Scientists said they have evidence that some people get infections because they lack germ-fighting chemicals naturally present in the skin.
Their findings are published in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The study, led by a researcher at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, found that a lack of these natural antibiotics may explain why people with the most common form of eczema are highly prone to staph infections. Scientists now suspect the skin produces its own chemical defenses against microbes.
The new study of eight patients says the eczema sufferers typically don't make enough of two of these germ killers. But a researcher said it will take more studies to prove that a lack of the chemicals contributes to the infections. And one outside expert said it's possible that the staph infections simply overwhelmed the defensive chemicals.
Eczema is a common, chronic skin disease characterized by dry, itchy and easily irritated skin. It occurs most commonly in infants and young children, but can persist into adulthood. Severe cases can lead to sleep deprivation, chronic bacterial infections, and depression, according to the report.
About one in nine people in the United States suffer from this disease at some point. Along with other allergic diseases, its prevalence has grown significantly in recent years, the researchers said.
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