Lecture 3: Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

Question 1

What are some less serious skin infections? (3 Points)

Answer 1

Impetigo.

Folliculitis.

Ringworm/TInea (fungal infection).

Question 2

What are some deeper infections which are typically more serious?

Answer 2

Necrotising fasciitis.

Cellulitis.

Infected puncture wounds.

Question 3

What is impetigo?

Question 4

What are some common causative organisms of impetigo?

Question 8

What are abscesses?

Answer 8

A localised collection of pus

Question 9

What is a furuncle?

Question 10

What is a carbuncle?

Question 11

What are the common causative organisms of abscesses?

Question 12

What is cellulitis?

Question 13

What complications can arise from cellulitis?

Question 14

What causative organisms are usually responsible for cellulitis?

Answer 14

S.aureus

Streptococcus A, or other beta-haemolytic: B, C, and G.

Enterobacteriaceae and anaerobes in buttock cellulitis.

Rarely: Pseudomonas in immunosuppressed.

Question 15

How would a diagnosis be made for cellulitis?

Question 16

What treatment can be used for various severities of cellulitis? (3 Points)

Answer 16

Antistaphylococcal drugs can be used: Flucloxacillin

Antistreptococcal drugs can also be used: Penicillin/erythromycin.

For serious infection, since disease effects are being caused by toxins, protein production inhibiting drugs such as clindamycin can be used in conjunction with another antibiotic.

Question 17

What is necrotising fasciitis?

Question 18

What causative organisms are typically responsible for necrotising fasciitis?

Question 19

How can necrotising fasciitis be diagnosed?

Answer 19

Microscopy of tissue and fluid samples.

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Question 20

What is erysipelas?

Question 21

What

Question 22

What is empirical treatment?

Answer 22

Where a diagnosis is made by a physician’s experience before tests come back, and antibiotics are given before conclusive diagnosis.