List of human microbiota
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Human microbiota are microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi and archaea) found in a specific environment. They can be found in the stomach, intestines, skin, genitals and other parts of the body.[1] Various body parts have diverse microorganisms. Some microbes are specific to certain body parts and others are associated with many microbiomes. This article lists some of the species recognized as belonging to the human microbiome and focuses on the oral, vaginal, ovarian follicle, uterus and the male reproductive tract microbiota.
Categories of bacteria
The "reference" 70 kg human body is estimated to have around 39 trillion bacteria with a mass of about 0.2 kg.[2][3][4][5] These can be separated into about 10,000 microbial species, about 180 of the most studied is listed below here. However, these can broadly be put into three categories:[6]
Spheres or ball-shaped (cocci bacteria)
Cocci are usually round or spherical in shape. They can form clusters and are non-motile.[7] Examples include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Neisseria gonorrhea.

Rod-shaped bacteria (bacilli)
Bacilli usually have a rod or cylinder shape. Examples include Listeria, Salmonella typhimurium, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Escherichia coli.



Spirals or helixes (spirochetes)
Spirochetes are usually spiral or corkscrew shaped and move using axial filament. Examples include Treponema pallidum and Leptospira borgpetersenii.[8]
Eye
| Binomial Name | Phylum | Location | Pathogenicity | Frequency/Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia pneumoniae | Chlamydiota | Eye | Yes | |
| Chlamydia trachomatis | Chlamydiota | Eye | Yes | |
| Haemophilus aegyptius | Proteobacteria | Eye | ||
| Haemophilus influenzae | Proteobacteria | Eye | Sometimes | |
| Moraxella spp | Proteobacteria | Eye | Sometimes | |
| Neisseria spp | Proteobacteria | Eye | Only N. gonorrheae and N. meningitidis | |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Firmicutes | Eye | Sometimes | |
| Staphylococcus epidermidis | Firmicutes | Eye | ||
| Streptococcus viridans | Firmicutes | Eye |
Mouth
The oral microbiota consists of all the microorganisms that exist in the mouth. It is the second largest of the human body and made of various bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa.[10] These organisms play an important role in oral and overall health. Anthony Van Leeuwenhoek was the first to view these organisms using a microscope he created.[10] The temperature and pH of saliva makes it conducive for bacteria to survive in the oral cavity. Bacteria in the oral cavity include Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Staphylococcus.[11] S. mutans is the main component of the oral microbiota.[11]
A healthy oral microbiome decreases oral infections and promotes a healthy gut microbiome. However, when disturbed, it can lead to gum inflammations and bad breath.[12] Dental plaque is formed when oral microorganisms form biofilms on the surfaces of teeth. Recommended practices to maintain a healthy oral microbiome include practicing good oral hygiene (brushing twice and flossing, replacing toothbrush often), eating healthy diet (food with little or no added sugars and ultra processed foods), drinking lots of water and taking probiotics.
| Binomial Name | Phylum | Location | Pathogenicity | Frequency/Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abiotrophia spp[10] | Mouth | |||
| Actinomyces spp[10] | Actinomycetota | Mouth | ||
| Actinomyces viscosus | Actinomycetota | Mouth | ||
| Actinomyces naeslundii | Actinomycetota | Mouth | ||
| Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans | Mouth | |||
| Arachnia propionica | Mouth | |||
| Aspergillus spp[13] | fungi | Mouth | ||
| Atopobium spp[13] | Actinomycetota | Mouth | ||
| Aureobasidium spp[13] | fungi | Mouth | ||
| Bacterionema matruchotii
(Corynebacterium matruchotii) |
Actinomycetota | Gingiva | ||
| Bacteroides spp[13] | Bacteroidota | Mouth | ||
| Bacteroides gingivalis | Bacteroidota | Mouth | ||
| Bacteroides melaninogenicus | Bacteroidota | Mouth | ||
| Bergeyella spp[13] | Bacteroidota | Mouth | ||
| Bifidobacterium spp[10] | Actinomycetota | Mouth | ||
| Buchnera aphidicola | Mouth | |||
