Immunological study in patients with atopic dermatitis and skin infection by <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>

Abstract

Background: atopic dermatitis is a recurrent chronic disease of the skin, characterized by inflammatory lesions in typical locations. Multiple factors are part of its pathogenesis and evolution; some of them are related to the immune system and to infections by Staphylococcus aureus, which was isolated in 90 % of the patients.Objective: to determine the alterations in humoral and cellular parameters related to immunity in subjects diagnosed with atopic dermatitis.Methods: a cross-sectional study was carried out in 19 patients older than 1 year of age who attended the immunology service at Dr. Ernesto Guevara Hospital in Las Tunas, Cuba, with an established diagnosis of atopic dermatitis, skin infection by Staphylococcus aureus, recurrent and non-respondent to treatment, as well as being suspected to have immunodeficiency; besides the interview, health history analysis and physical examination, laboratory tests were ordered to determine the status of immune variables.Results: the prevailing age was between 5 and 10 years old. Immune lab tests showed that 89,4 % of patients had eosinophilia, while 78,9 % had increased levels of IgE. Higher than normal levels of IgG were found in 68,4 % of the cases and 21 % showed a diminishment in IgA. In two patients who had a phagocytic deficiency, they were also infected by Aspergillus. No alterations in the complement system were found in any case.Conclusions: besides the typical markers of atopy, IgA deficiency was the most frequent immune disturbance found in the patients included in the sample.

Keywords

• dermatitis, atopic
• immunologic deficiency syndromes
• antibodies