Cellulitis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Cellulitis

Cellulitis on the arm

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Cellulitis

Alternative Names:

Skin infection - bacterial

Symptoms:

Localized skin redness or inflammation that increases in size as the infection spreads
Tight, glossy, "stretched" appearance of the skin
Pain or tenderness of the area
Skin lesion or rash (macule):
- Sudden onset
- Usually with sharp borders
- Rapid growth within the first 24 hours
Warmth over the area of redness
Fever
Other signs of infection:
- Chills, shaking
- Warm skin, sweating
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches, pains (myalgias)
- General ill feeling (malaise)

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

Nausea and vomiting
Joint stiffness caused by swelling of the tissue over the joint
Hair loss at the site of infection

Signs and tests:

During a physical examination, the doctor may find localized swelling. Occasionally, swollen glands (lymph nodes) can be detected near the cellulitis.

Tests that may be used:

A CBC may show an elevated white blood cell count, and indicates a bacterial infection.
A blood culture may be performed if generalized infection is suspected.

Review Date: 7/2/2004
Reviewed By: Jonathan Kantor, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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