bacterial flora

Examples of bacterial flora in the following topics:

• Bacterial Flora

  • The large intestine houses over 700 species of bacteria that perform a wide variety of functions; it is the largest bacterial ecosystem in the human body.
  • These are produced as a result of the bacterial fermentation of undigested polysaccharides.
  • The normal flora is also essential for the development of certain tissues, including the cecum and lymphatics.
  • Bacterial flora is also involved in the production of cross-reactive antibodies.
  • These are antibodies produced by the immune system against the normal flora, that are also effective against related pathogens, and prevent infection or invasion.

• Digestive Processes of the Large Intestine

  • Gut flora consists of microorganisms that live in the digestive tracts of animals and is the largest reservoir of human flora.
  • Bacteria make up most of the flora in the colon and up to 60 percent of the dry mass of feces.
  • Without gut flora, the human body would be unable to utilize some of the undigested carbohydrates it consumes; some types of gut flora have enzymes that human cells lack for breaking down certain polysaccharides.
  • Carbohydrates requiring bacterial assistance in digestion include:
  • Summarize the digestive processes of the gut flora of the large intestine

• Acne

  • The most common bacteria that causes acne is Propionibacterium acnes, an anaerobic bacteria that is part of the natural bacterial flora of the face.

• Absorption and Feces Formation in the Large Intestine

  • Other bacterial products include gas (flatus), which is a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, with small amounts of the gases hydrogen, methane, and hydrogen sulphide.
  • Bacterial fermentation of undigested polysaccharides produces these gases.
  • Intestinal flora are also essential in the development of certain tissues, including the cecum and lymphatics.

• Antimicrobial Proteins

  • The peptides are selective and thus more likely to adhere to bacterial cell membranes than to cell membranes of the host cells.
  • The peptides have a greater positive charge than negative charge, while bacterial cell membranes have a greater negative charge than host cell membranes.
  • This causes the peptide to bind to bacterial membranes instead of host cell membranes.
  • These involve inhibition of cell wall synthesis, alteration of the cytoplasmic membrane, activation of autolysin, inhibition of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, and inhibition of certain bacterial enzymes.
  • Additionally, commensal bacteria have developed antimicrobial resistance to peptides , but they are normal flora of the body.

• Lactose Intolerance

  • Those who are lactose intolerant can be more tolerant of traditionally-made yogurt than of milk because it contains lactase produced by the bacterial cultures used to make the yogurt.
  • This might be caused by slow intestinal transit and intestinal flora changes during pregnancy.

• Aging and the Digestive System

  • The changes associated with aging of the digestive system are largely caused by decreased nerve sensitivity, loss of muscle tone, and increased susceptibility to bacterial infection because of a weakened immune system.
  • Periodontal disease, which is caused by bacterial infection and affects alveolar bone, periodontal ligament, cementum, and/or gingiva.
  • Peptic ulcer disease, largely due to weakened immune systems unable to clear the bacterial infection.

• Pneumonia

  • Presumed bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics.
  • Findings do not always correlate with severity of disease and do not reliably distinguish between bacterial infection and viral infection.
  • X-ray signs of bacterial community-acquired pneumonia usually show lung consolidation of one lung segmental lobe.
  • With treatment, most types of bacterial pneumonia can be cleared within two to four weeks and mortality is very low.
  • A chest X-ray showing a very prominent wedge-shaped bacterial pneumonia in the right lung (left in image).

• Is Being Too Clean a Bad Thing?

  • ., gut flora or probiotics), and parasites increases susceptibility to allergic diseases by suppressing natural development of the immune system.

• Hepatitis

  • Causes include viruses, bacterial infections, alcohol, autoimmune disorders, drugs, and toxins.
  • Bacterial diseases can also cause liver inflammation, such as tuberculosis and tick-borne diseases.
  • Similarly, hepatitis caused by a bacterial disease will typically resolve once the bacterial illness is treated with antibiotics.