Diversity of Human Microbial Pathogens and Commensals

摘要

Complex microbial ecosystems occupy the cutaneous and mucosal surfaces of humans. Recent advances have highlighted both the tremendous diversity of these communities and their importance to host physiology, yet, we have only scratched the surface. Questions remain about the ecological processes that establish and maintain the human microbiota throughout life. Furthermore, basic features of the human microbial ecosystem remain poorly described, including variability in diversity, in space and time.