cellulitis

Key facts

Medical condition (new).frequency: 21.2 million (2015)
Medical condition (new).deaths: 16,900 (2015)
Medical condition (new).name: Cellulitis
Medical condition (new).image: Cellulitis3.jpg
Medical condition (new).caption: Skin cellulitis
Medical condition (new).field: Infectious disease, dermatology
Medical condition (new).symptoms: Red, hot, painful area of skin, fever
Medical condition (new).duration: 7–10 days
Medical condition (new).causes: Bacteria
Medical condition (new).risks: Break in the skin, obesity, leg swelling, old age
Medical condition (new).diagnosis: Based on symptoms
Medical condition (new).differential

~13 min read

Article

15 sections

Contents

Signs and symptoms
Complications
Causes
Risk factors
Diagnosis
Differential diagnosis
Prevention
Treatment
Antibiotics
Epidemiology
Other animals
See also
References
Further reading
External links

Cellulitis is usually a bacterial infection involving the inner layers of the skin. It specifically affects the dermis and subcutaneous fat. Signs and symptoms include an area of redness which increases in size over a few days. The borders of the area of redness are generally not sharp and the skin may be swollen. While the redness often turns white when pressure is applied, this is not always the case. The area of infection is usually painful. Lymphatic vessels may occasionally be involved, and the person may have a fever and feel tired.

The legs and face are the most common sites involved, although cellulitis can occur on any part of the body. The leg is typically affected following a break in the skin from abrasions, arthropod bites, or maceration between the toes. Other risk factors include obesity, leg swelling, and old age. For facial infections, a break in the skin beforehand is not usually the case. The bacteria most commonly involved are streptococci and Staphylococcus aureus.