An integrated view of the skin microbiome

摘要

The growing interest in the human body's resident communities of microorganisms has paralleled a growing interest in probiotics and the emerging concept that foods can shape the composition of our gut micro-biota and thus our health. At the same time, fuelled by fears of viruses and bacterial pathogens, hand sanitizers have become ubiquitous. The disconnect between protecting the balance of the 10~(14) bacteria that reside within us and destroying the 10~(10) bacteria that live on us is jarring. However, our knowledge of the skin microbiota pales in comparison with that of our gut microbiota. Seeking to fill these gaps, on page 59 of this issue, Oh et al. present an analysis of the genetic content of the bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms that live on human skin.