[Lactobacillus flora and colonization resistance]

Lactobacillus flora of healthy persons and the properties influencing the protective function of lactobacilli are described. It was shown that the species and quantitative composition of the Lactobacillus flora in healthy persons was characterized by individual features and the Lactobacillus flora of separate microbiotopes was different. Furthermore, the properties defining the protective function of lactobacilli in the host: colonization capacity, direct antimicrobial activity and interference with other protective mechanisms were also different in separate species and even strains.