Skin and soft-tissue infections

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Alejandro Lemor, M.D. [2]

Click on each condition for more information about that particular infection

Layer Condition Definition
File Epidermis Impetigo High contagious superficial skin infection that affects the epidermis. It is classified as bullous and non-bullous, being the latter the most common presentation of impetigo.
  • Bullous: small vesicles that enlarge to a bullae, commonly associated with S. aureus infection.
  • Non-bullous: characteristic "honey-crust" lesions, can be caused by S. aureus or Streptococi.
Ecthyma Severe form of impetigo with ulceration of the pidermis and formation of crust. The legs, thighs and buttocks are the most common affected areas.
Dermis Folliculitis Inflammation of a hair follicle.
Furuncle Infection of a hair follicle, also known as boil.
Carbuncle Collection of furuncles with a larger area of involvement and may extend to the subcutaneous tissue.
Erysipelas 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.
Cellulitis Diffuse skin infection that involves the deeper dermis and the subcutaneous fat tissue. It is classified as non-purulent and purulent cellulitis.
  • 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.
Subcutaneous tissue
Necrotizing fasciitis
Muscle Myonecrosis

Table adapted from Rook's Textbook of Dermatology, Seventh Edition[1] and Clinical Infectious Diseases 2005; 41:1373–406[2]


References

  1. Rook, Arthur (2010). Rook's textbook of dermatology. Chichester, West Sussex, UK Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 1405161698.
  2. 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)