Impetigo: A Common Bacterial Skin Infection in Children

Impetigo is a bacterial skin infection, usually caused by staphylococcal (staph) bacteria, sometimes by streptococcal (strep) bacteria.

Who gets it and how

• It is most common in children aged two to six.
• It usually starts when bacteria enter a break in the skin — a cut, scratch or insect bite.

Signs

1. Red or pimple-like sores ringed by red skin, usually on the face, arms and legs.
2. The sores fill with pus, break open after a few days, and form a thick crust.
3. They often itch — but scratching spreads them.

Spread and treatment

Impetigo spreads through contact with an infected person's sores or nasal discharge. Antibiotics treat it.

Sources

Based on "Impetigo," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine; a work of the United States government in the public domain.