Abstract
This chapter discusses skin infections and infestations. There are two types of skin flora, namely, resident and transient. The resident flora represents the organisms that are always present on the whole skin surface, including those in the deeper parts of the skin such as the ducts of sebaceous and sweat gland follicles. This flora consists predominantly of Staphylococcus epidermidis, micrococci, and diphtheriods. Small numbers of anaerobic cocci and propionibacteria also may be present. The transient flora consists of a wider range of organisms than the resident flora and may come in contact with the superficial aspects of the skin from the environment, another person, or from the person's own alimentary tract. The following factors result in the limitation of the survival and growth of these organisms: (1) cleaning and washing, (2) presence of an intact mechanical barrier of normal skin, (3) drying of some intruding bacteria on the skin, (4) fatty acids on the skin inhibit many bacteria, and (5) antimicrobial substances produced by the resident skin flora.
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