Patient education: Impetigo (The Basics)

What is impetigo? — Impetigo is a skin infection that usually affects children. It can happen if bacteria (germs) get into cuts, scrapes, or other small openings in the skin.

Impetigo is most common when the weather is warm and humid. It spreads easily between people who live together or spend a lot of time together.

What are the symptoms of impetigo? — Impetigo usually causes sores on the skin, most often on the face, arms, or legs. The sores often have scabs that form a yellow, gold, or brown crust (picture 1). The skin around the sores might also be red.

Some people with impetigo can have blisters. When the blisters break, they can leave painful sores and scabs (picture 2 and picture 3 and picture 4 and picture 5).

Is there a test for impetigo? — A doctor or nurse can usually tell if a person has impetigo just by looking at their skin. In some cases, they might take samples from 1 of the blisters for a special test. This test looks for bacteria and can help tell if you or your child have impetigo. But the test is not always needed.

How is impetigo treated? — That depends on how bad the infection is.

If there are just a few affected spots that do not go deep into the skin, you or your child might just need an antibiotic cream or ointment. But if a lot of the skin is affected, or the infection goes deep, you or your child might need to take antibiotics by mouth.

●The antibiotic ointment that experts recommend is a prescription medicine called mupirocin (sample brand name: Bactroban) or retapamulin (sample brand name: Altabax). You must put this medicine on the infected parts of the skin. Do this for as long as the doctor or nurse tells you to. Otherwise, the infection could come back.

●If antibiotics by mouth are needed, you or your child will probably have to take them for several days. Take all of the antibiotics prescribed, even if the skin clears up before the medicine is finished.

When can I go back to work or school? — People with impetigo can go back to school or work 24 hours after starting treatment. If you or your child have sores or blisters that are draining, they should be covered with a bandage while they heal.

What problems should I watch for? — Call the doctor or nurse for advice if:

●You or your child have signs that the infection is getting worse – These include:

•Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher

•Chills

•Pain, swelling, or warmth around the impetigo

●The impetigo is not getting better after 2 or 3 days of treatment, or is getting worse.

How can I keep impetigo from spreading? — The best way to keep from spreading or catching impetigo is to wash your hands often with soap and water. Make sure that your child washes their hands properly, too. When washing is not possible, you can use an alcohol-based hand rub.

If someone in your home has impetigo, they should not share personal items like towels or clothing. Clean surfaces and items that are commonly touched, like doorknobs, to lower the risk of spreading the infection.

More on this topic

Patient education: Impetigo (Beyond the Basics)