Impetigo - Symptoms and Treatment

Impetigo is a bacterial skin infection. It may affect skin anywhere on the body but usually attacks the area around the nose and mouth. Impetigo is generally caused by Group A streptococci bacteria or Staphylococcus aureus. These fairly common bacteria are found on the skin of healthy people. When the skin is broken - like with a cut or a scratch - they can enter the open wound and cause impetigo. Someone who becomes infected develops blisters that usually burst, ooze fluid, and then harden into a honey-colored crust. It is also known as �school sores', because it commonly affects school-age children. It is quite contagious. Anyone can catch by impetigo. Although most cases are in children, adults can catch impetigo. It is most common in crowded settings, such as nurseries. It often starts at the site of a minor skin injury such as a graze, an insect bite, or scratched eczema.Impetigo is contagious from person to person. When someone in a household has impetigo then it is heavy chances that the infection can be passed to other family members. In family members it spread through clothing, towels, and bed linens that have touched the infected person's skin. Good hygiene can help prevent impetigo, which often develops when there is a sore or a rash that has been scratched repetitively (for example, poison ivy can get infected and turn into impetigo). Impetigo is typically treated with antibiotics.

Impetigo is a highly contagious disease of the surface of the skin that occurs in nonbullous and bullous (elevated lesions) forms. It is a skin disorder caused by bacterial infection and characterized by crusting skin lesions. It firstly appears as a sore, often on the upper lip. It is usually characterized by small pus-filled blisters that form honey-yellow crusts. It is most common in children and is contagious. Impetigo forms round, crusted, oozing spots that grow larger day by day. Ecthyma forms small, pus-filled ulcers with a crust much darker and thicker than that of ordinary impetigo. Ecthyma can be very itchy, and scratching the irritated area spreads the infection quickly. Impetigo is a highly contagious skin infection, usually caused by strep bacteria, impetigo is a disease of infants and young children. occurring only rarely in adults. Arms, legs, and face tend to be more susceptible to impetigo than unexposed body areas. The disease may follow insect bites, fungal and other skin infections, but also can develop on normal healthy skin. It is a superficial skin infection that occurs in nonbullous and bullous (elevated lesions) forms. Impetigo first appears as a sore, often on the upper lip. It may resemble a cold sore or fever blister caused by herpes simplex virus - a virus that can spread by direct contact and may cause serious problems in children. Impetigo is a disease that requires medical help. Neglected impetigo can persIst for months and cause loss of skin pigmentation, sometimes with scarring. Sometimes, too, untreated impetigo may spread to deeper tissues.

Causes of Impetigo

Common Causes of Impetigo :

• Poor hygiene, anemia , and malnutrition are also common causes of Impetigo.
• Impetigo can complicate chicken pox, eczema, or other skin conditions marked by open lesions.
• Warm, humid environment, increases the chance to get affected by impetigo.
• In adults, impetigo is usually the result of injury to the skin.
• The main root cause of Impetigo is a bacterial infection with Staphylococci and Streptococci bacterium. Both types of bacteria - Staphylococci or Streptococci can live harmlessly on your skin until they enter through a cut or other wound and cause an infection.
• In adults, it may follow other skin disorders. Impetigo may follow a recent upper respiratory infection such as a cold or other viral infection.

Symptoms of Impetigo

Some common Symptoms of Impetigo :

• Blistery rash that spreads.
• Scratching.
• One or more pimple-like lesion surrounded by reddened skin.
• Fever.
• The blisters pop and weep a yellow, sticky fluid.
• The skin itches and reddens.
• The skin completely heals after a few days.

Treatment of Impetigo

• The oral antibiotic for ecthyma and severe cases of impetigo contagiosa may be prescribed by the doctor in a some chronic cases of impetigo.
• Topical steroids may be used to reduce the inflammation caused by impetigo. A mild steroid or moderate steroid may be used.
• The antibiotic such as mupirocin ointment (Bactroban) is good for curing impetigo fast. Topical antibiotics avoid side effects such as diarrhea that can result from oral medications.
• Topical antiseptic lotions.
• Moisturizers may be needed to treat any dry skin and also helps to relieve the tenderness and pain that is usually caused by impetigo
• Dicloxacillin should be given as an initial treatment for impetigo because erythromycin-resistant strains of S aureus are prevalent at that time.
• Good personal hygiene .

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