Normal flora benefits us.Organisms in the gut produce vitamin K, and help digest carbohydrates. Normal flora on the body surface prevent opportunistic infections. When both man and microbe benefit, the relationship is called mutualism. In commensalism, one party benefits and the other does not. Parasitism refers to harm being done to man by microbes.
It must be noted that if normal flora moves out of their normal area of residence, they can cause severe infections. As an example, E coli is supposed to be in the gut area only; if it gets introduced into the urinary tract it can cause a urinary tract infection (UTI).
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