Tuning of skin immunity by skin commensal bacteria

Amplicon-based skin microbiome profiles collected by tape stripping with different adhesive film dressings: a comparative study

Background

Medical film dressings have been used to obtain skin microbiota for skin microbiome studies, although their adhesive force may be so strong that the skin could be injured when applied to those who have fragile skin, such as older people. Several products with less adhesive force are available, although their applicability for skin microbiome studies remains unknown. This study aimed to test whether the dressings with less adhesive force could be used for amplicon-based skin microbiome studies. A set of three different film dressings, with acrylic, urethane, or silicone adhesive, was applied to the back skin of nine healthy young participants. The copy number of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene, microbial compositions, and alpha and beta diversity indices were analyzed by amplicon analysis of the 16S rRNA gene using next-generation sequencing and were compared among the three film dressings.

Results

The dressing with acrylic adhesive yielded the highest copy number of 16S rRNA genes, followed by that with urethane adhesive. The silicone-adhesive dressing yielded a significantly lower copy number of the 16S rRNA gene. The microbial composition of skin microbiota was similar among the three film dressings, although significant differences in the relative abundance of Pseudomonas species and alpha diversity indices were found in the silicone-adhesive dressing. The Bray–Curtis dissimilarity was significantly higher between the acrylic- and silicone-adhesive dressings than between the acrylic- and urethane-adhesive dressings. No adverse effects related to tape stripping were observed for any of the film dressings.

Conclusion

We recommend dressings with acrylic or urethane adhesive for amplicon-based skin microbiome studies. An acrylic adhesive has an advantage in the yield of skin microbiota, and a urethane adhesive should be chosen when applied to fragile skin. The adhesive force of the dressing with silicone adhesive was too weak to be used for collecting skin microbiota.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12866-021-02122-4.

Microbiome Imbalances: An Overlooked Potential Mechanism in Chronic Nonhealing Wounds

Chronic nonhealing wounds are a severe burden to health care systems worldwide, causing millions of patients to have lengthy hospital stays, high health care costs, periods of unemployment, and reduced quality of life. Moreover, treating chronic nonhealing wounds effectively and reasonably in countries with limited medical resources can be extremely challenging. With many outstanding questions surrounding chronic nonhealing wounds, in this review, we offer changes to the microbiome as a potentially ignored mechanism important in the formation and treatment of chronic wounds. Our analysis helps bring a whole new understanding to wound formation and healing and provides a potential breakthrough in the treatment of chronic nonhealing wounds in the future.

Obesity as a Determinant of Staphylococcus aureus Colonization Among Inmates in Maximum-Security Prisons in New York State

Obesity increases a person's susceptibility to a variety of infections, including Staphylococcus aureus infections, which is an important cause of morbidity in correctional settings. Using a cross-sectional design, we assessed the association between obesity and S. aureus colonization, a risk factor for subsequent infection, in New York State maximum-security prisons (2011-2013). Anterior nares and oropharyngeal cultures were collected. Structured interviews and medical records were used to collect demographic, behavioral, and medical data. Body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m(2))) was categorized as 18.5-24.9, 25-29.9, 30-34.9, or ≥35. The association between BMI and S. aureus colonization was assessed using log-binomial regression. Thirty-eight percent of 638 female inmates and 26% of 794 male inmates had a BMI of 30 or higher. More than 40% of inmates were colonized. Female inmates with a BMI of 25-29.9 (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 1.76), 30-34.9 (PR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.17, 1.98), or ≥35 (PR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.96) had a higher likelihood of colonization than did those with a BMI of 18.5-24.9 after we controlled for age, educational level, smoking status, diabetes status, and presence of human immunodeficiency virus. Colonization was higher among male inmates with a BMI of 30-34.9 (PR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.61). Our findings demonstrate an association between BMI and S. aureus colonization among female prisoners. Potential contributory biologic and behavioral factors should be explored.