Cellulitis is the term given to infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by bacteria.
These bacteria are typically a type called Staphylococcus aureus and group A beta-haemolytic Streptococcus.
Cellulitis can affect almost any part of the body, but it occurs most commonly in areas that have been damaged or inflamed.
Before the development of antibiotics, cellulitis was usually fatal, but nowadays, with treatment, most people recover fully within a week.
What are the symptoms of cellulitis?
There are a range of symptoms, varying from mild to severe. These include:
- redness of the skin
- tenderness or pain in a particular area of the skin
- discharge, such as leaking yellow clear fluid or pus.
The infection can sometimes spread to the rest of the body and cause the lymph nodes to swell - noticeable as a tender lump in the groin and armpit.
This may be accompanied by fever, sweating and vomiting.
What are the causes of cellulitis?
Cellulitis usually occurs in skin areas that have been damaged or inflamed.
Examples of this are trauma - such as an insect bite, burn, abrasion or cut – or a surgical wound or foreign object in the skin, and skin problems, such as eczema, psoriasis, scabies or acne. However, it is often not possible to find a cause.
What is the treatment for cellulitis?
Antibiotics are used to treat the infection and tablets are typically prescribed. However, if someone is severely ill then intravenous antibiotics are necessary to achieve rapid control and prevent further spread of the infection.
Treatment is administered in hospital or, sometimes, at home by a specialist nurse. Most people respond to antibiotics in two to three days.
- Get plenty of rest. This gives your body a chance to fight the infection.
- Raise the area of the body affected as high as possible. This will ease pain, help drainage and reduce swelling.
- Take pain-relieving medications, such as paracetamol. Please check the label for how much to take and how often. The pain eases once the infection starts getting better.
- Always take the full course of any antibiotics that have been prescribed.
Cellulitis is spread by skin-to-skin contact or by touching infected surfaces, so it is important to wash your hands regularly, bathe or shower daily and cover the area with a gauze dressing.
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