Microbiological analysis of patients with inverse and plaque-type psoriasis

BACKGROUND: The hypothesis that the fungal and/or bacterial microbiome of the flexural folding area may be an etiopathogenetic factor for inverse psoriasis is still under discussion. AIM: We aimed to compare clinical features, demographic features, and microbiological data of patients with inverse and plaque psoriasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Demographic and clinical data were recorded from patients with inverse psoriasis, psoriasis vulgaris, and control groups. The study took place between October 2023 and March 2024. Microbiological gel swab samples were taken randomly from either axillary or inguinal regions of lesional and non-lesional areas of the three study groups to examine the presence of pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative and diphtheroid bacteria. RESULTS: The rates of positivity in Wood's lamp examination and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores were significantly higher in the inverse psoriasis group than the control and psoriasis vulgaris groups. The rates of diphtheroid and Gram-negative bacteria growth were higher in the lesional areas of the inverse psoriasis group than the non-lesional areas of the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the flexural microbiota may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of inverse psoriasis, which warrants further investigation.