Impetigo
Introduction
Impetigo (im-puh-tai-gow) is a highly contagious infection in the skin caused by bacteria. It is commonly known as ‘school sores’ because a majority of cases occur in school-aged children. It is important to treat this condition in order to prevent complications such as infection in the blood, infection in the heart and damage to the kidneys.
.png)
Child with with golden crust on mouth from school sores or impetigo caused by staph infection
Who gets it?
It is very common; rates are as high as 1 in 2 children in remote areas of Australia. Girls and boys are equally affected.
What causes it?
It is caused by bacteria, most commonly staphlococcus aureus “staph” and group A streptococcus “strep”. These bacteria can live on the skin of your child or may live in the nose, throat or genitals. In these areas, they may not cause any harm but when there are cuts on your child's skin they can enter the skin and cause impetigo. Risk factors include:
Underlying skin condition e.g. eczema (atopic dermatitis) which causes cuts or grazes
Living conditions e.g. crowded housing, warm humid environments
Close contact with someone who has impetigo
Poor hygiene e.g. not washing hands
What does it look and feel like?
Looks like…
Yellow crusted areas on skin
Large blisters that burst
Ulcers with purple borders and yellow crust
Feels like…
Your child may be itchy, particularly if they have dry skin.
Occasionally the ulcers can cause pain.
What tests might be needed?
Your child's doctor will send a bacterial swab to test for bacteria taken from the crusted area of skin. Less commonly your child may need to have blood tests.
What treatments are available?
What can I do?
Good hygiene measures: wash hands regularly, bathe your child daily, do not share their linen or towels, hot wash all linen, towels and clothing in 60 degrees water, do not touch areas of infection, cover infected areas with dressings, keep nails short.
Washing: bleach baths or antibacterial washes are important (see Bleach Bath fact sheet)
Keep your child home from pre-school or school if they have impetigo until advised by the doctor as it is highly infectious.
Medical therapies
Antibiotics by mouth are usually prescribed for more extensive cases and it is important to complete the full course.
Topical antibiotic creams maybe given if only a few sores are present.
Rarely, intravenous antibiotics may be needed for more serious cases.
If your child is admitted to hospital, the nursing staff might soak the crusts with some salt water (saline) and dress affected areas.
What happens after treatment?
Impetigo is easily treated and usually gets better after a course of antibiotics. Your child could get impetigo again, but by following good hygiene you can try to prevent this.
What support is available?
If you are worried about your child having impetigo, the best thing to do is to see your GP who can look to see if they need a swab and treatment. If your child has more than one infection with impetigo, an underlying skin condition or a complicated case your GP might refer them to see a dermatologist (skin specialist).
Authors/Reviewers:
Author: Dr Chelsea Jones
Paediatric Reviewer: Dr Mayuri Sivagnanam
Editor in Chief: Dr Tevi Wain
