Month: February 2018

This week, we have read the essay ” What are the consequences of the disappearing human microbiota? ” (2009); by Blaser and Falkow. The article discussed how the disappearing of our microbiota could affect our health in different ways. Appearatally, the regulations of these microbes are important to prevent metabolic syndromes. According to the article, disappearing of H.pylori is the cause of obesity and asthma.  Pieces of evidence show that disappearing of the human microbiota was more severe in developed countries. What causes the decreasing exposure to microbes?

Overuse of antibiotic: Antibiotics are widely used nowadays on food and clinical treatments to prevent microbe infections. However, the unspecificity of antibiotics can also wash off many microbes

Lower rates of breastfeeding: Breast milk contains many beneficial microbes that could help to construct a healthy immune system, as well as the digestive system of the baby. Lower breastfeeding rates also lower the exposure of all the good microbiota.

Smaller families: Transmissions of microbes could occur between people. The fewer people in the family, the fewer chances of microbe exposure.

 

We may not able to see microbe; however, microbes play a crucial role in human health. They are many different types of microbes, some of them are beneficial, some of them are pathogenic. The nurturing microbes we know are probiotics, peoples now a day have been in taking probiotics to construct a healthy digestive system and immunity. Many studies have found that probiotics can be used as a treatment for bowel disorder. Pathogenic microbiota could send signals and “inflammatory response”, they also play roles in a variety of diseases. Our gut microbial composition would also play a circuital role in obesity.

Beneficial microbes we have learned in BHS are prebiotic, probiotic, and symbiotic. Prebiotic is not microbes; they are the substance that is beneficial to construct a more diverse gut microbial communities. One of the prebiotics is fiber. Probiotics are bacteria could help to construct a more healthy immunity, the gut microbial community as well as digestive system. Symbiotic is the combination of both. Articles form the class discussed how probiotic could treat bowel disorders.

In my final paper, I would be started to talk about how beneficial microbes could affect our health in a good well. Afterward, I will be discussed how beneficial bacteria could treat disease; and how we could apply it in the future.

On this week’s mini-lectures and primary research article, gut microbiota of mother and infant was the main focus. The microbiota of mother and infant is interconnected,  women could change their behaviors during pregnancy in order to change their vaginal microbial community. The most interesting findings from this week were the mode of delivery could change the newborn microbiome.

The potential factors that the mother or the infant could be exposed to that could influence the colonization of the microbial community in the newborn infant are:

-Mode of delivery; microbiota of newborn would be different between vaginal and C-section. Newborns that delivered by C-section would have microbiota alike to our skin microbiota; however, delivered by C-section would have a potential of getting antibiotic resisted microbiota.

-Human milk microbiome; microbiome in human milk is good and help infants to build up a good gut microbiome.

-Pre- and postnatal antibiotic exposure; a mother who consumed antibiotics during pregnancy could affect the intrapartum antibiotic intervention.

-Diet composition; diet plays a primary role in changing gut microbiome composition before two years old. Brestmilk feeding baby and formula feeding baby have a different microbiome composition after 2 years old.

 

My personal philosophy towards antibiotic is neutral. I have never taken any antibiotic, but I would take it if doctors say so. From prior knowledge, I understand the mechanism of antibiotic is any compound, natural or synthetic, that inhibits the growth or actively kills, microorganisms. The mechanisms of antibiotics include interfering with the cell wall synthesis or maintenance, interfering with nucleic acid synthesis, and interfering with protein synthesis; microorganisms need these functions to be growth and replicate. Most antibiotics do not target specific microbes or strains; antibiotics will lead to severe side effects because of the unspecificity.

Another downside of antibiotics is the problem of antibiotic resistance. Overuse of antibiotics could potentially lead to antibiotic resistance. Due to horizontal transfer, plasmid gene can pass through the different organism. Often the plasmid genes are what carry the resistant gene. The plasmid gene could incorporate with the chromosome DNA, then produce proteins that resistant to antibiotics. Overall, I would use antibiotic if I need to, but I also prefer other better solutions.

From previous research articles I read from BHS 323, I understand the gut microbiome have been playing an important role in our digestive system. It so interconnected to other parts of our body. Factors that could affect the gut microbiome could be varied; diet, hormone, stress level … etc. In the mini-lecture of this week, we have learned how prebiotic, probiotic and synbiotic could affect our gut microbial community. What we consume could affect the diversity of our gut microbial community. In order to have a good impact to my gut

In order to have a good impact on my gut microbial community, I would choose to eat more vegetable,  yogurt, white meat, and brown rice. These food contain fiber and lactic bacteria, which created a good synbiotic consumption to my gut microbiome. Another key point to maintain a good microbial community would be controlling our stress level; exercising is a good way to control our stress.