Karimnagar: Cellulitis disease, which used to affect a few people during the rainy season, is now widespread in the erstwhile Karimnagar district. Cellulitis is a common bacterial skin infection caused by two types of bacteria, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus, which live on the surface of the skin.
Cellulitis is common among people who work in agricultural fields and construction sites and those prone to cuts, bruises, scrapes and other injuries. It is an infection of the deeper layers of the skin and the germs enter through a crack or break in the upper layer of the skin.
Dr Dilip Reddy, who works in a private hospital, said a good number of cellulitis cases were registered in their hospital in August and September. Swollen skin, red rashes that appear suddenly on the skin, pain or tenderness in the affected area, fever with chills and sweating are the main symptoms of cellulitis. It is not contagious and doesn’t spread from person to person. Scratching the skin after bites by bedbugs, mosquitoes, spiders and flies also helps spread the infection,
Karimnagar government main hospital superintendent Dr G. Veera Reddy said they had only four to five cases registered in their hospital in the last two months, however, private hospitals have registered several cellulitis cases. Those who don’t maintain personal hygiene and those suffering from diseases such as leukemia, HIV-AIDS and diabetes with low immunity are prone to the disease, Dr Reddy explained.
Cellulitis can be treated successfully with antibiotics and most people recover fully within 24 hours after treatment. But, it can prove fatal if not diagnosed early and treated quickly. Besides, it could cause serious problems if it enters into the blood and spreads to other body parts, he added.
