Medical Importance of the Normal Microflora

It has been estimated that there are more microbial cells inhabiting the human body than there are eukaryotic cells of which it is made up. This normal microflora usually co-exists relatively peacefully with the host and does not cause infection. The mechanisms by which this co-existence is achieved are still not properly understood and the interaction between the normal microflora and the host is far from simple. For a variety of reasons, however, this interaction can be disturbed and often res