Microbiologic characterisation of bacterial infections in children with atopic dermatitis.

Background: Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), the commonest chronic inflammatory skin disease are often colonised and infected by . In this study, we aimed to determine the type and antibacterial sensitivities of the bacteria infecting eczematous lesions in children with AD and to recommend first-line antibiotic therapy.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted from June 2020 to June 2021 in children with AD presenting with a cutaneous infection at the King Edward hospital VIII outpatient dermatology clinic. Swabs were collected for microbial culture, confirming infections and assessing antibiotic sensitivity for infected sites.

Results: Ninety six children were recruited during the study period with a mean age of 4.3 ± 3.4 years. The commonest cause of bacterial infection was seen in 74 (77.1%) cases, followed by and β co-infection in 22 (22.9%) cases. The majority of these infections were observed on the lower limbs in 50 (52.08%) cases and in moderate 37 (38.5%) cases and severe eczema cases of 38 (39.6%) in AD. There was no gender predilection. was sensitive to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in 57 (77.0%) cases, cloxacillin in 53 (71.6%) cases and clindamycin in 24 (32.4%) cases, whereas was mostly sensitive to ampicillin in 10 (45.5%) cases. No swabs retained a resistant strain.

Conclusion: is the commonest bacterial cause of cutaneous infection in children with AD in our setting. Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cloxacillin remain the most sensitive therapeutic options for this infection, however, a larger study is required to explore resistance strains, if any, in our setting.