Scientists raise hopes of cure for eczema itchiness with study of skin bacteria

Researchers have found that Staphylococcus aureus, or Staph, is a common type of skin bacteria that can cause itching.

This finding contributes to the understanding of why scratching can accompany certain conditions like eczema or atopic dermatitis. The study, which was published in the journal Cell, focuses on the connection between atopic dermatitis, a common skin condition that irritates up to 20% of children and 10% of adults, and Staphylococcus aureus, or Staph.

The researchers found that when mice with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) applied to their skin were touched with a small filament that would not typically cause itching, they were more likely to experience dermatitis, scratch more, and experience itching. Subsequently, they studied how the bacteria cause itching by administering genetically altered MRSA strains to mice, rendering them incapable of producing specific compounds.

The researchers identified V8 protease as the culprit and demonstrated that injecting this substance into mice results in their scratching behaviour. Samples of skin from people suffering from atopic dermatitis showed evidence of elevated levels of this particular enzyme. The mice’s itching stopped when the researchers gave them an anti-clotting medication that is known to block these receptors in other parts of the body.

Spokesman for the British Skin Foundation and consultant dermatologist Dr. Emma Wedgeworth praised the research, noting that it demonstrated the critical and immediate effects of changes to the skin microbiome.