P. Teng et al., THE MICROBIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF LEG ULCERS AND INFECTED DERMATOSES IN PATIENTS REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION, Wounds, 5(3), 1993, pp. 133-136
More than six billion dollars are spent on antibiotics in the United S
tates annually. ciprofloxacin is a recently introduced oral antibiotic
with anti-Pseudomonas activity. However, extensive use of ciprofloxac
in has led to the emergence of resistant strains of Pseudomonas aerugi
nosa. In this report, we undertook microbiological studies of the majo
r bacteria in infected dermatologic conditions and leg ulcers in hospi
talized patients. All patients with clinically suggested infected derm
atoses or open wounds who were admitted to the Dermatology Inpatient U
nit were cultured for aerobic organisms. The sensitivities/resistance
of the organisms to commonly used antibiotics, with particular attenti
on to ciprofloxacin, were studied. Disease categories under study incl
uded: leg ulcers, infected dermatoses, deep wounds, abscesses, and cel
lulitis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found predominantly in leg ulcers,
and ciprofloxacin resistance was encountered in 19% of Pseudomonas or
ganisms isolated from leg ulcers. Moreover, 39.5% of Staphylococcus au
reus isolated from leg ulcers were also found to be resistant to cipro
floxacin. Given the rapid emergence of resistance, the empirical use o
f ciprofloxacin for infected leg ulcers is not recommended.