Bacterial Impetigo

Question 1

What is bacterial impetigo?

Answer 1

-A very common superficial skin infection. A.K.A. school sores, usually affecting children. Can be bullous or non-bullous.

Question 2

What is the epidemiology of impetigo?

Answer 2

• 70% is non-bullous
• very common in hot areas or late summer
• usually in pre-school children

Question 3

What are the causes of bacterial impetigo?

Answer 3

• Staph. aureus
• Strep. pyogene
• Can be caught from someone else or at the site of broken skin

Question 4

What are the risk factors for impetigo?

Answer 4

• Playing close contact sports
• Poor hygiene
• Skin conditions that break the skin’s protective barrier

Question 5

Describe the presentation of impetigo.

Answer 5

• Honey (honeycomb appearance) coloured crusted plaques on exposed areas of the face

Question 6

What are the differential diagnosis for impetigo?

Answer 6

• Contact dermatitis
• Scabies
• Herpes simplex skin infection
• Bullous pemphigoid

Question 7

What is the psychosocial consideration of impetigo?

Answer 7

• The condition usually resolves without complications but it is highly contagious and may recur due to re-infection from family members with shared towels etc.

Question 8

What are the treatment/management of bacterial impetigo?

Answer 8

• Cleansing, removing crusts and application of wet dressing
• Topical mupirocin or fusidic acid
• Oral flucloxacillin or erythromycin