What is impetigo and how to treat it, we will consider in this article. This is a serious disease that is transmitted through the household. A more popular name is streptoderma. Children are most often affected by this disease, but if hygiene is not observed, adults can also get sick.
How does infection happen?
Infection in children occurs as a result of injuries such as scratches, bites, cuts. As a result of contact with the skin, bacteria multiply rapidly, thereby causing an inflammatory process. If you do not consult a doctor in time, then there is a possibility of damage to internal organs, so it is very important to diagnose and prescribe treatment. Usually the disease passes without consequences, but complications are not excluded. One of them is damage to the heart and kidneys.
Reasons
What is pyoderma? In most cases, the causative agent of the disease is staphylococcus aureus,which penetrates through skin lesions. When infected through a cut or abrasion, they speak of the primary form of the disease, but if streptoderma arose as a result of other skin ailments, when scratching the skin, then this is a secondary form of impetigo.
There are several reasons why impetigo develops:
- injury (abrasions, bites, cuts, etc.);
- hot or humid climate;
- poor personal hygiene;
- weakened immune system;
- diabetes mellitus;
- family member has infection;
- poor hygiene, especially for obese people;
- Inappropriate use of ointments and creams.
So, impetigo - what is it and how to treat it? This topic is of interest to many.
The listed factors come down to two main ones - damage to the skin surface and a decrease in the functions of protective mechanisms.
Risk group
The risk group includes people of certain categories:
- small children, women during pregnancy, the elderly as their immune systems are weakened;
- people visiting public places (baths);
- people who have had infectious or dermatological diseases;
- Impetigo develops in immunocompromised individuals.
Symptoms
Pathology provokes Staphylococcus aureus. Symptoms in adults are discussed below.
External symptom of inflammation are patchy rashes on the skin (red vesicles up to 5 mm in diameterwith purulent content, causing pain and discomfort). The average life expectancy of primary elements is up to 2 months. An infiltrate occurs at the site of the introduction of the pathogen into the follicle. After the formation bursts and the purulent infiltrate dries up, yellow-brown crusts appear in its place. Then they heal and become less painful, after which the skin area is easily injured. In the place where there was an abrasion, an infiltrate arises, since it is easiest for bacteria to penetrate there.
This is how impetigo occurs - what it is and how to treat, consider below.
Children have lesions in the corners of the mouth, behind the ears. Most often this occurs with streptococcal infection.
Most often, the rash appears on the chin, in the nasolabial triangle, and also in the oral cavity. Symptoms appear, such as itching, burning, scratching of the blisters. Sometimes impetigo (photo below) is formed on the mucous membrane of the mouth, on which blisters appear, but soon they open, forming painful erosions with a purulent coating.
How do other types of disease manifest themselves?
Streptococcal impetigo is the formation of painful, red blisters with pus inside. After maturation, the blisters open and ulcers appear in their place.
Staphylococcal impetigo (photo available) is accompanied by small rashes. The degree of complications depends on how deeply the skin is affected.
Strepto-staphylococcal skin lesions are expressed inmultiple purulent conflicts on the skin. The peculiarity of this form is an increase in the process - the capture of new areas of he althy skin.
In case of simultaneous infection with both staphylococcal and streptococcal infections, the content of the blisters becomes purulent, and after opening, massive crusts appear. Most often it is formed on the skin of the face, while the process spreads very quickly due to the fact that Staphylococcus aureus is carried by hands. Symptoms in adults we have considered.
Views
Today there are several types of impetigo.
Streptococcal impetigo - this species is characterized by the rapid growth of pathological formations. Also, this form has many subspecies:
- Lichen simplex - appears on the face of children.
- Ring-shaped impetigo - at this stage, a significant occurrence of large conflicts. The main symptoms are damage to the lower leg, feet, hand.
- Bullous impetigo - the appearance of blisters filled with cloudy blood. Perhaps the most dangerous disease. Symptoms: headache, fever.
- Vegetating impetigo - this disease is characterized by the spread of blisters, followed by the formation of erosions covered with purulent crusts.
- Syphilo-like impetigo - manifests itself in newborns. Rash conflict on the buttocks.
- Intertriginous streptoderma - rashes form in large folds of the skin.
- Impetigo of the mucous membranes - a rash inside the mouth, mucous eyes.
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Slit-like impetigo - appears as a result of hypovitaminosis, conjunctivitis. Cracks appearin the corners of the mouth, eyes. Itching and burning are the first symptoms when the disease appears. Weeping contagious impetigo is transmitted through everyday life.
weeping contagious impetigo
Staphylococcal impetigo - formed in men, adolescents, children. Occurs when the rules of cleanliness are not observed. Available in two versions:
- bullous form - otherwise it is called Staphylococcus aureus. A nodular blistering rash develops around the hair follicles;
- non-bullous form - a rash of small purulent vesicles occurs.
What other types of pyoderma are there?
Mixed impetigo - formed with complications of streptococcal impetigo by staphylococcus aureus. When a conflict appears, itching appears, multiple rashes in the neck and face.
Impetigo Bockhart - the appearance of Staphylococcus aureus. Symptoms: purulent pustules, which, after a while, shrink and fall off. Most often appear on the neck, face, hips.
