An individual’s beauty has a lot to say about their well-being. For anyone to be considered beautiful, the charming outward appearance has got the attention of the observer, which says much about the health status of the observed (the beautiful one).
The skin, among other organs of the body, according to scientific research, is the organ which encloses the body and acts as protective leather to the entire organs the body comprises. In other words, the skin is measured to be “the largest organ of the body, accounting for about 15% of the total adult body weight.”
Research has it that the skin performs so many vital functions, some of which include protection against external physical and chemical assailants, prevention of excess water loss from the body and a role in thermoregulation (that is, the maintenance of a constant internal temperature of the body). The skin is continuous, with the mucous membranes lining the body surface [7].
However, there are certain diseases associated with the skin; these diseases give the skin bad shapes. Some of these diseases are the coetaneous condition, skin cancer, skin rash, skin ulcer, erythema, acne, allergy, urticaria, impetigo and a host of many others. Among these diseases, the subject of focus of this article is impetigo.
What is impetigo?
Impetigo is a contagious infection of the epidermis which often affects children, particularly children of ages of two to five years. Impetigo, however, affects adults as well. This disease is the most common bacterial skin infection and the third most common skin disease found among children [1].
Impetigo is a bacterial skin infection, the fourth most common dermatological skin disorder in children. Most patients are treated by general practitioners. However, proper hygiene and adequate treatment supposedly control the infection. Because of the contagious effects, children with this disease are advised to stay from school and other children.
The highest occurrence of impetigo is in the summer months, and this infection often occurs in areas that are densely populated with poor hygiene. Lack of attention to certain parts of the body during baths also causes impetigo [1]. During this summer period, there is usually much heat and the release of chemicals which can be very harmful to the skin. That is why it is always advisable to drink water as much as possible and to bathe always with soap and if possible, cold water so as to prevent the skin from infections.
Types of impetigo
There are two types of impetigo, and these are:
- Non-bullous (called ‘impetigo contagiosa’)
- Bullous
Non-bullous impetigo
This is an infection which begins as a single red macule (a discolored area of the skin) or papule (a kind of strong elevated skin) that quickly becomes a vesicle. The vesicle ruptures easily to form erosion, and the contents dry to form characteristic honey-colored crusts that may be pruritic [1].
A subtype of non-bullous impetigo is ‘common impetigo’, also called ‘secondary impetigo’. This can complicate systemic diseases, including diabetes mellitus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome [1].
Bullous impetigo
Bullous impetigo most commonly affects newborns but also occurs in older children and adults. It is caused by toxin-producing S. aureus and is a localized form of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome. Bullous impetigo favors moist, intertriginous areas (the spot where two skin areas rub or touch each other),such as the diaper area, axillae (the area immediately under the joint-armpit is a good example), and neck folds. Systemic symptoms are not common, but
may include weakness, fever, and diarrhea [1].
How to treat the disease
- Seek medical attention.
- Check and clean every day.
- Gently wash the sores with warm water and a soft cloth. Wash the sores until the crust comes off and wash away the pus and blood.
- Cover sores with a cloth or plaster to help stop the infection from spreading.
- Keep your child’s nails short and clean.
- Wash your hands before and after touching the skin or sores.
- Ensure your child washes their hands often, especially if they touch the sores. [3]
Finding a solution to a worsened impetigo
Sometimes, the disease (impetigo) could get worse, however, it must still be treated because, unknowingly, this infection may have spread to some other parts of the body. There is thus, the need to go back to the doctor if any of these happens [3]:
- sores last more than a week
- sores become red or swollen
- sores have pus in them
- your child has a fever
The root causes of impetigo
Impetigo is usually caused by bacteria penetrating the skin through scrapes, cold sores, insect bites or patches of eczema [4].
Roles of parents and guardians in preventing the spread of impetigo
- Keep the child at home.
- Limit contact with infected children.
- Wash your hands.
- Tell your child not to touch or scratch sores.
- Wash infected clothes and linens separately.
Can impetigo be prevented?
Of course, impetigo can be prevented. These precautions are vital:
- Bathing daily with soap and water
- Washing of hands regularly
- Using one’s own towel
- Keep fingernails short and clean
- Regular washing of clothes
- Keeping infected children away from other children until treatment has begun and child is no longer infectious
- Not allowing children to play, or have any close contact with someone who may have impetigo
If you or your children get a cut, scratch, or insect bite, wash the wound with soap and water, apply an antibiotic ointment, and cover the wound with a bandage. This will minimize the chance of bacterial infection [5].
It is even advisable not to scratch the spot of any insect bite: If you have a cut or scrape or if you scratch your skin because of a bug bite, there is the tendency that impetigo will find its way into the skin and once it gets inside, the bacteria causes small blisters to develop on the skin [6]. It usually starts as small blisters that burst and ooze fluid that crusts over. The crust is yellow-brown, or honey-colored, making impetigo look different from other scabs [6].
Impetigo is contagious, which means that it could be spread from an infected person to another. That’s why people with impetigo should keep the sores covered when they go to school or other public places. After you take the medicine for at least 24 hours, the impetigo isn’t contagious anymore. After 3 days, the sores should begin to heal [6].
Findings show that impetigo is not hereditary, however, a number of members of a family often get it at the same time [6, 8, 9]. How sad this is when it happens.
Conclusion
The discourse so far about impetigo is with the view to enlighten individuals on the skin disease; this gets further expatiated to procuring treatment, avoiding its spread, and best of all, preventing it. Treatments, ideally, should be effective, inexpensive, and have limited side effects. As earlier insinuated, prevention is better than cure. Having known its causes, impetigo should be totally avoided, shunning whatever could trigger it.
References
[1] Charles Cole et al., “Diagnosis and Treatment of Impetigo” University of Virginia School of Medicine, American Academy of Family Physicians, vol. 75, pp. 859-864, March 2007.
[2] Domhnall MacAuley, “treatment for impetigo,” BMJ, vol.329, 695-696, September 2004.
[3]Ministry of Health, “Impetigo,” Workbase: Leading Health Literacy
[4] HealthLinkBC, “impetigo” British Columbia, June 2015.
[5]Patty Ghazvini et al., “ Impetigo in the Pediatric Population, Journal of Dermatology and Clinical Research, 2017
[6] Rupal Christine, “impetigo,” KidsHeath, June 2014.
[7] Paul A.J. Kolarsick et al., “Anatomy and Physiology of the Skin”
[8] Health Skin for All “impetigo,” British Association of Dermatologists.
