What is eczema?
Eczema is a well-known skin disease that is not contagious. The disease causes inflammation within the skin’s outer barrier and is a common definition for various skin diseases with almost identical symptoms. These symptoms may involve redness, swelling, dryness, itching, scales and possibly blister formations due to a substance which irritates the skin, or because the skin is dry and cracked.
Why some develop eczema and others do not, has still not been established, but environment and heritage are believed to be significantly factors. Even though the cause is yet to be clarified, it is clear that the skin is different in people with and without eczema. People with eczema have thinner skin and is more vulnerable to infections, as the skin, which normally functions as a barrier against diseases triggering microorganisms and dirt, is more dry and chapped. This makes it easier for the microorganisms to infect the body and cause inflammation which then causes the skin to turn red, swell and itch.
One of the many types of eczema is ‘atopic eczema’, which is most frequently seen in children. In this case, the skin’s function as a barrier is impaired, which means that it has difficulties maintaining fluid, causing it to dry out and crack. Furthermore, the skin contains less fat, which causes it to be more exposed to powerful strain.
Most often, extreme itching and fluid-filled eczema is seen among children under 2 years, while the condition, among children aged 2-12 years, is usually characterised by thickened and dry areas with cracks on especially the arms and legs as well as the head – particularly the scalp and forehead being vulnerable areas.
New study shows the effect of bacteria on eczema
A new study from Rotterdam may have discovered the cause of eczema. Their research showed that in 70 % of all cases, the individuals with eczema are colonised with the bacteria ‘staphylococcus aureus ‘– often referred to as ‘staph’ – in their surface wounds. For patients with more severe degrees of the condition, the risk of being colonised with the bacteria was higher. These results give a clear indication of the significance of this colonisation as a possible trigger of eczema. Furthermore, the areas of the skin, which were not seemingly affected by eczema, were colonised by the bacteria in 39 % of the cases, compared to a colonisation rate of 70 % in the areas where eczema was significant.
This percentage of patients with the presence of the staph-bacteria on their healthy skin was almost 20 times greater compared to the healthy control subjects who participated in the study. It was evident that 80 % of the patients with eczema had a type of staph-bacteria that produced toxins, which is the poisonous substances from the bacteria, known to trigger inflammation. This contributes to the impaired skin barrier which is seen among the patients. Based on this, researchers are considering if the bacteria may turn out to be the primary trigger of the condition.
Just now, eczema is treated with corticosteroids and possibly antibiotics if there is an infection. This treatment, however, is not entirely harmless as these mentioned medicaments may cause side-effects, resistance to the drug and damage the normal and beneficial bacteria of the skin, which is why the medicaments should not be used over an extended period. Instead, the researchers will now begin to examine how patients with eczema respond to a treatment against the staph-bacteria.
The way in which this drug acts against the staph-bacteria is different from antibiotics, which means that even antibiotic-resistant bacteria will be sensitive to the treatment. There have not yet been observed any staph-bacteria that are resistant to this treatment, which also has a very specific effect that causes the other bacteria – normally located in the skin – to remain unaffected. For this reason, the treatment can be used for an extended period.
The substance used for the treatment is already found in the medicament ‘Gladskin’ – a skin cream, which is used in inflammatory conditions, such as eczema. A study has already been initiated to examine how patients with eczema respond to Gladskin. This study will show the significance of a targeted staph-treatment on the symptoms associated with eczema as well as the overall microbiological environment on the skin. It will be exciting to see how this treatment works in relation to a possible long-term treatment for patients with eczema.
