BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is characterized by skin infiltration with eosinophils
and lymphocytes and expression of Th2 cytokines in acute skin lesions. The skin of patients
with AD is frequently colonized with enterotoxin-secreting strains of Staphylococcus aureus.
Staphylococcal enterotoxins have been implicated in the exacerbations of the inflammatory
skin lesions in patients with AD. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether epicutaneous
(EC) sensitization of mice with staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) results in allergic skin …