Contact hypersensitivity to topical antibacterial agents.

Three hundred ninety patients with suspected contact dermatitis to topical medicaments were patch tested with various commercially available antibacterial agents to evaluate the incidence of contact hypersensitivity. The common sensitizers were nitrofurazone, neomycin, oxytetracycline, cetrimide, and framycetin. The least common sensitizers were sodium fusidate, chlorhexidine hydrochloride, and gentian violet. Cross-sensitivity was observed between neomycin, framycetin, and gentamicin.