cellulitis

Cellulitis is an infection of the skin and deep underlying tissues. Group A strep (streptococcal) bacteria are the most common cause. The bacteria enter your body when you get an injury such as a bruise, burn, surgical cut, or wound.

Symptoms include:

• Fever and chills
• Swollen glands or lymph nodes
• A rash with painful, red, tender skin. The skin may blister and scab over.

Your health care provider may take a sample or culture from your skin or do a blood test to identify the bacteria causing infection. Treatment is with antibiotics. They may be oral in mild cases, or intravenous (by IV) for more severe cases.

Your eyes can get infections from bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Eye infections can occur in different parts of the eye and can affect just one eye or both. Two common eye infections are:

• Conjunctivitis - also known as pink eye. Conjunctivitis is often due to an infection. Children frequently get it, and it is very contagious.
• Stye - a bump on the eyelid that happens when bacteria from your skin get into the hair follicle of an eyelash.

Symptoms of eye infections may include redness, itching, swelling, discharge, pain, or problems with vision. Treatment depends on the cause of the infection and may include compresses, eye drops, creams, or antibiotics.

Strep is short for Streptococcus, a type of bacteria. There are several types. Two of them cause most of the strep infections in people: group A and group B.

Group A strep causes:

• Strep throat - a sore, red throat. Your tonsils may be swollen and have white spots on them.
• Scarlet fever - an illness that follows strep throat. It causes a red rash on the body.
• Impetigo - a skin infection
• Toxic shock syndrome
• Cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease)

Group B strep can cause blood infections, pneumonia and meningitis in newborns. A screening test during pregnancy can tell if you have it. If you do, intravenous (IV) antibiotics during labor can save your baby's life. Adults can also get group B strep infections, especially if they are 65 or older or already have health problems. Strep B can cause urinary tract infections, blood infections, skin infections and pneumonia in adults.

Antibiotics are used to treat strep infections.

The anus is the opening of the rectum through which stool passes out of your body. Problems with the anus are common. They include hemorrhoids, abscesses, fissures (cracks), and cancer.

You may be embarrassed to talk about your anal troubles. But it is important to let your doctor know, especially if you have pain or bleeding. The more details you can give about your problem, the better your doctor will be able to help you. Treatments vary depending on the particular problem.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Your skin is your body's largest organ. It has many different functions, including covering and protecting your body. It helps keep germs out. But sometimes the germs can cause a skin infection. It often happens when the germs enter your body through a break, cut, or wound on your skin. Other skin infections can happen in places where the skin rubs together, especially if the area is moist. Infections can also happen when you have a poor blood supply to an area of your body or if your immune system is weakened because of another disease or a medical treatment.

Some skin infections cover a small area on the top of your skin. Other infections can go deep into your skin or spread to a larger area.

Skin infections are caused by different kinds of germs. For example,:

• Bacteria cause cellulitis, impetigo, and staphylococcal (staph) infections
• Viruses cause shingles, warts, and herpes simplex
• Fungi cause athlete's foot and yeast infections
• Parasites cause body lice, head lice, and scabies

You are more likely to get a skin infection if you:

• Have poor circulation
• Have diabetes
• Are older
• Have an immune system disease, such as HIV
• Have a weakened immune system because of chemotherapy or other medicines that suppress your immune system
• Have to stay in one position for a long time, such as if you are sick and have to stay in bed for a long time or you are paralyzed
• Are malnourished
• Have excessive skinfolds, which can happen if you have obesity

The symptoms depend on the type of infection. Some symptoms that are common to many skin infections include rashes, swelling, redness, pain, pus, and itching.

To diagnose a skin infection, your health care provider will do a physical exam and ask about your symptoms. You may have lab tests, such as a skin culture. This is a test to identify what type of infection you have, using a sample from your skin. Your provider may take the sample by swabbing or scraping your skin or removing a small piece of skin (biopsy). Sometimes providers use other tests, such as blood tests.

The treatment depends on the type of infection and how serious it is. Some infections will go away on their own. When you do need treatment, it may include a cream or lotion to put on the skin. Other possible treatments include medicines and a procedure to drain pus.

Staphylococcus (staph) is a group of bacteria. There are more than 30 types. A type called Staphylococcus aureus causes most infections.

