Taking oral antibiotics can damage the normal human gut microbiota and increase

Question

Taking oral antibiotics can damage the normal human gut microbiota and increase growth of pathogens. Could something similar occur when topical antibiotics are used on skin?

Choose all correct answers.

No, because antibiotics only target harmful species and do not harm the normal microbiota Yes, because the microbial communities on the skin and in the gut are very similar in composition Yes, because the antibiotics may encourage the growth of antibiotic-resistant species No, because antibiotics used on the skin are less toxic than those taken orally Yes, because the normal microbiota help to prevent colonization by pathogenic species No, because antibiotics do not penetrate the skin, and skin microbes live beneath the upper layers of the epidermis

Explanation / Answer

Yes, because the microbial communities on the skin and in the gut are very similar in composition: Microbial communities on skin and gut have low diversity

Yes, because the antibiotics may encourage the growth of antibiotic-resistant species: Every use of antibiotics raise the growth of resistant strains

Yes, because the normal microbiota help to prevent colonization by pathogenic species Ex:  "removing P. aeruginosa from the skin, through use of oral or topical antibiotics, may inversely allow for aberrant yeast colonization and infection

No, because antibiotics do not penetrate the skin, and skin microbes live beneath the upper layers of the epidermis: Broad-spectrum fluoroquinolones have also been shown to be effective and excellent skin penetration.

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