Abstract
Background
Since the early 1930s when antibiotics were first introduced, they have revolutionized the way physicians treat infections. Skin conditions from acne to leprosy, which were once shunned by society, are now easily treated with oral antibiotics.
Objective
Antibiotics are chemicals derived from bacteria and fungi that uniquely have antibacterial action. The most notable example is penicillin, which is derived from a mold. With hundreds of antibiotics available to the practicing physician, improper use of these drugs has become widespread and expensive and has spawned resistant strains. For the dermatologist, antibiotics are vital weapons in the drug armamentarium for treating various skin conditions.
Conclusion
This review explores the newest and most common oral, parenteral, and topical antibiotics used in dermatology, their indications, adverse effects, dosage, and spectrum of activity. Furthermore, systemic antibacterial prophylaxis and vaccines pertinent to dermatology are discussed. The penicillins, cephalosporins, tetracyclines, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides, aminoglycosides, lincosamides, folate inhibitors, and a new synthetic class of drugs, the oxazolidinones, are reviewed. These antibiotics are used to treat a variety of organisms.
Sommaire
Antécédents
Depuis leur mise au point au debut des années 1930, les antibiotiques n’ont cessé de révolutionner le traitement des infections. Des dermatoses autrefois fuies par la société, de l’acné à lèpre, sont facilement traitées aujourd’hui grâce aux antibiotiques par voie orale.
Objectif
Les antibiotiques sont des produits chimiques dérivés de bactéries et de champignons, particulièrement efficaces contre les infections bactériennes. L’exemple le plus connu est la pénicilline qui provient d’une moisissure. La prolifération des antibiotiques, dont le nombre sur le marché dépasse la centaine, en a entraîné un usage abusif, augmentant les coûts associes aux soins médicaux et causant l’apparition de souches résistantes. Toutefois, pour le dermatologue, les antibiotiques constituent un élément essentiel de la pharmacopée utilisée dans le traitement des diverses affections cutanées.
Conclusion
Le présent article explore les plus récents antibiotiques oraux, parentéraux et topiques les plus fréquemment utilisés en dermatologie. On y aborde la posologie, les réactions indésirables, les doses et le spectre d’activité. De plus, on y discute des prophylaxies systémiques antibactériennes et des vaccins reliés à la dermatologie. On passera en revue la pénicilline, la céphalosporine, la tétracycline, les macrolides, les fluoroquinolones, les sulfamides, les aminosides, les lincosamides, les antifoliques ainsi qu’une nouvelle classe de médicaments synthétiques, les oxazolidinones. Ces antibiotiques sont utilisés dans le traitement d’une variété d’organismes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kazung BG, Bertram J. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. In: Norwalk, CT: Appleton & Lang, pp 43-50
Hirschmann JV. Overview of antibiotics. In: Freedberg IM, Eisen AZ, Wolff K, et al, eds. Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine, 5th ed. New York: Mc Graw-Hill, pp 2829-2837
Kujath P et al. (2000) University of Lubeck, Germany; European Congress of Chemotherapy, Madrid, Spain, May 9, 2000
Roujeau JC, Stern RS. Severe adverse cutaneous reactions to drugs. N Engl J Med 1994; 331(19): 1272–1285
Korkij W, Soltani K. Fixed drug eruption. A brief review. Arch Dermatol 1984; 120:520–524
Somer T, Finegold SM. Vasculitides associated with infections, immunizations, and antimicrobial drugs. Clin Infect Dis 1995; 20:1010–1036
Ruocco V, Sacerdoti G. Pemphigus and bullous pemphigoid due to drugs. Int J Dermatol 1991; 30(5):307–312
Roujeau JC, Bioulac-Sage P, Bourseau C, et al. Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis. Analysis of 63 cases. Arch Dermatol 1991; 127:1333–1338
Lin RY. A perspective on penicillin allergy. Arch Intern Med 1991; 152(5):930–937
Sher TH. Penicillin hypersensitivity—a review. Pediatr Clin North Am 1983; 30(1):161–176
Asbel LE, Levison ME. Cephalosporins, carbapenems and monobactams. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2000; 14(2):435–447
Gilbert DN, Moellering RC, Sande MA (1999) The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy, pp 35–39
Dattwyler RJ, Halper JJ, Volkman DJ, et al. Treatment of late Lyme borreliosis—randomized comparison of ceftriaxone and penicillin. Lancet 1998; 1(8596):1191–1194
Saxton A, Beal GN, Rohr AS, et al. Immediate hypersensitivity reactions to beta-lactamantibiotics. Ann Intern Med 1987; 107(2): 204–215
Platt R, Dreis MW, Kennedy DL, et al. Serum sickness-like reactions to amoxicillin, cefaclor, cephalexin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. J Infect Dis 1988; 158:474–477
Bachelez H, Senet P, Cadranel J, et al. The use of tetracycline for the treatment of sarcoidosis. Arch Dermatol 2001; 137:69–73
