Final answer:
Antibiotic treatments can completely change the intestinal mix of microbes, leading to various consequences on the overall health of the individual. High doses of antibiotics can cause the loss of normal gut bacteria, allowing antibiotic-resistant species to overgrow and cause severe gastric problems. Fecal transplant is a potential treatment option to restore the normal intestinal microbial community.
Step-by-step explanation:
The answer to your question is C. antibiotic treatments. Antibiotics are drugs used to treat bacterial infections, but they can also have an unintended consequence of disrupting the natural balance of microbial communities in the body, including the intestines. This disruption can lead to a change in the intestinal mix of microbes, which can have various consequences on the overall health of the individual.
For example, high doses of antibiotics can lead to the loss of normal gut bacteria, allowing antibiotic-resistant species like Clostridium difficile to overgrow and cause severe gastric problems, including chronic diarrhea. To restore the normal intestinal microbial community, a treatment known as fecal transplant may be used, where a healthy individual donates a stool sample to be transplanted into the recipient.
It's important to note that while antibiotics can be necessary and lifesaving in certain situations, their use should be carefully considered and monitored to minimize the disruption of the intestinal mix of microbes and reduce the risk of complications.