| Bulleidia spp[13] | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Campylobacter spp[10] | Campylobacterota | Mouth | ||
| Candida albicans[10] | Ascomycota (fungi) | Mouth | Sometimes | |
| Capnocytophaga spp[10] | Bacteroidota | Mouth | ||
| Cardiobacterium spp[13] | Proteobacteria | Mouth | ||
| Citrobacter freundii | Throat | |||
| Cladosporium spp[10] | fungi | Mouth | ||
| Corynebacterium spp[10] | Actinomycetota | Mouth | Only C. diphtheriae | |
| Cryptococcus spp[13] | fungi | Mouth | ||
| Desulfobacter spp[10] | Mouth | |||
| Desulfovibrio spp[10] | Mouth | |||
| Dialister spp[13] | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Eikenella corrodens[10] | Proteobacteria | Mouth | Sometimes | |
| Entamoeba gingivalis[10] | Amoebozoa (eukaryote) | Mouth | ||
| Enterococcus spp | Firmicutes | Mouth | Sometimes | |
| Eubacterium spp[10] | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Fusarium spp[13] | fungi | Mouth | ||
| Fusobacterium spp[10] | Fusobacteriota | Mouth | ||
| Fusobacterium necrophorum | Fusobacteriota | Oropharynx | ||
| Fusobacterium nucleatum | Fusobacteriota | Mouth | Sometimes | |
| Gemella spp[13] | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Gordonia spp | Sputum | |||
| Granulicatella spp[13] | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Haemophilus spp[10] | Proteobacteria | Mouth | ||
| Kingella spp[13] | Proteobacteria | Mouth | ||
| Lactobacillus spp[10] | Firmicutes | Mouth, Saliva | No | |
| Lautropia spp[13] | Proteobacteria | Mouth | ||
| Leptotrichia buccalis[10] | Fusobacteriota | Mouth | ||
| Methanobrevibacter oralis[13] | Methanobacteriota (archaea) | Mouth | ||
| Methanosarcina mazeii[13] | Methanobacteriota (archaea) | Mouth | ||
| Micrococcus spp | Mouth | |||
| Mycoplasma spp | Mouth | |||
| Mycoplasma orale | Oropharynx | |||
| Mycobacterium chelonae | Sputum | |||
| Neisseria spp[10] | Proteobacteria | Mouth | Only N. gonorrheae and N. meningitidis | |
| Oribacterium spp[13] | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Peptococcus spp | Mouth | |||
| Peptostreptococcus spp[10] | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Porphyromonas gingivalis[1] | Bacteroidota | Mouth | Sometimes | |
| Prevotella spp[10] | Bacteroidota | Mouth | Sometimes | |
| Propionibacterium spp[10] | Actinomycetota | Mouth | ||
| Pseudoramibacter spp[10] | Mouth | |||
| Rothia dentocariosa[10] | Actinomycetota | Mouth | Occasionally | |
| Selenomonas spp[10] | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Simonsiella spp[10] | Mouth | |||
| Staphylococcus aureus | Firmicutes | Mouth | Sometimes | |
| Staphylococcus epidermidis | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Streptococcus anginosus[10] | Firmicutes | Oropharynx | ||
| Streptococcus mitis | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Streptococcus mutans | Firmicutes | Teeth: dental plaque | ||
| Streptococcus oralis | Firmicutes | Teeth: dental plaque | ||
| Streptococcus sobrinus | Firmicutes | Teeth: dental plaque | ||
| Streptococcus viridans | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Streptococcus constellatus | Firmicutes | Oropharynx | ||
| Streptococcus intermedius | Firmicutes | Oropharynx | ||
| Tannerella forsythia[1] | Bacteroidota | Mouth | Sometimes | |
| Torulopsis glabrata | Mouth | |||
| Treponema denticola[10] | Spirochetota | Mouth | ||
| Trichomonas tenax[13] | eukaryote | Mouth | ||
| Veillonella spp[10] | Firmicutes | Mouth | ||
| Vibrio sputorum | Mouth | |||
| Wolinella spp[10] | Campylobacterota | Mouth | ||
Respiratory System
| Binomial Name | Phylum | Location | Pathogenicity | Frequency/Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acinetobacter spp | Nasopharynx | |||
| Citrobacter freundii | Sputum | |||
| Burkholderia cepacia complex | Proteobacteria | Lung | ||
| Campylobacter sputorum | Nasopharynx | |||
| Candida albicans | Ascomycota (fungi) | Pharynx | ||
| Cardiobacterium spp | Nose | |||
| Chlamydophila pneumoniae | Chlamydiota | Lung | ||
| Fusobacterium spp | Fusobacteriota | Lung | ||
| Haemophilus spp | Proteobacteria | Nasopharynx, lung | ||
| Hemophilus influenzae | Proteobacteria | Mucous membranes | Sometimes | |
| Haemophilus parainfluenzae | Proteobacteria | Pharynx | ||
| Haemophilus paraphrophilus | Proteobacteria | Pharynx | ||
| Kingella spp | Proteobacteria | Upper respiratory tract | ||
| Kingella kingae | Proteobacteria | Upper respiratory tract | ||
