Impetigo
What is Impetigo?
May some of don't know what impetigo is. Or has not even read or heard about it. Well then, impetigo is a skin disease. It is called impetigo or "impetigo contagiosa" it simply because it is contagious. Impetigo is a common superficial bacterial infection. This is being cause by a bacterial called streptococcus and another one is the staphylococcus s.p. However in some cases, impetigo may be caused by both of the said bacteria.
Impetigo can infect people at any age but this is very common in the children may because of hygienic reasons.
The two clinical forms of impetigo are the bullous and non-bullous.
The impetigo usually infects the exposed area of the skin, like the face. Clinically it looks like a thin-roofed bullae. This commonly appears like a stuck-on, ruptured vesicles or bullae that expose a red. It has a moist base covered by honey-colored crusts.
What are the preventive measures for impetigo?
First, you have to screen the family members and if they have impetigo it must be treated immediately to prevent spreading.
Secondly, you have to clean the infected area with impetigo using antibacterial cleansers.
What are the prescribed treatment for impetigo?
If you have only limited local infection you have to clean the infected area first. Just soak the part which have lesions in warm water or saline solution three times a day in order to remove the crusts. After cleaning the lesion, you can now apply the medicine. Apply a mupirocin 2% or fusidic acid three times a day for a duration of 7 to 10 days. You can use either cream or ointment.
However, for widespread infections the dosage of the medication is bit higher. The mupirocin ointment or cream can still be applied at the infected areas.
You can give Minocycline Sodium Fusidate 250 up to 500 mg/tab BID or TID this is for 7 up to 14 days. This is for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus or MRSA.
For children, you can give Erythromycin 40 mg/kg/day. This is for group A streptococcus and staphylococcus aureus.
If for staphylococcus aureus only also in children, Cloxacillin/Dicloxacillin 250 mg QID can be given.
Another medication for group A streptococcus, Penicillin Benzathine PCN, 600,000 units IM for 6 years old children and for 7 years old, 1.2M units can be administered.
