Running head: ATOPIC DERMATITIS 1

Atopic Dermatitis

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Question One

Atopic dermatitis is also referred to as atopic eczema and is viewed as an illness that

makes the skin of the human body to become reddish and continuously itching rash customarily

concentrated on the arms, cheeks, and legs. This type of disorder is typically prevalent in the

teenagers however it can occur at any age and can exist with some two different allergic statuses

known as asthma and hay fever. Therefore, individuals who suffer from asthma or hay fever are

likely to suffer from atopic dermatitis which also takes a couple of months in the body and tends

to flare periodically. This type of sickness mostly begins in the childhood period which is

typically the first seven months of an infant’s life. Even though atopic dermatitis is regarded as

the most popular form of eczema, it still serves as the most intense and long-lasting and can get

worse (Barnes, 2010). This disorder is likely to disappear as a child grows into an older age;

however, some kids may still experience the illness into adulthood. Some of the factors that are

likely to worsen the condition of atopic dermatitis include environmental factors such as low

humidity, contact with harsh soaps and detergents, and extreme cold weather condition.

Currently, there are not distinct standardized means of measuring atopic dermatitis trials

which affect the evidence-based communication process. However, the international

harmonizing outcome measures for eczema have defined clinical symptoms, signs, life status,

and long-term control as critical domains for atopic dermatitis traits (Boguniewicz & Leung,

2011). Some of the effects of this disorder are that people having it will have mild immune

system weakness. Moreover, they can be subjected to contracting fungal foot ailment and

coetaneous staphylococcal diseases, and it is also likely to trigger simplex lip infection and

smallpox to more significant areas of the human skin. Another part of the body that is likely to

be affected by atopic dermatitis is the face typically the skin around the eyes, eyelids and the
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eyebrows. Consequently, some people who are affected by this disorder will tend to have an

extra fold of skin particularly under the eyes referred to as atopic pleat. The disease can also have

a psychological effect where kids are likely to be bullied in learning institutions thus can result in

social isolation and a drop in the performance level.

Question Two

Genetic involvement in atopic dermatitis cannot be completely understood; however,

various studies have discovered that many body genes are likely to be part of the growth of the

ailment and should be monitored closely. One of the genes that are associated with this sickness

includes the CARD11 gene where all the proteins produced by this gene affects the signaling

pathways associated in the growth and operations of the immune system cells referred to as

lymphocytes. All the mutations in this gene will result in the production of a different CARD11

protein that will fail to actively operate within the body system (Peroni et al. 2011). The

alterations will typically impair the pathway signals thus leading to the growth of T-cells

lymphocytes that will fail to operate efficiently. Therefore, the respond of these cells towards

foreign body invaders such as bacteria and fungi will be diminished thus the T cell abnormalities

will result into a weak immune system thus allowing recurrent infections know as associated

atopic dermatitis.

In many occasions, the cases of atopic dermatitis are perceived to happen due to the

combination of genetic and environmental conditions such extreme cold weather; however, many

common genetic variations are likely to be involved where each will contribute a tiny amount to

the risk of developing atopic dermatitis. One of the strongest of these associations will be that of

the FLG gene which is typically managed in close to thirty percent of individuals with the
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disease as compared to the fifteen percent of the entire population without atopic dermatitis.

Consequently, the FLG gene is involved with the production of instructions essential to the

growth of a protein known as profilaggrin (Peroni et al. 2011). This protein is significant in the

creation of the outermost layer of the skin. A majority of the proteins generated from profilaggrin

assists like a substantial barrier that is used for storing of water and distract unknown substances

inclusive of the toxins, bacteria, and allergens. The difference in the FLG gene results in the

production of an abnormal short profilaggrin that is utilized in the production of other related

proteins thus impairing the barrier function of the skin.

