Impetigo (pus itch) – causes, symptoms & therapy

Impetigo (pussy ringworm)

Impetigo or pus lichen is a bacterial skin disease that is highly infectious and occurs particularly frequently in newborns, who still have to develop their immune system, and in small children. Doctors have given the phenomenon the name impetigo contagiosa, with the word meaning “attack” for the Latin “impetere” and “contagious” for the Latin “contagiosus”.

What is Impetigo?

Many German neologisms have been created over time for the disease impetigo contagiosa. These include: drag, drag shit, bark lichen, smear lichen, drag pus, grind blisters, grind lichen, pus scab, pus lichen.

The appearance of the disease can be quite different; Bullous impetigo is particularly common, with large blisters appearing on the skin. Smaller blisters are often indicative of group A streptococci (pyogenes).

The relative increase in children is often due to the fact that children are housed together, for example in kindergartens or schools. Precisely because of the high risk of infection, it is the so-called smear infections that greatly facilitate and encourage the spread of the disease, including among siblings.

The incubation period, i.e. the phase between infection with the bacteria and the first appearance of symptoms, is usually between two and ten days. The itchy spots actually tempt all those affected, not just the children, to scratch constantly, which is particularly harmful and counterproductive for healing, because the pathogens are carried into even deeper layers of the skin.

causes

As already mentioned, impetigo is predominantly caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria , which spread through the skin, where they destroy tissue. The Staphylococcus aureus bacterium got its name from the ancient Greek staphyle, meaning grape, because this type of bacteria arranges in grape-like clusters. 

Each one of them is spherical and about one micron in size. By forming spores, not by actively locomotion, they can relocate locally. These bacteria are very common and also occur on and in human skin and in the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract.

Only when the immune system is weakened do they wake up, so to speak, from a latent, inactive state and trigger their specific disease symptoms. However, Streptococcus pyogenes or mixed forms were also detected.

symptoms and course

Typical symptoms of impetigo (pus infection)

Both variants of impetigo contagiosa, both the large blistered and the small blistered form, usually start on the face in the form of red spots (maculae), which soon develop into blisters that fill with a clear liquid. Typically, the vesicles are then surrounded by a narrow red ring that indicates inflammation. In the case of the small-bubble variant, the bubbles can be so small that they can hardly be perceived individually. Their walls are extremely thin and rupture very quickly.

After the small wounds have dried out, a yellowish crust forms on the inflamed red skin, which is a very characteristic picture of this disease. Even with the coarse-bubbled variant of impetigo (pus lichen), the clearly recognizable bubbles fill with a clear liquid. In the further course, however, this liquid becomes cloudy, then initially appears greyish-whitish and then becomes a viscous, purulent secretion. After bursting (or scratching) there are then shiny reddish areas that hardly tend to form crusts.

complications

Complications are rare with impetigo contagiosa, but they can occur. This danger exists above all if the pus lichen is left untreated. The most common consequences of impetigo contagiosa include inflammatory processes in the deeper layers of the skin or in the soft tissues when these are attacked by the causative pathogens, the streptococci.

Swelling of the lymph channels and lymph nodes is also possible . In such cases, doctors speak of regional lymphangitis and lymphadenitis. Other possible consequences include a middle ear infection, purulent conjunctivitis or blood poisoning (sepsis). In extreme cases, the latter can have life-threatening consequences.

One of the most serious complications of pus lichen is nephritis, which , however, only occurs in rare cases. For safety reasons, the doctor will perform a urine test at the beginning of treatment and six weeks after the end of therapy to check the urinary status. In most of those affected, the inflammation of the kidneys only becomes apparent after the impetigo symptoms have subsided.

If the complications are treated early, a positive prognosis can usually be made and the pus plague and its sequelae heal completely. A doctor should be consulted if symptoms such as fever or the spread of scabs that become inflamed and redden occur. The same applies to discomfort, rashes, itching, swelling, stomach pain and breathing problems after taking the medication.

treatment and therapy

The treatment or therapy of impetigo (pus itch) must be carried out by a doctor; Alternative practitioners, for example, are not legally permitted to provide treatment. Applicable regulations that apply specifically to those affected who work in public institutions must also be observed.

In the treatment guidelines of the German Dermatological Society, it is not assumed that antibiotic therapy is absolutely necessary for impetigo contagiosa. The focus is more on an unconditional observance of maximum hygiene.In addition to frequent hand washing, towels and clothing, at least those that come into direct contact with the skin, must be cleaned again and again. In order to curb the harmful effects of scratching, the urge of which cannot always be avoided, cutting your fingernails is highly recommended.

Bandaging the affected skin areas also helps in this context, where possible. Ointments containing antibiotics can be applied locally if necessary; Baths and compresses with disinfecting solutions also have a healing effect.

prevention

Only after the purulent, open areas of skin from impetigo (pus worms) have healed can one assume that the situation is no longer infectious. Only then can the affected child go back to kindergarten or school. Only in severe cases does impetigo contagiosa cause consequential damage such as abscesses or inflammation of the nail bed or nail folds. In a few cases, an inflammatory reaction of the kidneys can also occur afterwards, but this usually heals quickly.

Dorothy Farrar

Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.

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