Wash Post National: Microbes may play crucial role in human health.

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Microbes may play crucial role in human health. By Rob Stein Washington Post 10 October 2011 The average person’s body contains about 100 trillion cells, but only maybe one in 10 is human. A growing body of evidence indicates that the microbial ecosystems that have long populated our guts, mouths, noses and every other nook and cranny play crucial roles in keeping us healthy. Moreover, researchers are becoming more convinced that modern trends — diet, antibiotics, obsession with cleanliness, Caesarean delivery of babies — are disrupting this delicate balance, contributing to some of the most perplexing ailments, including asthma, allergies, obesity, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, cancer and perhaps even autism.