Impetigo Research Paper

It is no secret that kids are always getting sick. Due to poor hygiene practices and germ infested toys, kids are constantly in contact with bacteria. If a child comes in contact with certain bacteria, the child can get a rash that is actually a bacterial infection called Impetigo. Every year more than three million cases of Impetigo are seen in the United States of America (FDA Consumer Health). Impetigo is easily spread between and very common in kids, but adults can get it also. It can be easily treated with antibiotics and even prevented with good hygiene. Impetigo, a bacterial infection common in kids, show up as a bumpy red rash and can be treated with antibiotics such as a newly tested medicine called Retapamulin.

Bacteria are everywhere

Nonbullous Impetigo is more common with 70% of the Impetigo cases being diagnosed as non bullous compared to the 30% diagnosed as bullous. Though there are two different types of Impetigo, the same signs and symptoms appear on all patients with Impetigo. The most well known sign of Impetigo is the red sores that are filled with fluid. These sores sometimes burst open and form a yellow honey colored crust (FDA Consumer Health). The skin around the sores becomes dry and flakey and sometimes even becomes ulcerated like the skin was eaten away (Carson-Dewitt). Along with the signs, the symptom of itchiness almost always appears. The itchiness contributes to the spreading because the patient will feel the urge to scratch the sore, and when the bacteria get under the nails it spreads to whatever else the patient touches. A patient can also develop a fever, pain, and swelling if the infection spreads and worsens ( Scholten). If the Impetigo is left untreated it has the potential to worsen and develop into: ecthyma, black scabs around ulcers; glomerulonephritis, a kidney disease; osteomyelitis, a bone infection;sepsis, a systemic infection; scarlet fever; streptococcal disease or pneumonia (Carson De-Witt, Scholten). The long list of complications is part of the reason antibiotics are often used to treat the bacterial infection known as Impetigo instead of letting it clear up on its

The Departments of General Practice and –Dermatology and Venereology at the University Medical Center Rotterdam, tested Retapamulin by comparing the efficacy and safety of it compared to a placebo ointment for five days. In their experiment they had a control group of 71 patients who used the placebo ointment without knowing that it was the placebo ointment, and a experimental group of 139 patients who used a 1% Retapamulin ointment without knowing it was the medicated ointment. At the end of the five days the results showed that Retapamulin was an effective and safe treatment to use to cure Impetigo that is caused by both bacteria that cause Impetigo, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes (Koning). The success of this trial opens up a new class of drugs to experiment with for human benefit. Along with opening up a new class of drugs, the success of this trial allows for a new antibiotic option for Impetigo, so doctors have more choices of antibiotics to prescribe for situations where a patient cannot take mupirocin for any