A microbes question...?

Question

Could we live without microbes?

How do microbes affect humans and the environment?

Answer 1

We could not live without microbes because they:
-- decompose dead organic matter and wastes to put the nutrients back into the cycles
-- take nitrogen from the air and put it into the ground for plants to use
-- put oxygen into the air during photosynthesis (cyanobacteria)

Other not-as-important benefits include:
-- use in the food industry to make yogurt, pickles, sauerkraut, ...
-- use in the pharmaceutical industry to produce some antibiotics
-- use in various industries as microscopic factories through the process of genetic engineering
-- use in industry to tan leather
-- use in biological treatment of sewage and of hazardous wastes

Answer 2

If we had microscopic visions, we could see microbes everywhere. On the surface of your skin, on the table, in the air, in the saliva, and many more. There are microbes needed to maintain environmental balance, and chemical reactions, conversion of corpses into soil, rice into wine, etc, and there are harmful microbes i.e. Mycobacterium tuberculosis causing lung TB, Hemophilus influenza causing whooping cough, etc. and in this sense, they are seen as potential health hazards. The pathogenic bacteria could be avoided through proper hygienic practices while the beneficial ones are allowed to proliferate in the environment. Microbes also interact with the environment and the result could either be beneficial or potent. The negative effect though, is what we humans , experience generally because of our unhealthy practices. Proper care of our environment and ourselves would solve the problem.

Answer 3

In many cases microbes form a symbiotic relationship with their environment. Our digestive system would not function properly without enteric bacteria. We would be sick most of the time if there weren't bacteria on our skin. There's actually more bacteria on/in the body than cells that make up the body. It's a give and take relationship. Although there are some bacteria that are pathogenic, and many are opportunistic pathogens, without bacteria there would be alot of waste products due to lack of decomposition, and several other environmental problems.