Epidermal Microbes: Comparative study to Evaluate Bacteria Diversity on Human Skin

• Authors: Anu Imisi Ogundayomi
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Millions of microbes such as bacteria, fungus, and viruses are collectively known as skin microbiota. The epidermal microbes are found on the human skin which is a living and functioning ecosystem that is home to many microorganisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity of bacteria on human skin. Two hundred (200) volunteers with written consent were recruited for the study. This study was conducted in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. Skin swab samples were collected using the Z stroke swabbing method. The samples were cultured on blood and mannitol salt agar medium. The isolated bacteria were classified based on physical and staining characteristics with respect to respondents’ occupation, skin colour and other variables. Overall prevalence of 62.5% was recorded for cocci shaped and 37.5% for rod shaped bacteria respectively. The males were observed with higher colony counts (52.1%) when compared to the females. However, 72% of females were found to harbour more of cocci-shaped bacteria on their skin whereas, males skin was predominant (69.3%) with the rod-shaped bacteria (p=0.35, p>0.05). In relation to occupation, the Auto-Mechanics (33.3%) had the highest colony count, followed by bikers (18.3%), Carpenters (15.2%) and Traders (15%); however, the students had only 8.3% out of the total sampled population. Meanwhile, the percentage of cocci bacteria observed on the student population was higher (51.2%) than found on others. This study further revealed that the married individuals had more epidermal microbes (59.8%) when compared to the singles (40.2%); and dark skinned individuals had more bacteria isolates (59.1%) when compared to fair-skinned counterparts. The prevalence of epidermal microbes in relation to occupation was statistically significant (X2 = 17.47, p = 0.01, p < 0.05). A higher percentage of epidermal microbes were predominant on males than the females. This study further establishes the abundance of Cocci-shaped gram positive bacteria such Staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus on study participants. This study therefore recommends proper skin care routine practices and emphasizes the need for intense sensitization among artisans and particularly among the less educated ones about adequate skin care in order to avoid proliferation and spread of pathogenic skin microbes.

Keywords

EN

Comparative; Epidermal microbes; Gram-positive Cocci; Rod-shaped Bacteria; Skin; diversity

Discipline

• MEDICAL_BIOLOGY: MEDICAL BIOLOGY

• Publisher: Scientific Publishing House „DARWIN”
• Journal: World News of Natural Sciences
• Year: 2025
• Volume: 60
• Pages: 169-180

Contributors

author

Anu Imisi Ogundayomi

• Parasitology and Public Health Unit, Department of Biology, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), P.M.B. 704, Ondo State, Nigeria

References

• [1] Aoki, T., Kitazawa, K., Deguchi, H. and Sotozono, C. (2021). Current evidence for Corynebacterium on the Ocular Surface. Microorganisms 2021, 9, 254. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9020254
• [2] Belkaid, Y., and Segre, J. A. (2014). Dialogue between skin microbiota and immunity. Science, 346(6212), 954-959
• [3] Bisen P.S., Debnath M., Prasad G.B.K.S. Microbes: Concepts and Applications, Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, 2012.
• [4] Boxberger, M., Cenizo, V., Cassir, N., and La Scola, B. (2021). Challenges in exploring and manipulating the human skin microbiota. Microbiota 9(1), 1-14
• [5] Brouwer, S., Rivera-Hernandez, T., Curren, B.F., Harbison-Price, N., De Oliveira, D.M.P., Jesperson, M.G., Dvies, M.R. and Walker, M.J. (2023). Pathogenesis, epidemiology and control of Group A Streptococcus infection. Nature Reviews Microbiology 21, 431-447
• [6] Byrd, A. L., Belkaid, Y., and Segre, J. A. (2018). The human skin microbiota. Nature Reviews Microbiology 16(3), 143-155
• [7] Chng, K. R., Tay, A. S., Li, C., Ng, A. H., Wang, J., Suri, B. K., Matta, S. A., McGovern, N., Janela B, Wong, X. F., Sio Y. Y. and Nagarajan, N. (2016). Whole metagenome profiling reveals skin microbiota-dependent susceptibility to atopic dermatitis flare. Nature Microbiology 2016; 1: 16106
• [8] Chiller, K., Selkin, B. A., and Murakawa, G. J. (2001). Skin Microflora and Bacterial Infections of the Skin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings, 6(3), 170-174. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.0022-202x.2001.00043.x
• [9] Findley, K., Oh, J., Yang, J., Conlan, S., Deming, C., Meyer, J. A., Schoenfeld, D., Nomicos, E., Park, M., Kong, H. H. and Segre, J. A. (2013). Topographic diversity of fungal and bacterial communities in human skin. Nature, 498(7454), 367-370
• [10] Giacomoni, P. U., Mammone, T., and Teri, M. (2009). Gender-linked differences in human skin. Journal of Dermatological Science 55(3), 144-149
• [11] Grice, E. A. (2015). The intersection of microbiota and host at the skin interface: genomic-and metagenomic-based insights. Genome Research, 25(10), 1514-1520.
• [12] Hernandez, N.M., Buchanan, M. W., Cullen, M.M., Crook, B.S., Bolognesi, M.P., Seidelman, J. and Jiranek, W.A. (2020). Corynebacterium total hip and knee Athroplasty Prosthetic joint infections. Athroplasty Today 6 (2020) 163-168
• [13] Kobayashi, T., and Imanishi, I. (2021). Epithelial–immune crosstalk with the skin microbiota in homeostasis and atopic dermatitis – a mini review. Veterinary Dermatology, 32(6), 533-e147
• [14] Kong, H. H., and Segre, J. A. (2012). Skin microbiota: looking back to move forward. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 132, 933-939. doi: 10.1038/jid.2011.417
• [15] Lehman, H. (2014). Skin manifestations of primary immune deficiency. Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology, 46(2), 112-119
• [16] Obiazi, H. A. (2016). An Assessment of skin bacteria flora of some occupational groups in Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. International Journal of Basic, Applied and Innovative Research, 5(3), 94-99
• [17] Ogaraku, O and Onovo, J.C. (2007). Species of Bacteria associated with skin disease of different occupational groups in Plateau State, Nigeria. Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology 2007; 1(2), 197-202
• [18] Oh, J., and Freeman, A. F. (2013). NISC Comparative Sequencing Program NCS, Park M, Sokolic R, Candotti F, et al. The altered landscape of the human skin microbiota in patients with primary immunodeficiencies. Genome Res 23, 2103-2114
• [19] Oh, J., Byrd, A. L., Park, M., Kong, H. H., Segre, J. A., and NISC Comparative Sequencing Program. (2016). Temporal stability of the human skin microbiota. Cell 165(4), 854-866
• [20] Scholz, C. F., and Kilian, M. (2016). The natural history of cutaneous propionibacteria, and reclassification of selected species within the genus Propionibacterium to the proposed novel genera Acidipropionibacterium gen. nov., Cutibacterium gen. nov. and Pseudopropionibacterium gen. nov. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 66(11), 4422-4432
• [21] Swaney, M. H., and Kalan, L. R. (2021). Living in Your Skin: Microbes, Molecules, and Mechanisms. Infection and Immunity, 89(4), e00695-20
• [22] Quan, C., Chen, X. Y., Li, X., Xue, F., Chen, L. H., Liu, N., Wang, B., Wang, L. Q., Wang, X. P., Yang, H. and Zheng, J. (2020). Psoriatic lesions are characterized by higher bacterial load and imbalance between Cutibacterium and Corynebacterium. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 82(4), 955-961

• Document Type: article