Scientists produce map of bacteria's favourite parts of human body

Published on Thursday 5 November 2009 20:26

A "BUG atlas" of the human body has revealed where microbes are most likely to thrive.

Hotspot skin sites of bacterial diversity included the forearms, palms, index finger, the back of the knee and the sole of the foot.

The US study showed that humans carry their own personalised communities of bacteria around with them.

The researchers, from the University of Colorado at Boulder, probed numerous niches where bugs were likely to be found, including ear canals, nostrils, the mouth and the lower intestine.

Study leader Dr Rob Knight said:

"The goal is to find out what is normal for a healthy person, which will provide a baseline for further studies to look at people with diseased states."