mSphere of Influence: Understanding atopic disease through the dynamics of skin-microbe interactions

In this mSphere of Influence article, Flavia G. Costa explores dynamics of host-microbe interactions on the skin through three papers that have shaped her perspectives in this field. She first discusses a publication by Radhouani et al., which showed how S. aureus skin colonization promotes lung inflammation through eosinophil reprogramming. She then highlights the potential protective benefits of understudied skin commensals as described by Myles et al., finally concluding with a recent study demonstrating how byproducts from industrialization can disrupt these beneficial interactions as described by Zeldin et al. This body of work has shaped her approach toward understanding the microbial dynamics that contribute to the rise in incidence of atopic diseases.