Staphylococcus: An Opportunistic Gut Resident

Staphylococcus species are common parts of the microbiome in the skin and nose, but they are also found in the gut, although estimates vary about how common this is [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]. The significance of finding Staphylococcus species in the gut is uncertain but they are well known ‘opportunistic’ pathogens - causing infections when they grow to too high numbers in areas of the body that they do not normally occupy [7], [8], [9]. Staphylococcus infections are more of a concern in hospitals where they can be caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which causes very hard to treat infections [10].

We consider low to undetectable levels of harmful Staphylococcus species in the gut to be optimal, although as stated above the evidence for this remains speculative. The best way to combat Staphylococcus is to encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria that will outcompete them for resources. (Adapted from Tiny Health)