Erysipelas in Emergency Medicine Follow-up

  • Author: Geofrey Nochimson, MD; Chief Editor: Rick Kulkarni, MD   more...
 
Updated: Apr 14, 2011
 

Further Outpatient Care

Patients with erysipelas should have a follow-up visit with primary care 24-48 hours after ED visit, unless symptoms are clearly improving and other problems have not developed.

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Inpatient & Outpatient Medications

  • Antibiotics
  • Analgesics
  • Antipyretics
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Complications

Complications of erysipelas may include the following:

  • Gangrene/amputation
  • Bacteremia sepsis
  • Scarlet fever
  • Pneumonia
  • Abscess[3, 1]
  • Embolism
  • Meningitis
  • Death
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Prognosis

  • Excellent, if treated properly in patients with intact immune systems
  • Chronic edema
  • Scarring
  • Elephantiasis from chronic, recurrent cases (rare)
  • May resolve spontaneously, even when untreated
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Patient Education

Instruct patients to rest, elevate affected area, and use warm compresses 4 times a day for 48 hours. Patients should return or see primary care physician if experiencing an increase in pain, fever and chills, redness, or other new symptoms.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Geofrey Nochimson, MD  Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Sentara Careplex Hospital

Geofrey Nochimson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Francis Counselman, MD  Program Director, Chair, Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School

Francis Counselman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Emergency Physicians, Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine (AACEM), Norfolk Academy of Medicine, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Eddy S Lang, MDCM, CCFP(EM), CSPQ  Associate Professor, Senior Researcher, Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary; Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University

Eddy S Lang, MDCM, CCFP(EM), CSPQ is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD 

Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: WebMD Salary Employment

References
  1. Bonnetblanc JM, Bedane C. Erysipelas: recognition and management. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2003;4(3):157-63. [Medline].

  2. Pereira de Godoy JM, Galacini Massari P, Yoshino Rosinha M, et al. Epidemiological data and comorbidities of 428 patients hospitalized with erysipelas. Angiology. Jul 2010;61(5):492-4. [Medline].

  3. Morris AD. Cellulitis and erysipelas. Clin Evid (Online). Jan 2 2008;2008:[Medline].

  4. Bernard P. Management of common bacterial infections of the skin. Curr Opin Infect Dis. Apr 2008;21(2):122-8. [Medline].

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  10. Krasagakis K, Samonis G, Maniatakis P, Georgala S, Tosca A. Bullous erysipelas: clinical presentation, staphylococcal involvement and methicillin resistance. Dermatology. 2006;212(1):31-5. [Medline].

  11. Krasagakis K, Valachis A, Maniatakis P, et al. Analysis of epidemiology, clinical features and management of erysipelas. Int J Dermatol. Sep 2010;49(9):1012-7. [Medline].

  12. Lopez FA, Lartchenko S. Skin and soft tissue infections. Infect Dis Clin North Am. Dec 2006;20(4):759-72, v-vi. [Medline].

  13. Morris A. Cellulitis and erysipelas. Clin Evid. Jun 2006;2207-11. [Medline].

  14. Pereira de Godoy JM, Galacini Massari P, Yoshino Rosinha M, et al. Epidemiological data and comorbidities of 428 patients hospitalized with erysipelas. Angiology. Jul 2010;61(5):492-4. [Medline].

  15. Swartz MN. Erysipelas. In: Mandell GL, ed, et al. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 4th ed. Churchill Livingstone; 1995:913-14.

  16. Torok L. Uncommon manifestations of erysipelas. Clin Dermatol. Sep-Oct 2005;23(5):515-8. [Medline].

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Facial erysipelas exhibiting classic fiery-red plaque with raised, well-demarcated borders.
 
 
 
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