Topical steroid (TS) creams are easily available in pharmacies all over India, as OTC (over the counter) drugs. So are easily being misused even without the dermatologist’s prescription, which leads to side effects pertaining to the lack of awareness about the contraindications and adverse effects of the topical steroids. This was a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study, conducted from July 2021 to December 2021, at the outpatient Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, of a tertiary care hospital in North East India. Patients of both sexes (males and females), 15 years onwards were included in this study who presented with any kind of facial dermatoses resulting from use of topical steroid on face. Out of 300 patients who misused TS, majority were females (72%). The most common brand used was Betnovate C which contained betamethasone (0.1% w/w) & clioquinol (3% w/w). The average duration of use was less than 6 months (51%), shortest being 15 days and longest being 4 years. The most common reason for misuse was acne (38%) followed by fairness (22%) and the most common effect observed after misuse was acne form eruptions (25%) followed by dyspigmentation (16%). Most of the users had attained education till primary school. Abuse was commonly from purchase of the drug OTC or from pharmacists. As steroid abuse is increasing alarmingly, awareness about its various adverse effects becomes necessary.

Pemphigus is an autoimmune bullous disease. Septicemia is one of the common causes of death which is usually secondary to cutaneous bacterial infection. 1: To study the cutaneous bacteriological profile and the most common cause of bacterial skin infection in pemphigus patients; 2: To find out the antibiotic sensitivity pattern in pemphigus patients of Northeastern part of India.This was a descriptive type of cross-sectional study conducted at Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy department of Silchar Medical College from January 2021 to December 2021. A total of 33 confirmed inpatient cases of pemphigus was selected via non probability convenient sampling method. Pus for culture was collected, to study the common cause of bacterial skin infections and antibiotic sensitivity pattern in pemphigus patients. Out of 33 patients included in the study, male patients were 22 and female patients were 11. Pemphigus vulgaris was noted in 28 patients, pemphigus foliaceous was found in 4 patients and 1 patient was of pemphigus vegetans. The mean age was found to be 35.6 years and 36.36% patients were diabetics in our study. About 45.4% patient’s pus culture report showed the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, 18.1% showed the growth of Proteus mirabilis, 6.06% showed the growth of nonfermenting gram negative bacilli, 3.03% showed the growth of Klebsiella species and Beta hemolytic streptococci, 9.09% showed the growth of skin commensals and 15.15% showed no growth. Staphylococcus aureus showed 100% sensitivity to linezolid, amikacin and tetracycline; 86.6% resistance was seen for penicillin, 80% resistance was seen for levofloxacin, 60% resistance was seen for clindamycin, 66.6% resistance for cotrimoxazole was seen and 33.3% resistance was seen for azithromycin. Proteus mirabilis showed maximal sensitivity to ciprofloxacin, amikacin, gentamicin, ceftazidime, piperacillin + tazobactam and meropenem. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common organism causing skin infections in pemphigus patients and it has maximal sensitivity to linezolid, amikacin and tetracycline