Many community nurses will have encountered atopic eczema, a widespread skin condition resulting in itchy, red, dry and cracked skin and which has a serious effect on patients’ quality of life. When atopic eczema becomes infected with Staphylococcus aureus, however, these symptoms can intensify, resulting in outbreaks of folliculitis and widespread infected eczematous lesions. These can be painful and distressing and community nurses need to be aware of the symptoms and treatments in order to deal with the problem themselves or refer on. This article looks at the background to infected atopic eczema as well as the main treatments, including oral antibiotics, antiseptics, combination topical therapies and good hygiene.
