noun
bacterial flora; microbiota
Technical term used in microbiology and medicine to refer to the community of bacteria living in a particular environment, such as the gut or skin.
腸内細菌叢のバランスが健康に影響を与える。
The balance of the gut microbiota affects health.
抗生物質の
Antibiotic use can alter the bacterial flora.
腸内フローラ specifically refers to the gut flora, whereas 細菌叢 is a broader term that can apply to any body site or environment.
Compound of 細菌 (bacteria) and 叢 (cluster, thicket), literally 'bacterial cluster'. The term is a modern scientific coinage.