The good bugs that affect our health are called the ______________.

The good bugs that affect our health are called the ______________.

• A. Microbiome
• B. Microbiota
• C. Flora
• D. Germs

Answer: (A)

The concept here is the microbiome—the community of microorganisms living in a body and the genes they carry. This collection of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and their genetic material helps with digestion, metabolism, immune defense, and protecting against disease, so it’s the term that best captures how these tiny partners influence health. Microbiota refers more to the organisms themselves, without emphasizing their genetic material. Flora is an older word for gut microbes, and germs is a broad, often negative label. So the microbiome is the most accurate way to describe the healthy microbial community.

The concept here is the microbiome—the community of microorganisms living in a body and the genes they carry. This collection of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and their genetic material helps with digestion, metabolism, immune defense, and protecting against disease, so it’s the term that best captures how these tiny partners influence health. Microbiota refers more to the organisms themselves, without emphasizing their genetic material. Flora is an older word for gut microbes, and germs is a broad, often negative label. So the microbiome is the most accurate way to describe the healthy microbial community.