Clinicobacteriological Study of Acne Vulgaris

The aetiological relationship Propionibacterium acnes in acne vulgaris has been suggested. A clinicobacteriological study in 45 patients suffering from acne vulgaris was conducted for the first time in Indian patients. P acnes could be isolated from 18 (40.0%) and other propionibacterium species from 9 (20.0%) of the 45 patients studied. No correlation of culture positivity with the sex of the patient or duration and grade of the disease could be established, P acnes antibodies were, tested for in 33 and 20 patients sera by agglutination and immunodiffusion tests respectively. Immunodiffusion test was positive in 5 (25 %) of the 33-patients and in only 1 (9.9%) of the 11 controls studied. The difference in the incidence of P acnes agglutinating antibodies in patients versus control was statistically significant (p = < 0.001).