If bacteria cause disease why dont we just try and wipe them out?
Bacteria are estimated to have existed on earth for over 3 thousand million years whereas early man only emerged 250 thousand years ago! So chances are we are never going to wipe them out and nor would we want to. Despite the fact that bacteria have been a scourge of humans since humans first evolved we actually do need them. For example, the bacteria which naturally exist on our skin, the lining of the intestinal tract and mucous membranes actually help to protect us from diseases caused by harmful bacteria. In addition, the presence of bacteria in our gut helps us digest our food.
