Erysipelas: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

What is erysipelas?

Erysipelas is a skin infection that affects the superficial layer and subcutaneous tissue, which is the deepest layer of the skin. It is usually caused by Streptococcus bacteria, and it results in an infection that makes the skin red, hot, painful, and swollen, often with well-defined edges.

Erysipelas can occur anywhere on the body, but it is most common on the legs and face.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of erysipelas are pain at the site, redness, and swelling, but secondary symptoms can also occur, such as:

chills
high fever
weakness
headache
malaise
nausea
vomiting

Initially, the skin appears smooth, shiny, red, and hot. As the infection progresses, swelling increases and yellowish fluid-filled blisters appear.

Causes

The cause of erysipelas is usually a bacterial infection, and situations that can lead to the disease include:

skin lesions: small wounds, cuts, scratches, insect bites, or other skin injuries can be entry points for the bacteria that cause erysipelas
circulatory problems: people with poor venous system function, for example, have a higher risk of developing erysipelas, as blood flow, when not functioning properly, can facilitate the entry of bacteria into the skin
diabetes: can decrease blood flow to certain areas of the body. This can result in a reduced ability of the immune system to fight infections, including erysipelas

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of erysipelas is usually based on the clinical evaluation by a healthcare professional, which includes:

physical examination: the affected area of the skin should be examined to look for characteristic signs of erysipelas, such as red, hot, swollen, and painful skin
clinical history: questions are asked about symptoms, medical history, and risk factors, such as skin lesions, circulatory problems, chronic diseases, or other factors that may be related to erysipelas
exclusion of other conditions: an important part of the diagnosis is the exclusion of other conditions that can be confused with erysipelas, such as thrombosis, contact dermatitis, allergies, or other skin infections

Prevention

Preventing erysipelas involves adopting measures to reduce the risk of contracting the infection. The main practices that can help prevent erysipelas are:

skin care: keeping it well hydrated to avoid dryness, which can lead to cracks that cause erysipelas. Therefore, it is important to use body moisturizers to keep the skin healthy, especially in areas more prone to infections, such as legs and feet
personal hygiene: maintaining good personal hygiene, with regular baths and frequent hand washing
management of chronic diseases: keeping chronic conditions controlled, such as diabetes and venous insufficiency, with the help of a healthcare professional. Proper control can reduce the risk of erysipelas