Webster GF. Acne. Curr Probl Dermatol 1996; 8:237–241
Del Rosso J (2000) Meeting highlights, Acne and rosacea, 24th Annual Hawaii Dermatology Seminar, p 3 (Published by an unrestricted educational grant from Galderma)
Zuckerman JM. The newer macrolides, azithromycin and clarithromycin. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2000; 14(2):449–462
Sturgill MG, Rapp RP. Clarithromycin: Review of a new macrolide antibiotic with improved microbiologic spectum and favorable pharmaco kinetic and adverse effect profiles. Ann Pharmacother 1992; 26(9):1099–1108
Kanatani MS, Guglielmo BJ. The new macrolides: azithromycin and clarithromycin. West J Med 1994; 160(1):31–37
Sharma PK, Yadav TP, Gautam RK, et al. Erythromycin in pityriasis rosea: A double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Am Acad Dermatol 2000; 42:241–244
Strle F, Maraspin V, Lotric-Furlan S, et al. Azithromycin and doxycycline for the treatment of Borreliaculture-positive erythema migrans. Infection 1996; 24(1):64–68
Dattwylen RJ, Grunwaldt E, Luft BJ. Clarithromycin in the treatment of early Lyme disease: a pilot study. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1996; 40(2):468–469
Lassus A. Comparative studies of azithromycin in skin and soft tissue infections and sexually transmitted infections byNeisseria andChlamydia species. J Antimicrob Chemother 1990; 25(Suppl A): 115–121
Hardy DJ, Guay DRP, Jones RN. Clarithromycin, a unique macrolide: A pharmacokinetic, microbiological and clinical overview. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 1992; 15(1):39–53
Mallory SB. Azithromycin compared with cephalexin in the treatment of skin and skin structure infections. Am J Med 1991; 91(3A):36S-39S
Handsfield HH, Dalu ZA, Martin DH, et al. Multicenter trial of single-dose azithromycin vs ceftriaxone in the treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea. Sex Transm Dis 1994; 21(2): 107–111
Lesher GT, Froelich EJ, Gruett JH, et al. 1,8-naphthyridine derivatives: a new class of chemotherapy agents. J Med Pharm Chem 1962; 5:1063–1067
Chu DT, Fernandes PB. Structure-activity relationship of thefluoroquinolones. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1989; 33(2): 131–135
Domagala JM. Structure-activity and structure-side effect relationships of the quinolone antibacterials. J Antimicrob Chemother 1994; 33(4):685–706
Walker RC. The fluoroquinolones. Mayo Clin Proc 1999; 74: 1030–1034
O’Donnell JA, Gelone SP. Fluoroquinolones. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2000; 14(2):489–513
Rodvold KA. Clinical safety profile of newer fluoroquinolones. Infect Med 1999; 10(Supp):41–43
Klempner MS, Styrt B. Prevention of recurrent staphylococcal skin infections with low-dose clindamycin therapy. JAMA 1988; 260(18):2682–2685
Zalla MJ, Su WP, Fransway AF. Dermatologic manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus infection. Mayo Clin Proc 1992; 67(11):1089–1108
Purohit SD, Supta ML, Gupia PR. Dietary constituents and rifampicin absorption. Tuberculosis 1987; 68:151
Ramesh V, Misra RS, Saxena V, et al. A comparative of efficacy of drug regimens in skin tuberculosis. Clin Exp Dermatol 1991; 16:106–109
Hoss DM, Feder HM. Addition of rifampicin to conventional therapy for recurrent furunculosis. Arch Dermatol 1995; 131:647–648
Gamea AM, El-Tatawi FA. The effect of rifampicin on rhinoscleroma. J Laryngol Otol 1990; 10:772–777
Grosset J, Leventis S. Adverse effects of rifampin. Rev Infect Dis 1983; 5(3S):440–446
Esterly NB, Furey NL, Flanagan LE. The effect of antimicrobial agents on leukocytechemotaxis. J Invest Dermatol 1978; 70(1):51–55
Metronidazole (topical). In: Drug Information for the Health Care Professionals (USP DI). Rockville, MD: U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, 1997, pp 2028–2029
Wolf JE (2000) Meeting highlights, Acne and rosacea, 24th Annual Hawaii Dermatology Seminar, p 1 (Published by an unrestricted educational grant from Galderma)
Hirschmann JV. Overview of antibiotics. In: Freedberg IM, Eisen AZ, Wolff K, et al, eds. Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine, 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, pp 2306-2318
Hirschmann JV. Overview of antibiotics. In: Freedberg IM, Eisen AZ, Wolff K, et al, eds. Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine, 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, pp 2790-2794
Ford C, Hamel J, Stapert D. Oxazolidinones: A new class of antimicrobials. Infect Med 1999; 16:435
Tucker JA, Allwine DA, Grega KC, et al. Piperazinyl oxazolidinones antibacterial agents containing apyridine, diazine or triazene hetero aromatic ring. J Med Chem. 1998; 41:3727–3735
Dresser LD, Rybak MJ. The pharmacologic and bacteriologic properties of oxazolidinones, a new class of synthetic antimicrobials. Pharmacotherapy 1998; 18(3):456–462
