What is impetigo and how to treat it, we will consider in this article. This is a serious disease that is transmitted by domestic means. The more popular name is streptoderma. This disease is most often affected by children, 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 on time, then there is the possibility of damage to internal organs, so it is very important to diagnose and prescribe treatment. Usually the disease goes away without consequences, but complications are not excluded. One of them is damage to the heart and kidneys.
Causes
What is pyoderma? In most cases, the causative agent of the disease is staphylococcus, which penetrates through skin lesions. When infected through a cut or abrasion, they talk about the primary form of the disease, but if streptoderma arose as a result of other skin ailments, when combing the skin, then this is the secondary form of impetigo.
There are several reasons for the development of impetigo:
- getting injuries (abrasions, bites, cuts, etc.);
- hot or humid climate;
- non-observance of personal hygiene;
- the immune system is weakened;
- diabetes;
- the presence of infection in a family member;
- lack of hygiene, especially by 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 are reduced to two main ones - this is damage to the surface of the skin and a decrease in the functions of protective mechanisms.
Risk group
The risk group includes people in certain categories:
- small children, women during pregnancy, the elderly, as their immune system is weakened;
- people visiting public places (baths);
- people who have had infectious or dermatological diseases;
- the development of impetigo is observed in individuals with weakened immunity.
Symptoms
Pathology provokes Staphylococcus aureus. Symptoms in adults are discussed below.
An external symptom of inflammation is spotty rashes on the skin (red vesicles up to 5 mm in diameter with purulent contents, causing pain and discomfort). The average lifespan of primary elements is up to 2 months. An infiltrate occurs at the site of introduction of the pathogen into the follicle. After the formation bursts and the purulent infiltrate dries, 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 the abrasion was, an infiltrate is born, since it is easiest for bacteria to get there.
So there is impetigo - what is it and how to treat it, we will consider below.
In children, affected areas of skin are observed 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, as well as in the area of the oral cavity. Symptoms are manifested, such as itching, burning, combing of the vesicles. Sometimes impetigo (photo below) is formed on the mucous membrane of the mouth, on which the bubbles appear, but soon they open, forming painful erosion with a purulent coating.
How do other types of disease manifest themselves?
Streptococcal impetigo is the formation of painful, red vesicles with pus inside. After ripening, the bubbles open and ulcers appear in their place.
Staphylococcal impetigo (photo available) is accompanied by small rashes. The degree of complications depends on how deeply affected the skin.
Strepto-staphylococcal skin lesion is expressed in multiple purulent conflicts on the skin. A feature of this form is an increase in the process of capturing new areas of healthy skin.
In the case of simultaneous infection with both staphylococcal and streptococcal infections, the content of blisters becomes purulent, and after opening massive crusts appear. Most often it forms on the skin of the face, while the process spreads very quickly due to the fact that Staphylococcus aureus is transferred by hand. Symptoms in adults we examined.
Kinds
Today there are several types of impetigo.
Streptococcal impetigo - this species is characterized by the rapid growth of pathological formations. This form also has many subspecies:
- Simple lichen - 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, hands.
- Bullous impetigo - the appearance of vesicles filled with muddy blood. Perhaps the most dangerous disease. Symptoms: headache, fever.
- Vegetative impetigo - this disease is characterized by the spread of blisters with subsequent formation of erosion, covered with purulent crusts.
- Syphil-like impetigo - manifests itself in newborns. Rash is 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 membranes of the eyes.
- Slit-like impetigo - appears as a result of hypovitaminosis, conjunctivitis. Cracks occur in the corners of the oral cavity, eyes. Itching and burning are the first symptoms when a disease appears. Wet contagious impetigo is transmitted by domestic means.
Staphylococcal impetigo - formed in men, adolescents, children. Occurs when non-compliance with the rules of cleanliness. It occurs in two versions:
- bullous form - in another way it is called Staphylococcus aureus. There is a nodular-bubble rash around the hair follicles;
- nebulous form - a rash from small purulent vesicles occurs.
What other types of pyoderma are there?
Mixed impetigo - formed with complications of streptococcal impetigo staphylococcus. 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, dry out and disappear. Most often appear on the neck, face, hips.
How to identify impetigo skin disease?
Diagnostics
If you suspect an infection, you should immediately go to the dermatovenerologic dispensary or to any clinic where a dermatologist is receiving. The diagnosis is established in two ways - an external examination or on the basis of laboratory tests, which include a blood test and a study of fluid from the vesicle, as well as clinical symptoms.
