Also I don't understand why wearing a clean mask over clean skin should increase your risk of skin infections
Bacteria thrive in hot, moist conditions. So impetigo tends to be seasonal, peaking in the summer and fall in northern climates. In warm and humid climates, it tends to occur year-round
Causes
Impetigo is an infection caused by strains of staph or strep bacteria. These bacteria can get into your body through a break in the skin from a cut, scratch, insect bite, or rash. Then they can invade and colonize.
The condition can be contagious. You can catch these bacteria if you touch the sores of a person with impetigo or you touch items like towels, clothes, or sheets that the person used.
However, these bacteria are also common in our environment, and most people who come in contact with them won’t necessarily develop impetigo.
Some people normally carry staph bacteria on the inside of their nose. They may get infected if the bacteria spreads to their skin
Impetigo on adults
Although impetigo is more common in young children, adults can get it too. Because it’s so contagious, impetigo can spread through any close contact. Adults who play sports often catch it from skin-to-skin contact.
The symptoms of impetigo in adults are sores around the nose and mouth or other exposed areas of the body that break open, ooze, and then crust.
Generally, impetigo is a mild skin condition, but adults have a higher risk of complications than children These include:
acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis
cellulitis
lymphangitis
sepsis
://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/.../gps-should.../20039181.article
GPs should not prescribe antibiotics for impetigo, says NICE
14 August 2019 By Beth Gault
The guidelines, from NICE and Public Health England (PHE), say that GPs should recommend topical antiseptic instead of antibiotics, with the aim of reducing antimicrobial resistance.
It found that antiseptics, such as hydrogen peroxide 1% cream, were just as effective as topical antibiotics and therefore should be prescribed instead.
However, the guidelines state that GPs can still prescribe an oral antibiotic if the non-bullous impetigo is widespread, or the patient is systematically unwell or at risk of complications.
Non-bullous impetigo is the more common form of skin infection, usually starting with a rash of small, pus-filled blisters, compared to bullous impetigo, which presents with sores and intact blisters, according to the British Skin Foundation.
It is highly infectious and although usually clears up within two to three weeks without treatment, it is usually treated with an antibiotic to prevent the spread of infection and speed up recovery, according to NICE.
A spokesperson from NICE said: ‘NICE now say that topical antiseptics should be offered to people with localised, non-bullous impetigo if they aren’t systemically unwell or at risk of developing any complications
If antiseptic treatment is not suitable, or a person has widespread non-bullous impetigo, a topical antibiotic should be given instead (fusidic acid 2%). An oral antibiotic (flucloxacillin) is also an option for people with widespread non-bullous impetigo and should be given first line if the person has bullous impetigo or if they are systemically unwell or at risk of developing any complications.’
The guidance also included that GPs should not combine a topical and oral antibiotic to treat impetigo, as using both is ‘no more effective’ than using one.
It follows a pledge by the Government to cut antibiotics prescribing by a further 15%.
David Banner | GP Partner/Principal14 Aug 2019 5:21pm
I’m sure that those impetigo patients subsequently admitted with sepsis will be perfectly satisfied that their GP failed to prescribe an antibiotic
Nick Mann | Salaried GP15 Aug 2019 1:02pm
Facial impetigo is likely to represent URT carriage of pathogenic Staph/Strep
Topical treatment of any kind does nothing to address this
The patient remains a risk to themselves and to any contacts
Cases of neumonia, sepsis and scarlet fever have increased. Who is researching the impact/harms of not treating
Too many agenda guidelines based on too little medical evidence
Carpe vinum! | GP Partner/Principal15 Aug 2019 1:59pm
and then what about school absence? The HPA advice is exclusion from school until 48 hours after antibiotics commenced, or until lesions have crusted and healed. So parents to keep kids off school for 2-3 weeks under the above guidance - I'm sure that's going to go down well on the school attendance record