Clinical Trial: Studies of Skin Microbes in Healthy People and in People With Skin Conditions

Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: Studies of Skin Microflora in Healthy Individuals and Atopic Dermatitis Patients

Brief Summary:

This study will examine microbes (e.g., bacteria, fungi, viruses) that live on human skin and how microbes contribute to health and disease. It will analyze healthy human skin and how the these microorganisms might change in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), a skin condition also known as eczema.

Healthy volunteers, as well as patients with moderate to severe eczema (AD), between 2 and 40 years of age may be eligible for this study.

We also wish to enroll children and adults aged 2-40 who have been diagnosed with inherited immune disorders known as HIES (hyperimmunoglobulin-E syndrome), WAS (Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome), or DOCK8 immunodeficiency because they frequently have skin problems similar to AD.

Eligible participants undergo the following tests and procedures:

  • Medical family and medication history
  • Skin examination
  • Blood tests (research blood as well as serum IgE, and complete blood count)
  • Skin samples to analyze microbes. Samples are obtained by the following methods: swabbing the skin with a cotton swab; scraping (scratching) the skin gently with a blade to remove only the outermost skin layers; and, only in adults, biopsy (surgical removal) of a small skin sample less than 1/4-inch (5 mm) in diameter.
  • Nose swabs to analyze microbes.
  • Patients with eczema may have photographs of their skin taken to help monitor the skin rashes.

Participants may be contacted periodically for follow-up studies. Patients with atopic dermatitis may have additional skin samples

Detailed Summary:

  • Skin microbiota (bacteria, fungi, viruses, phage, archae) play a significant role in common dermatological conditions, such as atopic dermatitis/AD (eczema).
  • Since culture-dependent methods are often biased assessments of microbial diversity, genomic methods can expand our understanding of the human microbiome and skin diseases.
  • Chronic dermatitis is typical among rare primary immunodeficiencies: Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome; hyper-IgE syndrome; and combined immunodeficiency associated with DOCK8 mutation syndrome. The skin disease in these monogenic disorders resembles AD, is associated with microbial infections, and may provide additional insight into microbial-host disease interactions.

Sponsor: National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Current Primary Outcome: Identify skin bacterial diversity

Original Primary Outcome:

Current Secondary Outcome: Exploration of common and rare microflora species that reside on human skin in normal and disease state

Original Secondary Outcome:

Information By: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)

Dates:
Date Received: January 23, 2008
Date Started: January 18, 2008
Date Completion:
Last Updated: April 20, 2017
Last Verified: February 10, 2017