Which of the following is/are true regarding our normal microbiota? Select all that apply.
a. Our normal microbiota is easily disrupted by hygiene practices like hand washing.
b. Our normal microbiota can include pathogens.
c. Normal microbiota compete with pathogens.
d. Normal microbiota may colonize us before we are even born.
e. Normal microbiota changes over time.
f. The normal microbiota that we have as adults is the same as we had as children.
g. The normal microbiota of the gut is similar to that of the skin.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of normal microbiota, which refers to the community of microorganisms that live on and inside the human body without causing disease under normal conditions.
2. Step 2: Evaluate option (a): Consider how hygiene practices like hand washing affect the normal microbiota. Hand washing can temporarily reduce microbial populations on the skin but does not permanently disrupt the overall normal microbiota.
3. Step 3: Evaluate option (b): Recognize that some members of the normal microbiota can be opportunistic pathogens, meaning they can cause disease if they enter sterile areas or if the immune system is compromised.
4. Step 4: Evaluate option (c): Understand that normal microbiota compete with pathogens by occupying niches and consuming resources, which helps prevent pathogen colonization.
5. Step 5: Evaluate options (d), (e), (f), and (g): Consider that normal microbiota can begin colonizing before birth (though this is still under study), that the microbiota changes over time due to age, diet, and environment, that the microbiota in adults differs from that in children, and that different body sites (like gut and skin) have distinct microbial communities.

Key Concepts

Normal Microbiota Composition and Dynamics

Normal microbiota refers to the diverse community of microorganisms that live on and inside the human body. These populations are dynamic, changing over time due to factors like age, diet, environment, and health status. The microbiota present in adults differs from that in children, reflecting these ongoing changes.

Role of Normal Microbiota in Health and Disease

Normal microbiota can include opportunistic pathogens that usually do not cause disease unless the host's defenses are compromised. They play a protective role by competing with harmful pathogens for resources and space, thus preventing infections and maintaining health.

Influence of Hygiene and Colonization Timing

Hygiene practices like hand washing can temporarily reduce surface microbes but do not permanently disrupt the established normal microbiota. Colonization by microbiota can begin before birth, as some microbes are acquired in utero, and continues after birth, shaping the body's microbial communities.