posted
Long-Term Use Of Antibiotic To Treat Acne Not Associated With Increased Bacterial Resistance 11 Apr 2011
The prolonged use of tetracycline antibiotics commonly used to treat acne was associated with a reduced
prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and was not associated with increased resistance to the
tetracycline antibiotics, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the August print issue of
Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Staphylococcus aureus is found in both hospital and community settings. "While S aureus colonizes the skin, it
can also be responsible for localized cutaneous infections and life-threatening systemic infections," the authors
write as background information in the article. "At one time, it was sensitive to many antibiotics and
antimicrobial agents. However, because of its ability to adapt to these therapies and become resistant, clinical
scenarios now exist in which few therapeutic options remain to treat this organism. Therefore,
methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) has become commonplace."
Matthew Fanelli, M.D., and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia,
conducted a survey study of patients treated for acne to determine the frequency of S aureus colonization and
to compare the susceptibility patterns between patients who are using antibiotics and those who are not using
antibiotics. A total of 36 of the 83 patients in the study (43 percent) were colonized with S aureus. Two of the 36
patients (6 percent) had MRSA; 20 (56 percent) had S aureus solely in their throats; nine (25 percent) had S
aureus solely in their noses; and seven (19 percent) had S aureus in both their noses and throats.
"Long-term use of antibiotics decreased the prevalence of S aureus colonization by nearly 70 percent," the
authors report. "A decreased rate of colonization was noted with the use of both oral and topical antibiotics."
"Fewer than 10 percent of the isolates of S aureus were resistant to tetracyclines, the most commonly used
antibiotic family to treat acne," they write. "Resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin was mostly prevalent
among our isolates and was noted in the patients who did and did not use antibiotics."
The study results contradict current dogma about long-term use of antibiotics.
"Specifically, in our study, the prolonged use of antibiotics from the tetracycline class that are commonly used
to treat acne lowered the prevalence of colonization by S aureus and did not increase resistance to the
tetracycline antibiotics," the authors conclude. "Future research should be conducted with respect to other
organisms and antibiotics."
Arch Dermatol. Published online April 11, 2011. doi:10.1001/archdermatol.2011.67.
Main News Category: Dermatology
Also Appears In: MRSA / Drug Resistance, Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses,
Posts: 789 | From CT, | Registered: Jun 2006
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Rivendell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19922
posted
Well, if they can treat acne with long-term antibiotics with no fear of resistence, why not Lyme?
Posts: 1358 | From Midwest | Registered: Apr 2009
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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philly78
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31069
posted
Interesting indeed!
The problem isn't treating people with abx long term....it is those who don't finish their abx that is given to them. They'll feel better than stop prematurely. That is more of a contributing factor to resistance imo.
-------------------- When faced with pain you have two choices....either quit and accept the circumstances, OR make the decision to fight with all the resources you have at your disposal. Posts: 1000 | From PA | Registered: Mar 2011
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