Shifts in Infant Skin Microbiome at 2 Months after Short-Term Emollient Use from Birth Are Associated with Reduced Prevalence of Atopic Dermatitis at 12 Months in a High-Risk Cohort

The rising incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD) prompted research into potential risk factors (Paller et al, 2024). Although family history and genetic factors, notably mutations of the FLG gene and others, are key (Palmer et al, 2006), the role of the skin microbiome as an early risk factor is poorly understood, despite its well-known role once the disease has been established (Demessant-Flavigny et al, 2023; Kong et al, 2012). Although early-life Staphylococcus aureus dominance is suspected to associate with future AD manifestation (Meylan et al, 2017; Rapin et al, 2023), controversies exist regarding S aureus as a definitive biomarker due to timing, specificity, and strain variability concerns (Byrd et al, 2017; Kennedy et al, 2017).