Embarrassing Illnesses

Impetigo is a bacterial skin infection that is particularly common in babies and children. It's often itchy and causes blisters on the surface of the skin that burst to reveal crusty yellow patches. It spreads fairly easily.

We asked GP Dr Sabby Kant what he would want to know if his child was diagnosed with impetigo.

My daughter has just been diagnosed with impetigo. Is it serious?

Impetigo is a common bacterial skin infection affecting up to 3% of children up to four years of age. The condition usually clears within two weeks for most people. Complications, such as kidney problems, are extremely rare.

How long should I keep her away from school?

The treatment is usually with antibiotic creams, with the addition of oral antibiotics if the lesions cover a large area. Consider sending her back to school when there isn't any more blistering, crusting or new lesions. As long as the lesions are healing and not spreading, you can send her to school 48 hours after treatment has started.

I've heard it's very contagious. How can I stop myself from catching it too?

Impetigo spreads by contact, either by directly touching the lesion or by touching contaminated things like clothing, towels and bedding. So avoid direct contact with lesions and encourage your daughter to use separate towels and to wash her hands thoroughly if she touches the lesions and after applying the cream.

She should also keep her nails trimmed, have a daily change of clean clothes and (ideally) not share her bed with anyone. The level of contagiousness drops 48 hours after treatment starts.

How long will the antibiotics take to clear her symptoms?

Even without treatment, the condition usually resolves within two weeks. The antibiotic treatment helps relieve any discomfort, improves the appearance and most importantly, prevents further spread.

What if it recurs? Should I keep something in the medicine cabinet to immediately re-treat it?

Most cases of recurrence are probably due to the person not completing the course of treatment or becoming re-infected from another affected household member.

It's a good idea to restart the antibiotic cream, as long as it is within the opened shelf-life. If there is no response, see your GP for reassessment in case a different cream or an oral antibiotic is needed. Skin disinfectants and antiseptic creams are not recommended.