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    Normal Flora of Human Body

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    Francia Toledano
    The human body is home to a diverse community of microorganisms that normally inhabit different areas, known as the indigenous or resident microflora. These microbes play an important role in preventing colonization by pathogenic organisms and support functions like vitamin synthesis. However, changes in the immune system or local environment can allow opportunistic pathogens within the normal flora to cause disease.

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    Normal Flora of Human Body

    Uploaded by

    Francia Toledano
    46 views15 pages
    The human body is home to a diverse community of microorganisms that normally inhabit different areas, known as the indigenous or resident microflora. These microbes play an important role in preventing colonization by pathogenic organisms and support functions like vitamin synthesis. However, changes in the immune system or local environment can allow opportunistic pathogens within the normal flora to cause disease.

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    Normal Flora

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    The human body is home to a diverse community of microorganisms that normally inhabit different areas, known as the indigenous or resident microflora. These microbes play an important role in preventing colonization by pathogenic organisms and support functions like vitamin synthesis. However, changes in the immune system or local environment can allow opportunistic pathogens within the normal flora to cause disease.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    46 views15 pages

    Normal Flora of Human Body

    Uploaded by

    Francia Toledano
    The human body is home to a diverse community of microorganisms that normally inhabit different areas, known as the indigenous or resident microflora. These microbes play an important role in preventing colonization by pathogenic organisms and support functions like vitamin synthesis. However, changes in the immune system or local environment can allow opportunistic pathogens within the normal flora to cause disease.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
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    Normal Flora of Human Body

    The Indigenous Microflora


    Normal Flora of Human Body
    • Resident flora – fixed • Advantages • Disadvantages
    types and are regularly • Inhibition of • Production of disease
    found in a given area of pathogenic if individual becomes
    organisms immunocompromised
    the body at a given age or there is a change
    • Transient flora – inhabit • Synthesis of vit.
    of usual anatomic
    B12 and K
    the skin and mucous location
    • Synthesis of • Production of disease
    membrane temporarily substances that
    for hours, days or weeks since most of them
    inhibit growth of are pathogens or
    and are derived from pathogenic opportunistic
    the environment organisms pathogens
    Skin

    • Factors that eliminate non – resident flora from the


    skin
    1. Lysozyme
    2. Acidic pH of the skin due to sweat
    3. Free fatty acids in sebaceous secretions
    4. Constant sloughing off of the skin
    Skin

    • Skin of the axilla, perineum and toe webs is


    characterized by having higher moisture levels,
    higher body temperature and higher levels of surface
    lipids. These regions have more microorganisms
    compared to the other regions of the skin and are
    predominantly inhabited by Gram negative bacilli
    Mouth

    • Tongue and buccal mucosa are inhabited mostly by


    Streptococcus viridans group, which includes S.
    mutans, S. milleri, S. salivarius and S. sanguis.
    • It is similar with pharynx and trachea, some pathogenic
    organisms transiently located at the pharynx are
    Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae,
    Neisseria meningitidis, and Mycoplasma
    Respiratory Tract

    • Lower respiratory tract is usually sterile and


    organisms that reach this region are usually
    destroyed by the defense mechanisms of the body
    such as the alveolar macrophages.
    Digestive Tract

    • Esophagus – contains transient mouth flora


    • Stomach – minimal bacteria due to acidity, some
    bacteria that resist acidity includes Helicobacter
    pylori, most common cause of duodenal ulcer. It
    produces UREASE that alkalinizes gastric acid.
    Digestive Tract

    • Small and large intestine – scanty flora may be seen in


    small intestine due to constant peristaltic movement
    mostly include streptococci, lactobacilli, and bacteroides.
    • The large intestine predominantly ANAEROBES (95 –
    99%) includes Bacteroides fragilis, clostridium,
    Lactobacillus bifidum, Eubacterium. Facultative aerobes
    are Escherichia coli and Enterobacteriaceae.
    Important Roles of Intestinal Flora

    1. Synthesis of Vitamin B complex and Vitamin K


    2. Conversion of bile into bile acid
    3. Competition with transient flora for nutrients
    4. Prevention of colonization of the intestines by
    transient flora
    5. Production of potentially pathogenic end – products
    of metabolism that are toxic to transient flora
    Genitourinary Tract

    • The urinary tract is sterile above the distal 1cm of the


    urethra.
    • Anterior Urethra – S. epidermidis, Enterococci, and
    Diphtheroids
    • Penile Urethra – Gardnerella vaginalis, Bacteroides and
    Alpha streptococci may be found
    • Female Urethra – either sterile or contains Staphylococcus
    epidermidis
    Genitourinary Tract

    • Vaginal flora varies depending on the age, hormonal


    levels and vaginal pH of the host.
    – In female infants ---predominant is Lactobacillus sp. Lactobacillus plays a crucial
    role in preventing gonococcal infection by producing lactic acid that adds to the acidity
    of the vagina.
    – From 1 month of age until puberty ---staph. Epidermidis, strep, diphteroids and E.coli
    – At puberty ---- Lactobacillus acidophilus, corneybacterium, peprostreptococci, strep,
    Bacteroides and staph
    – Fungi such as Torulopsis and Candida may also be found (10 to 30%)

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