A Microbiome of Opportunity
The human body includes tens of trillions of cells, but not all of them are human! This article focuses on the at-least 30 trillion non-human cells that we each carry with us – our microbiome. These non-human cells include bacterial and fungal species, together with viruses, and can be found throughout our bodies, including the skin, respiratory tract, and gut.
There are many hundreds of species of non-human cell present in varying combinations in different sites throughout the body, with the result that even within one individual there are many incredibly diverse microbiomes. There is also considerable variation between individuals, with...