Normal Microbial Flora in

Human Body
 Lecture Objectives

By the end of this lecture the student is expected to be

able to:
1. Define the terms: Normal Flora, Resident flora,
Transient flora and carrier state
2. Know the origin of normal flora.
3. Know the importance of normal flora with examples
4. Know areas of the body with normal flora (GIT,
Urogenital tract, and skin) and most common types of
organism in these areas and relation to pathogenicity of
these organism.
5. Know sites of the body with no normal flora e.g. sterile
body sites and the importance of this fact in relation to
interpretation of culture results.
 Microbial Habitats

Sources of infection

SELF Person Animal Environment

Normal flora: microorganisms normally living on or

in the body without normally causing disease.

Your body is a home to 1 x 1014 microbial

cells (bacteria)
Definition of Terms
 The term “Normal Microbial flora”
denotes the population microorganisms,
that inhabit the skin and the mucous
membranes of healthy normal persons
from shortly after birth until death, ( now
referred to as the normal microbiota)
 Flora- collective bacteria and other

microorganisms in a host
Definition of terms
 Normal (resident) flora are microorganisms that
are always present on or in a person and usually
do not cause any disease.
 Transient or temporary skin flora refers to the

microorganisms that transiently colonized the skin.

This includes bacteria, fungi and viruses, which
reach the hands, for example, by direct skin-to-skin
contact or indirectly via objects.
 Carrier state- state of being a carrier of pathogenic

organisms; that is, one who is infected but free

from disease.( e.g.Streptococus pneumoniae)
 Definition of Terms
• Pathogen
– an organism that can cause infection in
individuals with normal host defences, e.g.,
Salmonella enteritidis, Vibrio cholerae
• Commensal
– an organism that is found normally on those
parts of the body that are exposed to, or
communicate with, the external environment,
eg. Bacteroides fragilis, Staphylococcus
epidermidis; the 'normal flora'
• Opportunistic pathogen ('opportunist')
– an organism that can cause infection in
individuals with abnormal host defences.
*Commensals may be opportunistic pathogens.
Definition of Terms

• Pathogenicity
– The ability of a parasite to inflict
damage on the host
• Virulence
– Measure of pathogenicity in a
microorganism
Definition of Terms
• Host
- an animal or plant on or in which a parasite
or commensal organism lives.
• Infection
– Situation in which a microorganism is established
and growing in a host, whether or not the host is
harmed
• Disease
– Damage or injury to the host that impairs host to
function
Historical Background
During Ancient Times
 Jain Dharma (5th century B.C.)-present-day India
postulated the existence of tiny organisms called
nigodas, they live everywhere, including the
bodies of plants, animals, and people
 Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro in a 1st-

century BC book titled On Agriculture in which he

called the unseen creatures animalcules, and
warns against locating a homestead near a swamp.
 (1020 B.C.), Avicenna suggested that tuberculosis

and other diseases might be contagious

Early modern times
 Akshamsaddin (Turkish scientist) mentioned the
microbe in his work (The Material of Life) about two
centuries prior to Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek's
discovery through experimentation
 In 1546, Girolamo Fracastoro proposed that

epidemic diseases that could transmit infection by

direct or indirect contact
 Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek is considered to be

the Father of Microbiology. He was the first to

discover, observe, describe, study and conduct
scientific experiments with microorganisms
19th Century
 Louis Pasteur(1822-1895) -refuted the theory
of spontaneous generation and supported the
germ theory of disease
 In 1876, Robert Koch established that

microorganisms can cause disease (Bacillus

anthracis)
 In 1860 , John Hogg- led to the naming of a

third kingdom called Protoctista

 In 1866 Ernst Haeckel –he renamed it the

Protista from Proctoctista

 Martinus Willem Beijerinck (16 March 1851 –
1 January 1931) was a Dutch microbiologist and
botanist. He often considered one of the
founders of virology and environmental
microbiology.
 Sergei Winogradsk- was the first to develop

the concept of chemolithotrophy and reveal the

essential role played by microorganisms in
geochemical processes.
 Felix d'Herelle co-discovered bacteriophages

and was one of the earliest applied

microbiologists
Why Should We Know About Normal
Flora?
 THE ROLE/ BENEFITS OF THE NORMAL FLORA:

1. The normal flora synthesize and excrete vitamins

in excess of their own needs, which can be
absorbed as nutrients by the host.

For example, enteric bacteria secrete Vitamin K

and Vitamin B12, and lactic acid bacteria
produce certain B-vitamins.
 THE ROLE/ BENEFITS OF THE NORMAL FLORA:

2. The normal flora prevent colonization by

pathogens by competing for attachment sites or
for essential nutrients. 

This important beneficial effect, which has been

demonstrated in the oral cavity, the intestine, the
skin, and the vaginal epithelium. 
*Colonization: ↑ Living in the body without causing
any harm.
 THE ROLE/ BENEFITS OF THE NORMAL FLORA:
3. The normal flora may antagonize other bacteria
through the production of substances which
inhibit or kill non-indigenous species.

Intestinal bacteria produce a variety of substances

like non-specific fatty acids, peroxides and highly
specific bacteriocins, which inhibit or kill other
bacteria.
*Bacteriocin-as ribosomally synthesized
antibacterial peptides/proteins that either kill or
inhibit the growth of closely related bacteria
 THE ROLE/ BENEFITS OF THE NORMAL FLORA:

4. The normal flora stimulates the development of

certain tissues, i.e., the caecum (in animals) and
certain lymphatic tissues (Peyer's patches) in the
GI tract.

