Impetigo :- Symptom, Causes, Forms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Home Remedy for ImpetigoImpetigo is a skin infection that mainly affects infants and children. Impetigo usually appears on the face, especially around a child's nose and mouth. And although it commonly occurs when bacteria enter the skin through cuts or insect bites, it can also develop in skin that's perfectly healthy.
Impetigo starts as a red sore that quickly ruptures, oozes for a few days and then forms a yellowish-brown crust that looks like honey or brown sugar. The disease is highly contagious, and scratching or touching the sores is likely to spread the infection to other parts of the body as well as to other people.
Impetigo is seldom serious, and minor infections may clear on their own in two to three weeks. But because impetigo can sometimes lead to complications, your child's doctor may choose to treat it with an antibiotic ointment or oral antibiotics. Your child can usually return to school or a child-care setting as soon as he or she isn't contagious - often within 24 hours of starting antibiotic therapy
Impetigo first appears as a small scratch or itchy patch of eczema - skin inflammation - on seemingly healthy skin. A small red, itchy spot quickly develops into a blister containing a yellow substance. Later, the top of the blister becomes crusty and weeps while new blisters develop in the same place or on other parts of the body. Impetigo usually begins on the face, especially around the corners of the mouth, the nose and back of the ears.
Impetigo causes small bumps or blisters that burst. The skin underneath is moist, tender and red, and it oozes a clear liquid. A honey-colored crust, which may itch, then forms over the reddened area. If the disease is more severe cases, you also may have a fever and swelling of the lymph glands (swollen glands) in the face or neck.
Causes of Impetigo
Impetigo can be caused by the Staphylococcus aureus (staph) or group A Streptococci (strep) bacteria. Bullous 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. Impetigo is extremely contagious. It can be spread by direct contact with the infected skin or through contact with an item used by the infected person. Epidemic impetigo spreads quickly among children and is aided by poor hygiene, overcrowded living conditions, and heat. Staph and strep bacteria can get through the skin's natural defenses if the skin is broken, such as by a cut, bite, or chickenpox sores.
Epidemic impetigo can be caused by staph or strep bacteria, and (as the name implies) is very easily passed between children. Certain factors, such as heat and humidity, crowded conditions, and poor hygiene increase the chance that this type of impetigo will spread rapidly among large groups of children. This type of impetigo involves the formation of a small vesicle surrounded by a circle of reddened skin. The vesicles appear first on the face and legs. When a child has several of these vesicles close together, they may spread to each other. The skin surface may become eaten away (ulcerated), leaving irritated pits. When there are many of these deep, pitting ulcers, with pus in the center and brownish-black scabs, the condition is called ecthyma. If left untreated, the type of bacteria causing this type of impetigo has the potential to cause a serious kidney disease, called glomerulonephritis. Even when impetigo is initially caused by strep bacteria, the vesicles are frequently secondarily infected with staph bacteria.
The real cause of the disease however is conditional and generally results from malnutrition due to poor eating habits and unclean habits in living conditions. It is easily passed from the infected child to other children, who are in a similar state of toxicity and impaired vitality, through contact. It is often pointless to explore an impetigo remedy if you are not proactive in changing the existing conditions and habits in which this virus thrives.
Forms of Impetigo
Impetigo has two general forms:
Ordinary impetigo is scabby and pustular (little pimples full of pus) in appearance and is generally caused by germs. It starts as a small blister or pustule that ruptures and leaves a reddish base, which is then covered, by a honey-colored crust. In children, this condition often begins on the skin near the nose, though it may spread. Ordinary impetigo is also known as impetigo vulgaris and streptococcal impetigo.
Bullous impetigo produces large, fragile blisters and is caused mostly by staph germs. It also often affects the face, but may appear elsewhere. The blisters it forms have very thin walls that collapse, leaving a bright red, inflamed, moist base. Bullous impetigo is also known as impetigo bullosa and staphylococcal impetigo.
Diagnosis of Impetigo
After examining the sores and taking an appropriate medical history, the doctor will usually prescribe an antibiotic to be taken by mouth. Some doctors may check the blood pressure or the urine in order to examine for early signs of glomerulonephritis.
Even if only one family member has impetigo, everyone in the household should follow the same sanitary regimen. Regular washing with soap and water can clear up mild forms. If the sores don't clear up in 48 hours, or if the infected person is a small child, see a doctor. To break the chain of contagion, the doctor may prescribe antibacterial baths for the entire household as well as for the infected patient.
Do not touch or scratch the lesions. The skin should be washed several times a day with soap and water or with an antibiotic soap. The crusts may be removed by soaking the infected area in warm water for about 15 minutes. Lesions should be covered loosely with gauze, a bandage, or clothing.
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