e coli in culture

[jfem4]

I am a 42 yo  healthy female..med hx of ulcerative proctitis X 2 years treated with Canasa suppositories.
About 6 months ago, I had an itch on the outside of the lower half of my vagina. It's pretty much in the middle of the rectum and the vagina, but more towards the left, and on the skin.
I guess I itched it too much and there was a cut there...I left it alone, it healed, then when it started to itch, I put on Aclovate as per my Derm.
The itch got better, but then it would itch again, then open up, then close etc...It's only a thin line, the size and width  of a needle...
It has never drained, never had pus, never swollen, never inflammed...it only hurt if after I itch it,& I cause it to open up,it hurts when I wash etc...but only for a day, and if I leave it alone, it will heal up again. However, it will start to itch...
I read an old post of yours last week where you told the pt to stop touching, stop itching and I have done that...it's much better, almost completely healed...
The problem is that the Derm took a culture 2 weeks ago and said the culture came back with E coli in it?
I didn't speak to her, but the secretary said the paper said Keflex is the tx,. I am allergic to PCN, Emycin, Bactrim and Motrin.
I am already on Diflucan because I have a yeast infection, and truly don't want to take an antibiotic.
I had been putting Bactroban on it for the last 2 weeks, plus not itching it, and it is almost healed.

MD won't call back until next week.
Can I continue with the bactroban, or do I have to go on an antibiotic, and if I don't is it dangerous?
Could the culture just have been a contamination from the area? It's pretty close to the rectal area.

Do you have any other suggestions??

Thank you in advance

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

E. coli as you know live in the gut, so finding it in a culture taken from that area is no surprise and no doubt represents contamination.  I don't think an oral antibiotic will be needed, and would stick with the topical treatment should suffice.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[jfem4]

Thank you for your thoughts...I'm planning to stick with topical, and I'm adding Lotrison to the mix, as I think , and have always thought, it may be yeast related...having 2 yeast infections in 2 months, when I've never had one all my life, makes me believe that it's yeast, not ecoli...

But thank you for confirming my thoughts...