@article{mbs:/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-14-3-271, author = "WRIGHT, PATRICIA and TERRY, C. S.", title = "Antagonism within populations of micro-organisms from normal human skin", journal= "Journal of Medical Microbiology", year = "1981", volume = "14", number = "3", pages = "271-278", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/00222615-14-3-271", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-14-3-271", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1473-5644", type = "Journal Article", abstract = "Summary. The skin flora of 20 normal subjects was sampled from 7-cm2 sites on the volar forearm, forehead and ball of the foot. Interactions between all aerobic and anaerobic strains isolated from the same site were examined by a deferred-antagonism technique. Seventeen subjects possessed inhibitory strains on at least one skin site. Of the Micrococcaceae tested, 20·6% were inhibitory. Of the aerobic diphtheroids, more strains were sensitive (19·2%) than inhibitory (5·1%). Inhibitory Micrococcaceae and aerobic diphtheroids revealed intergeneric and intrageneric inhibition. Antagonistic propionibacteria were found (7·4%) but no sensitive strains. Several Micrococcaceae were specifically antagonistic towards only one strain isolated from the same skin site; no sensitive strains from other skin sites or other subjects were found. Quantitative sampling showed that only 17·5% of the inhibitory strains clearly dominated their skin sites numerically.", }