Friend or Foe

Microbes are referred to as ubiquitous organisms.  This put more simply means that they are everywhere; in the air, in the ground and water, even on our skin.  Being that they are everywhere they play many roles, sometimes good and sometimes bad.  One bacteria that has been both a great friend and a terrible foe to me is Propionibacterium.  This particular bacteria has application in the food industry making, one of my favorites, Swiss cheese.  The acid produced by the bacteria is responsible for the pungent odor and flavor of the cheese and the co2 it produces creates the holes in the cheese. Now Propionibacterium in my cheese on my sandwich is great, I however do not appreciate it on my face.  This is when Propionibacterium becomes a nasty foe. A specific strain of the bacteria called P. acnes is actually responsible for causing acne. It is found in sebaceous glands of the skin and can secrete chemical and other biological substances when the pore is blocked causing the skin to swell and sometimes cause whiteheads.   So the same thing creating holes in your cheese is making them on your face.  This is just another example of the love/hate relationship we has humans have with bacteria.