Pyodermas: Diagnosis and Treatment

The diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous infections appear to be rather straightforward at first glance. Major texts of pediatrics and dermatology indicate that the vast majority of pyodermas are due to either Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) or Streptococcus pyogenes and that antibiotics are curative. On closer scrutiny, however, one quickly becomes aware that there is a great deal of nomenclatural confusion with a corresponding lack of clarity regarding therapy – particularly on the point of whether or not topical antibiotics have any place in therapy