Isolation of α-toxin-producing <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> from the skin of highly sensitized adult patients with severe atopic dermatitis

Abstract

Under topical treatment with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agents the colonization of lesional skin with S. aureus was clearly lower than commonly found in untreated patients with AD. Colonization with S. aureus was associated with a higher severity of AD, higher degree of sensitization, and a higher frequency of asthma. The proportion of patients whose skin was colonized with alpha-toxin-producing S. aureus was higher than expected from a former study. Cutaneous colonization with alpha-toxin-producing S. aureus was associated with a higher sensitization level to birch pollen allergen in AD. This may point to a higher susceptibility of patients with higher T-helper 2 polarization towards alpha-toxin-producing S. aureus.