Potentials of Microorganisms in Human Health

Abstract

There are large numbers of powerful species of microorganisms present within our bodies that make up the diverse human microbiomes. Microbiomes, the collective genomes of the microorganisms in a particular environment, support and maintain our health, but they are disturbed in some fashion in case of the presence of some diseases such as autoimmune diseases and cancer. Different food products provide different growth conditions for microorganisms. Microbial growth is also controlled by some factors such as pH, nutrients, moisture content, temperature, relative humidity, and gases. Thus the growth of microorganisms in optimum conditions results in spoilage and degradation of food products resulting in a sour or foul-smelling, in addition to a visible change in color, effervescences on the food surface, etc. Microbial contamination of food can occur at any point in the food production process starting from growth, harvesting, transport, storage, or final preparation. A variety of environmental factors can influence intestinal microbial imbalance, which has a close relationship with human health and disease. There are many numerous potential probiotics or beneficial bacteria that may prevent or treat certain diseases such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. On the other hand, a few destructive microorganisms play a major role in the development and progression of major human diseases such as infectious diseases, liver diseases, gastrointestinal cancers, metabolic diseases, respiratory diseases, mental or psychological diseases, and autoimmune diseases. With the increased understanding of the relationship between the human microbiome and a variety of diseases, the use of these findings to predict or diagnose diseases has attracted a great deal of attention. Thus, the aim of the present work was to review briefly the role of microorganisms in human health, during the development of autoimmune and tumor diseases. This review article also includes microbiota diversity, colonization, and normalization of perturbed intestinal microbial communities, the safety of gastrointestinal tract, and the beneficial role of probiotics.