Antagonism within populations of micro-organisms from normal human skin.
The skin flora of 20 normal subjects was sampled from 7-cm2 sites on the volar forearm, forehead and ball of the foot. Interactions between all aerobic and anaerobic strains isolated from the same site were examined by a deferred-antagonism technique. Seventeen subjects possessed inhibitory strains on at least one skin site. Of the Micrococcaceae tested, 20.6% were inhibitory. Of the aerobic diphtheroids, more strains were sensitive (19.2%) than inhibitory (5.1%). Inhibitory Micrococcaceae and aerobic diphtheroids revealed intergeneric and intrageneric inhibition. Antagonistic propionibacteria were found (7.4%) but no sensitive strains. Several Micrococcaceae were specifically antagonistic towards only one strain isolated from the same skin site; no sensitive strains from other skin sites or other subjects were found. Quantitative sampling showed that only 17.5% of the inhibitory strains clearly dominated their skin sites numerically.
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000898:Antibiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents