Skin infections generally occur at the sites of skin damage produced by, for example, atopic dermatitis, burns, cracks in the skin, cuts, blisters, insect bites, surgical wounds, intravenous drug injection or sites of intravenous catheter insertion, or long-term usage of topical steroids. The skin infections may be localized or diffuse with severe inflammation of the epidermal, dermal and sub-cutaneous layers of the skin. They may be caused by various microbes including, but not limited to Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp., Herpes simplex virus, molluscum contagiosum virus, and fungi such as Microsporum spp. and Trichophyton spp.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic/relapsing inflammatory skin disease characterized by intense pruritus (e.g., severe itch) and by scaly and dry eczematous lesions. AD is often associated with other atopic disorders such as allergic rhinitis and asthma. Patients with atopic dermatitis are susceptible to serious skin infections caused by bacteria and viruses including, but not limited to S. aureus and herpes simplex virus. S. aureus causes severe localized and diffuse (e.g., impetigo) skin infections. S. aureus colonization and infections of lesions significantly impacts AD disease activity and severity.
Typical treatments include topical lotions and moisturizers, antibiotics, anti-viral and anti-fungal agents. Most treatment options, however, offer only temporary, incomplete, symptom relief. Moreover, in many patients with moderate-to-severe AD, prolonged use of topical corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors may lead to increased risk of skin microbial infections. Thus, a need exists in the art for novel targeted therapies for the treatment and/or prevention of skin infections.