A review of antibiotics in dermatology.

BACKGROUND: Since the early 1930s when antibiotics were first introduced, they have revolutionized the way physicians treat infections. Skin conditions from acne to leprosy, which were once shunned by society, are now easily treated with oral antibiotics.

OBJECTIVE: Antibiotics are chemicals derived from bacteria and fungi that uniquely have antibacterial action. The most notable example is penicillin, which is derived from a mold. With hundreds of antibiotics available to the practicing physician, improper use of these drugs has become widespread and expensive and has spawned resistant strains. For the dermatologist, antibiotics are vital weapons in the drug armamentarium for treating various skin conditions.

CONCLUSION: This review explores the newest and most common oral, parenteral, and topical antibiotics used in dermatology, their indications, adverse effects, dosage, and spectrum of activity. Furthermore, systemic antibacterial prophylaxis and vaccines pertinent to dermatology are discussed. The penicillins, cephalosporins, tetracyclines, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides, aminoglycosides, lincosamides, folate inhibitors, and a new synthetic class of drugs, the oxazolidinones, are reviewed. These antibiotics are used to treat a variety of organisms.