abscess folliculitis furuncle carbuncle Flashcards
Differentiate all of them
Deeper skin infections can follow traumatic inoculation into skin or the extension of infection into hair ollicles.
■ Abscess: Acute or chronic localized in ammation, associated with a collection o pus accumulated in a tissue. In ammatory response to an in ectious process or oreign material.
■ Folliculitis:In ection o hair ollicle with ± pus in the ostium o ollicle.
■ Furuncle:Acute,deep-seated,red,hot,tender nodule or abscess(boil)that evolves from a staphylo-
coccal olliculitis.
■ Carbuncle:Deeper infection composed of interconnecting abscesses usually arising in several
contiguous hair follicles
Treatment of all.
PROPHYLAXIS Correct underlying predisposing condition. Washing with antibacterial soap or benzoyl peroxide preparation or isopropyl/ ethanol gel.
ANTIMICROBIALTHERAPY Bacterial Folliculitis. Most will respond to natural penicillins but
can consider dicloxacillin, amoxicillin, primary cephalosporins and clindamycin, usually or
7 to 10 days. Consider culture or resistant organisms. Minocycline, trimethoprim-sul a- methoxazole and quinolones may be necessary. T ere may be higher resistance to the erythro- mycin amily.
Gram-Negative Folliculitis. Associated with systemicantibiotictherapyo acnevulgaris. Discontinue current antibiotics. Wash with benzoyl peroxide. In some cases, ampicillin (250 mg our times daily) or trimethoprim– sul amethoxazole our times daily. Isotreti- noin.
T e treatment o an abscess, furuncle, or carbuncleisincisionanddrainage,withcon- siderationo systemicantimicrobialtherapyin immunocompromisedpatientsorwhenthere aresignso systemicinection
