Microbial Inhabitants of Humans

Microbial communities (normal indigenous microbiota) inhabit those regions of the human body that are exposed to the external environment, including the skin, eyes, oral cavity and the respiratory, urinary, reproductive and gastrointestinal tracts. Consequently, the key anatomical and physiological characteristics of each body site are described throughout this book to reveal why particular organisms are able to colonize an anatomical region. The crucial roles of the indigenous microbiota in protecting against exogenous pathogens, regulating the development of our immune system and mucosae, and providing nutrients are also discussed.

This advanced textbook provides a unique overview of the microbial communities (normal indigenous microbiota) inhabiting those regions of the human body that are exposed to the external environment, including the skin, eyes, oral cavity and the respiratory, urinary, reproductive and gastrointestinal tracts. In order to understand why particular organisms are able to colonise an anatomical region and why the resulting microbial community has a particular composition, an ecological approach is essential. Consequently, the key anatomical and physiological characteristics of each body site are described throughout the book. The crucial roles of the indigenous microbiota in protecting against exogenous pathogens, regulating the development of our immune system and mucosae, and providing nutrients are also discussed. The involvement of these organisms in infections of healthy and debilitated individuals are discussed throughout and methods of manipulating the composition of the indigenous microbiota for the benefit of human health are also described.

1. An introduction to the human-microbe symbiosis; 2. The skin and its indigenous microbiota; 3. The eye and its indigenous microbiota; 4. The respiratory system and its indigenous microbiota; 5. The urinary system and its indigenous microbiota; 6. The reproductive system and its indigenous microbiota; 7. The gastrointestinal tract and its indigenous microbiota; 8. The oral cavity and its indigenous microbiota; 9. Role of the indigenous microbiota in maintaining human health; 10. Manipulation of the indigenous microbiota.

The microbes that live on humans are discussed in this textbook for advanced students. It explains how these indigenous microorganisms come to be on our body and how they can survive there. The benefits of these organisms to humans are discussed along with the diseases that they can cause.