The state of psoriasis research (or what's up?)
I was wondering if there are any viruses, bacteria, fungi, any members of the microbe world the could be the hidden causes of this #@$%##!!!
Here's what I found so far of interest.
"Psoriasis is a common chronic, immune-mediated, inflammatory skin disorder, with a reported prevalence of 0.0-2.1% among children and 0.91-8.50% among adults, worldwide. Psoriasis is induced by several environmental factors, including infection, alcohol consumption, drugs, trauma, acute withdrawal of systemic or potent topical corticosteroids, body mass index and endocrine disorders. Increasing evidence suggest that a variety of microorganisms play key roles in the induction and exacerbation of psoriasis. Pathogens, such as streptococci and staphylococci are considered causal factors, presumably via superantigen activation of skin-seeking T cells. In addition, fungal pathogens, such as Candida and Malassezia, and viral agents, such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus infection and human papillomavirus, are also closely associated with psoriasis. Recently, several types of pathogens, such as Helicobacter pylori infection, Zika virus and scabies, have been reported to potentially trigger psoriasis. The present review discusses the underlying molecular mechanisms by which these infections influence psoriasis to provide a better understanding of the pathogenesis of psoriasis."
Lifted from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33850539/
Hey
! Great to hear from you, as always. Whilst the exact cause of psoriasis is currently unknown, we do know that infections can trigger psoriasis. I find this topic so interesting, particularly because infections are one of my triggers. A throat infection will almost always lead to new guttate psoriasis patches popping up for me. I also believe that my psoriatic arthritis was triggered by several throat infections over a short space of time.
We have a few articles on this topic that I think might be of interest. The first talks a bit about common triggers for psoriasis, including infections: https://plaquepsoriasis.com/what-is-psoriasis/triggers-causes-flares The second looks specifically at guttate psoriasis and the different viruses and bacteria that can potentially trigger it: https://plaquepsoriasis.com/types-severity/guttate-psoriasis Lastly, we have an article on nail psoriasis which mentions Candida albicans as a trigger: https://plaquepsoriasis.com/clinical/pathogenesis-nail-psoriasis
Have you had any thoughts on whether a bug/virus might have triggered your psoriasis? Warmly, -Catherine, Community Moderator
I originally thought a strep throat might have been the trigger. Apparently the 'triggers' are many.
There are more microbes in our bodies than cells. We are basically large ecosystems walking around with our billions of inhabitants.
Just call me planet Dave : )
What triggers ones' psoriasis can be one big unsolved mystery. What we do know is the immune system, and genetics play a key role. Really any triggering event can cause a change in our immune system, resulting in the onset of psoriasis symptoms. Above all triggers, stress is the most common but often not taken into consideration. Stress can do so much harm to our bodies and it's possible this could be one of the rooting sources of it. -Latoya (Team Member) , we did have a really interesting article about the microbiome as a potential trigger for psoriasis, but unfortunately I can't find it anywhere now. If I do manage to locate it I will certainly send it your way. I actually took part in a study a few years ago now, which was looking into the gut microbiome and psoriatic arthritis. I find this topic very interesting, and sometimes a bit too complex for me 😅
It's entirely possible that strep throat was the trigger for you - this particular infection comes up quite a lot among the community. Some people also believe that antibiotics can trigger psoriasis. I'm not sure if your strep was treated with antibiotics, but that's something else to consider. Unfortunately, there are many possible triggers for psoriasis - it feels like we don't have a chance sometimes! My personal triggers are skin injury, stress and infection. Are there any other potential triggers that you can identify from the article I shared? Warmly, -Catherine, Community Moderator
I think stress is the culprit for me. But then again, take your pick.
, I feel you on that one! There's so many variables to consider, it can often be tricky to work out exactly which trigger is at play. Stress is such a big one for so many of us though. Is there anything that helps you manage stress? I tried meditating for a while and it did help, but I just feel like it's such an effort to do it consistently. If I'm up to it, I find walking really helps with stress at the moment. Hoping today is as stress- and itch-free as possible for you! Warmly, -Catherine, Community Moderator I wonder, how often do you do any stress testing when you see the doctor if any? And if so, what types of testing and methods are they using. Stress is so big for me also and I think it's not talked about enough with my doctor alone so I'm curious to hear about your experience. Kindly, Latoya (Team Member)
Hello
, Just checking to see how you are doing. Have you figured out what any of your triggers are? I know there could be so many. I know for me, I try not to stress. Let us know how you are doing.
We would love to hear from you. Diane (Team Member)
