A Bacterial Cause of Itch
January 30, 2024 | Terry Sharrer
“Scientists at Harvard Medical School have shown for the first time that a common skin bacterium — Staphylococcus aureus — can cause itch by acting directly on nerve cells. . . . . The study experiments showed that S. aureus releases a chemical that activates a protein on the nerve fibers that transmit signals from the skin to the brain. Treating animals with an FDA-approved anti-clotting medicine successfully blocked the activation of the protein to interrupt this key step in the itch-scratch cycle. The treatment relieved symptoms and minimized skin damage.” MORE
Image Credit: yourweather.co.uk