Impetigo - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Impetigo is a skin disorder caused by bacterial infection and characterized by crusting skin lesions . It is caused primarily by the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABS). Sometimes another bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, can also be isolated from impetigo lesions. Impetigo usually appears on the face, especially around the nose and mouth. Although it commonly occurs when bacteria enter the skin through cuts or insect bites, it can also develop in skin that's perfectly healthy. Impetigo forms round, crusted, oozing spots that grow larger day by day. The hands and face are the favorite locations for impetigo, but it often appears on other parts of the body.

Impetigo begins as a cluster of small blisters that expand and rupture within the first 24 hours. The thin yellow fluid that drains from the ruptured blisters quickly dries forming a honey-colored crust. It produces pustules (pus-filled lesions) that rupture or crust within a few hours to several days. The crusted-over sores tend to be characteristic of the disease.

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.

There is usually no fever. 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

Here are the list of the possible causes of Impetigo :

• Impetigo can be caused by the Staphylococcus aureus (staph) or group A Streptococci (strep) bacteria.
• While the bacteria causing impetigo may have been caught from someone else with impetigo or boils, impetigo usually begins out of the blue without any apparent source of 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.
• Epidemic impetigo can be caused by staph or strep bacteria, and (as the name implies) is very easily passed between children.
• The most common cause of impetigo is Staphylococcus aureus . Beta hemolytic streptococcus is another bacteria that causes it.
• When there is a break in the skin, bacteria can enter the body and grow there, causing inflammation and infection.

Symptoms of Impetigo

Some sign and Symptoms related to Impetigo are as follows:

• A small patch of blisters that after a few hours breaks into a red, moist area that oozes or weeps fluid; appears mainly on the face, but also on exposed areas of the arms and legs.
• Blistery rash that spreads
• Scratching
• One or more pimple-like lesion surrounded by reddened skin.
• In a few days, formation of a golden or dark-yellow crust resembling grains of brown sugar. The infection may continue to spread at the edges of the affected area.
• The margins of the rash are usually fairly sharp.

Treatment of Impetigo

Some important Treatment of Impetigo are as follows:

• The infection is contagious. Other people may contract the infection if you come in contact with them. Use separate wash cloths and hand towels.
• If the sores are in areas you shave (men on their face; women on their legs), shave around the sores so you won't spread the infection further.
• The key to treating and preventing impetigo is good personal hygiene and a clean environment. Once the infection occurs, prompt attention will keep it under control and prevent its spread.
• Impetigo is often treated with prescription creams and ointments containing corticosteroids, such as hydrocortisone often prescribed to reduce inflammation or strong antibiotics.
• Good personal hygiene
• Oral: The most common types of antibiotics taken as pills are special types of penicillin or related medications called cephalosporins. If you have a penicillin allergy , the treatment is usually with erythromycin (or other similar medicines such as clarithromycin (Biaxin) or azithromycin (Zithromax)).
• Topical antiseptic lotions .