Summary
Background:
It is recognized that colonization by Staphylococcus aureus (SA) on the skin is one of the factors that can worsen atopic dermatitis (AD). Antibiotics
and germicides are not the best choice to remove bacteria from the skin of AD patients,
because of problems of irritation to the skin and bacterial resistance. We therefore
turned our attention to the biofilm of SA with the aim of removing only SA from the
skin surface of AD patients. We found that xylitol (X) and farnesol (F) synergistically
inhibited biofilm formation by SA and dissolved biofilm formed in vivo (Part 1).
Objective:
To test whether application of AD for 1 week with FX cream can reduce SA without affecting
Staphylococcus epidermidis.
Methods:
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled right-and-left comparison study was
performed. The arms of 17 patients with dry-type AD were applied with skin-care cream
including/or not including a 0.02% F and 5% X combination for 1 week. The clinical
response, biophysical assessment of the skin surface and counts of skin microflora
were recorded before and after 1 week of therapy.
Results:
The ratio of SA in total bacteria at sites to which FX cream had been applied was
significantly decreased after 1 week (P = 0.007), compared with before application and with placebo sites (P = 0.045). The mean skin conductance (a parameter indicating the state of hydration of
the skin surface) of FX cream sites was increased significantly compared with the
conductance before application (P = 0.0001) and at placebo sites (P = 0.002).
Conclusion:
This study provides evidence supporting the idea that cream containing F and X is
a useful skin-care agent for atopic dry skin colonized by SA.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Journal of Dermatological ScienceAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Patch testing to exclude allergic contact dermatitis caused by povidone-iodine.Dermatology. 2002; 204: 96-98
- Adherence characteristics and susceptibility to antimicrobial agents of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from skin infections and atopic dermatitis.J Dermatol Sci. 2000; 23: 155-160
- Assessment of contact-plate sampling technique and subsequent quantitative bacterial studies in atopic dermatitis.Br J Dermatol. 1990; 123: 493-501
- Correlation between the population of Staphylococcus aureus on the skin and severity of a score of dry type atopic dermatitis conditions.Nippon Hifuka Gakkai Zasshi. 1997; 107: 1103-1111
- Comparative study of Staphylococcal flora on the skin surface of atopic dermatitis patients and healthy subjects.J Dermatol. 1994; 21: 453-560
- Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated in subjects with atopic dermatitis.J Dermatol Sci. 2001; 26: 145-155
- A guideline for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.Research Group of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Japan, 2001
- Disruption of barrier: dry skin and bacteria.Month Book Dermatol (Jpn). 1999; 27: 17-22
- The relation between atopic dermatitis and Staphylococcus aureus on its lesions using the contact-plate technique.Skin Res. 1996; 38: 130-134
- New method for determination of efficacy of health care personnel hand wash products.J Clin Microbiol. 1989; : 2295-2299
- The effect of age on the normal bacterial flora of the skin.Br J Dermatol. 1969; 81: 14-22
- Age-related change in the resident bacterial flora of the human face.J Invest Dermatol. 1975; 65: 379-381
- Correlation between a quantity of Staphylococcus aureus on the skin of atopic dermatitis and skin conductance.Skin Res. 1998; 40: 60-66
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 21,
2005
Received in revised form:
January 18,
2005
Received:
November 12,
2004
Identification
Copyright
© 2005 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
ScienceDirect
Access this article on ScienceDirectLinked Article
- A novel method to control the balance of skin microflora: Part 1. Attack on biofilm of without antibioticsJournal of Dermatological ScienceVol. 38Issue 3
- PreviewStaphylococcus aureus (SA) is usually present in atopic dry skin, and not only in regions seriously affected by atopic dermatitis. SA discharges various toxins and enzymes that injure the skin, and forms a biofilm from fibrin fiber and glycocalyx; the biofilm is important for adhesion of SA to the skin and for resistance to anti-microbial agents. Even highly effective moisturizers do not work perfectly on atopic dry skin. Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE) is a major constituent of skin microflora on healthy human skin, and provides protection against the growth of pathogenic bacteria.
- Full-Text
- Preview
- Corrigendum to “A novel method to control the balance of skin microflora: Part 2. A study to assess the effect of a cream containing farnesol and xylitol on atopic dry skin” [J. Dermatol. Sci. 38 (2005) 207–213]Journal of Dermatological ScienceVol. 39Issue 3