Staph bacteria can cause many different types of infections, including:

• Skin infections, which are the most common types of staph infections.
• Bacteremia, an infection of the bloodstream. This can lead to sepsis, a very serious immune response to infection.
• Bone infections.
• Endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves.
• Food poisoning.
• Pneumonia.
• Toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a life-threatening condition caused by toxins from certain types of bacteria.

Some people carry staph bacteria on their skin or in their noses, but they do not get an infection. But if they get a cut or wound, the bacteria can enter the body and cause an infection.

Staph bacteria can spread from person to person. They can also spread on objects, such as towels, clothing, door handles, athletic equipment, and remotes. If you have staph and do not handle food properly when you are preparing it, you can also spread staph to others.

Anyone can develop a staph infection, but certain people are more likely to get one, including those who:

• Have a chronic condition such as diabetes, cancer, vascular disease, eczema, and lung disease
• Have a weakened immune system, such as from HIV, medicines to prevent organ rejection, or chemotherapy
• Had surgery
• Are in the hospital
• Use a catheter, breathing tube, or feeding tube
• Have an implanted device, such as a pacemaker or artificial joint or heart valve
• Have burns, especially if they are deep or cover a large area of the body
• Are on dialysis
• Inject illegal drugs
• Do contact sports, since you may have skin-to-skin contact with others or share equipment

The symptoms of a staph infection depend on the type of infection:

• Skin infections can look like pimples or boils. They may be red, swollen, and painful. Sometimes there is pus or other drainage. They can turn into impetigo, which turns into a crust on the skin, or cellulitis, a swollen, red area of skin that feels hot.
• Bone infections can cause pain, swelling, warmth, and redness in the infected area. You may also have chills and a fever.
• Endocarditis causes some flu-like symptoms: fever, chills, and fatigue. It also causes symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and fluid buildup in your arms or legs.
• Food poisoning typically causes nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. If you lose too many fluids, you may also become dehydrated.
• Pneumonia symptoms include a high fever, chills, and cough that doesn't get better. You may also have chest pain and shortness of breath.
• Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) causes high fever, sudden low blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea, and confusion. You may have a sunburn-like rash somewhere on your body. TSS can lead to organ failure.

Your health care provider will do a physical exam and ask about your symptoms. Often, providers can tell if you have a staph skin infection by looking at it. To check for other types of staph infections, providers may do a culture, with a skin scraping, tissue sample, stool sample, or throat or nasal swabs. There may be other tests, such as imaging tests, depending on the type of infection.

Treatment for staph infections is antibiotics. Depending on the type of infection, the antibiotics might be a cream, ointment, medicines (to swallow), or intravenous (IV) medicine. If you have an infected wound, your provider might drain it. Sometimes you may need surgery for bone infections.

Some staph infections, such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), are resistant to many antibiotics. There are still certain antibiotics that can treat these infections.

Certain steps can help to prevent staph infections:

• Use good hygiene, including washing your hands often.
• Don't share towels, sheets, or clothing with someone who has a staph infection.
• It's best not to share athletic equipment. If you do need to share, make sure that it is properly cleaned and dried before you use it.
• Practice food safety, including not preparing food for others when you have a staph infection.
• If you have a cut or wound, keep it covered.

Tonsils are lumps of tissue at the back of the throat. There are two of them, one on each side. Along with the adenoids, tonsils are part of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system clears away infection and keeps body fluids in balance. Tonsils and adenoids work by trapping the germs coming in through the mouth and nose.

Tonsillitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the tonsils. Sometimes along with tonsillitis, the adenoids are also swollen.

The cause of tonsillitis is usually a viral infection. Bacterial infections such as strep throat can also cause tonsillitis.

Tonsillitis is most common in children over age two. Almost every child in the United States gets it at least once. Tonsillitis caused by bacteria is more common in kids ages 5-15. Tonsillitis caused by a virus is more common in younger children.

Adults can get tonsillitis, but it is not very common.

Although tonsillitis is not contagious, the viruses and bacteria that cause it are contagious. Frequent handwashing can help prevent spreading or catching the infections.

