it. Babies get their first set of microbes as they are passing through their mother’s birth canal and acquires most of it within the age of 3 based of the microbial aura he/she is contact with (like parents). Babies inherit Lactobacillus when mother’s breast feed. It’s also found out that babies born by caesarean section don’t acquire their microbes as vaginal birth babies and due to this difference in microbiota C-section babies may be more prone to certain types of allergies, digestive infections and obesity.

3.Your gut bacteria may be inherited: Trillions of bacteria made your gut their permanent address. They affect your digestion and immune system too. Scientists experimented and found out most of them were passed down from generation to generation rather than between populations. One of the most heritable types was a family of bacteria called Christensenellaceae, which are more abundant in lean people than in obese people. The researchers suggest that one way your genes influence your chances of becoming obese is by shaping your microbiome.

The microbes are challenging us in ways we wouldn’t have imagined 10 years ago and for which we’re not prepared. Microbes is the reason why many industries are running, we can get our food and even why we are alive. They can be the smallest but they are most important. Hope you liked this bizarre facts  about the connection between you and your microbes!