virginiamycin and Skin-Diseases--Infectious

Over the past several years there have been many advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous infectious diseases. This review focuses on the three major topics of interest in the geriatric population: herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), onychomycosis, and recent advances in antibacterial therapy. Herpes zoster in adults is caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that causes chickenpox in children. For many years acyclovir was the gold standard of antiviral therapy for the treatment of patients with herpes zoster. Famciclovir and valacyclovir, newer antivirals for herpes zoster, offer less frequent dosing. PHN refers to pain lasting > or = 2 months after an acute attack of herpes zoster. The pain may be constant or intermittent and may occur spontaneously or be caused by seemingly innocuous stimuli such as a light touch. Treatment of established PHN through pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapy will be discussed. In addition, therapeutic strategies to prevent PHN will be reviewed. These include the use of oral corticosteroids, nerve blocks, and treatment with standard antiviral therapy. Onychomycosis, or tinea unguium, is caused by dermatophytes in the majority of cases, but can also be caused by Candida and nondermatophyte molds. Onychomycosis is found more frequently in the elderly and in more males than females. There are four types of onychomycosis: distal subungual onychomycosis, proximal subungual onychomycosis, white superficial onychomycosis, and candidal onychomycosis. Over the past several years, new treatments for this disorder have emerged which offer shorter courses of therapy and greater efficacy than previous therapies. The treatment of bacterial skin and skin structure infections in the elderly is an important issue. There has been an alarming increase in the incidence of gram-positive infections, including resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and drug-resistant pneumococci. While vancomycin has been considered the drug of last defense against gram-positive multidrug-resistant bacteria, the late 1980s saw an increase in vancomycin-resistant bacteria, including vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). More recently, strains of vancomycin-intermediate resistant S. aureus (VISA) have been isolated. Gram-positive bacteria, such as S. aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes are often the cause of skin and skin structure infections, ranging from mild pyodermas to compl

Topics: 2-Aminopurine; Acetamides; Acyclovir; Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; Antiviral Agents; Famciclovir; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Itraconazole; Linezolid; Onychomycosis; Oxazolidinones; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Virginiamycin

A prospective double-blind study was conducted in patients hospitalized with a staphylococcal infection. The effects of oxacillin (4-6 g/d) and pristinamycin (2-3 g/d) were compared. These were 52 cutaneous infections and 17 other ones. The results of the two antibiotics effects were not different. Tolerance was appreciated in the 82 patients who entered the study: pristinamycin had fewer (but not significantly different) side effects than oxacillin (3/37 vs 9/45). As pristinamycin is active in vitro on at least 95 p. cent of strains, we concluded that it can be the first choice antibiotic in staphylococcal infections when the oral route is possible.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Clinical Trials as Topic; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Oxacillin; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Staphylococcal Infections; Virginiamycin

Topics: Acetamides; Anti-Infective Agents; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Linezolid; Oxazolidinones; Pneumonia; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Vancomycin Resistance; Virginiamycin

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Dexamethasone; Folliculitis; Furunculosis; Humans; Leg Ulcer; Ointments; Pyoderma; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Staphylococcal Infections; Virginiamycin

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Child, Preschool; Dexamethasone; Drug Eruptions; Drug Synergism; Female; Humans; Intertrigo; Leg Ulcer; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Male; Middle Aged; Nails, Ingrown; Polymyxins; Psoriasis; Pyoderma; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Virginiamycin; Vulvovaginitis