Lecture 5
Common Skin Infections
Marcella Debeck
Common Skin Infections
 Impetigo
 Lymphaginitis
 Ecthyma
 Molloscum
 Folliculitis
Contagiosum
 Verrucae
 Herpes simplex
 Herpes zoster
 Dermatophyte
infections
 candida albican
infection
 Erysipelas
 Necrotising fasciitis
 Erythrasma
 Pitted Keratolysis
 Cellulitis
 onychomycosis
Impetigo
 Superficial skin infection
 due to staphylococci or streptococci
infections
 Contagious
 blisters which rupture leaving yellow
crusted exudate
 Two types
Bullous Impetigo
Ecthyma
 Strep. Or Staph. Infection
 circumscribed, ulcerated and crusted lesions
 heal with scarring
 mostly in legs
Ecthyma
Folliculitis
 Infection of the hair follicles
 any hairy area
Erysipelas
 Dermal infection
 May be accompanied by systemic
symptoms - malaise, shivering, fever
 well defined advancing edge
 AKA St Anthony’s fire
Erysipelas
Necrotising fascitis
 very serious
 bacterial infection of the superficial fascia
 progresses very quickly
Erythrasma
 Dry, reddish brown, slightly scaly and
asymptomatic eruption
 wood’s light - coral-pink
 imidazole cream, oral ab’s, fusidic acid
 Toe webs
Slide 2
Dockery, G.L. (1997).Cutaneous Disorders of the lower extremity. Phila
delphia:WB Saunders
Pitted Keratolysis
 maloderous, pitted erosions and
discoloured areas.
 cornebacterium
Cellulitis
 Infection of the subcutaneous tissues
 deeper and more extensive than erysipelas
 systemic symptoms
 swelling, redness, and local pain
 antibiotics
Lymphaginitis
 inflammation of the lymph vessels
appearance of a red line that follows the
blood vessels up the leg
 Lymphadenitis - inflammation of the lymph
nodes
Molluscum contagiosum
 discrete pearly, pink, umbilicated dome
shaped papules
 DNA pox virus
 contain a cheesy material
 face, neck and trunk
 usually multiple and grouped
Verrucae Vs Corns
Rapid Onset
Slow growing
Any site
Sites of compression
and friction
Middle aged and older
Young
Superficial
cappillaries which
bleed easily
Capillary bleeding is
rare
Herpes Simplex
 Acute vesicular eruption
 two virus types
 reoccurence
 Differential diagnosis: impetigo
Herpes
Slide 3
Dockery, G.L. (1997).Cutaneous Disorders of the lower
extremity. Philadelphia:WB Saunders
Herpes Zoster
 Varicella zoster virus
 Dermatomal distribution
 Post herpetic neuralgia
 rest, analgesia, drying lotions
 acyclovar and prednisone
Slide 7
Gawkrodger, D. J. (1992) Dermatology. London:
Churchill Livingstone
Dermatophyte infections
 Microsporum
 Trichopyton
 Epidermophyton
 Form hyphae
 Tinea Pedis: T.rubrum, Tmentagrophytes
var interdigitale, Epidermophyton
floccosum
Dermatophyte infections
 Differential diagnosis:
– Psoriasis
– Contact dermatitis
– erythrasma
Tinea pedis
 Interdigital
 moccasin
 acute vesicular
Interdigital tinea pedis
Slide 3
Gawkrodger, D. J. (1992) Dermatology. London:
Churchill Livingstone
Tinea pedis
Candida albicans infections
 yeasts
 intertrigo
 paronychia
 Differential diagnosis (intertrigo)
– Psoriasis, seborrhoeic dermatitis, bacterial
seconadary infection
 Differential diagnosis (Paronychia):
– bacterial infection, chronic eczema:
Slide 1
Dockery, G.L. (1997).Cutaneous Disorders of the lower extremity.
Philadelphia:WB Saunders
Candida Paronychia
Onychomycosis
 Fungal Infection of the nails
 generally dermatophyte
 occasionally mould or candiida
 Four types:
– distal and lateral subungual
– superficial white
– proximal subungual
– total dystrophic
Slide 7
Gawkrodger, D. J. (1992) Dermatology. London:
Churchill Livingstone