No abstract

The patterns of drug resistance and the frequency of conjugative R plasmids in intestinal Escherichia coli from 88 patients treated for a skin disease ( acne vulgaris ) with low oral doses of tetracycline are reported. The proportion of patients with resistant bacteria was progressively greater in patients who received tetracycline for 1 week, 4 weeks, or longer (from 50 to 88%). No multiply drug-resistant bacteria were detected before treatment or after 1 week of treatment. After more than 4 weeks of treatment, multiply drug-resistant E. coli were isolated from about 50% of the patients. The origin and selection of R plasmid-determined multiple drug resistance are discussed.

In a double-blind randomized study, sixty-two patients suffering from psoriasis or eczema were treated, twice daily for three weeks, either with 0.05% betamethasone 17, 21-dipropionate cream or with 0.025% fluocinolone acetonide cream. The results showed that both topical corticosteroid preparations were effective, well tolerated and cosmetically acceptable. Fifty-seven per cent of the patients treated with betamethasone dipropionate were rated as being 'much better' in the overall assessment of response at the end of the trial period compared to only 25% of those in the fluocinolone acetonide group.

Summary Guinea‐pigs have been sensitized with dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) to produce type IV‐reactions. The reactions spontaneously faded in the untreated animals. In contrast, in the group treated with cimetidine, the reaction remained essentially unchanged. Cimetidine thus caused an augmentation by preventing the spontaneous fading. The enhancement of the type IV‐reaction by cimetidine is possibly caused by supression of regulatory T‐lymphocytes through their H2‐receptors. The histamine content of the sensitized and challenged sites increased both in the untreated and cimetidine‐treated groups.