Writing Exercise #1 – Non-infectious Diseases

  1. Gastric cancer – Helicobacter pylori
  2. Diabetes – strains of Staphylococcus and other gut microbes
  3. Kidney disease
  4. Heart disease
  5. Alzheimer’s disease
  6. Depression

It is traditionally believed that noncommunicable diseases are not typically caused by microorganisms. Rather, they have been believed to be caused by environmental factors, genetics or viruses. However, increasing studies have recently been conducted trying to find ties between microorganisms and certain non-infectious diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, as well as mental conditions such as depression and Alzheimer’s. All the aforementioned conditions have yet to reveal microbial influences, though microbes may have possible causal implications.