The mystery behind what makes us itch may finally have been solved. American researchers discovered that the presence of a common skin bacterium – Staphylococcus aureus – can make us itch by acting directly on our nerve cells.
The findings may help to explain why skin conditions such as eczema are often accompanied by a persistent and insatiable itch. In experiments on mice, scientists discovered the bacterium S. aureus made them develop an intensifying itch.
