Prevention of chronic furunculosis with low-dose azithromycin.
BACKGROUND
Chronic furunculosis is a recurrent staphylococcal abscess of the hair follicle. Besides ensuring personal hygiene, the management consists of long-term treatment with topical and systemic antibiotics.


OBJECTIVE
An open-labeled, prospective study was conducted to assess the clinical and in vitro efficacy of azithromycin in the long-term suppressive treatment of chronic furunculosis.


METHODS
Patients with a history of three or more episodes of furuncles were assigned to receive 12 weeks of suppressive treatment with azithromycin at a weekly dosage of 500 mg. In vitro susceptibility of azithromycin was evaluated with E-test. The primary efficacy parameter was complete absence of furuncles during the 3 months of azithromycin treatment. The secondary efficacy parameter was further absence of furuncles during the 3-month follow-up period.


RESULTS
At the end of 3 months of therapy, azithromycin was found to be effective in 19 (79.2%) of 24 patients; 18 of these patients remained in remission during the 3 months of follow-up. All of the strains were methicillin-sensitive. The results of the E-test showed that 15 of 18 strains (83.3%) were susceptible to azithromycin.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate that azithromycin is an effective and safe alternative in the treatment of chronic furunculosis caused by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus.
Aminzadeh
Arya
A
Departments of Dermatology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. aryaaminzadeh@yahoo.com
Demircay
Zeynep
Z
Ocak
Kerem
K
Soyletir
Guner
G
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005667:Furunculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017963:Azithromycin