Could Bacteria in Skin Mites Help Cause Rosacea?

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By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Bacteria carried by tiny mites on the skin might be responsible for the common dermatological condition known as rosacea, researchers say.

If this theory does prove to be true, then new and better treatments for rosacea may be on the way, according to a review published online Aug. 30 in the Journal of Medical Microbiology.

One expert unconnected to the study said the findings are encouraging.

"[If] these mites exacerbate or harbor bacteria, that could change the therapies that are used to treat rosacea," reasoned Dr. Michele Green, a dermatologist with Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City. "This could revolutionize treatment."

Green noted that some pharmaceutical companies are already exploring treatments that could combat rosacea from this vantage point.

Rosacea affects some 3 percent of the population, mostly adults between the ages of 30 and 50 and more women than men.

No one is sure exactly what causes the condition but it manifests as reddening and inflammation of the skin around the cheeks, nose and chin.

Although rosacea is often successfully treated with antibiotics, no one has yet proven that the condition is caused by bacteria.

Experts believe that immune dysfunction, vascular problems and/or environmental factors, including nutrition, could contribute to the condition.

This review article, led by Dr. Kevin Kavanagh of the National University of Ireland, outlined evidence supporting the idea that bacteria living in the Demodex folliculorum mite, which is present on the skin of between 20 percent to 80 percent of healthy humans, may be responsible for rosacea. The mite is typically harmless and lives around the facial hair follicles.

However, the authors say research has shown that there are more Demodex mites residing on the skin of rosacea patients than in people without the condition.

The bacterium known as Bacillus oleronius has also been found in the digestive tract of a Demodex mite taken from a person with rosacea. This bacterium is susceptible to some of the antibiotics used to treat rosacea, and it also produces molecules that trigger an immune reaction in people with rosacea.

Another type of bacteria, Staphylococcus epidermidis, has been found in pustules of rosacea patients but not in areas of the skin that are rosacea-free. This bacterium, as well, is sensitive to many of the antibiotics used to treat rosacea.

"This research is provocative in that it is proposing a cause for rosacea which up to this point has been unknown," said Dr. Chris Adigun, an instructor in the department of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center, in New York City.

But Adigun adds, it will be difficult to prove that bacteria within Demodex mites are responsible for rosacea.

"We find it on healthy people as well as on people with rosacea," she pointed out. "Furthermore, treatment options that improve rosacea symptoms do not alter the concentration or life cycle of mites," she added.

Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Michele Green, M.D., dermatologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Chris G. Adigun, M.D., instructor, department of dermatology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York City; Aug. 30, 2012, Journal of Medical Microbiology online

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Drinking Red Wine Is Good for Gut Bacteria

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Moderate Intake of Some Red Wines May Improve Health, Study Shows

By Cari Nierenberg
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

May 25, 2012 -- Drinking a daily glass of red wine not only tastes good to many people, but it's also good for the bacteria lining your large intestine.

A new Spanish study suggests that sipping about 9 ounces of Merlot or a low-alcohol red wine changed the mix of good and bad bacteria typically found in the colon in ways that can benefit your health.

Bacteria may sound like a bad thing to have in your intestinal tract, but having a balanced mix of them actually helps to digest food, regulate immune function, and produce vitamin K (which plays a key role in helping the blood clot).

Since the study results showed that Merlot and low-alcohol red wine had similar positive effects on intestinal bacteria, researchers suspect it's not due to the alcohol but to the polyphenol compounds found in the wine.

Polyphenols are helpful plant-based compounds found in a variety of foods and beverages. Besides red grapes, many other fruits and vegetables are rich sources of polyphenols, as are coffee, tea, chocolate, and some nuts.

Previous research has looked at whether polyphenols in the diet can influence the balance of intestinal bacteria. This study sought to explore whether drinking red wine can have a similar prebiotic effect. Prebiotics are substances you eat that help promote the growth of good gut bacteria.

