Impetigo
By: Kathryn Martin
Information
Basic Description
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Impetigo is a superficial disease. This
means that it is on the surface of skin.
Most common in children and can affect
skin with no visible breaks in it.
It is contageous and can be spread
through puss from an infected person
touching your skin.
Cause
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Staphylococcus (staph) bacteria or
streptococcus (strep) bacteria
Methicillin-resistant staph aureus (MRSA)
is becoming a common cause.
The breaking of the barrier of skin. Some
of these occurrences are animal bites,
human bites, injury or trauma, or insect
bites.
Lesions from impetigo
Symptoms
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Puss filled blisters
Red base when popped
Easy to pop blisters
Itchy and yellow puss filled with crusty
outsides
Skin lesions
Rashes that can spread with scratching
Swollen lymph nodes
Treatment
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Prescription antibiotic cream for mild
rashes
Prescription antibiotics taken by mouth for
more severe cases
Wash several times a day with
antibacterial soap and warm water to
remove the crust and puss from the
lesions.
Can be diagnosed with a sample of the
puss from the lesion.
•This is a man
with untreated
impetigo on
his back, side,
and arm.
Not-So-Fun Facts
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The sores heal slowly and rarely scar
The heal rate is very high
Usually reoccurs in children after
treatment
Commonly occurs around the nose and
mouth, hands and forearms, and in diaper
areas on infants but can occur on any part
of the body.
Continued Facts
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Any blister or rash that is scratched a lot
can be turned into impetigo.
This includes poison ivy and poison oak
along with other common skin diseases.
Serious impetigo
Complications
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Can cause kidney failure but this is rare
It causes rashes in kids.
Can cause permanent damage to the skin.
This is rare also.
The infection can spread to other parts of
the body. This is very common.
Prevention
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Use a clean wash cloth and towel every
time you clean
Do not share personal care items with
anyone not even family
Use good hygiene and wash the lesions
every day and wash your hands after
touching a lesion.
Pictures
 This
is Amy
Winehouse
with Impetigo.
 It is around her
cheeks and
bridge of her
nose and chin.
A
child with
Impetigo
around the
nose and
mouth.
 Impetigo
in
the hairline
and scalp of a
person.
Impetigo
on an
infants
butt.
Sources
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealt
h/PMH0001863/
http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bac
terial_viral/impetigo.html#
www.beauty-stuff.com/.../impetigo-inadult2.jpg
http://doctorgrasshopper.files.wordpress.c
om/2010/06/impetigo.jpg
http://dermimages.med.jhmi.edu/images/
bullous_impetigo_5_080322.jpg
http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_di
seases/impetigo.html