Cellulitis

Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the deep layer of skin and the layer of fat and soft tissues that lie underneath the skin. The condition is similar to erysipelas, which only affects the skin itself and the tissues nearer to the surface. A variety of bacteria groups live on the skin’s surface but generally do not cause problem. The bacteria are not concentrated enough to do any harm, but sometimes they pass deeper into the skin and create an infection. Generally the main cause of cellulites is the two groups of micro organisms, streptococci and staphylococci that cause infections in humans.

Risk Factors
Cellulitis can be developed by anyone and men and women are equally likely to get infected. However, the people whose immune systems are weakened, be it for any reason and the ones with diabetes are at the highest risk.

Symptoms
Cellulitis can occur in any part of the body but it mostly occurs in areas that have been damaged or are inflamed due to some reason, such as inflamed lesions, contaminated cuts, and areas with poor skin condition or bad circulation. The most common symptoms of cellulitis are as follows:

• Redness of the skin
• Red streaking of the skin or broad areas of redness
• Swelling
• Warmth
• Pain or tenderness
• Drainage or leaking of yellow clear fluid or pus from the skin
• When condition spreads to the body via the blood, then fevers and chills can result.

Precautions

• Wash the cuts, grazes, insect bites or spots under running tap water and cover with a plaster or dressing if possible.
• Insist the children to cover their arms and legs while playing outside.
• Keep your fingernails short and clean at all times.

Treatment
Antibiotics are essential for the treatment of cellulitis. The symptoms should ease once you have started a course of tablets. In some cases, however there is an increase in redness at the beginning of treatment before it starts to fade In severe cases that progress rapidly or are associated with necrosis (tissue destruction), necrotizing cellulites -fasciitis is considered that requires urgent surgical exploration. If not appropriately treated, the bacterial infection can spread throughout the body, resulting in serious illness. With treatment, most people with cellulites make a full recovery without any complications developing.