An official website of the United States government
          Here’s how you know
        Here’s how you know**Official websites use .gov**A
              **.gov** website belongs to an official government
              organization in the United States.
        **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**A
              **lock** (
              Locked padlock icon) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
 Top Utility Nav
        
        
        Asian-Language Resources
        
        Portal en español


Site search Mega Menu
  

        

        Home
                  Health Topics
                                      
    
  Health Topics

    Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases
          
    Muscle and Bone Diseases
          
    Skin Diseases
          
    All Diseases and Conditions
          
    Publication Catalog
                  Grants & Funding
                                      
    
  Grants & Funding

    Current Funding Opportunities
          
    Supported Scientific Programs
          
    NIAMS-Supported Programs
          
    Applying for a Grant
          
    NIH Policies and Guidance
          
    Peer Review and Grants Administration Resources
          
    Types of Funding Mechanisms (Activity Codes)
                  Labs @ NIAMS
                                      
    
  Labs @ NIAMS

    NIAMS Labs and Core Facilities
          
    Research Faculty
          
    Research Areas
          
    NIAMS Scientific Advances
          
    Training and Career Development
                  Clinical Trials
                                      
    
  Clinical Trials
      
            For Principal Investigators

    Clinical Trial Policies, Guidelines, and Templates
          
    Conducting Clinical Trials
          
    Register with ClinicalTrials.gov

For Patients

What is a Clinical Trial?
	Clinical Trials at NIAMS
	Clinical Trials in the Spotlight
                  News & Events
                                      
    
  Newsroom

    All NIAMS News
          
    NIAMS Newsletters
          
    Meetings & Events
                  About NIAMS
                                      
    
  About NIAMS

    Director's Page
          
    NIAMS Organization
          
    Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2020-2024
          
    Staff Directory
          
    NIAMS Budget
          
    Partnerships
          
    Contact NIAMS
                  Community Outreach
                                      
    
  Community Outreach

    Bone Health
          
    Joint Health
          
    Muscle, Tendon, and Ligament Health
          
    Skin Health
          
    Health Information For Kids And Young Adults
          
    Health Information For Older Adults/Seniors
          
    Printable Materials for Community Events
          
    Resources in Other Languages
          
    Annual Health Observances
          
    Social Media Resources Breadcrumb
    Home
          Newsroom
          Spotlight on Research
          NIH Researchers Survey the Genetic Diversity of Skin Microbes in Eczema Patients





Spotlight on Research


NIH Researchers Survey the Genetic Diversity of Skin Microbes in Eczema Patients *May 25, 2023*
      FacebookEmailPrintFacebookEmail 
    Image
              Scanning electron micrograph of S. aureus bacteria escaping destruction by human white blood cells.
      
                          Scanning electron micrograph of S. aureus bacteria escaping destruction by human white blood cells.



Credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH**Overview**

Using a combination of sequencing techniques, researchers from NIAMS and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) surveyed the skin microbiome of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD, also called eczema) to understand the genetic diversity of the bacteria present on the skin and how genetic variants may contribute to disease severity. The study identified specific staphylococcal strains and genes associated with disease presence and severity. Other factors, such as regional differences in antibiotic use, within-household transmission of bacteria, and the transfer of genes among bacterial cells influenced the genetic diversity of the bacterial strains found on the skin of patients with AD.

This study, which appeared in the journal *Cell Host and Microbe*on April 12, 2023, provides a wealth of information about the vast diversity of skin microbes in AD. This could inform efforts to identify potential new therapeutics for preventing or treating severe disease.

**Background**

AD is an inflammatory skin disease that causes redness, irritation, scaly rashes, and extreme itching. The likelihood of developing AD is greater if there is a family history of AD, allergies, or asthma, indicating that human genetics plays a part. External or environmental factors, such as dry air, excessive sweating, and the use of certain soaps or fragrances also influence the development of AD in those who are genetically susceptible.

People with AD disease flares also tend to have increased *Staphylococcus* species such as *Staphylococcus aureus*(*S. aureus*) and *Staphylococcus epidermidis* (*S. epidermidis)* on their skin. Previous studies in mice have suggested that *S. aureus* may make AD lesions worse and may affect how the immune system functions at the skin site. However, tremendous genomic variability exists even within the same staphylococcal species, and researchers do not fully know which genetic components may be associated with AD or how genetic differences may shape disease severity.

**Select Highlights**

To understand the genomic variability of staphylococcal strains present on the skin of patients with AD, researchers sequenced skin swabs from patients with moderate-to-severe AD and from people with no history of AD. The two sequencing techniques used allowed the researchers to identify and study the genomes of all the bacterial species present on the skin. The research team also looked at all publicly available sequencing data from AD skin swabs from around the world to identify staphylococcal genes associated with AD.

The researchers also found that among one family living together in the same household, members had some of the same bacterial strains on their skin, suggesting that strains can be transmitted, or spread, among family members.

“Antibiotic treatments and strain-sharing within households can shape what we see colonizing the skin,” said the study’s senior author Heidi H. Kong, M.D., M.H.Sc., who is head of the NIAMS Intramural Research Program’s Cutaneous Microbiome and Inflammation Section.

Specific causal relationships were not examined as part of the study, but the researchers discovered that some staphylococcal strains were more commonly found on the skin of patients with AD than on patients with no history of AD. Further, *S. aureus* and *S. epidermidis* found on the skin of patients with severe disease were more likely to harbor genes involved in binding to the skin and in using energy (e.g., metabolism), respectively. In addition, an investigation of the genomes of different bacterial species showed evidence for the transfer of genetic components across species.

“This study showed that the genomic content of staphylococcal species found on the skin of atopic dermatitis patients is even more heterogeneous than we originally thought,” said Kong. Future studies will further examine this diversity to validate which bacterial strains worsen AD, and which do not.



**Referenced Study:**

**Staphylococcal diversity in atopic dermatitis from an individual to a global scale.**
Saheb Kashaf S, Harkins CP, Deming C, Joglekar P, Conlan S, Holmes CJ; NISC Comparative Sequencing Program; Almeida A, Finn RD, Segre JA, Kong HH**.**
Cell Host Microbe. 2023 Apr 12;31(4):578-592.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.03.010.
PMID: 37054678 
    FacebookEmailPrintFacebookEmail
 About NIAMS
                    Clinical Trials
                    Grants & Funding
                    Health Topics
                    Labs @ NIAMS
              News Room
                    NIAMS Multimedia Library
                    Disclaimer
                    FOIA
                    Contact us
              Privacy Statement
                    Accessibility
                    HHS Vulnerability Disclosure
                    Social Media Moderation Policy
                    NIAMS Archives
        Subscribe to Our E-Newsletters
            Click the button to see different options to sign up for newsletters.
            Click Here to Subscribe
          Follow us on
  
  About NIH
                  Accessibility Support
            FOIA requests
                  No FEAR Act data
            Office of the Inspector General
                  Performance reports
            Privacy Policy Back to Top