Infectious Symbiology: A New Understanding of Old Problems

O. V. Bukharin1*
Translated by B. Alekseev

Institute for Cellular and Intracellular Symbiosis, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Orenburg, Russia

Correspondence to: 1е-mail: onckadri@mail.ru

*RAS Academician Oleg Valer’evich Bukharin is chief researcher of the Institute for Cellular and Intracellular Symbiosis, RAS Ural Branch.

Received 5 January, 2016

Abstract—The current century has seen the discovery of a new trend in science, infectious symbiology, which studies ambiguous interactions between microbes and humans (from peaceful contacts to direct antagonism). What underlies these interrelations? What do such different outcomes depend on? These are important questions for Homo sapiens because, only after having deciphered the mechanisms of these outcomes (from health to disease), will we become able to control them. Here one naturally recalls I.P. Pavlov, who held that “explanation is not the goal of science. The goal of science is power.” However, to rule this world, humans need knowledge. Although the problems of infectious pathology remain the same, we should take a fresh look at them and use this knowledge to preserve our own health. The material proposed here is a new look at old problems and at the opening prospects.

Keywords: infectious symbiology, microsymbiocenosis, bifidoflora, persistence, intermicrobial self–nonself discrimination, probiotics.

DOI: 10.1134/S1019331616040018