3 - Skin & Soft Tissue Infections Flashcards
(130 cards)
What is an abscess?
- contained
- has fluid, inflammatory cells, could have bacteria
Describe the main types of skin abscesses
- In dermis and deeper structures, painful red nodule with erythema; furuncles (boils) in hair follicle, inflammatory nodule with overlying pustule collection in dermis and deeper structures; carbuncles includes collection of furuncles
- Most commonly back in neck, face, axillae
What is the most common pathogen of Skin Abscesses?
S. aureus (75% of cases)
What is the approach for treatment of a skin abscess?
1) Drainage +/- moist heat compresses x 30 min, 3-4 x daily for small lesions or surgical incision and drainage for larger lesions
2) Antimicrobial therapy for abscesses > 2 cm, multiple lesions, extensive cellulitis, systemic signs of infection, indwelling medical device or immunocompromised
What are systemic signs of infection?
temp > 38, tachypnea > 24/min, tachycardia > 90/min, WBC > 12000 or < 4000
What are the 2 antibiotics for 1st line therapy for Skin Abscesses ?
Cloxacillin
Cephalexin
What is 2nd line therapy for Skin Abscesses if they have a severe B lactam allergy?
Clindamycin
List 2 important points about Clindamycin
- # 1 antibiotic associated with C. dif
- We are seeing increasing resistance in S. aureus
What would indicate a severe B lactam allergy?
- anaphylaxis
- severe rash
- hives
- angioedema (swelling of tongue, lips, face)
What are the risk factors for skin abscesses being MRSA?
- MRSA colonization
- close contact with MRSA infection
- previous antimicrobials or S. aureus infection particularly if treatment failure with regimen that lacked MRSA coverage
When is CA-MRSA prevalent?
CA-MRSA contagion among close contacts in sites such as childcare centres and athletic facilities.
Increasing prevalence from 13% to >30% of CA-MRSA over recent years in Canada; 75% SSTIs
When is HCA-MRSA prevalent?
HCA-MRSA with medical procedures, dialysis, hospitalization, long-term care facilities; higher antimicrobial resistance rates than CA strains
What is MRSA resistant to?
- penicillins
- cephalosporins
- carbapenems
(methicillin = penicillin, so they are resistant to anything with a B lactam ring)
What treatment do you chose for a CA-MRSA skin abscess?
- Clindamycin
- Doxycycline
- TMP-SMX
Why would you not chose clindamycin for CA-MRSA?
**If macrolide-resistant, increased risk of inducible clindamycin resistance developing during therapy
Explain an approach to managing patients with recurrent furuncles or carbuncles
S. aureus lives in the nose
- Try decolonizing the nose with:
- Mupirocin 2% 2-3 times daily x 5 days every month
GAS
Group A Strep Pyogenes
Gram positive cocci in clumps
Staph
Gram positive cocci in chains
Strep
Impetigo:
Highest incidence in ?
Children 2-5 years old
What is Impetigo?
- Superficial infection of the epidermis
- Pruritis with mild to moderate erythema
Impetigo:
___% non-bullous
90
Impetigo:
___% bullous
10
Impetigo:
Which form is more severe?
bullous