Definition
Infectious cellulite is an inflammatory disorder that affects the skin and subcutaneous layers, especially the connective tissue.
Infectious cellulite tends to spread to other areas of the body and - if not properly treated - can put patients' lives at risk.
Causes
Infectious cellulite is caused by a bacterial infection that involves the connective tissue.
The bacteria most involved in the onset of this inflammation in adults are Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains.
In infants, however, infectious cellulite can also be caused by beating Haemophilus influenzae .
Symptoms
The symptoms of infectious cellulite manifest themselves in the area affected by the infection and consist of: swelling and redness of the skin, pain, warm and soft to the touch, and fever.
In addition, infectious cellulite can develop complications, with the formation of papulo-pustular lesions and the spread of bacteria in the lymphatic vessels and blood (bacteremia).
Finally, in some cases, the infection can reach the deepest layers of the skin, thus giving rise to necrotizing fasciitis.
Information on Infectious Cellulitis - Drugs for the Treatment of Infectious Cellulitis is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Infectious Cellulitis - Drugs for the Treatment of Infectious Cellulitis.
drugs
Being a bacterial infection, a treatment based on antibiotics is undertaken to treat infectious cellulite. The active ingredients most commonly used are penicillins administered orally or parenterally.
Furthermore, for the symptomatic treatment of pain caused by the infective cellulite itself, the doctor may decide to administer non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
penicillins
As mentioned, penicillins are the first line treatment undertaken in the treatment of infectious cellulite. They can be administered either orally or parenterally.
Among the active ingredients mostly used, we find:
- Flucloxacillin (Flucef ®, Lixin ®, Flucacid ®): flucloxacillin is an antibiotic belonging to the class of resistant β-lactamase penicillins and is available for intramuscular or oral administration. When administered via the latter route, the dose usually used in adult patients is 1 gram of active ingredient, to be taken every 6-8 hours.
- Benzilpenicillin (Potassium benzilpenicillin K24 Pharmaceuticals ®): benzylpenicillin is one of the first natural penicillins to have been discovered. It is administered intramuscularly or intravenously. The dose of drug usually used in adult patients is 1-2 million units in doses refracted in 24 hours.
- Amoxicillin (Augmentin ®, Zimox ®, Amox ®, Clavulin ®, Velamox ®): Amoxicillin is a broad-spectrum penicillin available in pharmaceutical formulations suitable for oral and parenteral administration. When taken through the latter route, the dose of drug usually used in adult patients is 500-1, 000 mg, to be administered by intramuscular or intravenous injection, or by intravenous infusion, every 8-12 hours.
When, on the other hand, amoxicillin is administered orally, the dose usually used in adult patients is 500-1, 000 mg, to be taken 2-3 times a day.
- Ampicillin (Amplital ®): Ampicillin is also a broad-spectrum penicillin available for oral and parenteral administration.
When taken orally, the dose of ampicillin usually given in adults is 2-3 grams per day divided into 2-3 divided doses.
Vancomycin
Vancomycin is a cyclic peptide with antibiotic activity, but it is not a first choice drug in the treatment of infectious cellulite.
In fact, generally, the use of vancomycin (Levovanox ®) is reserved for the treatment of serious infections sustained by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains. Therefore, this antibiotic could also be useful in the treatment of infectious cellulitis caused by MRSA.
It is available for intravenous and oral administration. The amount of vancomycin to be used, the route of administration to be used and the duration of treatment must be established by the doctor on an individual basis for each patient.
NSAIDs
NSAIDs are not used for the treatment of infectious cellulite itself, but for the symptomatic treatment of the pain it causes due to their analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Among the many active ingredients that can be used, we recall:
- Ketoprofen (Artrosilene ®, Orudis ®, Oki ®): the dose of ketoprofen usually administered orally is 150-200 mg per day, to be taken in 2-3 divided doses, preferably on a full stomach.
- Ibuprofen (Brufen ®, Moment ®, Nurofen ®, Arfen ®, Actigrip fever and pain ®, Vicks fever and pain ®): when ibuprofen is administered orally, the dose used should not exceed 1, 200-1, 800 mg of principle active per day. The exact amount of medicine that each patient must take will be determined by the doctor on an individual basis.