Antibiotics and Antimicrobial Resistance in Acne: Epidemiological Trends and Clinical Practice Considerations

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing public health problem worldwide. The interest of a focus on antimicrobial resistance in acne lies on the facts that acne vulgaris (acne) is the most common skin disease worldwide, that the bacterium Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes, formerly Propionibacterium acnes) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of acne, while at the same time being part of the skin flora, and that antibiotics are commonly recommended for acne treatment. The overuse of topical and/or systemic antibiotics, the long treatment courses used for acne, and the availability of over-the-counter antibiotic preparations, have led to the worldwide emergence of resistant strains in acne patients. In this review, we discuss the epidemiological trends of antimicrobial resistance in acne, the need to avoid the perturbation of the skin microbiome caused by anti-acne antibiotics, and the clinical practice considerations related to the emergence of resistant strains in acne patients. In light of the increasing risk of antimicrobial resistance, raising concerns over the misuse of antibiotics, prescribing patterns can be a critical target for antibiotic stewardship efforts. Also, the selection of non-antibiotic therapies for acne, whenever possible, may offer significant advantages.

Keywords: Cutibacterium acnes; Propionibacterium acnes; acne; antibiotic; antimicrobial resistance; epidemiology; infections; microbiome.