Analysis of the intestinal microflora: a renaissance

The ability of microbial ecologists to analyse the composition of complex b acterial communities has been greatly enhanced by the application of molecu lar methodologies. The use of these techniques should enable an accurate re cord of the identity and population dynamics of the inhabitants of the inte stinal tract to be obtained, and should promote an improved comprehension o f the relationship between the microflora and the human host. This, in turn , will lead to a new concept of the intestinal microflora of humans.