摘要：OBJECTIVES: To investigate Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis quantitatively in adult patients with atopic dermatitis and in healthy controls treated with UVB radiation. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-three adult patients (of these, 3 were excluded) with flexural atopic dermatitis and 20 healthy controls were randomly selected at the outpatient clinic of the Dermatological Department, University Hospital, North Norway. METHODS: Adult patients with atopic dermatitis (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 20) were given 20 UVB treatments. Bacterial samples were collected before treatment, after 4 weeks of treatment, and finally after 2 weeks follow-up. RESULTS: The main bacteria found were Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. 16 of the 20 patients with atopic dermatitis had Staphylococcus aureus in lesional skin and 12 in non-lesional skin. None of the healthy controls had Staphylococcus aureus in the sample from the flexural elbow. The Staphylococcus aureus counts decreased (not significant) in lesional skin after 4 weeks of treatment and Staphylococcus aureus counts were slightly higher after 2 weeks follow up. The same figures were also seen in non-lesional skin and forehead. CONCLUSIONS: Staphylococcus aureus is widely colonised in the skin of atopic dermatitis patients, but is rare in healthy adults. UVB treatment decreases the Staphylococcus aureus count in patients with atopic dermatitis.Keywords: anti-microbial effect; atopic dermatitis; phototherapy; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus epidermidis(Int J Circumpolar Health 2008; 67(2):254-260)
