Study finds maternal gut microbiome affects infant dermatitis

A study has found that atopic dermatitis in infants may be linked to specific gut bacteria in mothers and a lack of dietary fiber intake. Korea University announced on Aug. 29 that a research team led by Professor Kim Hee-nam of the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering was the first in the world to identify this connection.

Until now, research on atopic dermatitis has focused primarily on skin tissue. However, recent attention has shifted to imbalances in the gut microbiome as a key factor. In a 2016 study, Professor Kim’s team found that certain species of the gut bacterium Ficallibacterium were abnormally abundant in children with atopic dermatitis and could be involved in the disease’s development.

In the latest study, Professor Kim’s team demonstrated through mouse experiments that Ficallibacterium can actually trigger skin symptoms. When pregnant mice were inoculated with the bacterium, they exhibited systemic inflammatory responses, and their offspring showed even more severe systemic inflammation.

The findings of this study were published online in Microbiome, a leading international journal in the field of medical science.


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