A new article published in APMIS discussed that cutaneous microbial composition is influenced by the skins microenvironment as well as internal and external influences. Local changes in the microenvironment can influence the communitys composition, perhaps leading to a microbiota imbalance. Changes in the microbial profile are prevalent in inflammatory skin disorders as well as persistent infections. A shift in microbiota balance toward variables affecting and a larger abundance of certain pathogens may exacerbate disease pathogenicity.

The authors stated that such changes may be avoided with the topical use of probiotics that promote a diverse multispecies population. Compositional differences may also serve as possible indicators for predicting flares or monitoring efficacy during treatment. New methods, such as machine learning, may help predict microbial changes prior to the onset of chronic infections and flares.

The present review compared the composition and distribution of a healthy population of microorganisms in the skin to that of chronic infections and chronic inflammatory skin diseases such as acne vulgaris and Hidradenitis Suppurativa. The study also looked into the role of specific species in disease development, as well as methods for preventing disease recurrence.

Source: APMIS : Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica, et Immunologica Scandinavica. 2021 Dec 17. doi: 10.1111/apm.13201.