Bacteria’s role in protecting us from the flu

The flu can cause serious complications, especially for people who are young, old, and pregnant. If the flu isn’t properly treated, it can lead to even more serious complications, such as pneumonia or even death. Every year, up to 650,000 deaths occur due to influenza.

According to a recent study at the University of Michigan, researchers state that the bacteria in our respiratory system, called “microbiome” can potentially be altered to protect us from disease. Even though the flu vaccine already helps fight the flu, they can’t fight off every strain and they aren’t accessible to everyone.

The influenza virus mainly targets the epithelial cells of the lower and upper respiratory tract. Previous studies have shown that the microbiome can be altered and make the cells less vulnerable to disease. The microbiome has been proven to have a huge influence on our health and it’s important to maintain the good bacteria with probiotics.

There is still more research to be done, but these studies build a foundation for a new and innovative future against the flu.

Read more about how certain bacteria can protect us from the flu.