The frequent finding of erythromycin-resistant Propionibacterium acnes in patients with antibiotic-treated acne is of great clinical concern. Investigators in England studied the ability of 4% topical erythromycin, with or without 1.2% zinc acetate, to reduce the numbers of erythromycin-resistant propionibacteria and treat acne in 52 patients with erythromycin-resistant P. acnes.
Topical erythromycin, with and without zinc, produced significant reductions in both total propionibacteria and the number of erythromycin-resistant strains. Both treatments led to significant improvements in acne. However, after 12 weeks of treatment erythromycin-resistant strains were reacquired or newly acquired in 7 patients.
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Four-percent erythromy…