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Skin Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus Precedes the Clinical Diagnosis of Atopic Dermatitis in Infancy

Patrick Meylan1, Caroline Lang1, Sophie Mermoud1

  • 1Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology
|August 27, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Early-life skin colonization by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is linked to atopic dermatitis (AD) development. Higher S. aureus prevalence precedes and coincides with AD onset in infants, suggesting a contributing role.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Atopic dermatitis (AD) is frequently associated with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) skin colonization, which can worsen the condition.
  • The causal link between early-life skin colonization patterns and the development of AD remains insufficiently understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between early-life skin colonization and the subsequent development of atopic dermatitis in infants.
  • To characterize S. aureus prevalence on infant skin in relation to AD onset.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective birth cohort study involving 149 white infants.
  • Clinical assessments and skin swab cultures (axillary and antecubital fossa) were performed at birth and seven time points over the first two years of life.

Main Results:

  • S. aureus was more prevalent on the skin of infants who later developed AD by 3 months of age.
  • S. aureus prevalence increased on infant skin at the time of AD onset and two months prior, compared to unaffected infants.
  • Infants with S. aureus colonization at AD onset were younger than uncolonized infants.

Conclusions:

  • Early-life skin colonization patterns, particularly S. aureus prevalence, may play an active role in the onset of clinical atopic dermatitis in infancy.

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