Antibiotic Treatment of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Although hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is not primarily an infectious disease, antibiotics are widely used to treat HS. Recent microbiological data show that HS suppurating lesions are associated with a polymorphous anaerobic flora, including actinomycetes and milleri group streptococci, and can therefore be considered as polymicrobial soft tissue and skin infections. Analysis of the literature provides little information on the efficacy of antibiotics in HS but suggests a beneficial effect of certain antimicrobial treatments, depending on the clinical severity of the disease. Patients must be informed and should agree with the treatment strategy before starting antibiotic treatments.