Assessment Description:
If the same bacterial species is detected on the floor and on the skin, should a person be concerned that they have picked up a pathogen? Why or why not?
Please contact Assignment Samurai for help with this or any other assignment.
Email: assignmentsamurai@gmail.com
SOLUTION to Bio-205L Microbiology Lab - Topic 1 DQ.
SAMPLE 1
Hello class,
If the same bacteria species is detected on the floor and on the skin, the person should not be concerned that they have picked up a pathogen. This is due to the following reasons, first, it is because many bacterial species are ubiquitous in our environment and bodies. Das (2022) notes that “the non-living objects and all environmentally exposed surfaces of the human body are colonized with trillions of microbes from all three major domains of life, including bacteria”. To support this argument further, Lee et al. (2021) points out that the human microbiome consists of microbial communities that reside in and on our bodies where they play beneficial roles in maintaining human health and are not inherently pathogenic. Nonetheless, it is also important to be aware that the mere presence of a bacteria does not necessarily determine its pathogenicity thus the need to be careful regardless.
Secondly, the person should not be worried because the human body has various defense mechanisms such as the skin in case of any potential pathogens. The human skin forms a protective barrier against the external environment and is the first line of defense against toxic and pathogenic insults (Harris-Tryon et al., 2022). Additionally, the skin maintains an acidic pH and hosts beneficial bacteria that compete with any potential pathogens thus preventing colonization by harmful bacteria (Swaney et al., 2021). Lastly, and perhaps the most obvious reason, not all bacteria found on floors are necessarily harmful. Dionisio et al. (2023) posits that many environmental bacteria are non-pathogenic thus reaffirming the reason why the person should not worry.
However, while the detection of the same bacterial species on the floor and skin does not inherently indicate any pathogenic risk, the situation should be thoroughly evaluated considering various factors such as the health of the individual, bacterial strain, and environmental context.
References
Das, B. (2022). An introduction to the human microbiome. Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science, 191(1), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pmbts.2022.06.026
Dionisio, F., Domingues, C. P., Rebelo, J. S., Monteiro, F., & Nogueira, T. (2023). The impact of non-pathogenic bacteria on the spread of virulence and resistance genes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(3), 1967. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24031967
Harris-Tryon, T. A., & Grice, E. A. (2022). Microbiota and maintenance of skin barrier function. Science, 376(6596), 940-945. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo0693
Lee, L. H., Wong, S. H., Chin, S. F., Singh, V., & Ab Mutalib, N. S. (2021). Human microbiome: symbiosis to pathogenesis. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, 605783.
Swaney, M. H., & Kalan, L. R. (2021). Living in your skin: microbes, molecules, and mechanisms. Infection and immunity, 89(4), 10-1128. https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.00695-20