The surface of our body contains a multitude of ideal environments for the growth of various species of microorganisms that play a fundamental role in our health. Now, a team of scientists from the National Human Genome Research Institute and the National Cancer Institute (USA) have drawn up the first map of the fungi that inhabit our skin.
The researchers sequenced DNA from 14 different sites in the body of ten healthy individuals, generating more than 5 million genetic markers. This means, according to the authors, that in our body there are up to 80 different types of fungi, which are also distributed by the same with differentiated signature. Specifically, the heels, nails and toes are the most diverse ecosystems, while the head and trunk host the least fungal variety, between two and ten genera. Another surprising result is that the hands, which are home to many types of bacteria, harbor little diversity of fungi.
“Fungi on the feet of healthy people are more diverse than on the arms, head and trunk. These findings will help guide future research on the role of fungi and bacteria in the skin ”, Heidi Kong, one of the authors of the study published in the journal Nature , explained to SINC. Defining the populations of fungi on the skin will facilitate investigations of the dermatological diseases caused by these organisms.