Studies and analyzes that may be prescribed:
- Bacteriological research. The doctor takes pus from the vesicles and transfers it to a bacteriological laboratory. This method helps to accurately determine the pathogen.
- General blood analysis. A small amount of blood is taken from a vein or from a finger.
- Immunological blood test. Before testing, it is not recommended to eat food, and smoking and drinking alcohol are also prohibited. Such a study is carried out with suspicion of a decrease in immunity.
- Biochemical analysis. They take blood from a vein. Eating food is not recommended until analysis. This method reveals metabolic disorders.
- Dermatoscopy Using a special apparatus, the doctor examines the surface of the patient’s skin. Such a study is performed if there is doubt in the diagnosis.
- Determination 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 it, we will tell you), 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 rinse with water the affected areas of the skin. Wipe the pustular rash with 2% salicylic alcohol. Opened bubbles should be treated with Fucorcin, erythromycin or chloramphenicol ointment. Within 10 days, wounds should be treated until complete healing. In the event of the subsequent spread of the disease, antibiotic therapy should be used.
Rinse the mouth with "Chlorhexidine" or "Miramistin", as well as decoctions of chamomile and sage, to produce only with damage to the oral mucosa.
In severe skin lesions and swollen lymph nodes, antibiotic therapy is prescribed. To strengthen the immune system, vitamin therapy with the use of vitamin-mineral complexes is prescribed.
Also, there are folk remedies to combat this ailment. This is mainly a healing herbs treatment.
Folk recipes
Common folk remedies for the treatment of superficial pustular skin diseases:
- Pour boiling water over chamomile flowers, horsetail root, calendula flowers, elecampane root, leaves of plantain and perforated hypericum, and then boil over fire and let it brew. Strain. Method of application: use infusion before meals.
- The leaves of nettles, lures, Rhodiola rosea, fruits of hawthorn, St. John's wort, rose hips should be chopped, add water and boil over a fire, then let it brew and filter.
- Grind comfrey grass, add boiling water, then insist and strain. The resulting broth should treat the affected areas.
- Pour flax seeds with water, boil, then cool and filter. Make lotions from the resulting broth.
- Sprinkle on the skin twice a day the spores of the club-clown.
- It will take the roots of a penny 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 broth obtained and take.
What else is the treatment of impetigo in adults?
Medicines
Preparations and antiseptics suitable for the treatment of:
- Antibiotics: penicillins ("Oxacillin", "Ampioks"), "Tetracycline", "Erythromycin", cephalosporins ("Cefabid", "Claforan"), act on the body, destroying the infection in the skin.
- 2% camphor alcohol solution. Application: before applying the ointment, treat the affected area 2 times.
- A solution of 0.1% potassium manganese. Application: with a weak solution, treat the affected area 2 times a day before applying the ointment.
- Weak 1% solution of brilliant green. Application: apply to the skin 3 times a day. After the area is treated, ointment is applied.
- Yellow mercury ointment, which is prescribed for slit-like impetigo. Composition: petrolatum, lanolin, the active substance is mercury. Application: using a cotton swab, treat the affected area by applying a thin layer of ointment.
- "Lincomycin-AKOS." An effective remedy used with staphylococcal and streptococcal impetigo. Application: after the affected area has been treated, apply a thin layer, 2-3 times a day. Apply 10 days.
- Bactroban. The drug actively fights streptococci and staphylococci. Composition: mupirocin is an active substance. Application: treat the affected areas 2-3 times a day. Duration of use is 10 days.
Recommendations for patients
It is forbidden to take a shower, since during washing the infection spreads throughout the skin, especially if you rub the infected area with a washcloth. The patient's personal hygiene items, towel, dishes, should be individual. Be sure to do daily cleaning in the room where the patient is. 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 infection. If the mucous membrane of the mouth is damaged, rough food, salty, hot dishes should be abandoned.
Personal hygiene
Personal hygiene is very important, as one of the factors that affect 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 in your diet, and eat as many vegetables and fruits as possible. It is very important during the disease to pay attention to taking vitamins of group D, C. In addition to all this, it is recommended to take preparations that contain the vitamin-mineral complex: Alphabet Classic, Multimax, Revit, Complivit.
What is pyoderma? We have answered this question.