Bacterial flora in psoriasis

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The aerobic bacterial flora of psoriatic plaques, univolved skin and the anterior nares of forty psoriatic patients was studied. The incidence of Staphylococcus aureus was 30% in the anterior nares, 20% on the plaques and 13% on the uninvolved skin. S. aureus counts were 3 .times. 102/cm2 on the plaques and 1.5 .times. 10/cm2 on the normal skin. The total bacterial counts were also higher on plaques (7.9 .times. 103/cm2) than on normal skin (3.0 .times. 103/cm2). The incidence of lipophilic diphtheroids was significantly lower on the plaques (4%) than the normal skin (30%). Of the strains of S. aureus isolated from psoriatic patients, 80% were resitant to 10 units of penicillin. Because of increased desquamation, psoriatic skin is a public health hazard.