Q.Differentiate between probiotics and pathogenic bacteria.

Probiotics and Pathogenic Bacteria

Bacteria have a bad reputation, but the truth is more balanced: some bacteria harm us, and some actively keep us healthy. The contrast between pathogenic bacteria and probiotic bacteria captures this two-sided relationship.

Pathogenic bacteria — the harmful side

Pathogens are disease-causing microbes. Pathogenic bacteria invade the body or release toxins, disrupting normal function and causing illness — examples include the bacteria responsible for typhoid, cholera and tuberculosis. Their harm comes either from damaging tissues directly or from producing poisons (toxins).

Probiotics — the beneficial side

Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria which, when taken in adequate amounts, promote health — particularly the health of the digestive system. The best-known examples are lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus, found in curd/yoghurt and fermented foods. They benefit us in several ways:

• Restoring gut balance — they help maintain a healthy population of "good" microbes in the intestine, especially after antibiotics have disturbed it.
• Suppressing harmful microbes — by competing for space and nutrients, and by producing acids that pathogens dislike.
• Aiding digestion and helping in the production of some vitamins.

The essential distinction

| | Probiotic bacteria | Pathogenic bacteria |

|---|---|---| …