Impetigo - Symptoms and Treatment of Impetigo

Impetigo is a bacterial skin infection that usually produces blisters or sores on the face and hands. This disease is mostly found among children. Impetigo is also better known as an everyday skin infection; in most cases, it will normally cause sores and blisters to appear on the skin. Impetigo is not dangerous in most cases and is treatable. Impetigo contagiosa has a world-wide distribution. Though it can occur at any age, it is commonly a disease of childhood. Patients are usually undernourished or run down. Impetigo Infection is transmitted by contact with any individual carrying pyogenic organisms, directly or through towels, handkerchiefs etc. The sites of predilection are the exposed regions of the body, especially the face and scalp; though it can occur on any part of the body. The incubation period is two to three days.

How Impetigo is Caused

This disease is caused by group A bacteria called streptococcus. It is caused mostly to school age children who are already been affected by other skin problems such as insect bite, eczema and allergies. impetigo is usually caused by the staph bacteria and can occur at any age, while impetigo caused by strep is more likely to appear between the ages of two and five. It generally spreads in summer season.

Impetigo Symptoms

This disease affects skin anywhere on the body but mostly occurs around the nose and mouth, forearms, and hands. Impetigo is a skin disease, which means that it can start anywhere it wants on the child's body, as long as it has skin to live on; however, the most common affected areas are the face, hands, forearms and within the proximity of the mouth. In children a single rash point may become visible. This normally spreads as the child scratches the area. It starts as a superficial bulla containing seropurulent matter. The contents soon coagulate producing a thick, stuck-on, honey-colored crust. This characteristic crust is the most important diagnostic feature of impetigo. At the periphery of the crust may be seen the epidermal tags or the edge of the bulla.

The removal of the crust reveals moist, glistening surface with copious serous secretion which is infectious, to contiguous areas and to other persons. One or several lesions may be seen in one individual; usually, however, the lesions are multiple. Infection may spread to hair follicles in the scalp or beard region and set up folliculitis. In the tropics, bullous impetigo m ay even be seen in adults.