Rybak MJ, Capelletty DM, Moldovan T, et al. Comparative in vitro activities and postantibiotic effects ofthe oxazolidinones compounds eperezolid (PNU-100592) and linezolid(PNU-100766) versus vancomycin againstStaphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staphylococci,Enterococcus faecalis, andEnterococcus faecium. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1998; 42(3):721–724
Zurenko GE, Yagi BH, Schaadt RD, et al. In vitro activities of PNU 100592 and PNU 100766, noveloxazolidinones antibacterial agents. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1996; 40(4):839–845
Anonymous. Linezolid (Zyvox). Med Lett 2000; 14(1079):45-46
Lundstrom TS, Sobel JD. Antibiotics for gram-positive bacterial infections. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2000; 14(2):463–474
Chant C, Rybak MJ. Quinupristin/dalfopristin (RP 59500): a new streptograminantibiotic. Ann Pharmacother 1995; 29(10):1022–1027
Qadri SM, Ueno Y, Abu Mostafa FM, et al. In vitro activity of quinupristin/dalfopristin, RP 59500, against gram positive clinical isolates. Chemotherapy 1997; 43(2):94–99
Kaye ET. Topical antibacterial agents. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2000; 14(2):321–340
Thiboutot DM. Acne: An overview of clinical research findings. Dermatol Clin 1997; 15:97–109
Bonner MW, Benson PM, James WD. Topical antibiotics in dermatology. In: Freedberg IM, Eisen AZ, Wolff K, et al. eds. Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine, 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, pp 2829-2837
Bradley SF. Effectiveness of mupirocin in the control of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus. Infect Med 1993; 10:23–28
Winston LG. Rifampin as antibiotic adjunct works well for recurrentboils. Skin Allergy News 2000; 31(7):25
Williams RE, Mackie RM. The staphylococci. Importance of their control in the management of skin disease. Dermatol Clin 1993; 11:201–206
Smack OP. Infections and allergy incidence in ambulatory surgery patientsusing white petrolatum versus bacitracin ointment. JAMA 1996; 276:972–975
Kapusnik-Uner JE. Tetracycline, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, and miscellaneous antibacterial agents. In: Hardman JG, et al, ed. Goodman and Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, pp 1123-1147
Lindemayr H, Drobil M. Eczema of the lower leg and contact allergy. Hautarzt 1985; 36(4):227–231
Fraki JE, Peltonen L, Hopsu-Havu VK. Allergy to various components of topical preparations in stasisdermatitis and leg ulcer. Contact Dermatitis 1985; 5:97–100
Klein JO. Otitis externa, otitis media, and mastoiditis. In: Mandell GL, Douglas RGL, Bennett JE eds. Principles and practice of infectious disease. New York: Churchill Livingstone, pp 505
Chambers HF, Sande MA. The aminoglycosides. In: Hardman JG, et al, ed. Goodman and Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis ofTherapeutics, 9th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, pp 1123-1147
Scherbenske JM, Winton GB, James WD. AcutePseudomonas infection of the external ear (malignant external otitis). J Dermatol Surg Oncol 1998; 14:165–169
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. Package insert for Leshcutan (paromomycin sulfate, 15%, and methylbenzethonium chloride, 12%, ointment), Petah-Tikva, Israel
Lancini G. Antibiotics, A Multidisciplinary Approach. New York, Chapter 5: Plenum, pp 70-78
Edwards DI. Biosynthesis of antimicrobial drugs. In: Antimicrobial Drug Action. Baltimore, MD: University Park Press, pp 31-32
Chloramphenicol (topical). In: Drug Information for Health Care Professionals (USP DI). Rockville, MD: U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, 1997, p 795
Roberts Pharmaceutical Corp. (1997) Package insert for Furacin (nitrofurazone cream). In: Physicians Desk Reference, 51st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics, p 3044
Brown CD, Zitelelli JA. A review of topical agents for wounds and methods of wounding. Guidelines for wound management. J Dermatol Surg Oncol 1993; 19:732–737
Ward RS, Saffle JR. Topical agents in burn and wound care. Phys Ther 1995; 75:526–538
Klempner MS, Styrt B. Prevention of recurrent staphylococcal skin infections with low-dose clindamycin therapy. JAMA 1988; 260(18):2682–2685
Meislin HW, Lerner SA, Graves MH, et al. Cutaneous abscesses: anaerobic and aerobic bacteriology andoutpatient management. Ann Intern Med 1977; 87(2):145–149
Macfie J, Harvey J. The treatment of acute superficial abscesses: A prospective clinical trial. Br J Surg 1977; 64(4):264–266
Haas AF, Grekin RC. Antibiotic prophylaxis in dermatologic surgery. J Am Acad Dermatol 1995; 32(2 Part 1):155–176
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Carrasco, D.A., Straten, M.V. & Tyring, S.K. A review of antibiotics in dermatology. J Cutan Med Surg 6, 128–150 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10227-001-0039-4
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10227-001-0039-4