Non-infectious diseases that can be influenced by microorganisms:
- Cancer
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Alzheimer’s
- Depression
- Conditions along Autism spectrum
- Crohn’s disease
- Obesity
Compared to the beginning of the term, my responses have slightly shifted while others remain the same. IBS, ASD, Crohn’s disease, and obesity were new additions. However, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and depression were recurring diseases. Though the diseases were listed both times, the difference is that at my knowledge on them has grown. I remember writing those three diseases at the beginning of the term because they were briefly mentioned in the course description video. Now that I have nearly completed the course and received a proper lecture on the topic, I feel more comfortable adding cancer and mental health disorders to my list.
As this course comes to a close, I’d like to reflect on a couple topics that stood out for me. The first is the overarching idea that microbes, though minuscule in size, have a significant impact on our health. I feel the reason our microbiotas are so overlooked is because we are so focused on refraining from contracting diseases from the external environment that we forget about the tiny guys already inside our bodies! The second topic I found particularly interesting is how our microbiotas are developed in the first place. We begin contact with microbes as soon as we are conceived. What really interested me was how we all have our own unique experiences but somehow end up with nearly identical microbiotas. What a concept!
