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unpublished studies are that higher microbial diversity and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