Antimicrobial peptides: potential use in skin infections.

Antimicrobial peptides are part of the natural defense against infections in all phyla, including humans. Antimicrobial peptides are considered to be promising alternatives to conventional antimicrobials. Antimicrobial peptides are active against a wide spectrum of pathogens, including multidrug-resistant bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. Thus, they are promising candidates for treatment of various skin infections, also infections caused by bacteria such as methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin resistant enterococci. However, there are some obstacles, e.g. low tissue penetrability, high production costs, and unknown cytotoxicity, to overcome before antimicrobial peptides will be readily available for the treatment of infectious diseases. Topical administration may solve some of these problems. Some antimicrobial peptides are currently in clinical trials, including peptides developed for treatment of skin infections.