MSS07 Infection Of The Skin, Soft Tissues, Bones And Joints Flashcards
Normal skin flora
Most abundant:
- ***Staphylococcus (mostly coagulase -ve; 20-30% healthy population: Staph aureus carrier)
- Corynebacterium
- Propionibacterium acnes
- Gram -ve bacilli (non-fermenters e.g. Acinetobacter, occasional)
- Yeasts (Candida, Malassezia furfur)
- Micrococcus spp.
Varies with:
- age
- occupation
- body location
- hospitalisation
- medications
- diseases (local / systemic)
Normal defence of skin
- Normal ***integrity of skin
- ***Rapid cell turnover
- Normal ***flora of skin
- Antimicrobial effect of ***epidermal lipids (sebum-derived) of normal skin
- ***Mild acidity of normal skin (pH 5.5)
- ***Antimicrobial peptide
Pathogenesis of skin and soft tissue infections
- Breach of normal integrity of skin (trauma, surgery)
- Alteration of normal skin flora
- Changes in local environment of tissues e.g. presence of devitalised tissue, haematuria, foreign bodies etc.
- Introduction of pathogenic exogenous / endogenous microbial flora
Dermatophytosis / Ringworm (spread out like a ring, most active at peripheral) / Tinea
Derma: skin
Phytosis: fungal infection
Infection of **keratinised tissue by dermatophytic fungus that is **keratinolytic:
- Trichophyton spp.
- Microsporum spp.
- Epidermophyton floccosum
Diagnosis:
- ***KOH wet mount
- fungal culture
Treatment:
- Topical +/- Systemic anti-fungals
Dermatomycoses: fungal infections of skin caused by non-dermatophytic fungi (***Candida)
Paronychia
Superficial infection of the ***Nail fold
Acute paronychia:
- Staphylococcus aureus
Chronic paronychia:
- Candida spp. (Candida albicans) (wet and moist environment)
Pyoderma
Pus in the skin
Common types:
- Impetigo (strept/staph)
- Folliculitis (***staph)
- Abscesses (strept)
- Cellulitis (strept)
- Erysipelas (strept)
Impetigo
Superficial ***intra-epidermal unilocular vesicopustule
- often in children
- highly communicable
- spread facilitated by overcrowding and poor hygiene
Pathogens:
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Staphylococcus aureus
- mixed
Folliculitis
Abscess formation around hair follicles
Pathogens:
- Staphylococcus aureus (MOST)
- other organisms
Abscesses
- Furuncle
- ***subcutaneous abscesses (may complicate folliculitis) - Carbuncle
- large, contiguous groups of furuncles
- common at back region of elderly, diabetic, immunocompromised - Hydradenitis suppurativa
Cellulitis
An acute spreading infection of skin extending to involve the ***Subcutaneous tissues
- generally preceded by trauma / underlying skin lesion
Clinical features:
- local signs of inflammation
- ***ill-defined margin of inflammation (NO distinct borders)
- +/- local abscess
- fever, chills
- bacteraemia
Pathogens:
- Beta-haemolytic Streptococci (esp. Strept pyogenes)
- Staphylococcus aureus (sometimes)
- other bacteria (Vibrio (seawater), Enterobacteriacae, other Gram -ve bacilli)
Erysipelas
Infection of ***Dermis
Form of cellulitis presents with
- very painful, red lesions
- with ***distinct border and spreads rapidly
- Marked ***subepidermal oedema with heavy infiltration of neutrophils
Pathogens:
- Beta-haemolytic Streptococci (mostly, e.g. Streptococcus pyogenes)
Treatment of pyoderma, cellulitis, erysipelas
- ***Drainage of collections whenever feasible
- ***Beta-lactam antibiotics
Methicillin-sensitive Staph. aureus (MSSA):
- ***Cloxacillin
- Beta-lactam + Beta-lactamase inhibitors
- 1st gen cephalosporins
Methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA):
- ***Vancomycin
- Other non-beta lactam (***Clindamycin, Linezolid etc. depending on antibiotic susceptibility pattern)
Beta-haemolytic streptococci:
- Penicillin
- Ampicillin
- ***Amoxicillin
Mixed infection:
- depend on exposure history + flora causing infection
MRSA
- Conventional methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA)
- generally a nosocomial pathogen: hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA)
- associated health care risk factors (frequent hospitalisation, use of antibiotics) - Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA)
- NO associated health care risk factors
- important cause of skin and soft tissue infections
- present as:
—> Soft tissue abscesses (Furuncles)
—> occasionally fulminant and rapidly fatal pneumonia (Necrotizing pneumonia) in relatively young individuals
- NOT multi-resistant towards antibiotics
- Resistant to most beta-lactam but often susceptible to other agents (**Clindamycin etc.)
- distinguished by special genetic elements —> possess **Panton-Valentine leukocidin (toxin)
Necrotising soft tissue infections
Involves ***multiple tissue levels (Dermis, SC fat, Deep fascia)
- Nerve affected: ***Hypoaesthetic upon touch
- Blood supply cut off: pink (***dusky discolouration) / black (dead)
—> high mortality and morbidity despite aggressive medical and surgical treatment
Different forms of necrotizing soft tissue infections clinically
- Necrotizing fasciitis (most frequent)
- thrombosis of blood vessels perforating the fasciae envelope
- extension of necrosis under the skin - Myonecrosis (gas gangrene)
Necrotizing fasciitis Etiologies
Etiology:
1. Type I:
- **Anaerobes (e.g. Bacteroides, Clostridium)
- **Facultative Anaerobes (e.g. Streptococci, Enterobacteriaceae)
—> occurs after ***intra-abdominal / pelvic surgery
—> may arise de novo in perineal area (Fournier’s gangrene)
- Type II (Most common):
- ***Streptococcus pyogenes
- +/- other organisms - Type III:
- Vibrio spp. (esp. Vibrio **vulnificus)
- occurs after exposure to water / consumption of **seafood containing pathogens
Clinical features:
- Cyanotic skin —> dusky and black: full-thickness necrosis of skin
- Anaesthetic of central part (中間無感覺)
- Very tender esp. at the spreading edge of lesion (外面好痛)
- Fever, pain, oedema
- Septic shock
Management:
- Surgical emergency (early and aggressive surgical debridement)
- Antibiotics
- Supportive care for sepsis