Cellulitis/Erysipelas Disease Summary

Cellulitis is a spreading bacterial skin infection that infects deeply involving the subcutaneous tissues, while erysipelas is a type of cellulitis with margins that are sharply demarcated, involves the epidermis and superficial lymphatics.
It appears as red, swollen, and painful area of skin that is warm and tender to touch.
Diagnosis is usually made by clinical presentation with or without Gram stain and culture.
The choice of antibiotic is tailored according to known pathogen, comorbid condition (eg DM), and special situations like water (salt or freshwater) exposure or animal bites.

For further information regarding the management of Cellulitis/Erysipelas, please refer to Disease Algorithm for the Treatment Guideline.