What do you do with impetigo?

1. Somehow it still sounds pretty good: impetigo. However, this skin condition is not. Impetigo or impetigo is a common childhood illness that is very contagious and itchy.

1. Impetigo is a contagious infection of the skin, usually around the nose or mouth. However, it can occur all over the body. Although impetigo occurs mainly in young children, adults can get it too.

What are the symptoms?

1. There are two forms of impetigo. The best known is the one where a red spot or bump first appears that increases in size. Then it opens and fluid or yellow pus comes out. A yellowish or brownish crust develops. If there are many of these cuts, blisters and yellow crusts around the mouth, it can look like a currant beard: hence the name. The spots often itch. If a large area of ​​skin is involved, impetigo can also be painful. Sometimes swelling can be felt in the neck. These are glands that swell in response to the infection.

Blisters on the skin

1. The other form is characterized by large blisters. It often starts as a small blister that grows bigger and breaks easily. The underlying red skin is then exposed; this skin is often wet. In babies you can see this in the diaper area and in the navel or skin folds.

Cause of impetigo

1. The cause of impetigo is a bacteria. This usually involves Staphylococcus aureus, but in about 20 percent of the common impetigo cases, Group A streptococci are the culprit. You can carry these bacteria with you, for example in your nose, without getting impetigo yourself. Usually the bacteria is transmitted through hands or contaminated toys. The infection can also arise through coughing or sneezing. Pretzel is contagious until the wounds have dried or healed.

Treatment with ointment

1. The treatment of impetigo usually only consists of smearing fusidic acid cream. This ointment contains an antibiotic and can be used until the wounds have healed. You will usually be advised to apply the cream to all areas three times a day. It is important not to lubricate for more than two weeks.

2. The treatment of impetigo usually consists only of smearing fusidic acid cream. This ointment contains an antibiotic and can be used until the wounds have healed. You will usually be advised to apply the cream to all areas three times a day. It is important not to lubricate for more than two weeks.

Hygiene measures

1. Hygiene can help prevent aggravation and contamination. In any case, pay attention to the following: Try to avoid touching or scratching the wounds. If your child is old enough, be sure to explain why. Make sure your child washes their hands regularly with regular soap. Keep the nails clean and short. Wash your child once a day with regular soap. Let your child use their own towel and get a new towel every day. Make sure people around your child wash their hands regularly. If necessary, inform the class or daycare center. If necessary, clean things that your child touches often (toys, doors, banister) once a day. Unfortunately, infection among children is almost impossible to prevent. In a class, several children often carry the bacteria, even if they have no spots. Therefore, keeping a child at home makes little sense from a medical point of view. Some schools or day care centers do have other agreements about this.

2. Hygiene can help prevent aggravation and contamination. In any case, pay attention to the following: Try to avoid touching or scratching the wounds. If your child is old enough, be sure to explain why. Make sure your child washes their hands regularly with regular soap. Keep the nails clean and short. Wash your child once a day with regular soap. Let your child use their own towel and get a new towel every day. Make sure people around your child wash their hands regularly. If necessary, inform the class or daycare center. If necessary, clean things that your child touches often (toys, doors, banister) once a day. Unfortunately, infection among children is almost impossible to prevent. In a class, several children often carry the bacteria, even if they have no spots. So keeping a child at home makes little sense from a medical perspective. Some schools or day care centers do have other agreements about this.

Adults with impetigo

1. In principle, the same hygiene measures apply to adults as to children. Those measures can help to prevent deterioration and spread and prevent contamination of others. Staying at home also makes little sense for adults. Many other people already carry the bacteria without you seeing it.

2. In principle, the same hygiene measures apply to adults as to children. These measures can help to prevent deterioration and spread and prevent contamination of others. Staying at home also makes little sense for adults. Many other people already carry the bacteria without you seeing it.

During pregnancy

1. For pregnant women, impetigo contamination does not have a greater chance of complications than for others when caused by Staphylococcus. A group A streptococcus can increase the risk of maternity fever in women who have just given birth with a rupture, cut (episiotomy) or after a caesarean section. Impetus beard is not dangerous for the unborn child. Hygiene is extra important. Close contact, sleeping together in a room or direct mucosal contact with a child with impetigo is not recommended for pregnant women. If this was the case, it is important to keep an eye on the symptoms of infection and to contact the doctor in time.

2. For pregnant women, impetigo contamination does not have a greater chance of complications than for others when caused by Staphylococcus. A group A streptococcus can increase the risk of maternity fever in women who have just given birth with a rupture, cut (episiotomy) or after a caesarean section. Impetus beard is not dangerous for the unborn child. Hygiene is extra important. Close contact, sleeping together in a room or direct mucous membrane contact with a child with impetigo is not recommended for pregnant women. If this was the case, it is important to keep an eye on the symptoms of infection and to contact the doctor in time.

Repetition

1. Impetigo usually resolves within one to three weeks. However, the infection does not protect against the staph bacteria. That means you can get impetigo more than once. The spots generally do not leave scars. This article has been approved by Herman van Tinteren, pediatrician, non-practicing. He worked for 33 years as a general pediatrician at the Tergooi hospital. A