UC San Diego

Patients with atopic dermatitis are frequently colonized by Staphylococcus aureus. If S. aureus is present, then the subject tends to have more severe disease. However, it is unclear if S. aureus is a cause of atopic dermatitis or a consequence of the abnormal epithelial environment. In this issue of the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Meylan et al. present evidence from a prospective clinical trial that shows that S. aureus colonization precedes onset of atopic dermatitis in children. These observations suggest that S. aureus may cause atopic dermatitis in some individuals.