TABLE 1.

Effect of ointment treatment for 6 h on skin of 50 healthy adults

Sample	% of sites with eradication of bacteria after treatment witha:
	Antibiotic ointment			Placebo ointment
	Triple (A)	Double (C)	Mupirocin (E)	Base (B)	Vehicle (D)	Petroleum jelly (F)
Pretreatment	2	0	0	0	0	0
After 6 h of treatment
Surface	96*	14	40*	6	10	8
5 layers	90*	22*	28*	12	4	0
15 layers	84*	14	26*	2	8	4
25 layers	62*	4	14	0	14	8
After overnight     treatment
Surface	72*	8	9	12	16	0
5 layers	60*	12	18	6	8	6
At 1 wk posttreatment
Surface	0	0			0
15 layers	0	0			0
25 layers	0	0			2

^aEradication (0 CFU) of aerobic bacteria was determined at sites on the skin surface and in the SC. Each antibiotic-containing ointment was paired across the midline with a placebo ointment (i.e., A and B, C and D, E and F). *, P ≤ 0.01 versus placebo.