Anaerobic bacteria are organisms that are capable of surviving and growing in an atmosphere of little or no oxygen. Anaerobic bacteria can be further broken down based on their relationship to oxygen: obligate, aerotolerant or facultative...
Your body is home to a number of friendly microorganisms, called probiotics, that help ward off invasions of less congenial microorganisms. Unfortunately, antibiotics cannot differentiate between good bacteria and bad bacteria. A course of...
The Clostridium species are unique among many bacteria as they produce spores that allow them to survive in the environment for prolonged periods and under harsh conditions. The clostridia are anaerobic bacteria, which are found ubiquitously in...
Microbiologists use the term “normal flora” to describe the fungi and the bacteria that permanently live within the human body. Some areas of the body do not have normal flora. These areas include the bladder, kidneys, spleen, liver,...
Clostridial species are rod-shaped bacteria that cause diseases through the production of toxins; four major pathogens are included in the species. While C. perfringens and C. tetani cause wound infections, C. botulinum causes a serious type of...
Probiotic yogurt contains enzymes and bacteria that can aid in digestion and help reduce the production of gas. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, gas is cause by swallowed air and the natural by-products of...
Gas can naturally enter the body as a result of eating and drinking. The most common source of internal gas is swallowed air. While drinking and eating, all people swallow small amounts of air. Rapid consumption of food or beverages, talking while...
Gangrene is a serious condition in which injury or an underlying health condition causes the blood supply to the tissue to be cut off, causing the tissue to die. The resulting dead tissue can get infected, resulting in wet gangrene. According to...
Ask anyone what humans breathe and most will reply oxygen. This is partially true, although humans require oxygen for life; a mixture of gases make up the air we breathe. Oxygen makes up about 21 percent of the mix. Oxygen therapy is the process...
Without bacteria, people simply could not survive. They help with food digestion and maintain the natural flora of bacteria in the gut. Some bacteria, while beneficial, can become virulent depending on the immunity of the individual person. These...
Clostridium tetani is an anaerobic bacterium that produces a potent toxin that can cause the serious disease tetanus in humans. People typically contract tetanus through introduction of the Clostridium tetani spores via a puncture wound or even a...
Vancomycin is an antibiotic treatment used primarily to treat colitis after you undergo a milder round of antibiotic treatment. It belongs to a family of antibiotics known as glycopeptide antibiotics because it targets bacteria in the intestines....
Clostridium is known as a type of opportunistic pathogen, meaning it won't cause an infection unless the host's immunity is compromised. In those cases, clostridium can cause food poisoning, gangrene and botulism. Clostridia organisms are normally...
Most bacteria coexist with humans without harm. However, some bacterial species cause severe infection with potentially disabling or life-threatening consequences. Disease-causing bacteria are termed pathogens. The bacteria Neisseria meningitidis,...
Punica granatum, better known as pomegranate, is a small tree that produces tasty red fruit. Pomegranate juice has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and laboratory studies indicate it inhibits the progression of prostate and breast...
Probiotics are microbes that are consumed while they are alive in order to benefit health. In most cases, these microbes are bacteria, but a single yeast species, Saccharomyces boulardii, has also been lauded for its probiotic properties. Yeasts...
Probiotics are like friendly bacteria that promote good health. Found in foods such as yogurt and in pill supplements, they have become an instant hit in American supermarkets and health food stores with their marketing promises of easing stomach...
