Cellulitis is a skin disease. Someone is infected if the skin is broken from a boil, insect bite, a cut or a rush. Also injuries from burns and grazes may lead to cellulitis infection. Cellulitis does not affect only on the skin surface, it can also affect beneath the skin if the skin is bruised or it is experiencing poor blood circulation. (www.health.govt/skin-cellulitis, p.4). It is a bacterial infection and infected areas appears red, tender and feels hot when touched gently (Damian Dhar, A.(n.d) Cellulitis).
Cellulitis is an infection occurring in many parts of the world without being widely noticed. Like in England, lower part of limbs of many patients have been noted. It has cost some financial and other resources very highly. Between 2011 and 2012, 55000 patients were admitted (according to Health and Social Care Information Centre, HSCIC, 2013). Each patient stayed at least 10 days before being discharged. In 2006 alone, there was about 400,000 bed days (Department of Health (DH), 2006; Halpern et al 2008).
In the invasion of the infection in the population, a study done in United States, it showed that there was an increase of 12 per 10,000 up to 21 per 10,000 in the year 2011. In Netherlands, a European country, the study reflected that Cellulitis patients per total population per year increased with age of about 50- 80 at more than 100 per 10, 000. (Adam,B. Raff et al (2006), vol 316. Pg.326).
Cellulitis affects the subcutaneous part of the skin through body breakage allowing entry of bactaria-causing pathogens. The infection is escalated by damaging of the cutaneous protective layer making the skin susceptible. This damaging is largely caused by toe web space bacteria or fungal foot infection, ulcers of pressure and leg venom. As a result, the skin properties like surface temperature and PH are reduced leading to generation of harmful microorganisms. (Adam,B, Raff et al).
References
Cannon, J., et al (2018). Severe lower limb cellulitis: defining the epidemiology and risk factors for primary episodes in a population-based case-control study. Clinical Microbiology and Infection. Cannon, J.,
Dyer, J., Carapetis, J., & Manning, L. (2018). The epidemiology and risk factors for recurrent severe lower limb cellulitis: a longitudinal cohort study. Clinical Microbiology and Infection.
