What is impetigo?

  Impetigo is a common purulent skin disease, also known as impetigo, contact infectious impetigo, and commonly known as yellow water sores. In China, the high incidence season is late summer and early fall (July-September). The disease is mainly seen in children, with a high incidence at the age of 1-5 years. Impetigo and the causative organisms are overwhelmingly Staphylococcus aureus and are highly contagious, usually through direct human contact.  The disease is often classified clinically into two types: pustules with large blisters and pustules without large blisters.  Impetigo maculans, also known as staphylococcal impetigo, is most commonly seen in newborns and can be disseminated at all ages. The lesions are usually found on the trunk and extremities and start as scattered blisters, which rapidly increase to superficial blisters of 2 cm or more in diameter within 1-2 days. Due to gravity, herpes juice is deposited, forming the characteristic semilunar pus accumulation phenomenon. Due to the thin and loose wall of the herpes, the pustules often break quickly, and the lesions are usually seen as superficial vesicles left after the herpes break, with an oval-shaped vesicle surrounded by a residual annular scab reproducing the peripheral part of the herpes after breaking, and the vesicles form a yellowish pus crust after drying. Most of this type has no systemic symptoms, but a few may have systemic symptoms such as malaise, fever, and diarrhea. Neonates may die from complications such as Staphylococcus aureus sepsis, pneumonia or meningitis.  Non-herpetic impetigo, which includes primary infectious impetigo and secondary pustular impetigo, is the most common type of impetigo, accounting for about 70% of cases, and is the most common skin infection in children. It is the most common skin infection in children. It occurs in the perioral region, external nostrils, auricles and extremities. The typical clinical presentation starts with a localized erythema of 2-4 cm, which rapidly develops into a small blister or pustule with a very thin wall that breaks easily, and the exudate dries to form a typical honey-yellow scab covering the surface of the superficial erosion. One lesion may spread directly to adjacent skin to form multiple similar lesions or fuse into one. Topical application of Bactrim can often achieve satisfactory results, and systemic antibiotics can be used if necessary.