| Moraxella spp | Proteobacteria | Nasopharynx | ||
| Moraxella catarrhalis | Proteobacteria | Nasopharynx | ||
| Mycoplasma pneumoniae | Respiratory epithelium | |||
| Neisseria spp | Proteobacteria | Nasopharynx | ||
| Neisseria cinerea | Proteobacteria | Nasopharynx | ||
| Neisseria elongata | Proteobacteria | Pharynx | ||
| Neisseria gonorrhoeae | Proteobacteria | Pharynx[citation needed] | Yes | |
| Neisseria lactamica | Proteobacteria | Nasopharynx | ||
| Neisseria meningitidis | Proteobacteria | Nasopharynx | Yes | |
| Neisseria mucosa | Proteobacteria | Nasopharynx | ||
| Neisseria sicca | Proteobacteria | Nasopharynx | ||
| Peptococcus spp | Upper respiratory tract | |||
| Peptostreptococcus spp | Firmicutes | Pharynx | ||
| Pseudomonas spp | Proteobacteria | Lung | ||
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Proteobacteria | Lung | Yes | |
| Selenomonas sputigena | Firmicutes | Nasopharynx | ||
| Staphylococcus aureus | Firmicutes | Nose | Sometimes | |
| Streptobacillus spp | Throat, nasopharynx | |||
| Streptococcus spp | Firmicutes | Lung | ||
| Streptococcus pyogenes | Firmicutes | Upper respiratory tract | ||
| Streptococcus pneumoniae | Firmicutes | Nasopharynx | Sometimes | |
Gastrointestinal Tract
| Binomial Name | Phylum | Location | Pathogenicity | Frequency/Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achromobacter spp | Large intestine, small intestine | |||
| Acidaminococcus fermentans | Large intestine | |||
| Acinetobacter calcoaceticus | Large intestine | |||
| Actinomyces spp | Actinomycetota | Small and large intestine | ||
| Aeromonas spp | Large intestine, small intestine | |||
| Akkermansia muciniphilia[1] | Verrucomicrobia | Large intestine | ||
| Anaerobiospirillum spp | Large intestine | |||
| Alcaligenes faecalis | Large intestine, small intestine | |||
| Asteroleplasma[14] | GI tract | |||
| Bacillus spp | Firmicutes | Large intestine | ||
| Bacteroides spp[1] | Bacteroidota | GI tract | ||
| Bacteroides fragilis | Bacteroidota | Large intestine | ||
| Bacteroides melaninogenicus | Bacteroidota | Large intestine | ||
| Bifidobacterium spp[1] | Actinomycetota | Large intestine, feces | No | |
| Butyriviberio fibrosolvens | Large intestine | |||
| Campylobacter spp | Campylobacterota | Large intestine | ||
| Clostridium spp[1] | Firmicutes | Large intestine, small intestine | ||
| Clostridium sordellii | Firmicutes | Stomach, small intestine, large intestine | ||
| Dialister[14] | Firmicutes | GI tract | ||
| Escherichia coli[1] | Proteobacteria | GI tract | Sometimes | |
| Enterococcus spp[1] | Firmicutes | GI tract | Sometimes | |
| Eubacterium spp | Firmicutes | GI tract | ||
| Faecalibacterium spp[1] | Firmicutes | Large intestine, small intestine | ||
| Flavobacterium spp | Large intestine, small intestine | |||
| Fusobacterium spp | Fusobacteriota | GI tract | ||
| Helicobacter pylori[1] | Campylobacterota | Stomach | Yes | |
| Lactobacillus spp | Firmicutes | Intestines | ||
| Megasphera[14] | Firmicutes | GI tract | ||
| Methanobrevibacter smithii[1] | Methanobacteriota (archaea) | Intestines | No | |
| Morganella morganii | Intestines | |||
| Mycobacteria spp | Actinomycetota | Large intestine, small intestine | ||
| Mycoplasma spp | Large intestine, small intestine | |||
| Paraprevotella[14] | Bacteroidota | Large intestine | ||
| Peptococcus spp | Large intestine | |||
| Peptostreptococcus spp | Firmicutes | GI tract | ||
| Phascolarctobacterium[14] | GI tract | |||
| Propionibacterium spp | Actinomycetota | Large intestine | ||
| Providencia spp | Large intestine | |||
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Proteobacteria | Large intestine, small intestine | ||
| Roseburia spp | Large intestine | |||
| Ruminococcus spp | Firmicutes | Large intestine | ||
| Ruminococcus bromii | Large intestine | |||
| Sarcina spp | Large intestine | |||
| Streptococcus anginosus | Firmicutes | GI tract | ||
| Streptococcus viridans | Firmicutes | Large intestine, small intestine | ||
| Succinovibrio[14] | GI tract | |||
| Sutterella[14] | GI tract | |||
| Veillonella spp[1] | Firmicutes | Large Intestine | ||
| Vibrio spp | Large intestine, small intestine | |||
| Yersinia enterocolitica | Large intestine | |||
Skin
| Binomial Name | Phylum | Location | Pathogenicity | Frequency/Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acinetobacter spp | Skin | |||
