Antimicrobial prophylaxis in dermatology

Few circumstances in dermatology warrant antimicrobial prophylaxis, In cuta neous surgery postoperative infections are too infrequent and insufficientl y severe to justify preventive antibiotics, except rarely. Petrolatum is as effective as, and cheaper then, topical antibiotic ointment to cover surgi cal wounds. In patients with numerous staphylococcal skin infections, oral clindamycin 150 mg every day for 3 months safely reduces further episodes. For recurrent cellulitis, oral penicillin or erythromycin 250 mg twice dail y or monthly intramuscular benzathine penicillin decreases subsequent attac ks, In patients with frequent episodes of genital or labial herpes simplex an antiviral agent such as valacyclovir 500 mg to 1 g every day is effectiv e as a suppressant. Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.