A PILOT-STUDY ON BACTERIAL VIABILITY IN ACNE - ASSESSMENT USING DUAL FLOW-CYTOMETRY ON MICROBIALS PRESENT IN FOLLICULAR CASTS AND COMEDONES

Background Antibiotic therapy is one of the main methods of acne treat ment; however, bacterial resistance is on the rise and can affect the treatment outcome. Quantitative bacteriologic cultures are the gold st andard methodology for the assessment of such a problem; however, cert ain important biological aspects remain uncovered. Objective The purpo se of this study was to compare the antibacterial activity of minocycl ine and lymecycline in sebaceous follicle infundibula and comedones of acne patients. Method We used a recently introduced flow cytometric m ethod, allowing a distinction to be made between viable, injured (pres umably resistant), and dead microorganisms. Results Minocycline (100 m g) proved to be superior to lymecycline (600 mg) in abating the microf lora harboring in the sebaceous follicles of acne patients. Conclusion s The dissimilar bioavailability and antimicrobial efficacy between th e two bacteriostatic agents may impart different clinical efficacy.