Abstract: Objective To study microbial flora on skin lesions and their antim icrobial susceptibilities and to conduct a topical treatment trial in atopicder matitis (AD). Methods Seventy one patients with AD were diagnosed according to the criteria of Hanifin-Rajka's in departments of dermatology in China-Japan Friendship Hospital and Beijing Children Hospital during November,2001 to March, 2002. Bacteria and fungi were examined by culture and microscopy. Among 71 cases, 66 were divided into two groups randomly with one group receiving 1% econazole +0.1% triamcinolone acetonide cream topically twice daily for 4 weeks, and the control group receiving 0.1% hydrocortisone butyrate ointment. Severity of AD was measured by SCORAD index. Results It was shown that AD mainly affected infants and children with a prevalence of 73.24% in patients less than 12 years old. The rates of bacterial and fungal colonization were 53.51%, 1.41%, respectively on skin lesions. S.aureus was detected in 35.21%of patients with AD. Antimicro bial susceptibility test indicated that S.aureus was sensitive to rifampin, vanc omycin, amikacin, ciprofloxacin, cefazolin, cefuroxime, etc. It was found that 1% econazole +0.1% triamcinolone acetonide cream had significantly more advantage over hydrocortisone butyrate ointment in the therapeutical effects (P<0.05) and clearance of bacteria (P<0.01). There were no side effects in the two groups. Conclusions The therapeutic effect of 1% econazole +0.1% triamcinolone acetonide cream is better than that of hydrocortisone butyrate ointment because of the c learance of bacterial colonization of the former.

Key words: Dermatitis, atopic, Staphylococcal skin infections, Microbial sensitivity tests