The symptoms of tonsillitis include:

• A sore throat, which may be severe
• Red, swollen tonsils
• Trouble swallowing
• A white or yellow coating on the tonsils
• Swollen glands in the neck
• Fever
• Bad breath

You should call your health care provider if your child:

• Has a sore throat for more than two days
• Has trouble or pain when swallowing
• Feels very sick or very weak

You should get emergency care right away if your child:

• Has trouble breathing
• Starts drooling
• Has a lot of trouble swallowing

To diagnose tonsillitis, your child's health care provider will first ask you about your child's symptoms and medical history. The provider will look at your child's throat and neck, checking for things such as redness or white spots on the tonsils and swollen lymph nodes.

Your child will probably also have one or more tests to check for strep throat, since it can cause tonsillitis and it requires treatment. It could be a rapid strep test, a throat culture, or both. For both tests, the provider uses a cotton swab to collect a sample of fluids from your child's tonsils and the back of the throat. With the rapid strep test, testing is done in the office, and you get the results within minutes. The throat culture is done in a lab, and it usually takes a few days to get the results. The throat culture is a more reliable test. So sometimes if the rapid strep test is negative (meaning that it does not show any strep bacteria), the provider will also do a throat culture just to make sure that your child does not have strep.

Treatment for tonsillitis depends on the cause. If the cause is a virus, there is no medicine to treat it. If the cause is a bacterial infection, such as strep throat, your child will need to take antibiotics. It is important for your child to finish the antibiotics even if he or she feels better. If treatment stops too soon, some bacteria may survive and re-infect your child.

No matter what is causing the tonsillitis, there are some things you can do to help your child feel better. Make sure that your child:

• Gets a lot of rest
• Drinks plenty of fluids
• Tries eating soft foods if it hurts to swallow
• Tries eating warm liquids or cold foods like popsicles to soothe the throat
• Isn't around cigarette smoke or do anything else that could irritate the throat
• Sleeps in a room with a humidifier
• Gargles with saltwater
• Sucks on a lozenge (but do not give them to children under four; they can choke on them)
• Takes an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen. Children and teenagers should not take aspirin.

In some cases, your child may need a tonsillectomy.

A tonsillectomy is surgery to remove the tonsils. Your child might need it if he or she:

• Keeps getting tonsillitis
• Has bacterial tonsillitis that does not get better with antibiotics
• Has tonsils are too big, and are causing trouble breathing or swallowing

Your child usually gets the surgery and goes home later that day. Very young children and people who have complications may need to stay in the hospital overnight. It can take a week or two before your child completely recovers from the surgery.

Bacteria are tiny organisms (living things) that have only one cell. Under a microscope, they look like balls, rods, or spirals. They can be found almost everywhere on Earth. There are lots of bacteria in and on your body. In fact, your body has about 10 times more bacteria cells than human cells.

There are many different types of bacteria. Most types don't make you sick. Some types are helpful. For example, "good" bacteria in your digestive system can help your body digest food and absorb vitamins and minerals. They can help protect you from getting sick. Bacteria are also used in making foods like yogurt and cheese.

But some types of bacteria can cause an infection and make you sick. They are called infectious bacteria. These bacteria can reproduce quickly in your body. Many of them give off toxins (poisons) that can damage your cells and make you sick. Other types can move into and damage your tissues. A few examples of bacteria that cause infections include Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and E. coli.

There are different ways that bacterial infections may spread:

• Through droplets and particles that are breathed out by someone who has the infection. You might breathe in the droplets or particles, or they could land on your mouth, nose, or eyes.
• By touching surfaces or objects that have the bacteria on them and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
• Through cuts, scrapes, and skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the infection.
• From the pregnant parent to the baby during pregnancy.
• Through contaminated food or water.
• By being bitten by an infected insect or animal.
• Through sexual contact (usually vaginal, anal and oral sex) with someone who has the infection.

Sometimes your immune system may be able to fight off a bacterial infection. But when you do need treatment, it will be with antibiotics.

You can help prevent some bacterial infections by:

• Getting vaccines that protect against bacterial infections.
• Having good hygiene habits. These include washing your hands often and covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
• Paying attention to food safety.
• Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that your frequently touch.
• Preventing insect bites by using a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent. when you go outdoors. If you travel to an area that has a high risk of diseases from insect bites, also wear long pants, shirts, and socks.
• Practicing safe sex. This means using a latex condom every time you have anal, vaginal, or oral sex. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.