Missing Microbes: Are we killing off bacteria at our own peril?
Antibiotics have changed medicine and saved lives, but while killing certain illnesses they may have also enabled others. Dr. Martin Blaser argues the overuse of antibiotics has altered the delicate balance of microbes living in all of us, making us vulnerable to a range of new diseases....
Antibiotics have changed medicine and saved lives, but while killing certain illnesses they may have also enabled others. Dr. Martin Blaser argues the overuse of antibiotics has altered the delicate balance of microbes living in all of us, making us vulnerable to a range of new diseases.
Dr. Martin Blaser has studied the role of bacteria in human disease for more than 30 years. In his new book, Dr. Blaser raises alarm bells about how the overuse of antibiotics and Cesarian sections may be taking a toll on the diversity of bacteria in our bodies, with consequences for our metabolism, immunity, and cognition. He joined us in Vancouver.
- Dr. Martin Blaser is a professor of medicine and infectious diseases at New York University. He is also the author of Missing Microbes: How the overuse of antibiotics is fueling our modern plagues.
This segment was produced by The Current's Kristin Nelson.