Figure 2. Bacterial densities at baseline determined by specific qPCR assays.

Mean densities of all sites swabbed from all enrolled subjects at baseline are presented here. A. Baseline, lesional skin had higher total bacterial concentrations than nonlesional or control skin, which did not differ from one another. The mean total bacterial density at the worst affected site was 4 log₁₀/ sample, which represents ~5-fold greater density than on nonlesional skin in the same subject, and ~10-fold greater density than on control skin. B. The same trends were observed for Staphylococcus. C. At baseline, S. aureus was detected in a higher proportion of the worst affected lesional sites than in the control sites. D. The mean S. aureus density in lesions in which it was detected was significantly higher in the worst affected sites than on control or nonlesional sites. Symbols: T1, baseline; T2, follow-up visit.