How to identify skin disease impetigo?
Diagnosis
If you suspect an infection, you should immediately go to a dermatological and venereal dispensary or any clinic where a dermatologist is receiving. The diagnosis is established in two ways - this is an external examination or on the basis of laboratory tests, which include a blood test and the study of fluid from the vial, as well as clinical symptoms.
Research and tests that may be prescribed:
- Bacteriological research. The doctor takes pus from the vesicles and transfers it to the bacteriological laboratory. This method helps to accurately identify the pathogen.
- Complete blood count. A small amount of blood is taken from a vein or from a finger.
- Immunological blood test. Before taking the tests, it is not recommended to eat food, smoking and drinking alcohol are also prohibited. Such a study is carried out if a decrease in immunity is suspected.
- Biochemical analysis. They take blood from a vein. It is not recommended to consume food before analysis. This method reveals a metabolic disorder.
- Dermatoscopy. Using a special apparatus, the doctor examines the surface of the patient's skin. Such a study is performed when there is doubt about the diagnosis.
- Determining the level of skin acidity using glass electrodes. Such a study is performed in chronic impetigo.
If a person is diagnosed with impetigo (what it is and how to treat, we will tell), therapy should be prescribed immediately.
Treatment
The disease is treated on an outpatient basis. First of all, a number of procedures are prescribed that help improve the patient's condition. Do not wash the affected areas of the skin with water. Rub the pustular rash with 2% salicylic alcohol. Bubbles that have undergone an autopsy should be treated with "Fukortsin", erythromycin or chloramphenicol ointment. Within 10 days, wounds should be treated until complete healing. In case of subsequent spread of the disease, applyantibiotic therapy.
Rinsing the mouth with "Chlorhexidine" or "Miramistin", as well as decoctions of chamomile and sage, should be done only if the oral mucosa is affected.
In case of severe skin lesions and swelling of the lymph nodes, antibiotic therapy is prescribed. To strengthen the immune system, vitamin therapy is prescribed using vitamin-mineral complexes.
There are also folk remedies to combat this disease. Basically, this is a treatment with medicinal herbs.
Folk recipes
Common folk remedies for superficial pustular skin disease:
- Pour boiling water over chamomile flowers, horsetail root, marigold flowers, elecampane root, plantain leaves and St. John's wort, and then boil on fire and let it brew. Strain. How to use: the infusion should be consumed before meals.
- Nettle leaves, lure, Rhodiola rosea, hawthorn, St.
- Chop comfrey grass, add boiling water, then insist and strain. The resulting decoction should treat the affected areas.
- Pour flax seeds with water, boil, then cool and filter. Make lotions from the resulting broth.
- Sprinkle club club spores on skin twice a day.
- You will need the roots of kopek and leuzea, licorice, aralia, alder cones, chamomile inflorescences. Herbs should be chopped, mixed,add water to them, boil and let it brew, then strain the resulting broth and take.
What else is the treatment for impetigo in adults?
Medicines
Drugs and antiseptics suitable for treatment:
- Antibiotics: penicillins (Oxacillin, Ampiox), Tetracycline, Erythromycin, cephalosporins (Cefabide, Klaforan) act on the body, destroying the infection in the skin.
- 2% solution of camphor alcohol. Application: before applying the ointment, treat the affected area 2 times.
- Solution 0, 1% manganese potassium. Usage: Apply a weak solution to the affected area 2 times a day before applying the ointment.
- Weak 1% brilliant green solution. Application: apply to the skin area 3 times a day. After the area is treated, ointment is applied.
- Yellow mercury ointment, which is prescribed for slit-like impetigo. Ingredients: petroleum jelly, lanolin, active substance mercury. To use: using a cotton swab, treat the affected area, applying the ointment in a thin layer.
- "Lincomycin-AKOS". An effective remedy used for staphylococcal and streptococcal impetigo. Application: after the affected area has been treated, apply a thin layer, 2-3 times a day. Apply 10 days.
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"Bactroban". The drug actively fights streptococci and staphylococci. Composition: mupirocin - active substance. Application: treat the affected areas 2-3 times a day. Application duration 10 days.
impetigo what is it and how to treat
Recommendations for patients
It is forbidden to take a shower, as during washing, the infection spreads throughout the skin, especially if you rub the infected areas with a washcloth. The patient's personal hygiene items, towels, dishes should be individual. Be sure to clean the room where the patient is located daily. It is necessary to exclude sweets from the diet. If a child falls ill, it should be isolated from other children, since at a younger age the immune system is weakened, which contributes to a more rapid spread of the infection. In case of damage to the oral mucosa, you should refuse coarse food, s alty, hot dishes.
Personal hygiene
It is very important to maintain personal hygiene, as one of the factors that affects the development of infection is skin contamination. Also, an active lifestyle, playing sports help reduce the risk of impetigo. An important role is played by proper nutrition.
Include butter, cheese, fish, chicken liver, and as many fruits and vegetables as possible. It is very important during the period of illness to pay attention to the intake of vitamins D, C. In addition to all this, it is recommended to take drugs that contain a vitamin-mineral complex: Alphabet Classic, Multimax, Revit, Complivit.
What is pyoderma? We have answered this question.
