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  "path": "/news/2026-02-testosterone-severity-bacterial-skin-infections.html",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-27T14:40:05.000Z",
  "site": "https://medicalxpress.com",
  "tags": [
    "Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes"
  ],
  "textContent": "Men are more susceptible than women to skin infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, but the biological basis for this disparity has remained unclear. A new study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers is the first to reveal testosterone, present at higher levels in males, as a key driver of infection. The sex steroid activates a bacterial communication pathway known as quorum sensing, increasing skin cell death and promoting the destruction of red blood cells and white blood cells called neutrophils.",
  "title": "Testosterone increases severity of bacterial skin infections, researchers discover"
}