New discoveries about the bacterial inhabitants of our bodies are being published every week and what we are learning about our 'microbiome' could be as important for our long-term future as any discoveries arising from landing probes on comets in outer space (albeit a great achievement). Thanks to studies at Cornell University by Ruth Ley and her colleagues we now have proof that the composition of an individual's gut microbiome is influenced not just by environmental exposure but also by the genetics of the host. Pennsylvania scientists have made a very important observation during experiments on the intestinal microbiome of newborn mice. They found that mice treated with antibiotics soon after birth develop an altered intestinal microbiome. Bacteria numbers in the intestines are reduced, and the types of bacteria are changed - not always for the better.
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