ERYSIPELAS AS AN ACUTE STREPTOCOCCAL SKIN INFECTION: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Erysipelas is an acute bacterial infection of the upper dermis and superficial lymphatic vessels. Beta hemolytic streptococci cause most typical cases. The disease often starts suddenly with painful erythema, warmth, swelling, fever, chills, and a raised or sharply demarcated skin border. Most patients respond to antibiotic therapy, but recurrent episodes can damage lymphatic drainage and create chronic edema. This narrative review summarizes current evidence on etiology, risk factors, clinical variants, diagnosis, treatment, complications, prevention, and care organization. It gives special attention to recurrent lower limb disease, because recurrence links infection with mobility loss, work absence, repeated antibiotic exposure, compression therapy, community nursing, and social support. The review also distinguishes infectious erysipelas from carcinoma erysipeloides, a malignant mimic that can delay cancer diagnosis when clinicians treat persistent erythema as infection.