Cellulitis

Angie Szumlinski
|
December 7, 2023
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Did you know the cost of cellulitis treatment accounts for approximately $3.7 billion in ambulatory care and 650,000 hospitalizations? We have all had a resident with suspected cellulitis, you know that resident, legs are “weeping”, swollen, hot, red, and very painful. Treatment for this type of condition can vary depending on the bacteria causing the cellulitis but timely response is key!

The most common bacteria causing cellulitis are Streptococcus pyogenes, other betahemolytic streptococci, and S aureus. If the skin infection has drainage, abscess, eschar, and/or penetrating trauma, the likely cause is methicillin-resistant S aureus. The goal of preventing this all-too-common condition is to manage risk factors such as chronic edema, venous disease, obesity. Some physicians will choose to order antibiotics prophylactically however this practice should be limited to non-purulent cellulitis with appropriate risk factor management.

For many years, Vancomycin was the drug of choice, the go to for these types of infections. However, the FDA approved delafloxacin in 2017 and it is available in both intravenous and oral formulations. How are you managing this painful skin condition in your center? Have you talked to the nurses and direct care staff to identify residents at risk for developing cellulitis? Are your physicians treating timely and appropriately to decrease the risk of systemic infection? It might be time to have these discussions, the information above should be enough to spur you on! You may not be able to prevent cellulitis completely, but you can surely identify and treat timely! Stay well and stay informed!


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