Staphylococcal Skin and Soft-Tissue Infection
  • S. aureus: most common causes skin/soft tissue infections as a result of:
    • Endogenous flora (Staph aureus (coagulase positive) strains located in nares other colonization sites
    • May be primary pathological process or a secondary complication of other lesions
  • Classifications:
    • Origination-hair follicles -- varying severity: examples --
      • Folliculitis-infection of follicular ostea -- characteristics
        • yellow pustule (narrow red margin, domed)
        • Treatment:
          • mild cases: self-limited -- healing may be faster by topical antiseptics
          • severe cases: topical/systemic antibiotics

           

      • Furuncle (boil):
        • picture: courtesy of: Dermatology Internet Service-DermIS, used with permission
        • Definition: necrotic, hair follicle infection (deep)
        • Location: typically face, neck, buttocks
        • Clinical manifestations:
          • pain
          • fever
        • Treatment:
          1. surgical intervention for drainage
          2. systemic antibiotics
      • Carbuncle:
        • photo: courtesy of: Dermatology Internet Service-DermIS, used with permission
        • Definition-contiguous infected follicles (deep infection)
          • intense inflammation of associated connective tissue
        • Location:
          • back of the neck, hips, thighs
        • Clinical manifestations:
          • high fever/malaise
          • may be complicated by bacteremia
        • Treatment:
          • surgery (drainage)
          • systemic antibiotics
  • Primary Reference: "Staphylococcal Infections", Deresiewicz, R.L., and Parsonnet, J., in Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicines, (Fauci, A., et al., eds) 14th edition, McGraw-Hill, 1998.