Numerous non-infectious diseases are influenced by the presence or absence of microbes. These diseases affect virtually every system conceivable in the human body. Thus, I will analyze these diseases and the system that they affect.
The gut microbiota is crucial to the human digestive system and overall well-being. Thus, the disruption of the gut microbiota often results in metabolism issues and a decrease in overall well-being. Examples of gut microbiota-related issues are Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, lactose intolerance, and numerous more.
Secondly, cancers can be influenced by the presence of several microbes. Helicobacter pylori-infected individuals have a higher likelihood of developing cancerous tumors from gastric ulcers. Human papillomaviruses are correlated with several cancers in females. The mechanisms of microbes in cancer development often include the transformation of the host cells’ genome, which can turn off apoptosis and increase cell division.
Certain diseases are caused by the immune response to bacterial infections, not by the bacteria themselves. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by the accumulation of beta-amyloid oligomers in the brain that cannot be completely cleansed by cerebrospinal fluid. A recent discovery noted that beta-amyloid oligomers can be the product of the immune response to pathogens in the brain.
Compared to Week 1, it looks like I gained more knowledge throughout the term about the mechanisms by which microbes influence human health. It is not just about the disruption of the microbiome anymore. The main takeaway for me this term would be there is no one-size-fits-all explanation for an illness, but rather it has to be looked at from many perspectives.