The caecum of germ-free animals is enlarged, thin-

walled, and fluid-filled, compared to that organ in 
conventional animals.
 Things to know about Normal Flora
• A fetus is sterile when born (No Normal Flora),
then newborn start having the normal flora from its
mother, air, food and the environment.
• Our internal organs are sterile like the spleen,
liver, pancreas, bladder, Cerebrospinal Fluid, and
blood unless during infection.
• Normal flora differ from one human to another
depending on age, diet, and geographic habitat.
• The human gut alone contains on average: 40,000
bacterial species, 9 million unique bacterial genes
and 100 trillion microbial cells.
 Things to know about Normal Flora

The human body contains around 1013 cells,-

whereas the human physical structure is around
1014 bacteria. One-fourth of fecal weight
-.consists of bacteria
When the number of resident normal flora is-
greatly reduced, opportunistic microbes can
.easily cause infections in these areas e.g
.Candida Albicans that cause candidiasis
Things to know about Normal Flora
 Ithas been calculated that a human adult
houses about 1012 bacteria on the skin,
1010 in the mouth, and 1014 in the
gastrointestinal tract. 
 They are in most cases beneficial to us

because they protect our bodies from

diseases by preventing the overgrowth of
harmful microbes.
 Normal Microbial Flora:
• The skin and the mucous membranes harbor a
variety of microorganisms that can be arranged
into 2 groups:
• Resident Flora:
– Microbes that are always present on or within
body, 90% is S. epidermidis; S. aureus, may be
in moist areas, they are commensal
• Transient Flora:
– Microbes that live in or on the body for a
period of time (hours, days, weeks, months)
then move on or die off
 Symbiosis
 The relationship between the normal
flora and the host is called symbiosis.
 Symbiosis - living together

Three types of symbiotic relationships

between bacteria and host
 1. mutualism
 2. commensalism
 3. parasitism
 Mutualism
 Where both the host and bacteria are
thought to derive benefits from each
other, it is referred to as being
mutualistic. 
 Example: E. coli synthesizes vitamin K
and some B vitamins that are absorbed
into our blood stream. The large
intestine, in return, provides nutrients
needed by the bacteria.
Commensalism
 Commensalism - where one organism
benefits and the other is unaffected
 Many of the bacteria that make up our
normal flora are commensals.
 If the bacteria are in or on our body
either helping us or harming us
 These include the bacteria that are on the
surface of our eyes (conjunctiva) and skin
and some bacteria in the ear that live on
secretions and sloughed-off cells.
 Parasitism
 Parasitism -when one organism benefits at
the expense of the other organism
 In some situations normal flora can make us
sick. This can occur when the normal flora
leave their habitat.
 Example: When E. coli leave their habitat of
the large intestine and gain access to other
body parts, such as the urinary bladder, lungs
or spinal cord, they can cause infections such
as urinary tract infections, pulmonary
infections, meningitis and abscesses.
Role of Microbiologist:
Accurate diagnosis: by Rapid/ quick, meaningful
reporting

Role of Physician:
Proper treatment with antimicrobial regimen/
standard guidelines
by avoiding overuse*/ misuse of antimicrobials
* by treating pathogen, NOT the normal flora!!
 Factors that affect normal Flora
 Weather - as moisture and temperature
increase so do skin flora
 Age - younger individuals have a greater
proportion of gram negative bacteria of
faecal origin
 Personal hygiene - poor hygiene results in
high levels of microbes
 Sex - females have shorter urethra and it
is in closer proximity to the anus,
pregnancy affects the immune system
 Diet-People who eat products containing
active cultures, such as yogurt have higher
populations of the Lactobacilli found in
yogurt. Also, vegetarians have different
microbial flora in their digestive tracts vs.
meat eaters
 Standard of living/nutritional status
 Health - concurrent disease, genetics
 Hospital stays - e.g abx resistant
organisms replace resident flora
 Clothing-wearing tight and/or synthetic
clothing
 Environment - those you're in close
contact with
Advantages and Disadvantages of
Normal Flora
 Importance of The Normal
Flora (Advantages)
1. They constitute a
protective host
defense mechanism
by occupying
ecological niches.
 Importance of The Normal Flora
(Advantages)
2. They produce vitamin
B and vitamin K in
intestine.
- these vitamins helps in
the digestion of food
and protects the
intestinal walls from
invasion by
pathogens.
Importance of The Normal Flora
(Advantages)
3.The oral flora
contribute to
immunity by
inducing low
levels of
circulating and
secretory
antibodies that
may cross react
with pathogens.
Importance of The Normal Flora
(Advantages)

4.The oral bacteria

flora exert
microbial
antagonism
against
nonindigenous
species by
production of
inhibitory fatty
Importance of The Normal Flora
(Advantages)
5.The normal flora
may antagonize
other bacteria
through the
production of
substances
which inhibit or
kill
nonindigenous
species.
Importance of The Normal Flora
(Disadvantages)
1. They can cause disease in the following:
a) When individuals become
immunocompromised or debilitated.
b) When they change their usual anatomic
location.
Importance of The Normal Flora
(Disadvantages)
2. The oral flora of humans may harm their host
since some of these bacteria are pathogens or
opportunistic pathogens
Thank You for •
!listening