Strains of the Propionibacterium acnes type III lineage are associated with the skin condition progressive macular hypomelanosis.

ABSTRACT: Progressive macular hypomelanosis (PMH) is a common skin disorder that causes hypopigmentation in a variety of skin types. Although the underlying aetiology of this condition is unclear, there is circumstantial evidence that links the skin bacterium Propionibacterium acnes to the condition. We now describe the first detailed population genetic analysis of P. acnes isolates recovered from paired lesional and non-lesional skin of PMH patients. Our results demonstrate a strong statistical association between strains from the type III phylogenetic lineage and PMH lesions (P = 0.0019), but not those representing other phylogroups, including those associated with acne (type IA1). We also demonstrate, based on in silico 16S rDNA analysis, that PMH isolates previously recovered from patients in Eu

SUBMITTER: Barnard E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4995408 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature