Normal Flora
last authored: Feb 2010, David LaPierre
last reviewed:
Introduction
Normal flora is the community of organisms that normally exist on and in humans. Normal flora differ among people and parts of the body.
- skin
- mouth
- upper GI tract
- lower GI tract
- genitourinary
Skin
- gram positive
- coagulase negative -Staphylococci
- diphtheroids
- yeasts
- anaerobes
- coliforms between knees and belly button
Mouth
Oroharynx
The oropharynx is colonized by many microorganisms. This is often transient, as antibodies are developed and eliminate the pathogen.
- Streptococci
- Neisseria
- Staphylococcus aureus
- anaerobes
- Haemophilus
normal throat culture
Upper GI tract
- coliforms
- enterococci
- anaerobes
- lactobaccili
Lower GI tract
Over 700 species.
Digest insoluble carbohydrates, providing some short-chain sugars for colonic absorption.
Also produce a good amount of vitamin K.
- anaerobes
- coliforms
- enterococci
The genitourinary tract is colonized by many of the same organisms as the GI tract.
 |