General microbiology - viruses, bacteria, fungi >>>> Violation of the microflora of the human body

Violation of the microflora of the human body.

The human body is colonized (populated) by many varieties of microorganisms (approximately 500 species), which make up its microflora and live in a certain quantitative balance with each other. The community of these microorganisms is called a microbiocenosis . Colonies of such organisms occupy the surface of the skin and body cavities that communicate with the external environment, and ideally they are not present in the lungs, internal organs and in the uterus. Microflora is divided into permanent (microorganisms that are constantly present in the human body) and transient (microorganisms that enter the body for a while and are not capable of permanent existence in it).

Permanent microorganisms, in turn, are divided into obligatory and optional.

Obligant microorganisms form the basis of human microbiocenosis. These include: lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, peptostreptococci, Escherichia coli and others. As a rule, such microorganisms are aerobes (they need oxygen for life) and anaerobes (live in the absence of oxygen). They are enclosed in a highly hydrated biofilm that protects them from harmful environmental influences. It is this film that lines the surface of the mucous membranes and its destruction is detrimental to such organisms.

Facultative microorganisms are a smaller part of the biocenosis. These include staphylococci, streptococci, Klebsiella, Clostridia, varieties of fungi, and so on. Optional microorganisms, being present in small numbers, do not harm the body, but in the case of their increased reproduction, they can cause serious diseases.

Distinguish between the microflora of the skin, the microflora of the conjunctiva, the microflora of the upper respiratory tract, the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract (oral cavity, stomach, small and large intestines), microflora of the genitourinary tract and the microflora of the vagina. The trachea, bronchi, alveoli, kidneys, ureters, bladder, prostate and uterus are usually sterile (do not have microflora). The microflora of various organs varies in composition. Each of the microflora habitats naturally regulates the quantitative composition of microorganisms. The regulators of the amount of microflora are active substances in saliva, gastric juice, as well as opposition from obligatory microorganisms.

Normal microflora plays many roles in the human body:

Performs an antagonistic function (quantitatively resists harmful microorganisms) - this is a factor of nonspecific resistance of the organism
Is a participant in colonization resistance (this function is mainly performed by anaerobes - they prevent the seeding of mucous membranes by pathogenic microorganisms)
Participates in enzymatic and metabolic processes (digestion and detoxification of metabolites, regulation of gas composition in the intestine, metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids, nucleic acids, regulation of steroid hormones)
Busy with the synthesis of biologically active substances (vitamins K and group B, antibiotics)
Influences the formation and maintenance of immunity (the microflora includes microorganisms whose antigens stimulate the immune system, resulting in the production of lymphocytes and macrophages)

To maintain the human body in a healthy state, it is very important not to disturb the natural balance in the microbiocenosis. Poor ecology and nutrition, stress, abuse and violations in the use of antibiotics and other drugs that affect the vital activity of microorganisms, radiation and chemotherapy, surgical interventions violate this delicate balance and contribute to the suppression of beneficial microflora and the uncontrolled growth of pathogenic microorganisms. So there are diseases dysbiosis (disorders in the composition of bacterial microflora) and dysbiosis (disorders in the composition of all microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, fungi and others).

The imbalance in the microbiocenosis (the growth of opportunistic and pathogenic microorganisms and the decrease of microorganisms - antagonists, which in normal conditions restrain their growth) is reversible and irreversible.

In the case when the quantitative composition of beneficial microorganisms is disturbed, but still prevails over the pathogenic microflora and this violation is not persistent, it is possible to restore the microflora to the required level.

But, in a situation where the quantitative equilibrium in the microbiocenosis is irreversibly violated, the restoration of microflora is practically impossible, it is only possible to maintain its quantitative composition by additional introduction of the corresponding representatives of microflora into the body. Such representatives of microflora, grown artificially or obtained from animal tissues, do not take root forever and do not live in the human body for long, but they perform their functions of suppressing pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic organisms, thereby enabling the remaining number of beneficial microorganisms to multiply.

Why are we talking about conditionally pathogenic organisms? The fact is that with an ideal microbiocenosis in the human body, dozens of types of microorganisms with pathogenic signs (that is, harmful and dangerous for the functioning of the human body) live quietly. These are staphylococci, streptococci, enterococci, E. coli, fungi of the genus Candida and other representatives of the natural microflora. Their populations are naturally contained, which prevents them from causing significant harm. Such microorganisms also have their own functional tasks in the general business of metabolism and they live in symbiosis with beneficial microorganisms as commensals(a kind of symbiosis when one of the symbiotes receives useful substances at the expense of the other and does not cause any harm to it). But in cases where such microorganisms enter organs and systems in which they should not be located, their quantitative growth and the ability to produce toxic substances causes serious diseases.

Signs of microflora disorders.

There are a number of signs by which one can judge whether there are microflora disorders in the body:

Acute and chronic inflammatory processes of the mucous membranes of various organs and their systems (oral cavity, intestines, vagina)
Weak response of the body to infection or no response at all (reduced immunity)
Frequent diseases of viral and / or bacterial origin (ARVI, FLU, laryngitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, tonsillitis)
Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea, constipation, excessive gas production - flatulence, colitis)
Frequent diseases of fungal etiology (Candidiasis and others)
Furunculosis

Restoration of microflora.

To restore microflora to a normal level, a number of activities are carried out:

Selective decontamination is carried out . To prevent infectious complications with low body resistance and the existence of a risk of autoinfection (the entry of conditionally pathogenic microflora into nonspecific habitats for it) in case of burns, extensive injuries, immunosuppressive therapy, organ and tissue transplants, colonization resistance is restored by selective decontamination, that is, aerobic bacteria and fungi to increase the body's resistance to infectious bioagents. At the same time, poorly adsorbed drugs are prescribed for oral administration, which suppress aerobic microorganisms and do not affect anaerobic ones.
Prescribed prebiotics , substances that are the natural habitat of microorganisms, in which the latter can live and multiply freely (there are contraindications for such appointments, for example, inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, colitis and other diseases).
It is taken orally and washed mucous membranes with probiotics (eubiotics ), freeze-dried live bacteria (representatives of normal microflora). Lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, colibacteria (Escherichia coli) and their combinations with other beneficial microorganisms are used.
Bacteriophages are used for ingestion and washing of mucous membranes in order to suppress opportunistic bacteria.

Restoration of the disturbed microflora is the most important factor in the prevention and prevention of the development of many severe acute and chronic diseases in the human body.