Impetigo contagiosa

Impe­ti­go con­ta­gio­sa is a high­ly con­ta­gious bac­te­ri­al skin infec­tion that main­ly affects child­ren. Cha­rac­te­ristic are honey-yel­low crusts, usual­ly on the face around the mouth and nose. It spreads easi­ly in fami­lies, day care cen­tres and schools.

Cau­ses

It is cau­sed by sta­phy­lo­coc­ci or strep­to­coc­ci ente­ring through small skin inju­ries. Skin alre­a­dy dama­ged by ato­pic der­ma­ti­tis, insect bites or a run­ny nose favours infec­tion. Trans­mis­si­on occurs through direct cont­act as well as via towels and toys.

Sym­ptoms

Initi­al­ly small blis­ters or pus­tu­les deve­lop, which burst quick­ly and form honey-yel­low, firm­ly adhe­ring crusts. The rash itches, and scrat­ching spreads it fur­ther. Gene­ral sym­ptoms are usual­ly absent, though lymph nodes occa­sio­nal­ly swell.

Tre­at­ment

In limi­t­ed dise­a­se, anti­sep­tic or anti­bio­tic creams are suf­fi­ci­ent after careful­ly sof­tening the crusts. Exten­si­ve forms are trea­ted with oral anti­bio­tics. Hand hygie­ne, sepa­ra­te towels and short fin­ger­nails are important; child­ren may return to com­mu­nal faci­li­ties only after medi­cal clearance.