Overview
Bacterial skin infections encompass a range of conditions caused by various pathogens, differing in prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility between pediatric and adult populations. Staphylococcus aureus is predominantly implicated, particularly in children 1.Diagnosis
Clinical Presentation: Primary vs secondary infections; secondary infections more common in adults 1.
Laboratory Tests: Skin swab cultures essential for identifying causative organisms 1.
Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing: Recommended to guide appropriate antimicrobial therapy 1.Management
First-Line Treatments:
- Cloxacillin, Cephalexin, Chloramphenicol, Neomycin, Cotrimoxazole, Clindamycin for S. aureus infections 1.
Adjunctive Measures: Consider wound care and supportive treatments as needed, tailored to infection type 1.Special Populations
Pediatrics: Higher incidence of primary infections; S. aureus predominant, highly susceptible to cloxacillin and related antibiotics 1.
Adults: Predominance of secondary infections; similar antibiotic susceptibility patterns noted for S. aureus 1.Key Recommendations
Monitor trends in bacterial skin infections and antibiotic susceptibility patterns to guide empirical therapy (Evidence: Moderate 1).
Use cloxacillin, cephalexin, chloramphenicol, neomycin, cotrimoxazole, or clindamycin for treating S. aureus skin infections in both children and adults (Evidence: Moderate 1).
Perform skin swab cultures and susceptibility testing to tailor antimicrobial therapy effectively (Evidence: Moderate 1).References
1 Sugeng MW, Ang P, Tan HH, Goh CL. Characteristics of bacterial skin infections in children compared to adults at a tertiary dermatologic center. International journal of dermatology 1999. link