the bacteria that live in and on us

Bacteria are everywhere, and in our bodies. There are estimated to be many bacteria in a human body.

Much like Pig Pen in the comic strip Peanuts, we actually carry around a cloud of bacteria in the air surrounding us.

Bacteria are found in the soil, in food, and on the surface we are all the time – our mobile phones, for example, are teeming with them.

Bacteria can be good. Our gut is full of bacteria, which help digest food. Fermented foods such as these are made with, and contain, millions of bacteria.

But bacteria can be bad, too. They may infiltrate our skin and other defenses and get into the wrong places, causing infection. There are several possible reasons for this, and they depend on the nature of the bacteria themselves, the types of entry points, and other factors.

How do our bodies fight bacteria?

Our bodies are usually kept in place where they usually do not cause damage – the skin and the digestive tract – and they should be "sterile" – such as the urinary tract or blood. Mostly, this is done by using barriers that effectively prevent the entry of bacteria.

But every so often make it through. The body then relates to a variety of internal defenses to identify, isolate and deactivate the invading bacteria. Bacterial infections occur when these mechanisms are breached.

Physical damage to the skin, such as cuts and scrapes, or surgery, may be allowed to enter the body of the body.

Alternatively, when the internal defense systems are damaged, such as for patients with weaker immune systems (those undergoing chemotherapy, or those with immune system disorders), they may become established.

Both cases are more likely when the bacteria are particularly opportunistic at invading and growing. These types of bacteria are called pathogenic. This is why we have infections caused by certain types of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus gold Escherichia coli, and not others, such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus (the bacteria in yoghurt).

The "superbugs" – which can be present, but not immediately dangerous.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria on our skin

The prototypical drug resistant bacteria – methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA, golden golden staph) – has been around for decades. Almost everyone has S. aureus on their skin, usually around the nose, S. aureus that has acquired resistance to some types of antibiotics.

As long as it stays on the skin, resistant S. aureus does not cause a problem, and they generally do not know they carry it. But if it manages to break the body's barriers and cause an infection, it can lead to harm if the right type of antibiotic is not used to treat it. It is usually at this point, during the course of an infection, that it becomes identified as a resistant bacterium.

Read more:
      We know _why_ bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, but _how_ does this actually happen?

In a similar manner, a recent report found that Staphylococcus epidermidis, also has high levels of resistance. The researchers looked at patients with S. epidermidis infections predominantly acquired in a hospital setting. What is not known to be widespread in the field of resistance?

As with S. aureus, the resistant S. epidermidis only becomes a real threat when it has started an infection in the body that needs to be treated with antibiotics.

A more general threat posed by both of these resistant strains is that, they are on the surface of the skin, they can be satisfied between people, so the overall presence of resistant bacteria can increase.

There is significant fear of another clbad of bacteria resulting in high levels of antibiotics, resulting in high levels of death in infected patients. These are Gram-negative bacteria, a type of bacteria that already has an antibiotic – even before becoming resistant.

The highly resistant species of concern E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetebacter baumannii, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. For example, death rates for patients with invasive infections caused by a specific type of resistant Gram-negative bacteria, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), are estimated to be over 40%. The CRE Antibiotics are more effective than other antibiotics.

Read more:
      Five of the scariest antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the past five years

More than 20 patients died from CRE in Florida during 2008-12, while 6 out of 17 patients infected with a K. pneumoniae superbug died in a US hospital outbreak 2011. These are very rare in Australia – for now.

Greece, India, Brazil, Thailand, and China – they can be exposed to, and become silent carriers of the world. , the deadly bacteria. It is important that, if in hospital for an infection or surgery after an overseas trip, you and your doctor know that you have traveled.

Finally, this is one of the most effective ways to help prevent the spread of these silent badbadins.