Forum for Nordic Dermato-Venereology Nr2,2017 | Page 27

Hanna Brauner – Karolinska Dermatology Symposium, 2017 “The Microbiome in Health and Disease – Focus on SKIN” In acute flares of AD there are changes in the cutaneous mi- crobiome leading to an overabundance of Staphylococci that decline in patients post-flare. The post-flare microbiome how- ever never reaches the composition of control subjects. There is also evidence that non-pathogenic bacteria could modulate inflammation. Dr Volz and colleagues therefore performed a double-blind placebo-controlled randomised prospective study on non-pathogenic bacteria as therapy. A cream with a lysate of the gram negative bacteria Vitreoscilla filiformis was used to treat patients with AD. The cream showed efficacy in a one-month follow up and the underlying mechanisms were explored in experimental models. Skin microbiome and body odor Chris Callewaert, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, San Diego, Ghent University, Belgium Dr Callewaert is interested in malodor and the microbiome of the armpit. In humans the armpit microbiome mainly constitutes of staphylococci and corynebacteria. To understand the link between microbes and axillary malodor Dr Callewaert and colleagues have collected clinical material from the armpit of 200 people and performed odor panels and assessed psychological impact. Key finding from these yet unpublished studies are that higher microbial diversity and an altered pattern of microbiota are linked to malodor. Other factors that are studied in relation to body odor are body mass index (BMI) and age. As many bacteria are localized deep inside the skin, for ex- ample in hair follicles and sweat glands, showering may not help to completely clear malodor since it does not affect the deep microbiome. Dr Callewaert and colleagues are now working on a solu