An illusion exists that the world around us is largely hostile.  Bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites, all of which are commonly termed germs, are found in every nook and cranny, and we are taught from a very early age that they are to be avoided like the plague.  When any of these germs enter the body, it is then termed an infection.  We are forever conquering nature, creating antibiotics to destroy every strain of bacteria, antiviral drugs to stop viruses from replicating, insecticides to eliminate insects, and herbicides to kill plants, and fungicides to kill mold and fungi, instead of learning to cooperate with nature in a harmonious order.  The vague rule to destroy completely and eliminate any organism that presents even a minor inconvenience can only end in a negative outcome.  The hostile attitude of conquering nature completely ignores the basic interdependence and cooperation of all organisms that were designed to occupy the same environment.  As a result, we end up destroying the very environment from which our whole life depends.

Bacteria live everywhere in the environment.  They are found, on plants, on food, in the ground, and in water.  Many bacteria produce toxins that can damage the body.  These harmful bacteria can enter the body in any number of ways.  Some enter along with our food, others may enter through the respiratory system, and others can break through the skin.  If any of these harmful bacteria should somehow get into the body, they must be eliminated.  The body is perfectly equipped to handle most of these harmful germs that can gain entry.  The elimination of these germs is accomplished by our immune system.

Not all bacteria are harmful, some are termed beneficial as they have a desirable purpose and benefit the host in some way.  Some bacteria live in other organisms, including humans.  Others, such as Staphylococcal aureus, live harmoniously on our skin, but can cause havoc if the bacteria enter the inside of the physical body.  The intestinal tract contains dozens of strains of bacteria proven beneficial in many ways.  One of the most commonly known beneficial bacteria found to reside in the human digestive tract is Acidophilous sp.  The body develops a symbiotic relationship with these beneficial bacteria, in other words, a relationship in which both the bacteria and host benefit.

Viruses, also, can be found most anywhere in the environment.  A virus can attack a plant, a human, an animal, or any other type organism.  Unlike most bacteria, a specific virus typically can only attack a specific type or organism.  A virus able to attack a plant is harmless to a human, and a virus able to attack a human is harmless to a plant.  No one has ever heard of a houseplant catching the flu.  If a particular virus can attack a human, even then, the virus is limited in the tissue type in which it can gain entry and replicate.  The influenza virus, for example, specifically attacks the respiratory system, the hepatitis virus attacks the liver, and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus attacks specific cells of the immune system.  In addition, a virus is generally specific to the organism that it attacks.  The virus that causes the common cold in a human does not cause the same cold in other animals.  When a virus remains in check without any outward signs of disease, the person or animal hosting that virus is called a carrier.  Human transmission of viruses generally occurs through the respiratory system or through the secretions of a mucous membrane.  Viral infections can also occur by the virus directly entering the bloodstream.