REPORT OF A CASE
A 33-year-old man presented to the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, because of recurrent ''boils'' on his face. During the prior 5 years, Staphylococcus aureus, susceptible to cloxacillin and cephalexin, was recovered from the boils. He received multiple courses of oral antibiotics, but facial ''boils'' continued to develop, both while receiving and not receiving therapy. When first seen, the patient had two facial furuncles. Treatment with cloxacillin (250 mg four times daily), topical chlorhexidine washes, and nightly applications of intranasal mupirocin ointment was effective initially, but the lesions recurred while he was still receiving this therapy. The oral antibiotic was changed to cephalexin (500 mg twice daily). Despite this therapy, new facial furuncles developed over the next several months.
THERAPEUTIC CHALLENGE
Treatment of persistent or recurrent furunculosis caused by S aureus.
SOLUTION
Cephalexin therapy (500 mg twice daily) was continued, and rifampin therapy (300 mg