A new study by experts from RECETOX and St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno brings important insights into the treatment of atopic dermatitis. It shows that modern targeted and biological therapies not only relieve eczema symptoms, but also restore the skin’s natural bacterial balance and suppress bacteria linked to worsening of the disease.
Atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, affects millions of people worldwide and significantly impacts their quality of life. The disease is also linked to bacteria that naturally live on the skin. While these microorganisms are in balance in healthy individuals, this balance is often disrupted in patients with atopic dermatitis, which may contribute to worsening of the condition.
In our study, we therefore investigated how different types of treatment influence this balance – from commonly used corticosteroids to modern targeted therapies, including biologic treatment. We found that while conventional treatment mainly helps suppress symptoms, modern therapies can also affect the skin environment itself. This contributes to restoring the bacterial balance toward a healthier state. In particular, biologic treatment led to the near complete disappearance of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, which is closely associated with eczema and worsens its course.
The study followed 60 patients with atopic dermatitis over a six-month period. For each participant, we repeatedly analyzed skin samples and combined modern methods such as bacterial DNA sequencing and precise quantification of specific bacteria. This allowed us to closely monitor how the skin microbiome changes over time and how it responds to different treatment types. This comprehensive approach enabled us to describe not only the clinical improvement of patients, but also changes in the “invisible world” of bacteria living on their skin.
The research was carried out in collaboration between scientists from RECETOX at Masaryk University (PhD student Jan Böhm and his supervisor Petra Bořilová Linhartová) and physicians from St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno. The study was also supported by the Horizon 2020 programme (Teaming project). PhD student Terézia Thomová was selected as a finalist in the prestigious international Medis Awards for Medical Research with this project: https://www.medis-awards.com/finalists-winners/detail/finalist/terezia-thomova/.
The study was published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2025.07.006).
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Sabina Cerulová originally planned to study veterinary medicine, but coincidence, the covid‑19 pandemic, and her bachelor’s project led her to research at RECETOX. Today, she studies a rare genetic mutation responsible for severe symptoms in a specific patient, and she works with animal models, microbiome, and advanced imaging methods.
