Skin infection

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

A skin infection can be differentiated according to the depth of the infection into the skin layers (epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue).

  • Impetigo: high contagious superficial skin infection that affects the epidermis; it is most common among children age 2–6 years. It is classified as bullous and non-bullous, being the latter the most common presentation of impetigo.[1]
    • Bullous impetigo: commonly associated with S. aureus infection
    • Non-bullous impetigo: can be caused by S. aureus or Streptococi.
  • Ecthyma: severe form of impetigo with ulceration of the epidermis and formation of crust. The legs, thighs and buttocks are the areas most commonly affected.
  • Erysipela: superficial skin infection with a clear line of demarcation between involved and uninvolved tissue and raised lesions above the level of the surrounding skin; affects the epidermis and upper dermis.[1] [2]
  • Cellulitis: diffuse skin infection that involves the deeper dermis and the subcutaneous fat tissue. It is classified as non-purulent and purulent cellulitis.[1] [2]
    • Non-purulent cellulitis: with no purulent drainage or exudate and no associated abscess.
    • Purulent cellulitis: associated with purulent drainage or exudate in the absence of a drainable abscess.

Skin Appendage Infection

  • Carbuncle: collection of furuncles with a larger area of involvement and may extend to the subcutaneous tissue.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Rook, Arthur (2010). Rook's textbook of dermatology. Chichester, West Sussex, UK Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 1405161698.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Dennis L. Stevens, Alan L. Bisno, Henry F. Chambers, E. Dale Everett, Patchen Dellinger, Ellie J. C. Goldstein, Sherwood L. Gorbach, Jan V. Hirschmann, Edward L. Kaplan, Jose G. Montoya & James C. Wade (2005). "Practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of skin and soft-tissue infections". Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 41 (10): 1373–1406. doi:10.1086/497143. PMID 16231249. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)