Topical antibacterial agents for wound care: a primer.

Although often overlooked, topical antibiotic agents play an important role in dermatology. Their many uses include prophylaxis against cutaneous infections, treatment of minor wounds and infections, and elimination of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus. For these indications, they are advantageous over their systemic counterparts because they deliver a higher concentration of medication directly to the desired area and are less frequently implicated in causing bacterial resistance. The ideal topical antibiotic has a broad spectrum of activity, has persistent antibacterial effects, and has minimal toxicity or incidence of allergy.