Emollient formulations containing antiseptics reduce effectively the level of Staphylococcus aureus on skin

Increased skin colonization by is associated with atopic eczema (AE) severity. Reduction of levels on the skin results in an improvement in the clinical condition. The antimicrobial activity of topical products including a bath oil, cream, and wash combining antiseptics and emollients (A+E) was compared to products containing emollients only. The preference of patients with AE for A+E cream or emollient only cream to relieve symptoms of itching, erythema, and inflammation when applied three times daily for 10 days is evaluated. Repeat insult patch testing of the products is also conducted. A significant reduction in microbial counts was found following use of A+E bath oil (4.09±0.32 vs 6.20±0.24 log cfu/mL