Numerous bacteria, most frequently staphylococci or streptococci, or occasionally both bacteria, can result in bacterial skin infections, also known as pyodermas. Less frequent microorganisms could also be at play in patients, residents of nursing homes, and even during specific activities like gardening or swimming in ponds or the ocean.
In the majority of situations, specific morphological traits help doctors spot potentially curable and reversible illnesses. Accordingly, the majority of cutaneous infections result in edema, erythema, or other inflammation-related symptoms, but they can also produce localized pus or fluid buildup (such as furuncles and vesicles, respectively).
Usually, a clinical examination and, in certain cases, microbiological staining and exudate or pus culture are sufficient to make a diagnosis. Drugs active against gram-positive microorganisms (such as second-generation penicillins, cephalosporins, and fluoroquinolones) should be thought of as the therapy of choice when antibiotic treatment is required, and susceptibility testing of a putative isolate should be pursued because resistance is on the rise.
