[Human microbiomes--normal microbiota underlying a growing number of diseases].

Human microbiomes refer to complex bacterial communities colonizing the skin and the mucous membranes of various body cavities. Microbiomes and especially their aberrations have recently been linked to numerous local and systemic diseases. Identification of factors regulating the composition and function of microbiomes is therefore medically highly relevant, but still in its infancy. With the exception of fecal transplantation, microbiome-based medical applications do not yet exist. The active research in the field is expected to provide better understanding on the role of microbiomes in human health, and enable their clinical utilization in the future.