ABSTRACT
Normal Skin Flora The skin is covered with microorganisms. These can be either resident organ-
isms, those that can typically be found on the subject's skin, or transients that are ofi:en seen on the skin surface but are quickly shed during normal body hygiene or by skin sloughing. While these organisms are usually bacteria (Table 15.1), the yeast Pityrosporum and skin mite Demodex are also commonly found. These colonizing microbes take residence in the crypts and crevices that favor bacterial growth, and prevent pathologic species from gaining access to these areas.
