Streptoderma
Causes and symptoms of streptoderma
What is streptoderma?
Streptoderma is an acute skin disease (streptococcal impetigo) caused by the streptococcus bacteria. Due to its pathogenic action, human skin becomes covered with various formations, for example, purulent eruptions that take the form of round spots. They are pinkish and flaky.
Streptoderma can have an acute and chronic form (when a rash appears near ulcers or wounds that do not heal for a long time). There are also superficial and deep streptoderma.
Streptoderma causes
Streptococci, which cause streptoderma in humans, are opportunistic pathogens. This means that, getting on the surface of the skin, the bacterium becomes the cause of the disease only in the case of reduced immunity (with a cold, after an illness) or in the presence of minor skin lesions (scratches, wounds).
But infection can occur after close contact with another person. This often happens in closed teams, especially among children, whose body defenses have not yet fully formed. The incubation period of the disease is about seven days.
Sometimes the sensitivity of the skin to various harmful microorganisms increases due to hypothermia of the extremities, varicose veins or diabetes mellitus. Then the risk of infection with streptoderma increases, and in the presence of wounds and ulcers, its transition to a chronic form.
Streptoderma symptoms
The main symptom of streptoderma is the appearance of pinkish spots on the skin, on the surface of which peeling small plates (scales) form. During a rash, a person usually does not feel any subjective symptoms. However, sometimes he may have a slight itching of the skin, a slight increase in body temperature; the skin becomes dry, the lymph nodes enlarge.
The sizes of rounded spots in streptoderma are different, but most often their diameter is about 4 cm. Rashes appear mainly on the face, arms and legs, back, buttocks. When the spots disappear, a white trace remains in their place for a while.
The danger of streptoderma lies in the fact that, like many other infectious diseases, it causes a number of complications, affecting the internal organs. Thus, damage to the heart muscle causes myocarditis, and the kidney causes glomerulonephritis. Local, external complications are various abscesses and phlegmon (abscesses).
Streptoderma treatment
In the treatment of streptoderma, antiseptic drugs are used and antibiotic therapy is performed to destroy harmful microorganisms. The patient is shown various external agents containing an antibiotic: erythromycin and heliomycin ointments, "Bactroban", "Lorinden S", "Hyoxyson"; do injections from streptococcus.
When streptoderma becomes chronic, blisters form on the skin that require opening. If weeping erosion occurs, disinfectant dressings are applied. When the treatment reaches the final stage, patients are advised to apply sulfur-tar ointments. They are able to eliminate residual inflammation.
Prevention of streptoderma is the observance of personal hygiene standards. In case of any injuries to the skin, even the smallest (scratches, abrasions, cuts, bites), be sure to treat them with antiseptic agents. Also, do not forget about the need to treat infectious diseases in time and lead a healthy lifestyle, because proper nutrition, good sleep and walking in the fresh air significantly affect the body's defenses.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
