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Cellulitis - Anogenital in
See also in: Overview,Cellulitis DDx,Hair and Scalp,Oral Mucosal Lesion
Other Resources UpToDate PubMed

Cellulitis - Anogenital in

See also in: Overview,Cellulitis DDx,Hair and Scalp,Oral Mucosal Lesion
Contributors: Sabrina Nurmohamed MD, Susan Burgin MD
Other Resources UpToDate PubMed

Synopsis

Cellulitis is an inflammatory bacterial infection of subcutaneous tissues most often caused by Streptococcus pyogenes or Staphylococcus aureus. These bacteria invade through small cracks, fissures, or breaks in the skin. Cellulitis of the scrotum or penis is rare. The clinical manifestations include rapidly progressive areas of skin edema, redness, and heat with or without associated lymphadenopathy. Systemic symptoms of fever, malaise, and chills are common. In immunosuppressed individuals, the infection can spread to cause large abscesses, necrosis, and dissemination into the blood.

Although many cases of cellulitis are attributable to streptococci, it is important to be cognizant of the rising prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Community acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) has increasingly been identified as the agent of skin and soft tissue infections in otherwise healthy individuals lacking the traditional risk factors for such infections (intravenous drug use, incarceration, participation in contact sports, etc). It has been shown that the majority of purulent skin and soft tissue infections presenting to emergency rooms across the United States are caused by CA-MRSA. It is not currently known if nonpurulent skin infections like cellulitis are more frequently caused by MRSA today.

In all, the majority of cases of cellulitis resolve with appropriate antibiotic therapy. The decision to hospitalize a patient presenting with cellulitis will depend on the clinical picture and the patient's medical comorbidities. For any case of genital cellulitis, it is important to exclude Fournier gangrene.

Codes

ICD10CM:
L03.90 – Cellulitis, unspecified

SNOMEDCT:
128045006 – Cellulitis

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Last Reviewed:08/23/2017
Last Updated:08/23/2017
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Cellulitis - Anogenital in
See also in: Overview,Cellulitis DDx,Hair and Scalp,Oral Mucosal Lesion
A medical illustration showing key findings of Cellulitis : Chills, Erythema, Lymphadenopathy, Lymphangitis, Skin warm to touch, Unilateral distribution, Blanching patch
Clinical image of Cellulitis - imageId=51043. Click to open in gallery.
Copyright © 2023 VisualDx®. All rights reserved.