trimethoprim--sulfamethoxazole-drug-combination and Radiodermatitis

In this retrospective investigation, we documented the bacterial colonization of 79 patients with chronic wounds, who had been treated between January 2002 and May 2003 in an outpatient wound healing clinic of a university dermatology program. We isolated 106 facultative pathogenic bacterial strains of which 56 were Staphylococcus aureus, 19 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 11 Escherichia coli, 4 Proteus mirabilis, 4 Enterobacter cloacae, 2 Serratia marcescens, 2 Streptococcus group G und 8 further species. 68 of these bacterial strains were gram-positive and 46 gram-negative. Moreover we identified one patient with Candida parapsilosis. Therefore, 70.8% of all patients showed Staphylococcus aureus in their chronic wounds. Determination of the specific resistances showed 17 patients to be colonized with oxacillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ORSA) strain; this corresponds to 21.5% of all patients. Consequently, 30.4% of all Staphylococcus aureus isolates were ORSA strains. All of the ORSA isolates were sensitive to vancomycin. Sensitivity to tetracycline was documented in 15, to amikacin in 13, to clindamycin in 7, to gentamicin and erythromycin in 6 of the ORSA-positive patients. In the case of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 10 were sensitive and 3 were intermediate in sensitivity. Beside the obligate resistance to oxacillin, penicillin G, ampicillin, cefuroxime and imipenem, none of the ORSA was sensitive to ofloxacin. The results of our investigations demonstrate the actual spectrum of bacterial colonization in chronic wounds of patients in an university dermatologic wound clinic and underline the growing problem of ORSA.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bacteriological Techniques; Chronic Disease; Clindamycin; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Erythromycin; Female; Foot Ulcer; Gentamicins; Humans; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Middle Aged; Oxacillin; Penicillin Resistance; Pressure Ulcer; Radiodermatitis; Skin Diseases, Bacterial; Skin Ulcer; Staphylococcal Skin Infections; Tetracycline; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; Vancomycin; Vancomycin Resistance; Varicose Ulcer; Wound Infection

Topics: Breast Neoplasms; Drug Combinations; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Radiodermatitis; Radiotherapy; Skin Diseases; Sulfamethoxazole; Trimethoprim; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination

Two patients are described in whom sunburn and electron beam radiodermatitis, respectively, were critical determinants in localizing the initial presentation of drug eruptions. In the first instance, a severe sunburn of the back and thighs was followed 7 months later by the appearance of a toxic epidermal necrolysis drug reaction to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in the exact sites of the previous bullous sunburn reaction. In the second patient, a radiodermatitis of the left upper arm due to electron beam therapy for metastatic breast cancer was followed 7 weeks later by a codeine drug reaction confined to the area of the radiodermatitis. In both instances, oral rechallenge with the offending drug reproduced the eruption.

Topics: Adult; Breast Neoplasms; Codeine; Drug Combinations; Drug Eruptions; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Radiodermatitis; Skin; Sulfamethoxazole; Sunburn; Trimethoprim; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination