This review found limited high- quality evidence to inform the treatment of impetigo .
BACKGROUND Impetigo is a common clinical problem seen in general practice .
Uncertainty exists as to the most effective treatment , or indeed if treatment is necessary .
AIM To determine the most effective treatment for impetigo in a systemically well patient .
Impetigo. Current etiology and comparison of penicillin, erythromycin, and cephalexin therapies.
We attempted to determine the causative bacterial pathogens of impetigo in children in our area , to compare the effectiveness of three frequently used oral antimicrobial treatment regimens , and to correlate the antimicrobial sensitivity of the bacterial isolates with clinical responses to treatment . Seventy-three children with impetigo were r and omly assigned to receive penicillin V potassium or cephalexin monohydrate , both administered in dosages of 40 to 50 mg/kg per day , or erythromycin estolate administered in a dosage of 30 to 40 mg/kg per day . All drugs were given in three divided doses for 10 days . Treatment failure was defined as persistence of lesions 8 to 10 days after initiation of drug therapy as determined by examiners blinded to the treatment therapies . Forty-five ( 62 % ) cultures showed Staphylococcus aureus only , 14 ( 19 % ) showed S aureus and group A beta-hemolytic streptococci , six ( 8 % ) showed group A beta-hemolytic streptococci only , and eight ( 11 % ) showed no growth or other organisms . Treatment failure occurred in six ( 24 % ) of 25 patients treated with penicillin V , one ( 4 % ) of 25 patients treated with erythromycin estolate , and no patients treated with cephalexin . We conclude that S aureus is the most common cause of impetigo in children in our study population , that cephalexin is the most effective treatment , that erythromycin estolate is nearly equally effective and may be preferred on a cost-effectiveness basis , and that penicillin V is inadequate for treatment of this infection
This review found limited high- quality evidence to inform the treatment of impetigo .
BACKGROUND Impetigo is a common clinical problem seen in general practice .
Uncertainty exists as to the most effective treatment , or indeed if treatment is necessary .
AIM To determine the most effective treatment for impetigo in a systemically well patient .