Unit 4

Pathogenic and
Non-pathogenic Microbes

Medical Microbiology - Borders

Essential or beneficial flora: These bacteria are referred to as our indigenous

friendly bacteria. The main members of this group are: Bifidobacteria
(Bifidobacterium bifidum), Lactobacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus
plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus), Propionobacteria, Peptostreptococci and
Enterococci. Beneficial flora is made up of beneficial or good bacteria also called
probiotic. They are the housekeepers of the gut, without them your gut cannot be
healthy. These bacteria fulfill a myriad of vital functions in the body. The whole
surface of the digestive system in a healthy gut flora is covered and dominated by
beneficial bacteria. In a healthy body these beneficial bacteria predominate and
control all other microbes. The beneficial bacteria provide a natural barrier and
protects us against all sorts of invaders, bacteria, parasites, fungi, viruses, toxins etc.
that are in our food and drink that we ingest every day. Apart from providing us with a
physical barrier the beneficial bacteria produce antibiotic like substances that are anti
fungal, anti viral that dissolve viruses and 'bad' bacteria. They also reduce pH near
the wall of the gut making it uninhabitable for the 'bad' bacteria to colonize.

In a healthy animal, the internal

tissues, e.g. blood, brain, muscle, etc.,
are normally free of microorganisms.
However, the surface tissues, i.e., skin
and mucous membranes, are
constantly in contact with
environmental organisms and become
readily colonized by various microbial
species. The mixture of organisms
regularly found at any anatomical site
is referred to as the normal flora. The
normal flora of humans consists of a
few eucaryotic fungi and protists, but
bacteria are the most numerous and
obvious microbial components of the
normal flora.

Gram stain of a species of Micrococcus, commonly isolated from

the skin and nasal membranes of humans.

Bifidobacteria are Gram-positive, nonsporeforming, lactic acid bacteria. They

have been described as "friendly"
bacteria in the intestine of humans.
Bifidobacterium bifidum is the
predominant bacterial species in the
intestine of breast-fed infants, where it
presumably prevents colonization by
potential pathogens. These bacteria are
sometimes used in the manufacture of
yogurts and are frequently incorporated
into probiotics.

Bifidobacterium bifidum. Gram stain

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Forms of symbiotic relationships- species Living Together

Mutualism

Association in which both partners benefit

Synthesis of vitamins K and B
Commensalism

Association in which one partner benefits and other is

unharmed
Flora living on skin
Parasitism

Association in which the microbe benefits at the expense of the

host - pathogenic infection
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Normal Flora
Normal flora are the ~harmless
microorganisms found on your body
Normal flora are found on every part of
your body that normally comes in contact
with outside world (deep lungs and
stomach are exceptions)
Normal flora can be transient or
permanent (transient vs. resident)
Note that not all normal flora is always
harmless normal flora includes
opportunistic pathogens such as E. coli
which can cause urinary tract infections

Physical barriers

Chemical barriers

Normal flora

Normal Flora

Includes bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses and arthropods

Most areas of the body in contact with the outside

environment harbor resident microbes; large intestine has the
highest numbers of bacteria.

Internal organs and tissues and fluids are microbe-free.

Bacterial flora benefit host by preventing overgrowth of

harmful microbes microbial antagonism.

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Normal flora defined as

populations of
microorganisms
routinely found growing
on the body of a healthy
individual
Resident flora
Transient flora

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 Digestion
Production of vitamins
Mucosal maturation
Stimulate Immune System
Attachment
Intestinal transit
Colonization resistance

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Composition is Dynamic
Dynamic nature of normal flora
Normal flora established during birth process
Once established, composition of flora is dynamic
Changes result from physiological variation within the host
Each member of flora ecosystem is influenced by presence
and condition of other members

 Normal flora can help the you) by synthesizing

vitamins (such as vitamin K)
Normal flora can help the host by metabolizing
materials into useful nutrients such as cellulose
digestion in termites, ungulates, and even primates
Normal flora can help the host by effecting
Microbial Competition or Microbial Antagonism

Uterus and its contents are normally sterile and remain so until
just before birth.

Breaking of fetal membrane exposes the infant; all subsequent

handling and feeding continue to introduce what will be normal
flora.

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Protective Role
Protective role of normal flora
Contributions include
Protection against potentially harmful organisms
Stimulate immune system

If normal flora are killed or growth suppressed pathogens

may colonize and cause disease

Competitively Excluding Pathogens

Protection against potentially harmful organisms
Normal flora competitively exclude pathogens by:
Covering binding sites used for pathogenic attachment
Consuming available nutrients
Producing toxic compounds such as antibiotics

Stimulating immune system

Stimulate immune system
Response mounted against normal flora that
occasionally breaches bodys anatomical barriers
Response to normal flora may enable the immune system to
cross-react with a future pathogen
Priming the immune system without causing illness in the host

Stomach
Gram+ aerobes, Lactobacillus
& Streptococcus

Small intestine:
Proximal ileum (103-104 cfu/ml)
aerobic Gram+
Distal ileum (1011-1012 cfu/ml) Gramanaerobes

Colon (1011-1012 cfu/ml):

Bacteroides, Eubacteria,
Peptostreptococci, E. coli,
Bifidobacterium, Fusobacteria

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Kidneys: sterile

Bladder: sterile
Urethra: 101-102 E. coli

Avg. adult has 2 m2 of skin surface.

Skin is not favorable to microbial growth since it is subject to drying.

Most microbes are associated with the sweat glands.

The flora of the skin consists of resident and transient populations

of microbes. Resident microbes live and multiply on the skin,
whereas transient flora almost always are unable to multiple and
usually die.

Resident flora remains fairly constant, although it can be affected by

several factors.

Saliva contains antibacterial enzymes: lysozyme and lactoperoxidase

(also present in milk).
Saliva (pervasive, although not the best nutrient source), food particles,
and epithelial debris provide nutrients for microbes.
Microbes colonize many surfaces in the mouth, including teeth and
gingival crevices. The flora of the mouth changes with stages of growth,
ex. acquisition of teeth.
A thin organic film forms on the tooth surface, to which acidic
glycoproteins from the saliva attach, enabling only a few species of
Streptococcus (ex. S. mutans) to adhere.
Dental caries = tooth decay = infectious disease caused by microbes.
High sugar diets promote tooth decay because lactic acid bacteria ferment
the sugars to lactic acid decalcification of the enamel proteolysis of
the matrix of tooth enamel further infection/decay. Fluoride prevents
the decalcification step.
Microorganisms in the mouth can also cause other infections.

Upper respiratory tract = nasopharynx, oral cavity,

and throat.
Staphylococci, streptococci, diphtheroid bacillia, and
gram-neg. cocci, as well as potentially harmful
bacteria (ex. Staph. aureus and Strep. Pneumoniae)
are often part of the normal flora of the nasopharynx
of healthy individuals.
Lower respiratory tract = trachea, bronchi, and lungs.
The lower respiratory tract is essentially sterile.
Ciliated epithelium beat contaminants upward.

Vitamin K Synthesis
Humans

are unable to
synthesize vitamin K.

It

must either be acquired

from dietary sources, or as
metabolic by-products of
intestinal bacteria.

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Bring you completed notes

to class on Oct 18, for they
will count as part of your
quiz grade.

Study the notes, for you

will have a quiz over the
information in the notes.
(you will not be able to use
your notes on the quiz)

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