Oral tetracycline treatment on bacterial flora in acne vulgaris

Abstract

Tetracycline was found to be effective in reducing the number of bacteria on the skin surface, and the number of organisms remained low as long as the antibiotic was continued. However, soon after its discontinuance, the counts began to rise and reached former levels within two weeks. All varieties of organisms were reduced in numbers, especially the dominant staphylococci and corynebacteria. There was no evidence of development of antibiotic resistance in these organisms, which were strains of low pathogenicity.