| Bacillus spp | Firmicutes | Skin | ||
| Candida albicans | Ascomycota (fungi) | Skin | ||
| Candida parapsilosis | Ascomycota (fungi) | Skin | ||
| Corynebacterium spp | Actinomycetota | Skin | ||
| Corynebacterium parvum | Actinomycetota | Skin | ||
| Cutibacterium acnes | Actinomycetota | Skin | ||
| Demodex folliculorum | Skin | |||
| Enterobacter cloacae | Skin | |||
| Epidermophyton floccosum | Skin | |||
| Malassezia ovale | Skin | |||
| Micrococcus luteus | Skin | |||
| Micrococcus spp | Skin | |||
| Mycobacterium spp | Actinomycetota | Skin | ||
| Neisseria spp | Proteobacteria | Skin | ||
| Peptostreptococcus spp | Firmicutes | Skin | ||
| Propionibacterium spp | Actinomycetota | Skin | ||
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Proteobacteria | Skin | Mostly | |
| Sarcina spp | Skin | |||
| Staphylococcus aureus | Firmicutes | Skin | Sometimes | |
| Staphylococcus epidermidis | Firmicutes | Skin | Sometimes, mostly not | |
| Staphylococcus haemolyticus | Firmicutes | Skin | ||
| Streptococcus viridans | Firmicutes | Skin | ||
| Trichophyton spp | Skin | |||
Female Reproductive Tract
The vaginal microbiota is shaped by puberty, pregnancy and menopause. Vaginal microbiota including some Lactobacillus species protect the vagina from harmful pathogens.[15] They convert glucose to lactic acid and this acidic environment kills harmful pathogens. The vaginal microbiota in pregnancy varies markedly during the entire time of gestation. The species and diversity of the
microorganisms may be related to the various levels of hormones during pregnancy. Vaginal flora can be transmitted to babies during birth. Vaginal dysbiosis can lead to vaginal infections like bacterial vaginosis which makes one relatively susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases. Good personal hygiene and probiotics promote a healthy vaginal microbiota.[16]
The healthy uterine microbiome has been identified and over 278 genera have been sequenced. Bacteria species like Fusobacterium are typically found in the uterus.[17] Although Lactobacillus may be beneficial in the vagina, "increased levels in the uterus through a breach in the cervical barrier" may be harmful to the uterus.[18]
The ovarian follicle microbiome has been studied using standard culturing techniques. It has been associated with the outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies and birth outcomes. Positive outcomes are related to the presence of Lactobacillus spp while the presence of Propionibacterium and Actinomyces were related to negative outcomes. The microbiome can vary from one ovary to the other. Studies are ongoing in the further identification of those bacteria present.[18]
| Binomial Name | Phylum | Location | Pathogenicity | Frequency/Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acinetobacter spp | Anterior urethra | |||
| Bacteroides spp | Bacteroidota | External genitalia | ||
| Candida albicans | Ascomycota (fungi) | Anterior urethra, external genitalia | Sometimes | |
| Enterobacteriaceae | Anterior urethra, external genitalia | |||
| Gardnerella vaginalis[1] | Vagina | |||
| Lactobacillus spp.[1] | Firmicutes | Vagina | ||
| Mycoplasma hominis[1] | Vagina | |||
| Prevotella spp.[1] | Bacteroidota | Vagina | ||
| Streptococcus viridans | Firmicutes | Anterior urethra, external genitalia |
Male reproductive tract
The microbiome present in seminal fluid has been evaluated. Using traditional culturing techniques the microbiome differs between men who have acute prostatitis and those who have chronic prostatitis. Identification of the seminal fluid microbiome has become one of the diagnostic tools used in treating infertility in men that do not display symptoms of infection or disease. The taxa Pseudomonas, Lactobacillus, and Prevotella display a negative effect on the quality of sperm. The presence of Lactobacillus spp in semen samples is associated with a very high normal sperm count.[18]
| Binomial Name | Phylum | Location | Pathogenicity | Frequency/Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acinetobacter spp | Anterior urethra | |||
| Bacteroides spp | Bacteroidota | External genitalia | ||
| Candida albicans | Ascomycota (fungi) | Anterior urethra, external genitalia | Sometimes | |
| Enterobacteriaceae | Anterior urethra, external genitalia | |||
| Streptococcus viridans | Firmicutes | Anterior urethra, external genitalia |