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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.06.30.735469

The hand microbiome is sensitive to topical antibiotics and has varying sensitivity to liquid soaps

Stenton, M.·Henderson, S. R.
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Abstract

Hand eczema has been described as having an increased prevalence in persons with increased frequency of hand washing. This study investigated the differences in the hand microbiome of persons with and without a history of eczema and secondly the sensitivity of these microbes to commercial liquid soap as a potential trigger for eczema flares. The study identified Staphylococcus to be the most populus genus on the hands in both groups, but the distribution of species was different. Additionally, there was no difference in the number of soaps that produced zones of inhibition but there were some differences in the overall sensitivity to the different soaps tested. Overall, it was determined that liquid soap can cause bactericidal effects on some species of the commensal microbiome, but further work is required to determine if this could be the cause of hand eczema.

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Stenton, M., Henderson, S. R.. 2026-06-30. The hand microbiome is sensitive to topical antibiotics and has varying sensitivity to liquid soaps. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.06.30.735469

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