Erysipelas in Emergency Medicine Workup

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

Laboratory Studies

In general, diagnosis of erysipelas is made clinically. Few laboratory tests are of help in the ED.

CBC count

Increased WBC with a leftward shift may be observed but is not specific for the diagnosis.

Blood cultures

  • Positive in only 5% of cases
  • May be helpful when a question of the diagnosis or concern about bacteremia with metastatic infection exists
  • May be of some benefit in patients with prosthetic heart valves or other intravascular devices, artificial joints, or in the immunocompromised or toxic-appearing patient
  • Gram stain and culture of rash generally not helpful

Other

Antistreptolysin (ASO), streptozyme, and anti-DNAase titers may be helpful.

Proceed to Treatment & Management
 
 
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

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  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].

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

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