“Most bacteria are neither helpful or harmful”.?

Question

Please comment on the statement above. Thank you!

Answer 1

Bacteria are most diverse group of organisms on the planet. They can be found anywhere. Literally anywhere. We have isolated bacteria from soda lakes which have extremes of pH's, we have isolated bacteria that can live at 121 degrees celcius, there are bacteria that can live at radiation levels high enough to melt glass. A bacterial spore was isolated from some sediment rock: it was cultured and grew. This rock is thousands of years old!

Recently, a symbiotic bacterium was found in aphid. There are symbiotic bacteria in some plants. There are untold millions of water living bacteria that couldn't cut it in the human body.

None of these bacteria can harm us, nor help us directly. On top of this there are all the bacteria that we come into contact with such as most of the clostridia and bacilli. For every bacterial species from one genus that can cause disease, there are at least 5 that can't. I don't think there is an official figure, but I would say about 1% of known bacteria are harmful or "good".

So yes, I would agree with that statement (for the record though, I don't agree with the "good bacteria" theory)

Answer 2

Tell that to someone suffering from extreme bowel problems.

When all the "good" bacteria is destroyed in the intestinal tract the "bad" bacteria takes over and inflammation, irritation & ulcers occur. Replace the good bacteria and all becomes right with the working world of a healthy bowel.

Answer 3

Its true. what else is there to say. I mean think about it. Every surface of the workld is covered with some sort of bacteria. And we aren't dying from them like flies. We have learned to co-exist because we dont influence each others world too much.
The ones that harm us, require the conditions of the human body to replicate.

Answer 4

Most bacteria lead quiet lives in watery places raising their little unicellular progeny to have Good Unicellular Family Values.

Answer 5

I think that most are helpful in some way or another. I.e. by colonising the body and preventing infections.

Answer 6

true
only a few bacteria in all the world can cause illnes or fight it off.
less then 50%

Answer 7

bacteria in the body are helpful, unless the get somewhere they don't belong...example: e-coli lives in the digestive tract of every mammal...but get e-coli in your blood and it aint pretty.

Answer 8

they just kinda sit around unless something makes them increase or decrease, and then you know it!

Answer 9

Good for us.
less enemy for humanity.