This image displays a red, swollen, tender leg typical of cellulitis, a bacterial skin and soft tissue infection. The outline in pen was drawn when the patient presented to the emergency room. Within a day the skin infection had enlarged and blisters (bullae) had formed. Cellulitis is a serious infection requiring intravenous antibiotics. Severe redness and swelling are typical in cellulitis. The skin is usually very warm to the touch. An outline defining the involved skin in patients with cellulitis is used to track improvement as antibiotics take effect. Cellulitis often causes warmth, redness, pain or tenderness, and skin swelling. The common features in cellulitis, a skin and soft tissue infection, are redness, warmth, and swelling of the infected skin. Orbital cellulitis quickly develops with redness, pain, and marked swelling around the eye.
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Cellulitis:
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Picture of Cellulitis: This image displays a red, swollen, tender leg typical of cellulitis, a bacterial skin and soft tissue infection. Divider line
This image displays a red, swollen, tender leg typical of cellulitis, a bacterial skin and soft tissue infection.
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Overview
Cellulitis is an infection of the deeper skin tissue, most often caused by the types of bacteria called Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, or (in children under 2 years old, Haemophilus). These bacteria invade the skin through small cracks (fissures) in the skin, causing the sudden appearance of skin redness, swelling, and the sensation of heat. Cellulitis often occurs with fever and chills.

If the infection goes untreated too long, cellulitis can result in pockets of pus (abscesses) or the bacteria can spread into the bloodstream (bacteremia). However, most cellulitis heals after treatment with antibiotics.
Last Modified: 29 Jan 2008

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