TY  - JOUR
U1  - Zeitschriftenartikel, wissenschaftlich - begutachtet (reviewed)
A1  - Neidhöfer, Claudio
A1  - Nkwetta, Derick Lekealem
A1  - Fuen, Bangsi Rose
A1  - Yenban, Njodzeka Flora
A1  - Mbiatong, Nancielle
A1  - Nchanji, Gordon Takop
A1  - Korir, Patricia
A1  - Wetzig, Nina
A1  - Sieber, Martin
A1  - Thiele, Ralf
A1  - Parcina, Marijo
A1  - Klarmann-Schulz, Ute
A1  - Hoerauf, Achim
A1  - Wanji, Samuel
A1  - Ritter, Manuel
T1  - Tropical leg lymphedema caused by podoconiosis is associated with increased colonisation by anaerobic bacteria
JF  - Scientific Reports
N2  - The non-filarial and non-communicable disease podoconiosis affects around 4 million people and is characterized by severe leg lymphedema accompanied with painful intermittent acute inflammatory episodes, called acute dermatolymphangioadenitis (ADLA) attacks. Risk factors have been associated with the disease but the mechanisms of pathophysiology remain uncertain. Lymphedema can lead to skin lesions, which can serve as entry points for bacteria that may cause ADLA attacks leading to progression of the lymphedema. However, the microbiome of the skin of affected legs from podoconiosis individuals remains unclear. Thus, we analysed the skin microbiome of podoconiosis legs using next generation sequencing. We revealed a positive correlation between increasing lymphedema severity and non-commensal anaerobic bacteria, especially Anaerococcus provencensis, as well as a negative correlation with the presence of Corynebacterium, a constituent of normal skin flora. Disease symptoms were generally linked to higher microbial diversity and richness, which deviated from the normal composition of the skin. These findings show an association of distinct bacterial taxa with lymphedema stages, highlighting the important role of bacteria for the pathogenesis of podoconiosis and might enable a selection of better treatment regimens to manage ADLA attacks and disease progression.
KW  - Lymphedema
KW  - Elephantiasis
KW  - Humans
KW  - Bacteria, Anaerobic
KW  - Skin
KW  - Leg
UN  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-75099
SN  - 2045-2322
SS  - 2045-2322
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40765-7
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40765-7
PM  - 37612446
VL  - 13
IS  - 1
SP  - 9
S1  - 9
PB  - Springer Nature
ER  -