{"id":22600,"date":"2020-09-17T09:22:24","date_gmt":"2020-09-17T09:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bengalnewstimes.com\/?p=22600"},"modified":"2020-09-17T09:22:24","modified_gmt":"2020-09-17T09:22:24","slug":"probiotic-might-help-ease-childrens-eczema","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bengalnewstimes.com\/?p=22600","title":{"rendered":"Probiotic Might Help Ease Children’s Eczema"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"NewsBy Amy Norton<\/b>
HealthDay Reporter<\/i><\/p>\n

TUESDAY, Sept. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News)<\/p>\n

Applying a type of “good” bacteria to the skin may relieve children of the itch<\/a> and discomfort of eczema<\/a>, a new, small study suggests.<\/p>\n

Eczema<\/a> is a chronic inflammatory condition that causes dry, itchy<\/a> skin and scaly rashes<\/a>. It usually starts in early childhood, and commonly occurs along with allergies<\/a> like hay fever<\/a> and asthma<\/a>, according to the American Academy of Allergy<\/a>, Asthma<\/a> and Immunology.<\/p>\n

There are numerous treatments for eczema<\/a>, both topical and oral, but not all can be given to young kids.<\/p>\n

“So, there’s a big need for safe and effective treatments for young children,” said study author Dr. Ian Myles. He is a researcher and staff clinician with the U.S. National Institute of Allergy<\/a> and Infectious Diseases.<\/p>\n

For the study, his team tested a topical probiotic<\/a> against eczema<\/a> in 20 children as young as 3 years of age. Over four months, 17 of the 20 saw their rashes<\/a> and itchiness fade by more than 50%.<\/p>\n

The children were also able to cut down on topical corticosteroids<\/a>, a standard treatment for eczema<\/a> — but one that can cause side effects like thinning of the skin and stretch marks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The probiotic<\/a> therapy is a spray solution containing live Roseomonas mucosa<\/i> bacteria. Those microbes are normally present on the skin, and past research has found that R. mucosa<\/i> from people with healthy skin can treat eczema<\/a> in lab mice.<\/p>\n

In contrast, samples of the bacteria from people with eczema<\/a> either had no effect, or made the skin condition worse.<\/p>\n

It all fits with evidence that eczema<\/a> involves an imbalance in the skin’s microbiome. That refers to the vast array of bacteria and other microbes that naturally dwell on the skin and help maintain its health.<\/p>\n

The skin, Myles explained, has to repair itself from daily wear-and-tear, and the microbiome assists in that. He said R. mucosa<\/i> appears to produce oils that aid the skin’s repair capacity.<\/p>\n

The treatment also reduced staph<\/a> bacteria on the children’s skin, and those microbes can worsen eczema symptoms.<\/p>\n

Dr. John Browning, a pediatric dermatologist, said, “I think this is a really interesting study.” Browning was not involved in the research.<\/p>\n

He said people with eczema often get staph<\/a> infections and need antibiotic treatment. It’s possible R. mucosa<\/i> could be an alternative, according to Browning, who is based at Children’s Hospital of San Antonio and Texas Dermatology and Laser Specialists.<\/p>\n

The findings, published online Sept. 9 in the journal Science Translational Medicine<\/i>, are based on 20 children and teenagers who were given the probiotic therapy for four months. They (or their parents) applied the spray solution twice a week for three months, and then every other day for the final month.<\/p>\n

On average, Myles said, the kids’ itchiness and rash<\/a> improved by 60% to 75%, with no significant side effects.<\/p>\n

And there were signs it could have lasting benefits. Eight months after the therapy was stopped, the good bacteria were still colonizing the children’s skin — indicating R. mucosa<\/i> had “moved in,” Myles explained.<\/p>\n

That, he said, suggests the therapy could be one time only. It would still be possible, though, that whatever caused the bacterial imbalance in the skin could do it again.<\/p>\n

Myles said a broader goal is to figure out what those factors are — with diet<\/a>, soaps and antibiotics being among the suspects.<\/p>\n

Browning is part of another trial testing R. mucosa<\/i> for treating eczema. But he does not think it is the only bacterium that matters.<\/p>\n

“There could be a lot of variability patient to patient in whether this approach would be helpful,” Browning said.<\/p>\n

Myles agreed, noting that not all study patients responded to the probiotic.<\/p>\n

It’s unclear when the R. mucosa<\/i> therapy could become commercially available. The U.S. National Institutes of Health has licensed it to a private company, Forte Biosciences, to further develop.<\/p>\n


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SLIDESHOW<\/h4>\n


\n Rosacea, Acne, Shingles, Covid-19 Rashes: Common Adult Skin Diseases<\/span>
\n See Slideshow<\/span>
\n<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

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Myles said the company worked to freeze-dry the probiotic so it can be reconstituted with water, then sprayed on. That will make it shelf-stable.<\/p>\n

“We anticipate this being something you can pick up at the pharmacy,” he said.<\/p>\n

\"MedicalNews\"
Copyright \u00a9 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n


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From \"WebMD<\/h3>\n
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Health Solutions From Our Sponsors<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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References<\/p>\n


\n SOURCES: Ian Myles, MD, MPH, staff clinician, epithelial therapeutics unit, U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Md.; John Browning, MD, chief, dermatology, Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, and Texas Dermatology and Laser Specialists, San Antonio, and fellow, American Academy of Dermatology, Schaumburg, Ill.; Science Translational Medicine<\/i>, Sept. 9, 2020, online \n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n