Biology as Poetry: Microbiology

Bacteriophage Ecology Group

Normal Flora

Those microorganisms consistently present within a specific environment.

Also described as normal microbiobiota, normal microflora, or an environment's microbiome. Note that the term environment includes more than just landscapes but also specific locations found in association within individual organisms such as ourselves.

Normal flora microorganism associated with the human body typically are categorized according the location. The following are lists that summarize those found in various introductory microbiology texts. Note that just because an organism has been identified as a member of normal flora does not mean that the same organism cannot also serve as a pathogen in the same host species. Note also that the various species have been listed in alphabetical order rather than in order of abundance, importance, or other properties.

EAR (outer): diphteroids,  Enterobacteriaceae (but not commonly),  Pseudomonas spp.,  Staphylococcus epidermidis), 

EYES (the conjunctiva): Bacteria:  Corynebacterium,  diphteroids,  Haemophilis,  Micrococcus,  Proprionibacterium,  Staphylococcus (S. aureus, S. epidermidis),  Streptococcus spp., 

GENITOURINARY SYSTEM (urethra): Bacteria:  Bacteroides,  diphteroids (aerobic),  Enterococcus,  Fusobacterium,  Klebsiella,  Lactobacillus,  Micrococcus,  Mycobacterium spp.,  Peptostreptococcus spp.,  Proteus,  Pseudomonas,  Staphylococcus,  Streptococcus spp., 

GENITOURINARY SYSTEM (vagina): Bacteria:  Clostridium,  lactobacilli,  Streptococcus;  Fungi:  Candida;  Protozoan:  Trichomonas vaginalis; 

INTESTINE, particularly LARGE INTESTINE (colon): Bacteria:  Bacteroides,  Bifidobaterium,  Citrobater,  Enterobacter,  Enterococcus,  Escherichia coli,  Fusobacterium,  Klebsiella,  Lactobacillus,  Proteus;  Fungi:  Candida, 

INTESTINE, particularly SMALL INTESTINE:

MOUTH: Bacteria:  Actinomyces,  Bacteroides,  Corynebacterium,  Fusobacterium,  Haemophilis,  Lactobacillus,  Neisseria,  Staphylococcus;  Streptococcus,  Treponema,  Veillonella;  Fungi:  Candida, 

SKIN:  Bacteria:  Acinetobacter,  Bacillus,  Brevibacterium,  Corynebacterium,  diphteroids,  Malassezia furfur,  Micrococcus,  Mycobacterium (but not commonly),  Proprionibacterium acnes,  Staphylococcus;  Streptococcus spp.,  Fungi:  Candida,  Pityrosporum,  Malassezia, 

STOMACH: Lactobacillus,  Peptostreptococcus,  Staphylococcus,  Streptococcus, 

UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT (nose): Bacteria:  diphteroids (aerobic),  Staphylococcus (S. aureus, S. epidermidis), 

UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT (throat): Bacteria:  diphteroids,  Haemophilis,  Neisseria,  Staphylococcus (S. aureus, S. epidermidis),  Streptococcus pneumoniae, 

Video (Interview, fecal transplants versus C. difficile)

Radio (The bacteria found in the human colon, all 5000-plus species)

Video (Microorganisms living on our skin)

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