title: Topical mupirocin treatment of impetigo is equal to oral erythromycin therapy.
abstract: Topical antimicrobial therapy has not been effective in the past against cutaneous bacterial infections. In this study, a new topical antibiotic ointment, mupirocin, was compared with oral erythromycin ethylsuccinate in the treatment of impetigo. Seventy-five patients clinically diagnosed as having impetigo and with positive cultures of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, or both were examined in an investigator-blinded study. Patients used topical mupirocin applied three times daily or the usual oral dose of erythromycin ethylsuccinate (30 to 50 mg/kg per day). Patients' lesions were examined clinically and cultured bacteriologically on days 0, 3, and 8, and 1 week after treatment. Susceptibility testing was performed on pathogens isolated to determine antibiotic resistance. Mupirocin treatment produced similar clinical results to oral erythromycin and was superior in the eradication of S aureus, including antibiotic-resistant S aureus. These results show topical mupirocin to be a safe and effective alternative to oral antibiotic therapy in the treatment of impetigo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami, School of Medicine, FL 33101.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Mertz
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Eaglstein
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Piovanetti
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Montalvo
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007169:Impetigo / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D016712:Mupirocin; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D011897:Random Allocation; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005227:Fatty Acids; D004917:Erythromycin; D016712:Mupirocin