What are bacteria?

Bacteria are microscopic living organisms that have only one cell. The word for just one is
“bacterium.” Millions (if not billions) of different types of bacteria can be found all over the world,
including in your body. They’re on your skin and in your airways and mouth. They’re also in your
digestive system, reproductive system and urinary tract. Scientists estimate you have 10 times more
bacterial cells than human cells in your body.
What are the benefits of bacteria?
Most types of bacteria aren’t harmful. Some are even good for you. These helpful bacteria are mainly
located on your skin or in your gut or digestive system. They’re called resident flora, or your
microbiome, which are groups of microbes living in and on your body. Gut bacteria keep you healthy
by absorbing nutrients, breaking down food and preventing the growth of harmful bacteria.
What are the risks of bacteria?
Most bacteria are harmless, but certain types can make you sick. These bacteria are a type of
pathogen. Pathogens are microorganisms that can cause disease. They can reproduce quickly in your
body and give off poisons (toxins) that can cause infection. Harmful bacteria examples include:
Streptococcus: Bacteria that cause strep throat.
Staphylococcus: Bacteria that cause staph infections.
Escherichia coli: Bacteria that cause E. coli infections.
These bacteria are the most common germs responsible for septicemia, or blood poisoning. This
infection occurs when bacteria enter your bloodstream. Bacteria in blood can spread and lead to
sepsis. Sepsis is a systemic overreaction to widespread infection in your body.
Other examples of pathogenic bacteria include:
Aerococcus urinae: Bacteria in urine that cause urinary tract infections.
Chlamydia trachomatis: Bacteria that cause a sexually transmitted infection (STI) called chlamydia.
Bordetella pertussis: Bacteria that cause whooping cough.
Antibiotics can treat most types of bacterial infections. However, the more you take an antibiotic, the
greater the chances your body will become resistant to it. Bacterial resistance is also more likely if
you don’t finish or take your antibiotics as prescribed.
What are the different types of bacteria?
Scientific name
One way scientists classify bacteria is by their scientific name. The scientific name includes their
genus — based on the characteristics of the bacteria — and within the genus, their species. For
example, “Clostridium botulinum” is the scientific name for the bacterium that causes botulism.
Within a species, scientists may discover different types, or strains, of a bacterium.