The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 12, Issue 1 71-82, Copyright © 1979 by Society for General Microbiology
Intergeneric and intrageneric inhibition between strains of Propionibacterium acnes and micrococcaceae, particularly Staphylococcus epidermidis, isolated from normal skin and acne lesions
K. T. Holland, W. J. Cunliffe and E. A. Eady
Two hundred and forty-one strains or resident skin bacteria comprising 93
isolates of Propionob acterium acnes and 148 of Micrococcaceae derived from
36 acne patients and 8 control subjects were screened for their ability to
inhibit 32 indicator strains, including 20 strains of P. acnes and 12
strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis derived from patients with all grades
of acne and from normal skin. Fifty-three strains (22%) showed some
activity against at least one indicator strain. Both broad- and
narrow-spectrum inhibition was detected. Inhibitory isolates of P. acnes
outnumbered inhibitory Micrococcaceae by four to one. There was a low
frequency of inhibition of S. epidermidis by Micrococcaceae (2.7%) and by
P. acnes (1.1%) and a higher frequency of inhibition of P. acnes by
Micrococcaceae (9.5%) and by P. acnes (40.8%). Furthermore, 81.8% of the
subjects sampled possessed strains inhibitory to P. acnes. The significance
of this finding is, as yet, unknown. No difference in the prevalence of
active strains in normal (20%) and acne (22.5%) skin was detected. These
findings suggest that the possession of inhibitory strains and conversely
the possession of sensitive strains does not predispose to acne.
