When the conventional treatment of acute atopic eczema does not respond as it should to conventional topical treament with emollients and topical steroids, the possibilty of a complicating infection needs consideration.
Bacterial infection of atopic eczema is most commonly due to staphylococcus aureus. The inflammation that accompanies an infection can be associated with an increase in itching, together with a weeping wetness and crusting (see above).
The source of the infection may be the nose, carried to the skin by the finger and scratching: swabs from the nose and the eczema are taken, to identify the germ and its sensitivity to antibiotics.
Although antibiotic treatment as a cream can be effective, hypersensitivity reactions to topical antibiotics are notorious, and this further delays healing.
Therefore taking a course of antibiotics by mouth may be preferable. When taking a course of antibiotics it is important always to finish the course, even if the infection seems to clear up early on.
Bacterial infection is a common complication frustrating the successful treatment of acute eczema
