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Microflora of the Gastrointestinal Tract

A Review

  • Protocol
Public Health Microbiology

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 268))

Abstract

The mucosal surface of the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is about 200–300 m2 and is colonized by 1013–14 bacteria of 400 different species and subspecies. Savage (1) has defined and categorized the gastrointestinal microflora into two types, autochthonous flora (indigenous flora) and allochthonous flora (transient flora). Autochthonous microorganisms colonize particular habitats, i.e., physical spaces in the GI tract, whereas allochthonous microorganisms cannot colonize particular habitats except under abnormal conditions. Most pathogens are allochthonous microorganisms; nevertheless, some pathogens can be autochthonous to the ecosystem and normally live in harmony with the host, except when the system is disturbed (2).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore

    Wei-Long Hao & Yuan-Kun Lee

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  1. Wei-Long Hao
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  2. Yuan-Kun Lee
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos, (PROIMI)-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina

    John F. T. Spencer  & Alicia L. Ragout de Spencer  & 

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© 2004 Humana Press Inc. Totowa, NJ

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Hao, WL., Lee, YK. (2004). Microflora of the Gastrointestinal Tract. In: Spencer, J.F.T., Ragout de Spencer, A.L. (eds) Public Health Microbiology. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 268. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-766-1:491

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-766-1:491

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-117-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-766-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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