Impetigo

This chapter deals with Impetigo, which is a contagious superficial skin infection, characterized by superficial erosions covered with honey-colored crusts, most often on the face. Impetigo may be primary or secondary to other skin diseases, such as atopic eczema. It discusses about the incidence, etiology and prognosis of impetigo. The chapter describes the disinfecting treatments for impetigo, and elaborates the efficacies of topical antibiotics and systemic antibiotics in the treatment of impetigo. It also discusses about the differences in resistance rates against topical antibiotics such as fusidic acid and mupirocin when the antibiotic is used excessively. The chapter states that mupirocin has been studied in three placebo-controlled trials, all of which found a better effect with mupirocin. The implications for use of systemic antibiotics and topical antibiotics in clinical practice are also focused in this chapter.