Armpits, belly buttons and chronic wounds: The ABCs of our body bacteria
Monday, April 30, 2012 - 15:30
in Health & Medicine
Minutes after you were born, bacteria moved in. Their populations have exploded, diversified and spread in and on your body, including your skin. Scientists are learning how and why bacteria colonize particular places, possibly pointing to ways of treating skin and other conditions. Researchers have discovered that each person's collection of bacteria is unique -- like fingerprints. But unlike your fingerprints, the bacterial communities can change depending on your diet, environment, health, age and many other factors. Swab samples from about 200 volunteers' belly buttons contained an astonishing variety of bacteria -- nearly 4,000 different strains, many of which are completely new to scientists.