Streptococcal impetigo is an infectious disease of the skin affected by streptococcus, which manifests itself in the form of a rash of small bubbles with an edematous base. The bubbles are able to increase rapidly and merge with each other, after their destruction, pinkish spots will remain on the patient’s skin for some time. Streptococcal impetigo occurs, as a rule, in children and in young women with delicate and sensitive skin. Most often, children with weak immunity and a genetic tendency to diathesis are exposed to infection. The disease is highly contagious, so it spreads very quickly, especially in large children’s groups.
The content of the article:
Varieties of streptococcal impetigo:
Causes of streptococcal impetigo
Symptoms of streptococcal impetigo
Diagnosis of streptococcal impetigo
Treatment of streptococcal impetigo
Prevention of streptococcal impetigo
Streptococcal impetigo
In dermatology, such a concept as streptococcal impetigo includes several clinical varieties that are characterized by the appearance of a similar rash— flicken. Streptococcal impetigo includes:
bullous impetigo;
ring – shaped impetigo;
streptococcal diaper rash;
impetigo of nail rollers;
slit – like impetigo;
post-erosive syphilis.
Varieties of streptococcal impetigo:
Boulez impetigo
Boulez impetigo — flictens, the size of a hazelnut, along their edge there are remnants of a bubble tire. Flictenes are localized on the back of the hands, much less often on the feet and shins.
Slit – like impetigo
Slit—like impetigo – this form of streptococcal infection is also called zayeda or angular stomatitis, since it is located in the corners of the mouth. At the same time, the rash bubbles are quickly opened. During the course of the disease, the outer edges of the eyes, the skin near the nose are affected. At the beginning of the disease, bubbles form in the corners of the patient’s mouth, which later open and expose cracks in the form of a slit. These cracks heal after a while and form a yellow crust.
The disease proceeds for quite a long time if the patient has caries, inflammation of the eye membrane, runny nose, as well as a lack of vitamin B in the body.
In children, a bad habit of licking their lips contributes to the development of infection.
Slit-like impetigo is contagious when kissing and when using shared dishes and towels with an infected person.
Simple lichen
Lichen simplex is a type of streptococcal impetigo, often develops in young children in the form of oval or round rashes of pink or white color. Foci of lichen rash are localized on the skin around the mouth, lower jaw, cheeks, and sometimes on the trunk and upper extremities. Seasonality is characteristic of this disease, most of all it manifests itself in spring and autumn. A disease of this type can take on the character of an epidemic.
Impetigo of nail rollers
Impetigo of nail rollers mainly develops in adults. On the fingers of the hands around the nail plates, flickens with a serous secret appear, and then it becomes cloudy, purulent. Finger injuries and burrs contribute to the occurrence of this disease. The phalanges of the fingers swell and become very painful, the flick cracks and opens an erosive surface. It happens that as a result of a progressive infection, the nail plate is rejected.
Streptococcal diaper rash
Streptococcal diaper rash affects overweight people, lesions appear under the breast, in the interstitial fold, in the folds of the abdomen, in the groin, under the arms and behind the ears. In children, diaper rash occurs against the background of diathesis and diabetes mellitus. In this case, a lot of flicken appears, they are quickly opened, while exposing wet erosions of bright color. The disease lasts for a very long time and is accompanied by unbearable itching and pain.
Post – erosive syphilitis
Post—erosive syphilitis in most cases occurs in infants. With this streptococcal infection, the skin of the buttocks, thighs and genitals is affected. In the course of the disease, flictens are formed, which are quickly opened and open extensive erosions. These elements of the rash are similar to papular erosive syphilis, but syphilitic infection does not have an inflammatory reaction in children. Syphil-like papular impetigo is also called diaper dermatitis, because insufficient skin care of the child contributes to this type of disease.
Causes of streptococcal impetigo
The cause of the development of this infectious disease is the allergen streptococcus. Infection with streptococcus occurs by contact, passing through infected hands, as well as through common household items, toys, clothes and other things. If the skin has integrity disorders, staphylococcal infection penetrates inside, this is the way. Most often, microtrauma and scratching on the skin, dermatosis, maceration of the skin, the presence of rhinitis or otitis with a small amount of discharge become the way of penetration of staphylococcus. The rapid process of streptococcal impetigo is also facilitated by severe skin contamination.
Symptoms of streptococcal impetigo
Streptococcal impetigo initially manifests itself on the patient’s skin with small red spots, which after a while turn into flictenes ― bubbles with a red, strongly edematous base. At first, small bubbles are tense, have transparent contents. Then they become sluggish, the contents inside them become cloudy and turn into pus. After a while, the flickens either dry out, forming brownish crusts or open up, exposing purulent erosions. After the dried crusts disappear, a temporary pink spot remains on the patient’s skin. The whole process of the disease from the appearance to the drying of the fliktena takes a week.
Streptococcal impetigo rashes are localized on the patient’s face, sides of the trunk and lower extremities. Flictenes due to peripheral growth, very often merge with each other. Self-infection can lead to the instant spread of the infectious process to healthy, non-infected areas of the skin. With adequate and proper treatment, the disease lasts no more than a month. The disease does not leave scars and scars after itself.
Diagnosis of streptococcal impetigo
Based on clinical signs, a dermatologist can diagnose the disease. To confirm the diagnosis of streptococcus, the doctor performs a dermatoscopy and a skin pH study. If there is a relapse of streptococcal infection, this may indicate a malfunction in the patient’s immune system, so an immunological examination may be required.
Treatment of streptococcal impetigo
The treatment of streptococcal impetigo is the same type as the treatment of streptodermia. The patient is prescribed treatment with antibacterial and disinfectants and agents. Single bubbles can be treated with diamond green and fucarcin. In case of formation of crusts on the flyctenes, special dressings with streptocide or borno-naphthalan ointment are used. If the affected areas are large and an inflammatory reaction is observed, resorcinol lotions are applied to the affected areas.
In therapy for impetigo of nail rollers, antibiotics are used. In some individual cases, surgical treatment may be required. Complex antibiotic therapy is indicated in cases of relapses of streptococcal impetigo. It is carried out in such cases against the background of restorative therapy.
Prevention of streptococcal impetigo
Prevention of this disease includes frequent change of underwear, full compliance with the rules of personal hygiene, constant treatment of infected areas of the skin with special solutions for disinfection. To prevent the spread of this infection, patients are immediately isolated.
