title: [Treatment of superficial bacterial cutaneous infections: a survey among general practitioners in France].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Superficial bacterial skin infection and superinfection of skin diseases are usually treated by general practitioners using antiseptics or antibiotics. However, acquired resistance to biocidal agents, both systemic and topical, is growing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to assess the skill of GPs in clinical situations involving common skin infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  On 16 June 2010, we sent a questionnaire to all GPs in a rural region of France (the Cher department) together with a stamped addressed envelope for the reply. The questionnaire contained seven pages of multiple-choice questions and five clinical cases, each one illustrated with a photograph (sty, furuncle, whitlow, colonized chronic wounds and impetigo). Anonymity of responses was guaranteed. Data was analysed using the Clinsight(®) software package.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 51% (102 responses). GPs reported little difficulty in treating these patients (median 3, range 1 to 8 on a scale of increasing difficulty from 0 to 10). The main results of the study are firstly the frequency of combination of at least one antiseptic with one antibiotic (46%); secondly, the frequency of combination of two antibiotics (20% of cases); thirdly, the frequent prescription of systemic antibiotics for chronic wounds colonized by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (61%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows the high frequency of prescriptions for combined therapy to treat superficial skin infections despite the fact that monotherapy with either an antiseptic or an antibiotic would probably suffice. It also shows the unnecessary prescription of antibiotics for colonization of a chronic wound. The study was limited in terms of size and design: it was a questionnaire rather than an analysis of prescriptions actually made in "real life", and the response rate was 51%. In addition, aside from impetigo, for which randomised studies and recommendations were given, the other surface infections (sty, folliculitis, whitlow) tend to be treated more empirically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dissemination of recommendations regarding the respective role of antiseptics and antibiotics (and their route of administration, topical or systemic) in superficial skin infections would doubtless be useful for prescribers, and more rational use of these agents would help limit bacterial resistance.
authors: Service de dermatologie, hôpital Trousseau, CHU de Tours, avenue de la République, 37170 Chambray-lès-Tours, France.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Fourtillan
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Tauveron
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Binois
authors: A-M
authors: AM
authors: Lehr-Drylewicz
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Machet
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004322:Drainage; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005602:France; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local
keywords: Antibiotics; Antibiotiques; Antiseptics; Antiseptiques; Enquête; Infections cutanées; Médecine générale; Skin infection; Staphyloccus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus; Survey