Bacterial Diversity Within the Human Body

            A recently published article entitled The Microbiome of Uncontacted Amerindians explores the ecology of bacteria within the human body. As the title suggests, the microbiomes of people from an uncontacted South American village were evaluated which allowed researchers to shed light on the effects that a “Western” lifestyle might have on microbial diversity. Moreover, it was found that these specific people, the Yanomami, had the highest diversity of bacteria ever observed in any human group. Perhaps even more significant, was the discovery of AR genes in the characterized microbes that would protect the organisms from antibiotics of which these people had presumably had zero exposure to. This study represents a unique opportunity for both microbiologists and evolutionary anthropologists as the microbiome provides insights into host physiology, immune response, and even metabolism. Moreover it may be said that microbes found within the human body have had the potential for antibiotic resistance against synthetic compounds before industrialized societies even began to treat disease with drugs.

 (Xavier Holmes)

Clemente, Jose C. "Microbiome of Uncontacted Amerindians." Science Advances 1.3 (2015): 1-12. Web.