Skin infection

Example of cellulitis showing 3+ edema of left leg

Bacterial skin infections affected about 155 million people and cellulitis occurred in about 600 million people in 2013.[6] Bacterial skin infections include:

• Cellulitis, a diffuse inflammation of connective tissue with severe inflammation of dermal and subcutaneous layers of the skin[7]
• Erysipelas, an acute infection of the deep epidermis often with lymphatic spread, almost exclusively caused by beta-hemolytic streptococcus bacteria [8] [9]
• Folliculitis, an infection of the hair follicle [8]
• Impetigo, a highly contagious ABSSSI (acute bacterial skin and skin structure infection) common among pre-school children, primarily associated with the pathogens S. aureus and S. pyogenes[10][11]

Fungal skin infections may present as either a superficial or deep infection of the skin, hair, and/or nails. Mycetoma are a broad group of fungal infections that characteristically originate in the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the foot.[12] If not treated appropriately and in a timely fashion mycetoma infections can extend to deeper tissues like bones and joints causing osteomyelitis.[13] Extensive osteomyelitis can necessitate surgical bone resections and even lower limb amputation.[13] As of 2010, they affect about one billion people globally.[14]

Parasitic infestations of the skin are caused by several phyla of organisms, including Annelida, Arthropoda, Bryozoa, Chordata, Cnidaria, Cyanobacteria, Echinodermata, Nemathelminthes, Platyhelminthes, and Protozoa.[15]

Virus-related cutaneous conditions caused by these obligate intracellular agents derive from both DNA and RNA viruses.[16]