[Follicular staphylococcal infections]

Staphylococcal folliculitis are a common disability in early adult life. Some patients suffer only one attack, while others continue to develop recurrences over months. In such a case, nasal carriage of staphylococcus aureus should be sought in the patients and family members. The lesions may often respond to topical antiseptics. Systemic antibiotics should only be started when furuncles are complicated. Topical antibiotics, applied to the anterior nares of patients and household carriers, seems to control recurrent infection more effectively than systemic antibiotics alone. Even so, few patients will experience recurrent lesions despite good initial response to treatment.