NORMAL

MICROFLORA
OF HUMAN
BODY
LITHU RADHAKRISHNAN
D3 BIOTECH
 INTRODUCTION
Human beings like other animals , harbor a wide array of microorganisms both on and
in their bodies .
The normal microbial flora are more or less constant for each species and are broadly
divided into residents and transients .
The residents constitute a constant population which cannot be completely removed
permanently, while the latter vary from time to time and are temporary .
The normal microbial flora play an important role in body economy . They can be :
1. Become pathogenic when host defences falter
2. Prevent or interfere with colonization/invasion of the body by pathogens
3. Raise the immune status of the host against pathogens having related to shared antigens
and
4. Cause confusion in diagnosis due to their ubiquitous presence in the body and their
resemblance to some of the pathogens .
. The microflora of the intestinal tract synthesize vitamin K and several B vitamins
which supply on occasion the bodys needs .
 NORMAL MICRO FLORA OF
The human micro floraHUMAN BODYa microbiome that resides
is the aggregate of microorganisms,
on the surface and on the deep layers of skin (including mammary glands ) . The human
microbiome refer to their genomes .
The most bacteria live free in the environment , may grow in close association with the
animal body . Every animal carries a dense , complex microbial population , or flora on
its surfaces .
Once a mammal is born and lives the sterile environment of the uterus , it becomes
exposed to environmental organisms . Some of these permanentely colonize the body
within a few days .
Some of these bacteria are so adapted to life on an animal that they are restricted to
certain anatomic areas .
For example : viridans streptococci colonize the mouth and throat , lactobacilli colonize
the intestine of breast-fed infants and coliform organisms colonize the intestine of
bottle-fed infants .
The normal flora that eventually establishes itself on the skin and in the nose , digestive
tract and urogenital tract is relatively stable . Its composition depends on local
environment factor such as pH , oxygen tension and moisture .
 This normal flora can be of significant benefit to an animal . Thus in the
intestine of these bacteria may synthesize vitamins such as vitamin K ,
Riboflavin or Biotin .
They may also detoxify potential carcinogens and contribute to the metabolic
breakdown of certain foods .
NORMAL FLORA OF THE SKIN
The human skin is constantly and continuously bombarded by organisms
present in the environment . It is contaminated by ones own secretions and
excretions , the extent depending on the individuals personal hygiene .
The flora depend on the area of the body , the clothing one wears, ones
occupation and environment .
Transient microflora tend to occur more frequently on the skin .
Cultures from the skin have frequently demonstrated diphtheroids (including
propionibacteria ) staphylococci (aerobic and anaerobic ) ; gram positive
aerobic spore bearing bacilli , str.viridans , str.faecalis , gram negative bacilli ,
such as E.coli , Proteus , and other intestinal organisms , mimieae ,
mycobacteria (non pathogenic) ; candida albicans , Cryptococci and
pityrosporum ovale .
Often the skin of the neck , face , hands and buttocks carries pathogenic
hemolytic streptococci and staphylococci .
Penicillin resistant staphylococci are seen in individuals working in hospitals.
 Normal flora of
conjunctiva
The conjunctiva is relatively free from organisms due to the flushing action of
tears .
The predominant organisms of the eye are diphtheroids , Moraxella species ,
staphylococci and nonhemolytic streptococci .
These are species in occurrence , but gram positive cocci and gram negative
rods and cocci are present .
A small numbers of bacteria are normally present in the conjunctiva .
The lachrymal glands continuously secrete , keeping the conjunctiva moist ,
while intermittent blinking lubricates the conjunctiva and washes away foreign
material .
NORMAL FLORA OF NOSE , NASOPHARYNX
AND ACCESSORY SINUSES
The floor of the nose harbours corynebacteria , staphylococci and
streptococci . Hemophilus species and Moraxella lacunata may also be seen .
The nasopharynx of the infant is sterile at birth but , within 2-3 days after birth
, aquires the common commensal flora and the pathogenic flora carried by the
mother and the attendants .
The nasopharynx can be considered the natural habitat of the common
pathogenic bacteria which cause infections of the nose , throat , bronchi and
lungs .
Certain gram negative organisms from the intestinal tract such as
Pseudomonas aeruginosa , E.coli , Paracolons and Proteus are also
occasionally found in normal persons .
After penicillin therapy , they may be the predominant flora .
 NORMAL FLORA OF MOUTH AND
UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT
The mouth contains a plethora of organisms pigmented and non pigmented
micrococci , some of which are aerobic , gram positive aerobic spore bearing
bacilli , coliforms , proteus and lactobacilli .
The gum pockets between the teeth and the crypts of the tonsils have a wide
spectrum of anaerobic Streptococci , Vibrious , Fusiform bacilli ,
Corynebacterium species , Actinomyces , Leptothrix , Mycoplasma , Neisseria
and Bacteroids are all found in varying extents .
The mouth of the infant is not sterile at birth . It generally contains the same
types of organisms in about the relative numbers as those present in the
mothers vagina , that is a mixture of micrococci , streptococci , coliform
bacilli and Doderliens bacilli .
These organisms diminish in number during the first 2-5 days after birth and
are replaced by the types of bacteria present in the mouth of the mother and
nurse .
 Within 12 hours after birth alpha hemolytic streptococci are found in the upper
respiratory tract and become the dominant organisms of the oropharynx and
remain so for life .

