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In vitro antibiotic susceptibility patterns of Propionibacterium acnes isolated from acne patients: an Egyptian
N S A Abdel Fattah1, Y W Darwish
1Departments of Dermatology & VenereologyClinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Background:
Antibiotics have been used for more than 40 years against Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), the most common agent of acne. Antibiotic resistance to this bacterium becomes a worldwide problem in recent years. No studies are available on antibiotic susceptibility patterns of P. acnes among Egyptian acne patients.
Objective:
To determine antibiotic susceptibility patterns of P. acnes isolated from acne patients attending the Dermatology outpatient clinic of an Egyptian university hospital to the most commonly prescribed antibiotics and to determine the difference in relation to age of patients, disease duration and previous antibiotic therapy for acne.
Methods:
Cutaneous samples were obtained from pustular acne lesions on the face of 115 patients, which were cultured in anaerobic media to demonstrate the presence of P. acnes. Antibiotic susceptibility tests of isolated P. acnes were then performed to clindamycin, erythromycin, azithromycin, oxytetracycline and doxycycline by disk diffusion method.
Results:
Propionibacterium acnes was isolated from 98 patients. Eighty-nine isolates were susceptible to azithromycin, followed by doxycycline and oxytetracycline isolated from 82 and 72 patients respectively. Resistance of P. acnes to clindamycin was detected in 65 patients, followed by erythromycin in 48 patients. Comparing the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of P. acnes isolated from patients with and without previous antibiotic therapy for acne revealed statistically non-significant differences as regards any of the antibiotics tested except for clindamycin and erythromycin. Statistically non-significant differences existed between antibiotic susceptibility patterns of P. acnes to all tested antibiotics regarding age of patients (< or ≥ 20 years) and disease duration (< or ≥ 2 years).
Conclusion:
Propionibacterium acnes in vitro susceptibility patterns differed among Egyptian patients to the commonly prescribed antibiotics with the highest to lowest resistance to clindamycin, erythromycin, oxytetracycline, doxycycline and azithromycin.
Insights
Antibiotic resistance in Propionibacterium acnes is a growing concern. This study reveals Egyptian acne patients exhibit significant resistance to clindamycin and erythromycin, highlighting the need for updated treatment guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is a primary cause of acne, commonly treated with antibiotics for over 40 years.
- Increasing antibiotic resistance of P. acnes presents a global health challenge.
- No prior studies have documented P. acnes antibiotic susceptibility patterns in Egyptian acne patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To ascertain the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of P. acnes from Egyptian acne patients.
- To evaluate susceptibility patterns against commonly prescribed antibiotics.
- To analyze correlations between susceptibility and patient age, disease duration, and prior antibiotic use.
Main Methods:
- Cutaneous samples were collected from 115 acne patients with pustular lesions.
- P. acnes was cultured anaerobically from collected samples.
- Disk diffusion method was employed to test susceptibility to clindamycin, erythromycin, azithromycin, oxytetracycline, and doxycycline.
Main Results:
- P. acnes was isolated from 98 patients.
- Highest susceptibility was observed for azithromycin (89 isolates), followed by doxycycline (82) and oxytetracycline (72).
- Significant resistance was noted for clindamycin (65 isolates) and erythromycin (48 isolates).
Conclusions:
- Egyptian P. acnes isolates display varying in vitro susceptibility to common antibiotics.
- Resistance patterns indicate clindamycin and erythromycin are less effective.
- Azithromycin and doxycycline demonstrate higher efficacy against P. acnes in this cohort.
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