Question Three

There is the possibility that many human activities have led to the production of

compound chemicals with the recent times being the constant exposure to chemical allergens

from various sources more so in the industrialized countries. A majority of these toxics are

released into the atmosphere from industrial wastes, exhausts fumes of cars, insecticides,

pesticides, and fertilizers. When a person is subjected to such conditions, there are high

possibilities that these situations are likely to affect the immune system thus affecting the

balancing of Th1 and Th2responses. According to Spergel, J. M. (2010), the excess increase in

the existence of atopic dermatitis and allergy witnessed continuously in the developing countries

during the last decades is related with the high exposure to chemicals substances that is

significant in the creation of Th2-type responses. Air pollutants in the recent times have been

viewed to be environmental factors associated with the substantial prevalence of allergic

ailments in industrialized countries. A majority of epidemiological researchers suggests that

many air pollutants have been the cause of atopic dermatitis and other several allergic illnesses.
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Constant involvement with allergens and skin irritants is another type of environmental

factors associated with atopic dermatitis where it is enhanced when the skin gets into contact

with chemical or physical annoyances such as the soaps, excessive washing, and detergents.

Moreover, it has been confirmed that this ailment and allergic contact dermatitis composes

similar pathogens and clinical signs. The allergic contact dermatitis is typically associated with

an itchy body, scaling, erythematic and vesiculation where it is typically involved with the

environmental factors. On the other hand, aeroallergens also act as environmental factors that

influence atopic dermatitis since the common aeroallergens include the dust mites, the pollens,

and dander typically found in hair or skin.

The can increase the danger of the disorder in some people thus making its effects to be severe

even though some researchers believe that these substances are insignificant (Spergel, 2010). It is

therefore recommended that the developing countries should adopt the mechanism that is

significant towards eradicating these environmental factors that have contributed towards the

existence of atopic dermatitis.

Question Four

Having gone through the two factors that contribute towards the growth of atopic

dermatitis, it is significant to acknowledge that the genetic contributions are more influential than

the environmental factors. This is due to the past study that has been done about these two

factors where the genetically factors are likely to lead to the development of other disorders

related to inflammation including the inflammatory bowel ailments. Environmental factors such

as the air pollution may only increase the intensity of its effects; however, will not lead to other

similar conditions. Moreover, infants are likely to lose hair due to the malfunctioning immune
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reaction together with behavioral sicknesses such as attention deficit hyperactivity ailment or

even depression (Szegedi et al. 2012). All these disorders will be enhanced by genes within the

body due to the failure of the immune system to safeguard the body from foreign diseases such

as the bacteria and the fungi. Therefore, genes are significant in the contribution of atopic

dermatitis as compared to the environmental factors which might have severe reactions as to that

of the genes.

Question Five

in conclusion, DNA sequencing can be viewed as the process of highlighting the precise manner

of which nucleotides with any DNA molecule are arranged thus knowing the order in which the

four nucleotide bases namely guanine, adenine, cytosine and thymine occur within a nucleic acid

molecule. This test would have been beneficial in curbing the atopic dermatitis ailment witnessed

in infants since the project could have determined the primary information for a gene that is one

of the factors leading to this type of sickness (Barnes, 2010). Moreover, this could have been

effective in the evolutionary biology together with the detection of all mutated genes that leads to

ailments in the teenagers. Thus, DNA sequencing is considered an integral part of diverse

numeral applications.

References
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Barnes, K. C. (2010). An update on the genetics of atopic dermatitis: scratching the surface in

2009. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 125(1), 16-29.

Boguniewicz, M., & Leung, D. Y. (2011). Atopic dermatitis: a disease of altered skin barrier and

immune dysregulation. Immunological reviews, 242(1), 233-246.

Peroni, D. G., Piacentini, G. L., Cametti, E., Chinellato, I., & Boner, A. L. (2011). Correlation

between serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels and severity of atopic dermatitis in children.

British Journal of Dermatology, 164(5), 1078-1082.

Spergel, J. M. (2010). From atopic dermatitis to asthma: the atopic march. Annals of allergy,

asthma & immunology, 105(2), 99-106.

Szegedi, K., Kremer, A. E., Kezic, S., Teunissen, M., Bos, J. D., Luiten, R. M., & Middelkamp‐

Hup, M. A. (2012). Increased frequencies of IL‐31‐producing T cells are found in chronic

atopic dermatitis skin. Experimental dermatology, 21(6), 431-436.