The Human Microbiome: Composition and Change Reflecting Health and Disease Sarah Cooper, Rachel Mathews, Lauretta Bushar, Brie Paddock, Jennifer Wood, and Randy Tammara Corresponding Author:
[email protected] HAPS Educator. Vol 23 (2), pp. 432-45. Published August 2019. https://doi.org/10.21692/haps.2019.020 Cooper S, Mathews R, Bushar L, Paddock B, Wood J, Tammara R (2019). The Human Microbiome: Composition and Change Reflecting Health and Disease. HAPS Educator 23 (2): 432-45. https:// doi.org/10.21692/haps.2019.020 The Human Microbiome: Composition and Change Reflecting Health and Disease Sarah Cooper1, Rachel Mathews2, Lauretta Bushar1, Brie Paddock3, Jennifer Wood4, Randy Tammara5 1Department of Biology, Arcadia University, 450 S. Easton Road, Glenside, PA 19038
[email protected],
[email protected] 2Arcadia University Physician Assistant Program
[email protected] 3Southern Oregon University, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520
[email protected] 4University of Maryland University College and Certified Integrative Health Coach, Life Space Health, LLC.
[email protected] 5Arcadia University, Masters in Public Health Program, 450 S Easton Road, Glenside, PA 19038
[email protected] Abstract In humans, microbial organisms known as the microbiota, normally colonize airway passages, skin, the oral cavity, the gastrointestinal tract, and the vagina. There is a growing body of evidence linking the gut microbiota with the overall health of its host. Normally, the microbes that make up the microbiota coexist with a human or animal host without any noticeable difficulty. However, if the symbiotic balance is altered as a result of illness, stress, dietary changes, antibiotic treatment, or other disturbances, the result may be a disruption of normal interactions known as dysbiosis.