Traveling with Stowaways: The Human Microbiome and Travel

Abstract

The human microbiome is a research field that is fairly new and thus, not yet fully understood. However, past research has revealed that the human host and the microorganisms interact with each other. To comprehend how influential the connection between host and its stowaways is, the following text will first offer general information on the human microbiome, before moving on to a pilot case study proposal. With the use of similar case studies, this proposal aims to investigate how the human microbiome changes when the host travels and analyzes the changes and their affects on the individual's health. The paper's conclusion does not only point out that travel does in fact lead to changes in the microbiome's composition, but also stress the fact that this study could help prevent health issues, increase the host's general performance and overall offer more information on the human microbiome.