Japan Firm Finds Human Bacteria Effective for Skin Disease

Okayama, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–Ohayo Dairy Products Co. said Thursday its experiments have revealed that L-55 lactic acid bacteria, a human intestine parasite, helps alleviate the allergy atopic dermatitis.

The company, based in this western Japan city, plans to release the results at a meeting hosted by the Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry in Kyoto, scheduled for March.

The experiments were conducted jointly with Okayama University Prof. Chiaki Kamei last autumn. Infected mice that were given the L- 55 bacteria were less susceptible to the allergy than infected mice that were not, even when both groups were given an inflammation- inducing agent.

The L-55 bacteria also reduced scratching among the mice, company officials said. Atopic dermatitis patients tend to suffer from intense itching of the skin.END