Open AccessTreatment of lepromatous ulcers using citric acid as a sole antimicrobial agent
Author(s) -
Nagoba Basavraj S,
Wadher Bharat J,
Rao Arunkumar,
Selkar Sohan P,
Gandhi Rajan C
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international wound journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1742-481X
pISSN - 1742-4801
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-481x.2011.00914.x
Subject(s) - medicine , citric acid , antimicrobial , ciprofloxacin , amikacin , antibiotics , staphylococcus aureus , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , food science , chemistry , genetics , biology
A prospective study was carried out to assess the role of citric acid as a sole antimicrobial agent in the management of lepromatous ulcers. Thirty‐four known cases of lepromatous ulcers not responding to conventional antibiotic therapies for long duration were investigated for culture and susceptibility studies. Staphylococcus aureus (25·00%) and Klebsiella spp. (23·43%) were found to be the most common isolates. Amikacin (68·75%) and ciprofloxacin (67·18%) were found to be the most effective antimicrobial agents. Topical application of citric acid ointment resulted in complete healing in 25 (73·52%) cases. In eight cases (26·48%), there was elimination of infective agent from ulcer site and formation of healthy granulation, but no complete healing of ulcer was seen. Results indicate that citric acid is the best alternative for the effective management of lepromatous ulcers when other therapies are exhausted.