Superficial community-acquired skin infections: prevalence of bacteria and antibiotic susceptibility in France.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the susceptibility to currently used antibiotics of bacteria, particularly S. aureus isolated from superficial community- acquired skin infection and to compare results with those from an earlier study. METHODS: Every dermatologist in community practice participating in the study was asked to include the first two patients consulting them for superficial cutaneous bacterial infection. Swab specimens collected from the skin infection were sent to a central laboratory. RESULTS: The dermatologist enrolled 390 patients in the study. The rate of positive culture was 49%, 259 bacterial strains were isolated. S. aureus was the major species (56.8% of all isolated strains). S. aureus was resistant to methicillin in 4%. All strains of S. aureus were susceptible to pristinamycin and mupirocin. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the two epidemiological studies of superficial community acquired skin infections with a comparable methodology at a 6-year interval demonstrated that the prevalence of CA-MRSA skin infection remained low in this setting.

[Community-acquired cutaneous infections: causal role of some bacteria and sensitivity to antibiotics]. / Infections cutanées communautaires: bactéries en cause et sensibilité aux antibiotiques.

OBJECTIVE: Identify the bacteria responsible for cutaneous infections observed in private practice and test their sensitivity to currently used antibiotics. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patients were examined by dermatologists. A bacteriological sample was taken and sent to a central laboratory for identification of the germ and antibiograms were performed and the minimal inhibiting concentrations (MIC) determined. RESULTS: Folliculitis, impetigo and furuncles were the three most frequent primary infections. Four hundred and forty-three patients were included and 442 samples were placed in culture. Cultures were positive in 265 cases (a single bacterial strain in 231 cases). Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 208 cases, streptococci in 11 and enterobacteria in 3; occasionally several germs were present. Eight strains of staphylococci were meti-R (4 p. 100). All the strains were sensitive to pristinamycin and mupirocin and 90 p. 100 were sensitive to fusidic acid. CONCLUSION: The occurrence and diffusion of resistant strains is a daily concern in hospitals. In general practice, although care must be taken, the problem rarely occurs and the antibiotics used remain effective.