IMPETIGO Impetigo is not serious and is easy to treat.

Mild cases can be handled by gentle cleansing, removing crusts and applying the prescription-strength antibiotic ointment mupirocin (Bactroban). Nonprescription topical (such as Neosporin) generally are not effective. More severe or widespread cases, especially of bullous impetigo, may require oral antibiotic medication. In recent years, more Staph germs have developed resistance to standard antibiotics. Bacterial culture tests can help guide the use of proper oral therapy if needed. Antibiotics which can be helpful include penicillin derivatives (such as Augmentin) and cephalosporins such as cephalexin (Keflex). If clinical suspicion supported by culture results show other bacteria, such as drug-resistant Staph (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA), other antibiotics such as clindamycin or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim or Septra) may be necessary. Treatment is guided by laboratory results (culture and sensitivity tests).
SCARLET Treatment for scarlet fever involves medicines (usually antibiotics) that can kill the bacteria that cause this disease. Treatment also focuses on relieving scarlet fever symptoms. ANTHRAX An anthrax infection is commonly treated with antibiotics. Relief of symptoms and complications (supportive care) are also provided as the body fights the anthrax bacteria. If an anthrax diagnosis is made early, the disease can be successfully treated with antibiotics. Unfortunately, infected people often confuse early symptoms with more common infections, such as the flu orcommon cold, and do not seek medical help until severe anthrax symptoms appear. By that time, the destructive toxins have already risen to high levels, making anthrax treatment difficult. Antibiotics can kill the bacteria, but they have no effect on the toxins. LEPROSY Treatment of leprosy uses antibiotics to kill Mycobacterium leprae (the bacteria that cause leprosy). However, the bacteria can be resistant to certain antibiotics. Therefore, several antibiotics are often combined. The three most commonly used antibiotics are:

Dapsone Rifampin Clofazimine. Other antibiotics, such as clarithromycin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, andminocycline, also have excellent antibacterial activity againstMycobacterium leprae.

BACTERIAL CONJUCVITIS The mainstay of treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis is topical antibiotic therapy. Systemic antibiotics are indicated for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and chlamydial infections. Surgical intervention is required only when indicated for the treatment of causative conditions, such as hordeolum, nasolacrimal duct obstruction, or sinusitis.

CONJUCVITIS OTITIS MEDIA AND OTITIS EXTERNA Otitis externa is most commonly caused by infection (usually bacterial, although occasionally fungal), but it may also be associated with a variety of noninfectious systemic or local dermatologic processes. The most characteristic symptom is discomfort that is limited to the external auditory canal, while the most characteristic signs are erythema and swelling of the canal with variable discharge. Excessive moisture and trauma, both of which impair the canal's natural defenses, are the two most common precipitants of otitis externa, and avoidance of these precipitants is the cornerstone of prevention. Thorough cleansing of the canal is essential for diagnosis and treatment, but flushing should be avoided. Acidification with a topical solution of 2 percent acetic acid combined with hydrocortisone for inflammation is effective treatment in most cases and, when used after exposure to moisture, is an excellent prophylactic. Other prophylactic measures such as drying the ears with a hair dryer and avoiding manipulation of the external auditory canal may help prevent recurrence.

Otitis externa is an inflammatory process of the external auditory canal. In one recent study,1 otitis externa was found to be disabling enough to cause 36 percent of patients to interrupt their daily activities for a median duration of four days, with 21 percent requiring bed rest. It is typically a localized process that can be easily controlled with topical agents, yet physicians use systemic medications to treat this condition 65 percent of the time.2 If otitis externa is not optimally treated, especially in immunocompromised patients, the potentially lifethreatening infection can spread to the surrounding tissues.