*3.4. There Are Taxa Whose Abundance was Positively Correlated in Feces and on Skin*

Positive correlations were observed between the skin and gut libraries for the genus *Enterobacter*, regardless of patient clinical status (ρ = 0.26, *p* = 0.04). Similarly, positive correlations were observed for the genus *Gemella* for all allergic children (AD + ADFA + FA) (ρ = 0.45, *p* = 0.02), and for the genera *Lactobacillus* and *Bacteroides* in the control group (ρ = 0.48, *p* = 0.03 and ρ = 0.49, *p* = 0.02, respectively). No negative correlations were observed between the skin and feces libraries.

The abundance of 13 OTUs belonging to 11 genera was positively correlated between respective skin and feces samples (Table 5). Among them, OTU2 (*Streptococcus*) and OTU31 (*Lactobacillus*, nearest species *L. gasseri*) were correlated in both the allergic and control groups. Interestingly, no negative correlations were observed. In allergic subjects, the

correlated OTUs were affiliated with Gram-positive phyla (Firmicutes and Actinobacteria), while those correlated in healthy subjects included the Gram-negative taxa *Haemophilus* (Gammaproteobacteria) and *Bacteroides* (Bacteroidetes).


**Table 5.** OTUs whose abundance on skin and in feces is correlated.

Spearman's rho and *p*-value are given.
