Skin bacteriology and the role of Staphylococcus aureus in infection

Many of the staphylococci and coryneforms that inhabit normal human skin do not cause skin disease. Amongst the remainder the mechanisms of pathogenic ity vary widely. For Proteus, Pseudomonas and Brevibacterium species proteo lysis is a major determinant, The precise role of Corynebacterium minutissi mum in erythrasma and the propionibacteria in acne is not known, Staphyloco ccus aureus, however, produces a nide range of non-specific agents, such as haemolysins and leucocidins as well as highly specific toxins such as the epidermolytic toxins involved in bullous impetigo and scalded skin syndrome . Most of the current attention, however, is devoted to the role of the ent erotoxins and toxic shock toxin as superantigens, with emphasis on their ro le in atopic dermatitis. Molecularly similar toxins in the streptococci pla y a similar role and may also have a role in the aetiology of psoriasis.