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Impetigo (im-puh-TIE-go) is a common and highly contagious skin infection that mainly affects infants and young children. It usually appears as reddish sores on the face, especially around the nose and mouth and on the hands and feet. Over about a week, the sores burst and develop honey-colored crusts. The main symptom of impetigo is reddish sores, often around the nose and mouth. The sores quickly rupture, ooze for a few days and then form a honey-colored crust. Impetigo is an infection caused by strains of staphylococcus (staph) or streptococcus (strep) bacteria. These bacteria can get into your body through a break in the skin from a cut, scratch, insect bite, or rash. Then, they can invade and colonize. Sores can spread to other areas of the body through touch, clothing and towels. Itching and soreness are generally mild. Impetigo is caused by bacteria, usually staphylococci organisms. Impetigo spreads easily within families, in crowded settings, such as schools and childcare facilities, and from participating in sports that involve skin-to-skin contact. The bacteria that cause impetigo often enter the skin through a small cut, insect bite or rash. Impetigo infections are more common in warm, humid weather. Keeping skin clean is the best way to keep it healthy. It's important to wash cuts, scrapes, insect bites and other wounds right away. The most common way for a person to contract impetigo is from another person who has it. The bacteria can easily transfer from person to person through direct contact. If the infected person brushed up against another person or wipes their infected skin and then touches another person, they may spread the bacteria. Impetigo is caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus in 80 percent Trusted Source of cases. This bacterium triggers the release of certain toxins. In the local area around the infection, these toxins can lead to impetigo. If the toxins spread more generally around the body, this can lead to staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS).
Antibiotics are effective against impetigo. The type of antibiotic you get depends on how widespread or severe the lesions are. If you have impetigo in only a small area of your skin, topical antibiotics are the preferred treatment. Options include mupirocin cream or ointment (Bactroban or Centany) and retapamulin ointment (Altabax).