• Question: is bacteria healthy?

    Asked by gracefulforever04 to Rosie on 8 Mar 2014.
    • Photo: Rosie Coates

      Rosie Coates answered on 8 Mar 2014:

      Hi,

      That is an interesting question, and one that I can’t give a yes or no answer to…

      In a lot of ways bacteria do a lot to keep us healthy; good bacteria in our gut helps us to get the most out of the food we eat, good bacteria on our skin help to stop bad bacteria from making us ill and good bacteria help us to get rid of waste that could build up and cause disease. Bacteria can also help us to make useful things like ingredients in washing powder and medicines.

      Even though bacteria can do so many good things for us they can also make us ill. Bacteria can cause infections in our blood, on our skin and they are sometimes responsible for causing food poisoning.

      On the whole though, as long as we make sure we’re careful and practice good personal and food hygiene we can live quite peacefully alongside bacteria!

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