In this small study, which appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers followed 10 healthy middle-aged men. For the first 15 days of the study, the men had no wine or other alcohol. This was followed by three 20-day periods in which the men were given one of three beverages to drink each day: They received either 9 ounces of Merlot, 9 ounces of low-alcohol-content red wine, or about 3 ounces of gin.

Unlike the red wines, gin contains no polyphenols, so it served as a comparison.

Throughout the study, volunteers were asked not to change their diets or exercise habits. They were also told not to drink any additional alcohol. Blood, urine, and stool samples were collected from each man during all four study periods. And their weights and blood pressures were monitored.

The findings showed that the balance of intestinal bacteria shifted in the men in a similar way whether they drank the Merlot or low-alcohol red wine. In both cases, they had a larger percent of certain beneficial gut bacteria.

After drinking the polyphenol-rich beverages, the men also had lower blood pressure. It also decreased triglyceride levels, HDL cholesterol (the so-called good cholesterol), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, a measure of inflammation.

"This study was the first to show that regular, moderate consumption of red wine could have a noteworthy effect on the growth of select gut microbiota," the researchers conclude.

SOURCES: Queipo-Ortuno, M. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, published online May 2, 2012.News release, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.USDA Agricultural Research Service web site: "Phytonutrient FAQs."

©2012 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Drinking Red Wine Is Good for Gut Bacteria

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Moderate Intake of Some Red Wines May Improve Health, Study Shows

By Cari Nierenberg
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

May 25, 2012 -- Drinking a daily glass of red wine not only tastes good to many people, but it's also good for the bacteria lining your large intestine.

A new Spanish study suggests that sipping about 9 ounces of Merlot or a low-alcohol red wine changed the mix of good and bad bacteria typically found in the colon in ways that can benefit your health.

Bacteria may sound like a bad thing to have in your intestinal tract, but having a balanced mix of them actually helps to digest food, regulate immune function, and produce vitamin K (which plays a key role in helping the blood clot).

Since the study results showed that Merlot and low-alcohol red wine had similar positive effects on intestinal bacteria, researchers suspect it's not due to the alcohol but to the polyphenol compounds found in the wine.

Polyphenols are helpful plant-based compounds found in a variety of foods and beverages. Besides red grapes, many other fruits and vegetables are rich sources of polyphenols, as are coffee, tea, chocolate, and some nuts.

Previous research has looked at whether polyphenols in the diet can influence the balance of intestinal bacteria. This study sought to explore whether drinking red wine can have a similar prebiotic effect. Prebiotics are substances you eat that help promote the growth of good gut bacteria.

In this small study, which appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers followed 10 healthy middle-aged men. For the first 15 days of the study, the men had no wine or other alcohol. This was followed by three 20-day periods in which the men were given one of three beverages to drink each day: They received either 9 ounces of Merlot, 9 ounces of low-alcohol-content red wine, or about 3 ounces of gin.

Unlike the red wines, gin contains no polyphenols, so it served as a comparison.

Throughout the study, volunteers were asked not to change their diets or exercise habits. They were also told not to drink any additional alcohol. Blood, urine, and stool samples were collected from each man during all four study periods. And their weights and blood pressures were monitored.

The findings showed that the balance of intestinal bacteria shifted in the men in a similar way whether they drank the Merlot or low-alcohol red wine. In both cases, they had a larger percent of certain beneficial gut bacteria.

After drinking the polyphenol-rich beverages, the men also had lower blood pressure. It also decreased triglyceride levels, HDL cholesterol (the so-called good cholesterol), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, a measure of inflammation.

"This study was the first to show that regular, moderate consumption of red wine could have a noteworthy effect on the growth of select gut microbiota," the researchers conclude.

SOURCES: Queipo-Ortuno, M. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, published online May 2, 2012.News release, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.USDA Agricultural Research Service web site: "Phytonutrient FAQs."

©2012 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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