Impetigo is an itchy and sometimes painful of the outer layers of skin. It is especially common in young children. The is caused by and is highly contagious. For that reason, children who have aren't allowed to return to school or daycare until they're no longer contagious – about 24 hours after the start of treatment with . Without treatment, can remain contagious for several weeks.
The first signs of can usually be seen around the mouth and nose in the form of an itchy reddish rash with small blisters. The blisters are filled with water or pus and burst easily. Once they have burst, yellowish crusts form. These fall off after some time without scarring. As well as on the face, can occur on the arms and legs.
In rare cases, larger blisters develop and don't break open as quickly. This type of (bullous ) affects the neck and torso, and may be found in the armpits or in the groin area, for example.
It sometimes also causes fever and swollen lymph nodes.
Impetigo is a bacterial , usually caused by Streptococcus or Staphylococcus bacteria. These germs can enter your skin in different ways, including through minor cuts or scrapes, a rash or an insect bite.
They spread to other people through skin contact, or through contact with objects that an infected person has touched.
Impetigo is the most common skin in children. It is less common in adults. In Europe, about 2 out of 100 children are treated for every year.
The typical rash appears about 2 to 10 days after .
It usually goes away within three weeks, even without treatment. But it can also take a few more weeks, and you remain contagious the entire time.
Complications (such as the rash spreading to deeper layers of skin) are rare, even without treatment. Unfortunately, having doesn't make you immune to the , so you don't have any protection from new infections.
Doctors can often tell whether it's just by looking at it. Further testing – like a swab test to determine what kind of germs there are – usually isn't needed. But it can help if doctors can't rule out other possible skin diseases, like a fungal infection.
General hygiene rules can prevent many types of infections, including . They mainly include washing your hands with soap and water before you eat, after you go to the toilet and after you've spent time outdoors. Other than that, there's not much in particular that you need to do to prevent you or your children from getting .
But you do need to take special precautions if a child has or has a rash that could be : Then it's important to prevent others from becoming infected. For example, the child shouldn't go to daycare centers, schools or any other places where they are in groups with other children. Their parents or legal guardians are required by law to report to the school or daycare center that their child has or is thought to have it.
The child can only return once a doctor has decided that he or she is no longer contagious. This is typically 24 hours after the start of treatment with , or after the has cleared up on its own (without treatment).
To prevent the from spreading within the family, it's important to
As long as doesn't spread beyond a small patch of skin, disinfectant solutions or creams are often recommended. But it isn't clear whether they work.
Antibiotic creams have proven effective. You can use a wooden spatula or disposable gloves to avoid touching the rash with your bare hands.
Antibiotics that are swallowed (oral ) are usually only prescribed if a child has on a large area of skin or if several parts of their body are affected. Antibiotic tablets are more likely to have side effects than antibiotic creams are. For instance, they may cause gastrointestinal (stomach and bowel) problems.
It's a good idea to keep the child’s fingernails trimmed very short so they can't scratch themselves as much.
When people are ill or need medical advice, they usually go to see their family doctor first. Read about how to find the right doctor, how to prepare for the appointment and what to remember.
Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit (LGL). Infektionsdiagnostik und orale Antibiotikatherapie bei Erwachsenen. Ein Leitfaden für den ambulanten Bereich. October 2019.
Bundesministerium der Justiz und für Verbraucherschutz. Gesetz zur Verhütung und Bekämpfung von Infektionskrankheiten beim Menschen (Infektionsschutzgesetz - IfSG). § 34 Gesundheitliche Anforderungen, Mitwirkungspflichten, Aufgaben des Gesundheitsamtes.
Galli L, Venturini E, Bassi A, Gattinara GC, Chiappini E, Defilippi C et al. Common Community-acquired Bacterial Skin and Soft-tissue Infections in Children: an Intersociety Consensus on Impetigo, Abscess, and Cellulitis Treatment. Clin Ther 2019; 41(3): 532-551.e517.
Koning S, van der Sande R, Verhagen AP, van Suijlekom-Smit LW, Morris AD, Butler CC et al. Interventions for impetigo. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012; (1): CD003261.
Robert Koch Institute (RKI). Empfehlungen für die Wiederzulassung zu Gemeinschaftseinrichtungen gemäß § 34 Infektionsschutzgesetz. January 13, 2020.
Robert Koch Institute (RKI). Gemeinsam vor Infektionen schützen. Belehrung für Eltern und sonstige Sorgeberechtigte durch Gemeinschaftseinrichtungen gemäß § 34 Abs. 5 Satz 2 Infektionsschutzgesetz. January 22, 2014.
Schöfer H, Bruns R, Effendy I, Hartmann M, Jappe U, Plettenberg A et al. S2k + IDA Leitlinie: Diagnostik und Therapie Staphylococcus aureus bedingter Infektionen der Haut und Schleimhäute. AWMF-Registernr.: 013-083. April 2011.
IQWiG health information is written with the aim of helping people understand the advantages and disadvantages of the main treatment options and health care services.
Because IQWiG is a German institute, some of the information provided here is specific to the German health care system. The suitability of any of the described options in an individual case can be determined by talking to a doctor. informedhealth.org can provide support for talks with doctors and other medical professionals, but cannot replace them. We do not offer individual consultations.
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Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG, Germany)
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