Question: Can bacteria sticking to human cells kill you

Samuel Ellis answered on 16 Mar 2015:

Most bacteria are harmless. In fact we are covered in them all the time, both on the outside of your skin, and also on the inside in our guts for example.

However, nasty bacteria can cause infections when they ‘stick’ in the wrong places. I study a type which colonises the lining of the gut and causes diarrhoeal disease. Particularly bad infections can kill people, especially without any treatment, usually by damaging organs. Persistent diarrhoea is also risky, as it can make people very dehydrated which can kill you if not treated. Fortunately, a combination of our immune system and modern medicine means we are usually pretty safe from bacteria these days 🙂