Dysbiosis of nail microbiome in patients with psoriasis

Shifts in skin microbiome are considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. However, data on the microbial dysbiosis of nail psoriasis are scarce. In this study, we aim to investigate and characterize the nail bacterial and fungal microbiome in patients with psoriasis. Nail samples were collected prospectively from 36 subjects with nail psoriasis, 24 psoriatic subjects without nail involvement and 32 healthy controls. Amplicon sequencing was performed to evaluate the bacterial and fungal community compositions. Significant alterations in the bacterial microbiome were found in the nail samples of psoriatic patients. The unaffected nails in psoriatic patients were associated with higher bacterial diversity, and a higher relative abundance of Enhydrobacter, whereas nail psoriasis was correlated with a decreased relative abundance of Anaerococcus. Shifts in fungal community composition were reflected by a higher proportion of Malassezia in the unaffected nails of psoriatic patients and an increased proportion of Candida in psoriatic nails. Shifts in the nail microbiome in psoriasis suggest a potential role of microbes in the development of nail psoriasis. Future researches focusing on these microorganisms may help to explain the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Automated summary

This study found significant changes in the bacterial and fungal microbiome of patients with nail psoriasis. The unaffected nails in psoriatic patients were associated with higher bacterial diversity and a higher relative abundance of Enhydrobacter, while nail psoriasis was correlated with a decreased relative abundance of Anaerococcus. There was a higher proportion of Malassezia in the unaffected nails of psoriatic patients and an increased proportion of Candida in psoriatic nails.