Introduction
The human body is populated by a large aggregate of microbes on the skin as well as many mucosal surfaces. They are composed of mainly bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. These commensal microorganisms live in the human body in symbiosis. Microbiota play a functional role in the health and disease of an individual. Roughly there are around 1012 bacteria found on the skin, primarily staphylococci and corynebacteria, and 1010 found in the mouth, primarily, streptococci, lactobacilli.1 But the majority of the bacteria, more than 400 species are found in the gut with approximately 1014, composed primarily of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, and in smaller amounts, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, Fusobacteria, and Cyanobacteria. Gut microflora are essential in digestion, vitamin production and immunity.2 Classifying these microbiota is imperative as it allows the interpretation of their role in diseases as well as their effect on other organs. Main techniques to identify these species include …show more content…
During the first few years of an infant, the microflora present is fairly irregular as the methods of delivery, type of feeding as well as antibiotics play an important role in shaping the gut microbiota. One of the first colonization of the gut occurs during delivery. If the infant is born through the birth canal, they are exposed to the fecal and vaginal bacteria from the mother. If they are born through a cesarean section they are originally exposed to bacteria from the hospital, they contain a higher number of Clostridium difficile and have a delayed growth of other microflora compared to vaginally birthed infants. Whether infants were breastfed, formula-fed or a combination of the two, depending on the condition, they will have differing populations of streptococci, staphylococci, enterococci, lactobacilli, enterobacteria, Bacteroides, Clostridium and
The human body is populated by a large aggregate of microbes on the skin as well as many mucosal surfaces. They are composed of mainly bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. These commensal microorganisms live in the human body in symbiosis. Microbiota play a functional role in the health and disease of an individual. Roughly there are around 1012 bacteria found on the skin, primarily staphylococci and corynebacteria, and 1010 found in the mouth, primarily, streptococci, lactobacilli.1 But the majority of the bacteria, more than 400 species are found in the gut with approximately 1014, composed primarily of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, and in smaller amounts, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, Fusobacteria, and Cyanobacteria. Gut microflora are essential in digestion, vitamin production and immunity.2 Classifying these microbiota is imperative as it allows the interpretation of their role in diseases as well as their effect on other organs. Main techniques to identify these species include …show more content…
During the first few years of an infant, the microflora present is fairly irregular as the methods of delivery, type of feeding as well as antibiotics play an important role in shaping the gut microbiota. One of the first colonization of the gut occurs during delivery. If the infant is born through the birth canal, they are exposed to the fecal and vaginal bacteria from the mother. If they are born through a cesarean section they are originally exposed to bacteria from the hospital, they contain a higher number of Clostridium difficile and have a delayed growth of other microflora compared to vaginally birthed infants. Whether infants were breastfed, formula-fed or a combination of the two, depending on the condition, they will have differing populations of streptococci, staphylococci, enterococci, lactobacilli, enterobacteria, Bacteroides, Clostridium and