In the pharynx and trachea , flora similar to that of the mouth

establish themselves .
Few bacteria are found in normal bronchi . Smaller bronchi and
alveoli are normally sterile .
 NORMAL FLORA OF
INTESTINAL TRACT
In breast fed children the intestine contains Lactobacilli , Enterococci , Colon
bacilli and staphylococci .
In artificially fed children L.acidophilus and colon bacilli and in part by
Enterococci , gram positive aerobic and anaerobic bacilli . With the food to the
adult pattern , the flora change .
Diet has marked influence on the relative composition of the intestinal and
fecal flora .
In the normal adult , the microorganisms on the surface of the esophageal wall
of those swallowed with saliva and food . Because of the low pH of the
stomach , it is virtually sterile except soon after eating .
In patients with carcinoma of the stomach or achlorhydria or pyloric
obstruction , there is proliferation of gram positive cocci and bacilli .
 The number of bacteria increases progressively beyond the duodenum to the
colon , being comparatively low in the small intestine .

In the adult duodenum there are 10(3) 10(6) bacteria per gram , in
the jejunum and proximal ileum 10(5)-10(8) bacteria per gram , and
in the lower ileum and cecum 10(8)-10(10) bacteria per gram of
contents .
 NORMAL FLORA OF
GENITOURINARY TRACT
Mycobacterium smegmatis , a harmless commensal is found in the smegma of
the genital area of both men and women .
In normal men aerobic and anaerobic bacteria can be cultured from a high
proportion , including Lactobacilli , Gard . Vaginalis , alpha hemolytic
streptococci and Bacteroides species .
The female urethra is either sterile or contains a few gram positive cocci .
The vulva of the new born baby is sterile but after 24hours it acquires a varied
flora of non pathogenic organisms from the skin , vagina and intestines .
The nature of the flora in the vagina depends on the pH of its secretions and its
enzyme content .
In the first 24 hours it is invaded by micrococci , enterococci and
diphtheroids .
 In 2-3 days , the maternal estrin induces glycogen deposition in the vaginal
epithelium . This facilitates the growth of a lactobacillus (Doderliens bacillus)
which provides acid from glycogen and the flora for a few weeks is similar to
that of the adult .

During pregnancy there is an increase in staphylococcus epidermidis ,

Doderliens bacilli and yeasts .
After menopause , the flora resembles that found before puberty .
The normal vaginal flora often includes anaerobic cocci and bacilli , listeria ,
anaerobic streptococci , mimeae , mycoplasma , Gardnerella vaginalis ,
Neisseriae and Spirochetes .
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